The City Council voted unanimously last Thursday to raise Mayor Ted Bettencourt’s salary from $139,000 to $142,000.
The $3,000 raise brings his salary more in line with what mayors in nearby cities earn.
“Lynn [mayor] makes $145,000, Beverely $145,000, Salem $150,000,” said Councillor-At-Large Thomas Gould before he put forth the motion. “Comparatively, I think we’re in fairly good shape to give the mayor a raise.”
A review of the mayor’s salary is required by ordinance each February. The City Council has approved similar raises in recent years, increasing the salary to $135,000 in 2023 and $139,000 in 2024.
This change will also raise the salaries of the city councilors from $12,510 to $12,780, as city ordinance sets their pay at 9% of the mayor’s.
“The mayor’s salary is one of those things we tackle every year, and it can be uncomfortable,” Gould said. “But it’s something we have to do in a positive or negative sense.”
Gould also noted that Bettencourt has declined multiple raises throughout his tenure as mayor.
The ordinance officially changing the mayor’s salary will take effect July 1, 2025.
