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Petition against Taylor council pay raise
Taylor City Council members are considering giving themselves a big raise, from $25 to $1,000 a month. Supporters say it will help members afford to do more for their community, but some residents say a 4,000 percent raise is ridiculous. Not there's a ballot petition aiming to let voters decide.
TAYLOR, Texas - One after the other, Taylor residents voiced their opposition against a 4,000 percent city council pay raise at a meeting in August.
"Surely, the legacy you wish to have as a council member is more important than a little extra money in the bank," said one resident.
The council voted on the ordinance in August, which would pay members $500 and the mayor $750 per meeting twice a month.
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In a previous meeting this summer, some of the council members in favor of the raise argued the money would help members afford to go to events, work with local charities, and meet their constituents while taking time away from work.
But when the city council passed the ordinance approving the raise, the decision was met with immediate frustration and swift action.
"People felt like they didn't have a voice, so that's all," said Terry Burris, who organized the petition. "I'm trying to give them one."
Burris needed 940 signatures for the county and city clerk to deem the petition valid. He got more than 1300.
"It felt overwhelmingly like a win," said Burris. "I'm usually not an emotional person, and I was pretty emotional after that. It was awesome."
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The city did not want to comment, but explained council members will have to choose to amend or repeal the ordinance or put it on a ballot.
"They can base their votes on how well the city council is doing," said Burris.
Burris wants to see the council act on recommendations from a citizen committee, which previously suggested a 1000 percent pay raise.
"They should do the correct thing and save the community the cost of an election and roll this ordinance back and accept what the citizens committee came up with," said Burris. "They get a good raise for the next council coming in. Everybody's happy."
Mayor Brandt Rydell declined to comment on this story.