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Portland’s Independent Salary Commission released a draft proposal last week of base salaries for Portland mayor, city auditor and city councilors under the new form of government set for installation in 2025. If approved, the new salaries would take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
The newly proposed salaries are $175,463 a year for the mayor, $168,758 annually for the city auditor, and $142,404 for each of the 12 city councilors.
These salaries represent an increased base pay of at least $20,000 a year for each position, before including any potential salary increase for the cost of living.
The five-member commission was created by the same November 2022 ballot measure that radically changed the city’s charter to expand the City Council from five to 12 members elected regionally, add a city administrator, and implement ranked-choice voting. The ballot measure passed easily, with 58% of Portlanders voting for the overhaul.
The commission is responsible for setting the salaries of all elected officials under the city’s new government structure.
The commission in its latest report said the salaries were established using comparisons with other cities and evaluating the “thriving wage” for a single parent with a child.
Though city councilors under the new form of government will no longer oversee city bureaus as city commissioners do now, the drafted salaries are for full-time work because the city charter prohibits city officials from earning outside income.
The commission will now hold a series of public meetings to hear community feedback. The commission will vote on final salaries in July.
There are five salary commissioners and two alternates, all of whom are currently women. A new salary commission will be appointed every two years under the new form of government.