Tacoma’s mayor, City Council to get salary increases in 2025. Here’s what they’ll earn
The Tacoma City Council is getting a raise in 2025.
Starting Jan. 1, Mayor Victoria Woodards, Deputy Mayor John Hines and each council member will receive a 4% boost in pay.
A quorum of the seven-member Citizen Commission on Elected Salaries unanimously approved the decision on Aug. 5, according to a letter addressed to Woodards and the council.
The commission transmitted the decision to the Tacoma City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 20. City Attorney Chris Bacha explained during that evening’s council meeting that the change is automatic and does not require council approval.
What are council members going to make in 2025?
The city sent The News Tribune a table comparing elected officials’ 2024 salaries with what they’ll make next year.
Mayor Victoria Woodards earns $117,185.83 in 2024. In 2025 she will make $121,873.26, translating to an hourly rate of $58.59.
Deputy Mayor John Hines earns $70,115.34 in 2024. In 2025 he will make $72,919.95, translating to an hourly rate of $35.06.
Council members earn $63,086.54 in 2024. In 2025 they will make $65,610.01, translating to an hourly rate of $31.54.
The Citizen Commission on Elected Salaries voted last August to award the Tacoma City Council 20% raises for 2024, including the deputy mayor, The News Tribune reported at the time. They also chose to give Woodards a 5% pay bump.
Council got a 6% boost at the start of 2023 and another 6% that July, while the mayor benefited from a 5% increase, according to that article.
In 2022 such officials were given a 4% raise “across the board,” as mentioned during this month’s commission meeting. None of them landed a raise in 2021.
Members of the committee on Aug. 5 mulled the question: Why agree to more raises after the past three years of salary spikes? Talk then turned to inflation.
One proposal suggested a 5% increase for everyone on council, but other members preferred going lower. Someone asked a reluctant peer whether she’d be comfortable with a 3%-4% raise to keep up with inflation. She replied that it made sense.
“I was thinking like they’ve already had so many increases, in my opinion,” said commissioner Colette Babbs, according to an audio recording of the discussion. “So yeah, I would be in agreeance with that.”
One member floated the idea of an up-to-10% increase for the mayor. However, commissioner Greg Amann argued that members should set the raise based on the job, not the individual.
“I know Mayor Woodards … she works really hard. She’s very engaged,” Amann said. “I mean, not every mayor may put the time and effort in that she does, so remember that we’re doing this for the position and not the person.”
The group ultimately agreed to give 4% raises to everyone on council.
How does Tacoma’s salaries compare with other cities?
During the commission meeting, members emphasized that Tacoma has a council-manager form of government rather than a mayor-council one. In the first category, much of the power rests with the city manager instead of the mayor.
For consistency’s sake, The News Tribune compared the following council-manager cities listed on the Municipal Research and Services Center’s website.
Tacoma’s population in 2024 is 225,100, according to MRSC. It features a full-time mayor and part-time council, The News Tribune previously reported.
Olympia: Over in the state’s capital, The Olympian reported last September that a 5% increase would bring the mayor’s annual salary (not including a benefit’s stipend) to $29,610. The mayor pro tem would get $27,142 after the same spike and council members would make $24,674. (MRSC population: 57,450)
Lacey: The Olympian noted in the same September 2023 article that council members in Lacey make $20,700 per year. The mayor, meanwhile, earns $23,400 annually, while the deputy mayor counts $22,080. (MRSC population: 60,210)
Lakewood: The mayor of Lakewood makes $19,200, according to the city’s list of 2023 annual salaries and wages. The deputy mayor and council members earn $18,000 and $16,800, respectively. (MRSC population: 64,620)
Bellevue: Bellevue’s mayor earns $33,948 effective Jan. 1, 2017, according to that city’s 2023 pay plans. The deputy mayor makes $30,468 and council members receive $28,728. (MRSC population: 155,000)
Spokane Valley: Effective April 2022, the mayor of Spokane Valley receives a monthly salary of $2,250, or $27,000 annually, according to that city’s website. Each council member gets $1,800 every month, or $21,600 per year. (MRSC population 108,800)
This story was originally published August 25, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
