Roanoke City Council votes in favor of raising pay for council members

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Roanoke City Council voted 4-2 in favor of a pay raise for council members in an afternoon meeting Monday, July 1.

A 90-percent increase will go into effect with annual incomes being $47,000 for the mayor and $43,000 for council members.

The incremental raises will begin July of 2025 and will reach their maximum pay in July 2028.

State law says the pay raises have to be decided four months before the election, putting the decision up against this year’s deadline.

Mayor Sherman Lea says, “So please try and understand this not something that only Roanoke City is doing ... this is going statewide. In fact, many cities have already approved that, and if we don’t do it at this time, we’re not eligible until 2027.”

Supporters say it’ll keep up with inflation and takes place over a long period of time, while the opposition believes the vote was rushed and the public should have had more say in the decision.