Proposal would boost mayor-elect’s salary to nearly $300,000 while he campaigns on affordability for working families
Awkward Timing for Affordability Champion
New York City Council members are advancing legislation that would give themselves and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani a 16% salary increase, creating an awkward early test for a politician who built his campaign entirely around making the city more affordable for working-class families. The bill, introduced by Councilwoman Nantasha Williams of Queens, would raise council members’ salaries from $148,500 to $172,500 annually.
For Mamdani, the legislation would increase his mayoral salary from the current $258,750 to approximately $300,500, according to reporting from PIX11 and the New York Post. Other citywide elected officials including the comptroller, public advocate, and borough presidents would receive comparable percentage increases under the proposal.
The timing presents a political dilemma for the mayor-elect, who campaigned relentlessly on themes of affordability and working-class struggle. Throughout his campaign, Mamdani highlighted how ordinary New Yorkers face impossible choices between rent and groceries, promised to freeze rents for rent-stabilized apartments, and advocated raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour by 2030. Now he faces the prospect of signing legislation that would substantially boost his own compensation just as he takes office.
Complex Legislative Maneuvering
The pay raise proposal has undergone several strategic adjustments as council members navigate charter restrictions and political considerations. Williams initially planned to bring the bill to a vote in December before Mamdani takes office on January 1, which would have spared him the political cost of signing or vetoing it. However, officials pointed out that the city charter prohibits decisions on salary increases during the lame-duck period between Election Day and New Year’s Day.
This legal obstacle forced Williams to revise her strategy. Instead of a December vote, she scheduled a public hearing on the legislation before year’s end, which she argues would allow the incoming City Council to act quickly in January without needing another hearing. Williams told reporters that holding the hearing this year means “we don’t need a hearing on it next year. It’s pre-considered.”
When asked whether the council would pass the legislation in January, Williams responded simply: “That’s the goal.” The bill currently has 31 co-sponsors including Councilmembers Julie Won and Justin Brannan, suggesting substantial support though short of the 26 votes required for passage if every member votes.
According to analysis from Governing Magazine, municipal salary decisions often involve complex political calculations. Elected officials need competitive compensation to attract qualified candidates and fairly compensate public service, but raising their own salaries can generate public backlash, particularly during economic hardship or when officials campaign on populist themes.
Political Insiders Speculate About Motives
The hasty and somewhat confused legislative maneuvering has generated speculation among political insiders about council members’ motivations. Some observers suggest the council is trying to shield Mamdani from an embarrassing early decision by pre-considering the bill before he takes office, making passage in January more procedurally straightforward. Others argue council members worried Mamdani might veto a pay raise given his campaign messaging, so they hoped to pass it under outgoing Mayor Eric Adams.
State Assemblyman Kalman Yeger, a Democrat and former council member, articulated this theory to the Post: “The only thing is I think they are worried that the mayor-elect won’t do it. They are afraid if they pass it in January and he’d have to veto. How does the mayor-elect justify it, saying the working man can’t afford milk? He can’t sign off to give them a $20,000 raise.”
A source told the Post that the legislation puts Mamdani “in a predicament,” where he must choose between vetoing the bill or approving legislation “making New York more affordable for the political class” after campaigning against such privilege. The political optics are particularly challenging given that Mamdani has proposed steep tax increases on wealthy New Yorkers to fund programs for working families.
Comparative Context and Last Raise
Council members last received a salary increase in 2016, when their pay jumped by more than $30,000 annually from approximately $112,500 to $148,500. This represented about a 32% increase at the time, significantly larger in percentage terms than the currently proposed 16% bump. The 2016 raise was recommended by an independent compensation commission and implemented during the de Blasio administration.
At $148,500 annually, New York City Council members are among the highest-paid city legislators in major American cities. According to published data, only Los Angeles and Chicago pay their city council members more. This puts the proposed raise in context–while the dollar amount is substantial, New York City’s cost of living is also among the highest in the nation, and council members represent large, complex districts in a city of 8.3 million people.
Research from the National League of Cities shows wide variation in municipal elected official compensation across the United States. Some cities pay council members only nominal stipends, treating the position as part-time public service, while others provide full salaries reflecting the demanding, full-time nature of the work. New York City falls into the latter category, with council members maintaining district offices, staff, and year-round constituent service operations.
Mamdani’s Record on Legislative Pay Raises
Critics have noted that this isn’t the first time Mamdani has faced questions about government compensation. As a state Assembly member in 2022, Mamdani voted to approve a pay raise for state legislators. That increase brought legislative salaries to $142,000 annually, making New York state legislators among the highest-paid in the nation.
At the time, Mamdani and other progressives argued that adequate compensation was necessary to ensure diverse representation and reduce corruption risks associated with legislators needing outside income. However, the vote drew criticism from some constituents who viewed it as self-serving, particularly when combined with legislators’ additional income from outside employment and per diem payments for Albany travel.
Mamdani has not publicly commented on the current City Council pay raise proposal. His transition team did not respond to media requests for comment, leaving unclear whether he supports the legislation, plans to veto it, or hopes to negotiate modifications that might make it politically palatable.
Budget Context and Fiscal Pressures
The pay raise proposal comes as New York City faces significant fiscal pressures. Outgoing Mayor Adams negotiated budget cuts across city agencies to address revenue shortfalls, and the incoming Mamdani administration will inherit a challenging fiscal situation even before pursuing expensive new programs like universal childcare and fare-free buses.
According to reporting from THE CITY, city budget experts describe the fiscal year 2025 budget as having “emptied the cupboards,” leaving little flexibility for new spending initiatives. Mamdani will take office facing targeted federal funding reductions threatened by Trump, limited fiscal reserves, and a state legislature unlikely to approve all his proposed tax increases on wealthy individuals and corporations.
In this context, approving significant pay raises for elected officials could prove politically difficult to justify, even if the compensation levels are defensible on policy merits. The optics of elected officials voting themselves raises while proposing budget cuts to agencies and services would likely generate public backlash and complicate Mamdani’s efforts to position himself as a champion of working families.
Requirement for Compensation Review Commission
The proposed legislation includes a provision requiring the mayor to convene an advisory commission to review and make recommendations on compensation levels for elected New York City officials by December 31, 2026. This mechanism would create a more structured process for future compensation decisions, potentially removing some of the political volatility from elected officials setting their own salaries.
Many jurisdictions use independent compensation commissions to review elected official salaries and make recommendations based on factors including cost of living, comparable positions in other cities, and workload requirements. This approach can depoliticize compensation decisions and ensure adjustments keep pace with inflation and changing responsibilities.
However, the timing of this commission–set for late 2026–means it wouldn’t affect the currently proposed raises. The commission requirement appears designed more to provide political cover and establish a better process for the future rather than directly inform the immediate compensation decision.
Broader Questions About Government Efficiency
The pay raise debate connects to larger questions about government efficiency and value that Mamdani has emphasized in his transition messaging. In announcing his transition committees, Mamdani noted that 70,000 people submitted résumés to join his administration, and that there are currently 17,000 vacancies in city government positions because “nobody wanted them.”
This suggests broader challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified public servants, potentially supporting the argument for competitive compensation. However, it also raises questions about whether the issue is pay levels or working conditions, organizational culture, and other factors that affect government employment attractiveness.
According to research from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence, public sector employment has become less competitive with private sector opportunities in many fields, particularly for positions requiring specialized skills. While elected official compensation represents only a small fraction of overall government spending, it can influence public perceptions about whether government operates efficiently and prioritizes taxpayer value.
Political Calculation for Mamdani
Mamdani faces several options when the legislation reaches his desk, assuming it passes the council in January. He could sign it into law, taking the political hit but arguing that fair compensation for public servants is important and that the increase is reasonable given inflation and time since the last raise. He could veto the legislation, which would reinforce his populist credentials but might alienate council members he needs as allies for his policy agenda.
A third option would involve negotiating modifications to the bill, potentially phasing in raises over time, exempting the mayor’s position, or making increases conditional on achieving specified performance metrics or budget targets. This approach might provide political cover while still allowing council members to receive compensation adjustments.
Former council member Yeger’s analysis suggests council members anticipate Mamdani might veto the bill, which would explain why they initially tried to pass it under Adams before the charter restriction became clear. If Mamdani does veto, the council would need a two-thirds majority to override–a higher threshold than the simple majority required for initial passage.
Public Reaction and Accountability
The pay raise debate will likely generate significant public attention and commentary, particularly given Mamdani’s high profile and the affordability themes that defined his campaign. Conservative media outlets have already framed the situation as hypocrisy, highlighting the contrast between Mamdani’s populist campaign rhetoric and the prospect of a substantial personal pay increase.
However, public reaction may prove more nuanced. Some voters might view reasonable compensation for elected officials as appropriate even while supporting progressive economic policies. Others might distinguish between Mamdani signing a bill passed by the council versus initiating or strongly advocating for his own pay raise.
The situation illustrates the complex relationship between campaign messaging, governing reality, and political accountability. Leaders who campaign on populist themes inevitably face charges of hypocrisy when making pragmatic governing decisions that don’t align perfectly with campaign rhetoric. How Mamdani navigates this early test will indicate his approach to balancing political principles with practical governance challenges.
The legislation is expected to receive a public hearing before the end of 2025, with a potential vote in early January 2026 shortly after the new City Council is seated and Mamdani is inaugurated. The decision will provide an early indication of the political dynamics between the new mayor and the council, particularly incoming Speaker Julie Menin, who has positioned herself as both partner and check on Mamdani’s more ambitious proposals.
