Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio is asking how much in pay raises and bonuses are in the current City of Phoenix budget? DiCiccio says the answer is “the elephant in the room everybody refuses to discuss.”
That answer, according to City staff, is approximately $54 million, which DiCiccio says is, “Interesting that it equals the food tax Phoenix is taking from the public.”
According to DiCiccio, $29.9 is built into current budget for merit and longevity (pay raises and bonuses) and approximately an additional $23 million is in for last year’s restorations.
DiCiccio: “What a person says and what they do is important”. He asked specifically, “How many police officers could $52 million hire? How many fire fighters could $52 million hire? How many after school programs could be restored? Libraries could be back to normal with increased service with $52 million. Senior programs could be restored with $52 million? Finally, how much does the food tax represent in this budget?”