Newark mayor gets raise of $50,000 plus another $30,000 ‘allowance’

NEWARK — The City Council of the state's largest city voted to increase its own part-time salaries as a "cost of living adjustment" after giving the mayor a $50,000 raise and an allowance of up to $30,000.

Under the ordinance, Council President Mildred Crump will earn $105,000 a year. The other eight members of the council will earn $95,000. The increases are retroactive to July 1, 2018.

The vote happened within the first few minutes of the Tuesday morning meeting, as five council members in attendance approved their salary increases without comment.

There were two "no" votes on record, from North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos and East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador, who both arrived late to the meeting.

In an email to New Jersey 101.5, Amador said he voted against the raise because he does "not believe that a salary increase should be granted on a part-time position. I have, since 1998, been an advocate to change this position to a full-time position."

At the same session, the Municipal Council also approved giving Mayor Ras Baraka the option of receiving an annual $30,000 allowance in lieu of expenses.

That would increase Baraka’s annual pay to $210,000, as just last month the council voted to boost the mayor's salary to $180,000.

City Clerk Kenneth Louis previously told NJ Advance Media that it's the council’s first salary increase since 2006. Louis' salary also increased under last month's approved ordinance, to $175,000.

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