At the last Tallahassee City Commission meeting Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made a motion to have city staff bring back the steps required to bring Commissioner pay to the same level as Leon County Commissioner pay.
Currently Tallahassee City Commissioners are paid approximately $39,000 and Leon County Commissioners are paid approximately $80,000. The Mayor of Tallahassee is paid the same as a Leon County Commissioner.
Matlow’s motion passed 3-2 with Matlow and Commissioners Dianne Williams-Cox and Elaine Bryant voting yes. Mayor John Dailey and Commissioner Curtis Richardson voted no.
See 40 second video clip below.
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Commissioner Matlow explained his rationale for the motion in a series of tweets which are provided below.
City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow on City Commissioner Pay
Commission pay may seem like a trivial item, but in fact it’s a major barrier to access to government for everyday working people. Generally folks with means run for and hold these offices, because they have a separate income that allows them to serve the public for little pay.
The low salary local of elected officials has also contributed significantly to ethical conflicts which has gotten the City in major legal trouble that has made national news in recent years.
A reasonable, modest wage commensurate with the volume of work local Commissioners perform would allow for independence & full attention to working for the public — not seeing public service as a side job while earning a living from other sources which may cause conflicts.
As with all items that reach the ballot — it is up to the public to decide one way or the other. They will have the opportunity for an up or down vote on the matter and will have the final say. That’s how the process should work and that’s what we’ve supported today.
A reasonable modest wage? Seriously? City commissioner is a part time position with benefits. $39,000 is more than what most full time salaried professionals in my field (social work) make with a masters degree. Doubling your salary as a public servant instead of utilizing it to actually benefit the community is nothing but greedy self interest. So disappointing.
I am not commenting on the vote to increase wages, however that being said my Wife who is a Teacher in the school system is paid the same as our commissioners, so if a modest wage is $81,000 I guess she is due a wage.
Also to all of those that want to start the whole “liberal this, liberal that”, make sure you know what your saying. You don’t have to look far to find those “conservatives” that are greedy and unethical, heck look at the US Senate and the pay they receive to Not Do Their Job!!
So tired of the bs corruption is in people not a party.....
"The low salary local of elected officials has also contributed significantly to ethical conflicts which has gotten the City in major legal trouble that has made national news in recent years."
So, if I have this right... if taxpayers double your salary, you'll promise to be ethical, and corruption will cease to exist...
… ok, got it now
Darn our secret weapon Republican Wolf disguised in Democrat Sheep clothing [Matlow] just did a hard left dive for the money.
...sigh....we're gonna need a new Matlow.
I don't understand why part time leaders should get more than full time for the community. Nor would I ever support a pay raise that went into effect for anyone who voted on the proposition before the next election (when people could decide whether to keep them.
Yes, it is true that it is hard to keep your full time job that you need to support yourself, but 80K?
There is no doubt in my mind that E. Bryant wants more, more, more. She has always been for herself and others like herself. She has always been against the little person and always looked out for the upper level. Tallahassee is in for a wild ride with Bryant. Wait and see.
Matlow, please explain what you mean by this statement: "Commission pay may seem like a trivial item, but in fact it’s a major barrier to access to government for everyday working people."
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OH, and more than DOUBLING you PAY for a Part Time Job is by NO means TRIVIAL.
Just despicable to say the corruption would be worse if we just paid more money! We need more public servants and self-serving individuals on our local commissions!
Matlow knew what the job paid when he ran for it. If he wanted to get a county commissioners pay he should have ran for county commissioner. Personally, I think the city commission owes us a refund! Those corrupt reprobates on the city commission should get a jail sentence not a raise!
Funny how it is the 3 NEW Commissioners demanding the Pay Jump. You ran for that Seat KNOWING what the Pay is. Asking us to more than DOUBLR your Pay makes me feel that you are Greedy and should be Voted OUT. ALSO, with Matlow's statement, it's as if he is saying that IF they do not get their Salaries Doubled, they too will do what Scott Maddox and the others did. You just lost my Respect Matlow and Dianne Williams-Cox always seemed like a Self Serving Commissioner to me and Elaine Bryant just seems to sit there, Votes with the Majority.
Perfectly stated! Kudos for you!!!
Not necessary. Your word is good enough for me. Thank you.
Yes Alex, I am a registered republican.. you could look up my profile on LinkedIn, Facebook or google, if you like.
The question was not answered, What is the total annual compensation including all allowances and benefits? We can’t vote until we know what they really make. Mr. Matlow, are you going to answer?
John Paul, first, thank you for your service to our community. You have shared information that I did not remember about you. I remember you ran ran for tax collector. I know we are not known to each other, but we may be on the same wave link. Second, IF I jumped to conclusions about your comments, I may have been off base. If I was a betting man, I would bet you are a Republican.
Alex, I was a retired Tallahassee Police Officer when I ran ! I lived off my City retirement when I was on the city commission! And left office I had no money except my retirement, When I ran for the city commission I put in my own money. I wanted to serve as a city commissioner so much that I used my savings and my retirement bonus money in order to win my first election, very few people would donate to a new comer to politics.
John Paul, it is the money they make on the TAKE. Most of them that are elected want to double their salary from what they make outside the elected position. Did you not want to do the same when you ran?
POWER!!!
If the pay is so low, why are so many people running to be a commissioner then?
John, all I can say is Amen. You are on target. These elected positions are part-time. Curtis Richardson already makes about $80,000 with the School system. Nick Maddox makes nearly $200,000 between his Co. Comm. job and his other job. All these elected officials are self-serving in their actions. Look at Rocky Hanna, Supt. Of Schools. His political action committee pays him almost $200,000 a year and he makes about $150,000 as Supt. This will not stop as long as the liberal thieves are elected.
I’d entertain that — on one condition. At that rate of pay, commissioners should be required to put in full-time, in-office hours. Also, they should be forbade from owning any other businesses or direct income. So, sure, Matt. You can have your salary, but you have to give up all your restaurants and outside ventures? No? Then shut up and go back to your part-time board position. Or stop serving. No one is forcing you.
This shows the level of corruption, disorganization, and inhumanity as to where these Commissioners stand. This is an absolute disgrace and permanently an absolutely marks their time as they will be voted out there is no way that any commissioner can withstand this self-serving Act. It is embarrassing it is disgraceful and there is no way any of them can come back from this.
The discussion should be based on the commissioners’ total compensation package, not just their salary. They get substantial allowances and benefits that make their total city income significantly more than $39,000. Let the voters see the whole picture. If the city or the commissioners refuse to release that information, all the more reason why we need it.
I disagree with Mr. Matlow's definition of a reasonable modest wage.
So if Scott Maddox was being paid $80,000 he would not have committed the crimes he did? No way!
Why should they get twice the pay of the average fulltime state employee?
Matlow,
Do not lose touch with the people who keep your business running..i.e customers!!
40k IS already a modest reasonable wage. Maybe leon county commissioner are overpaid.
Jeremy, you just ran your train off the rails. Go ahead and let us vote on it. You'll see the political equivalent of a WWE Smackdown.