Video: Columbus Council Gets $4,000 Raise

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus city councilmen will get a 4 thousand dollar a year raise when they take office July 1st.

The Council voted 3 to 2 Tuesday (6-18) night to raise the new board’s pay from 17 thousand 500 to 21 thousand 500 starting July 1st. The raise impacts five of the six current council members. Fred Stewart won’t return when the new council takes office July 1st. It’s the first raise for the body since 2005. Council members Joseph Mickens, Gene Taylor and Kabir Karriem voted for it. Charlie Box and Bill Gavin opposed. Both said council members knew what the pay was when they ran for office in May and June. They said they couldn’t justify spending 24 thousand on council raises when city employees have had only one raise in four years.