Yuma City Council wage increase denied

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Voters denied Proposition 425, which would have given the Yuma City Council and mayor a pay increase.

A salary increase for the council has not happened since the 80's, while the mayor position has not seen one since the 90's.

This would have taken the council’s salary from $3,600 annually to $25,000.

Meanwhile, the mayor's salary would have gone from $12,000 to $45,000.

Mayor Nicholls says this increase would actually benefit locals.

"It's the best interest of voters to make sure that they continue to have the best representation of government and the men and women who sit on city council represent the wishes and the will of the people of Yuma," said Mayor Doug Nicholls.

Others, including former Yuma City Council member Gary Wright, disagree saying there are other more important topics to focus on.

"The City of Yuma needs better residential streets, improvement of the streets, we need police officers to be attracted to Yuma and that’s a higher priority than mayor and council salaries," said Wright.

Mayor Nicholls provides some examples of why the council deserves more pay.

"They're taking trips out of town for conferences, representing the city or taking time off of work. You know, it's not a whole lot to really compensate somebody, you know, it's not meant to be enough to be their full-time job, but it also should like help offset things like gas," said Mayor Nicholls.

This is now the second time the proposition has been denied.

This proposition can still be put on the ballot anytime or even be voted on again in a special election, but so far, there are no plans of that happening.