Special Session Called to Override Mayoral Veto
Denver City Council held firm to its position Friday and voted to override Mayor Hickenlooper’s veto of an amendment to the 2008 City Budget on employee pay. At their Monday night November 3 meeting, City Council voted changes to a complex and somewhat controversial method of how the city pays its workers. The Mayor objected to the changes and vetoed the amendment mid-week. Council responded by holding a special meeting the afternoon of Friday, November 9 to challenge the Mayor’s veto and emerged with a 9-3 vote to keep the amendment in the proposed budget.
Council’s amendment effects base pay, merit-based pay raises and the annual bonus program. The change adds 1 percent to the merit-based pay increase of 3.25 percent already endorsed by the Mayor. Employees who earn a successful or an outstanding performance rating would receive the pay increase. The money for the program is to be taken from dollars set aside for an employee bonus pay program which can also be awarded if special performance standards are achieved.
Mayor Hickenlooper made a rare visit to the legislative chamber during the special session to reiterate his objections and to set a friendly tone for the dispute. He reminded council members of the cooperation between the two branches of government that led to collaborative, successful solutions to several issues including public safety matters and the victorious bond election. The Mayor also asked Council to heed the predictions of a significantly softening economy.
Council member Carol Boigon, who spearheaded this initiative, asserted city employees need the additional 1 percent merit–based pay increase because their take home pay has fallen due to no pay raises, increased health care costs and rising consumer prices.
Council members say the history behind how Denver’s employees have been compensated is important in understanding the need for the change. City workers used to get raises through a mix of annual market-rate surveys and performance-based evaluations. During a previous tough economic time council members supported dropping the market-rate adjustment so the city wouldn’t have to lay-off workers. Now, they say, employee wages have fallen behind.
Another item that council also changed in the budget on Monday was also vetoed this week by the Mayor. That item is for a legislative tracking and publishing system to improve public accessibility and the transparency of governmental processes. The Mayor and Council have agreed to an alternate way to fund the project this year with unused city contingency funds.