Executive session scheduled to be held to discuss City Council salary increase – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – An executive session of the Pittsburgh City Council will begin today, where a hot topic around council members’ pay increases will be discussed.

City Councilmember Theresa Kail-Smith has frozen a potential $16,000 raise, pending legal review on the matter.

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The decision made in December was taken without public discussion and City Controller Michael Lamb declared the 22% pay increase a violation of the city’s Family Code Charter.

That rule does not allow elected officials to get a raise above the average city employee rate, which was about 3 percent last year.

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Kail-Smith says the council will now meet with budget officials, private attorneys and city attorneys.

“What I am asking our salespeople to do is freeze our raise until we have had a chance to get a legal opinion to clear up any miscommunication or any any budget misunderstanding,” said Kail-Smith.

Kail-Smith defended the initial approval process.

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The executive session to discuss the pay raise is expected to take place privately – as early as Wednesday afternoon.