Lake Worth Commission Salaries

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Lake Worth voted on its millage and budget on September 25. The city commission also voted on other items one of which was their salaries. Lake Worth voted to keep salaries the same as they have been over the last decade. Greenacres is about to conduct a salary study as their salary has not changed either since 2001.

I must be the only person alive who believes our commissioners are underpaid for what they do. However, since we elected this new "visionary" commission, commission meetings are shorter, workshops are not as frequent and it all seems less transparent.  Maybe it has to do with all those Points of order. Did you take a look at Tuesday's agenda?  Nothing much on it. Now if a meeting goes past 10pm, 11pm, they vote to extend it.

Scott Maxwell believes that he should work for no salary and has said this on more than one occasion. And he might have something there as meetings are much shorter and no one seems to understand what is going on other than talking like a pirate. We actually had an important Tri-Meeting workshop on the comprehensive plan and the LDR's and he, along with the rest of the trio, decided to forget what was agreed.

Essentially our Ordinance says that the City Commission may determine the annual compensation of Commissioners by Ordinance, but no increase in compensation shall be adopted more frequently than every two (2) years. The subject of salaries will not automatically appear on an agenda in any future budget discussions unless it is specifically requested by a commissioner. Of course we know that any request such as a raise will be condemned by opposing politicians and some of the public. Our commissioners may be living on Coolie wages until the end of time.

Palm Springs: Mayor: $6,600; council members: $5,400. Additional $1,200 for expenses.
Wellington: Mayor: $10,104; council members: $9,600. Includes allowance for expenses.
Greenacres: Mayor: $12,600; council members: $11,100. No allowance for car or cellphone.
Lake Worth: Mayor: $15,400; commissioners: $14,400. City cellphone or $1,200 allowance.
Royal Palm Beach: Mayor and council members: $14,969. Mayor also gets $960 for cellphone; council members get $840 for cellphones.
Jupiter: Mayor $22,200; council members: $18,600. No allowance for car or cellphone.
Boynton Beach: Mayor $18,809; commissioners: $15,675. Mayor also gets $6,630 for expenses; commissioners get $6,120 for expenses.
Palm Beach Gardens: Mayor: $28,394. Council members: $26,027.
Salary Source:  PBPost