Section 2-101 of the Charter of the City of Savannah vests all corporate rights, powers and privileges, and all duties, obligations and liabilities of the City in the Mayor and Aldermen. Section 2-105 of the Charter provides that the salary of each Alderman shall be as established by resolution. Section 2-203 of the Charter provides that the salary of the Mayor shall be as established by resolution. 

The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah in 2022 and 2023 adopted budgets increasing the salary of City employees to reflect higher costs of living experienced by Americans. The Mayor and Alderman recognize that the costs associated with public service as elected officials have similarly increased. Therefore, the Mayor and Aldermen believe that compensation for the members of City Council should also be adjusted to reflect the higher costs of living experienced by Americans since the last adjustment to salaries paid to the City’s elected officials. Furthermore, the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah believe that a salary adjustment is important to attract qualified residents to run for office in this election year, while further recognizing that the current City Council may not enact legislation to affect their current compensation. 

Hence, City Council will look to adopt a resolution increasing the compensation paid to the Mayor and Aldermen as follows: 

            (a)        Beginning January 1, 2024, the Mayor’s salary shall be $65,000 per year;

            (b)        Beginning January 1, 2024, the salary of each Alderman shall be $35,000 per year.

Approval