City leaders would receive pay increase under new proposal, raise for mayor delayed

A proposal to increase pay for several city government positions passed a committee this week. The measure moves forward with an amendment that delays a raise for the mayor until the next term.

The current salary for the Mayor of Indianapolis is $95,000. That was set in 2002, the last time the mayor received a pay raise. Bart Peterson was mayor at that time.

A first draft of the City-County Council proposal bumped the pay to $125,000, but Mayor Joe Hogsett said he would forgo any pay raises while serving as mayor. The latest draft raises the mayor's pay to $150,000 in 2028.

The proposal comes at a time when the Hogsett administration is under fire for mishandling sexual harassment and misconduct allegations.

Other executive positions that are being considered for raises include the county assessor, auditor, recorder and clerk.

Council minority leader Brian Mowery pushed back against the timing of the raises.

“Anytime we're talking about raising a salary while someone is in office, I have a little bit of reserve towards that,” Mowery said.

Salaries for other positions would be bumped to $99,500 annually in a move that would create more pay equity across the administration. Those raises would go into effect in 2025. 

Council majority leader Maggie Lewis said the timing isn’t ideal but the move is necessary.

“They can't give themselves raises like we did, and so in order for them to get a raise, this body has to commit to doing so,” Lewis said.

Members of the council approved a pay raise for themselves in 2022. Their salary was increased from about $11,000 to $31,000 a year.

Coroner, treasurer and surveyor positions are up for election this year. The measure now moves to the full council.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.