Roanoke City Council members will take a final vote Monday on increasing mayoral and council member salaries by almost 90%.
During a special meeting held Friday morning, council members voted 4-1 to adopt an ordinance boosting salaries of the mayor and the city council to the maximum allowed by state law. With four votes, the council will proceed with a second reading Monday morning, and will need a majority vote of the seven-member council to pass the ordinance.
A new state law sets new, and higher, maximum pay levels for mayors and council members, based on population.
Under the new pay scale, the Roanoke mayor’s salary would increase from $25,000 to $47,000, and council members’ from $23,000 to $43,000. The raises would take effect July 1, 2025.
Roanoke isn’t alone in pursuing salary increases in response to the change in law. City councils in localities including Richmond, Portsmouth, Alexandria and Hampton already have voted themselves raises, and others, including Danville, are considering the move.