OPINION – Councilmember Gayle Earle — who, after only four months in office, pushed for an outsized raise for herself and her colleagues — is trying again. The proposal failed in May 2025 by a 4–3 vote. It deserves the same fate on Tuesday.
The Dec. 16 Town Council Agenda Item 8h seeks to boost council stipends to $750 per month and the mayor’s monthly stipend to $1,100 beginning in December 2026. That’s an 83 percent raise for the mayor and an 88 percent raise for council members.
At a time when groceries, health care, utilities and everyday essentials cost more than ever, it is astonishing that this council would prioritize padding its own pay. Public service is a privilege, not a pathway to self-enrichment, and this council majority regularly serves its personal interests versus that of the collective community.
