Questions over pay raises for Milwaukee Mayor, Common Council members

MILWAUKEE - You pay Milwaukee city leaders with your tax dollars. Roughly two years ago, they voted to give their own positions regular pay raises.

Now new raises are kicking in, but there are questions about potential lawsuits.

Pay raise controversy

What we know:

The Wisconsin Constitution says public officers can't give themselves pay raises during their terms.

But, they can vote to raise pay for future terms. That's what happened in January 2024.

At that time, the Milwaukee Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson approved an ordinance giving a 15% pay raise in the next term, the first bump in 16 years. It was not a unanimous vote, and the membership on the council has changed in the years since.

Common Council's 2024 vote on pay raises

• 1st District: Andrea Pratt, Yes
• 2nd District: Mark Chambers Jr., Yes
• 3rd District: Jonathan Brostoff, Yes
• 4th District: Robert Bauman, No
• 5th District: Lamont Westmoreland, No
• 6th District: Milele Coggs, Yes
• 7th District: Kahlif Rainey, Yes
• 8th District: JoCasta Zamarripa, No
• 9th District Larresa Taylor, Yes
• 10th District: Michael Murphy, No
• 11th District: Mark Borkowski, No
• 12th District (Common Council President): Jose Perez, Yes
• 13th District: Scott Spiker, No
• 14th District, Marina Dimitrijevic, Yes
• 15th District: Russell Stamper, Yes

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Milwaukee Common Council pay went from $73,000 to $84,000. The council president was $82,000, and it was bumped to $94,000.

And the mayor’s salary rose from $147,000 to $169,000.

All parties involved agree that was legal.

Here's the sticking point: the same 2024 ordinance said in each future year council and mayoral pay would increase to match general city worker pay increases, with council and mayor raises capped at 3%.

The now-former city attorney's office signed off on it as a legal and enforceable ordinance.

New pay raises for 2026?

By the numbers:

City employees did not get a pay raise last year, so neither did the Common Council nor mayor.

Fast-forward to 2026. This year's city budget gives city employees a 3% pay raise.

Under the new rule, that means a 3% bump for the council and mayor.

This year, since general employee salaries went up 3%, most common council members would each see a $2,520 dollar pay raise. The mayor’s would go up by $5,000.

Getting answers, easier said than done

What they're saying:

The new city attorney has a warning: city leaders could open themselves up to a lawsuit from someone claiming this was a loophole to give themselves raises during their terms.

The city attorney and alders met behind locked doors in a closed session of the council's judiciary and legislation committee. The meeting extended nearly two hours.

One alderperson told FOX6: "This was two hours that could have better been used answering constituent phone calls."

After the closed-door meeting, FOX6 attempted to get answers.

"Can you tell us about the 2024 ordinance regarding salaries?" asked FOX6 reporter Jason Calvi.

"I can’t provide any comments about confidential advice we give to our clients," responded Milwaukee City Attorney Evan Goyke.

"All of that was signed by the previous council in the previous term," said Alderman Peter Burgelis about the 2024 ordinance allowing for future pay raises.

"Do you think the 2024 ordinance was unconstitutional? " asked Calvi.

"The city attorney advised not to talk about any potential litigation," responded Common Council President José G. Pérez.

"You know we can’t talk about closed session," said Alderman Robert Bauman.

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