Interesting News Story

Found this story in the Boston Globe (by Andrea Estes). Thought I'd share some excerpts with you all:
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"After six minutes of debate and with no roll call vote, Boston city councilors approved 16.6 percent raises yesterday for themselves and the mayor.

The raises would increase the councilors' salaries from $75,000 a year to $87,500 and the mayor's annual pay from $150,000 to $175.000. Base pay for Massachusetts legislators is $55,570, with an additional $15,000 annually for those who chair legislative committees. The Massachusetts governor's salary is $135,000 annually.

''It's striking that city councilors are paid so much more than state legislators, who have much greater authority and responsibility," said Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

Of the mayor's raise, Widmer said, ''There's a clear inequity when the state's constitutional officers are paid so much less than the mayor of Boston."

[from Robert - the following is my favorite part!]

Councilors defended the action, saying they have not had raises since 2002 and complaining that they are forced to perform the politically awkward task of approving their own salary increases in public.

'Every four years, the City Council is put in the unenviable position of having to vote on compensation for the executive branch, the legislative branch, and top policy makers,' said Council President Michael F. Flaherty. 'Until a new mechanism is put in place, we'll probably have this same story in four years.'
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Man. I want to be a city council member.