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NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell sent a letter to the City Council Wednesday morning to inform them that he will seek a full inflation-adjusted raise, which would put his new salary at $167,768. The council must approve the mayor’s salary as part of the annual budget process.
This will be only the second time the mayor’s salary has increased since 2013. He is seeking the full salary he would’ve reached if he had accepted inflation-adjustments every year since 2013, when his term began. Last year, Mitchell accepted a smaller 4% percent raise, his first raise as mayor.
Mitchell said he has typically declined to accept the annual inflation adjustments “to backstop my credibility in negotiating the compensation of city employees.” The mayor said that an analysis from Chief Financial Officer Bob Ekstrom found he had cumulatively turned down $226,507 in compensation through the end of 2024.
“To be clear, I am not seeking the return of my foregone pay, nor an increase in the salary provided by the City Code,” Mitchell wrote. He added that the salary he proposed to receive in the upcoming fiscal year would also fall below the average for comparable cities (those of similar populations and with a similar city charter).
“Although this adjustment is relatively minor in an annual city budget of nearly $600 million, I believe the compensation of elected officials is a subject that requires complete transparency,” Mitchell wrote. “I am flagging it for you in advance of my budget submission, so that it may be elevated in the Council’s and the public’s attention.”
● Read Mayor Jon Mitchell’s letter to City Council
Last year, Mitchell’s salary was $117,381.80, according to public records obtained by The Light. This made Mitchell the 171st highest paid employee in city government. Members of his staff, including Ekstrom, the city’s chief financial officer, and Neil Mello, Mitchell’s chief of staff, earned more at $158,056 and $154,325, respectively.
Mitchell’s pay increase will be roughly $50,000 — or a 43% year-over-year increase. The increase was calculated according to a CPI inflation adjustment based on what Mitchell would have earned if he had accepted salary increases every year of his mayoral term.
Jonathan Darling, the city’s public information officer, said that Mitchell’s decision to accept this raise does not signal anything about the mayor’s political future, including whether New Bedford’s longest continuously serving chief executive will seek re-election.
City Council President Shane Burgo said that the mayor is “entitled to the adjustment, just as our workers and retirees are. Even if [city employee] increases have typically come despite, not because of, his support.”
The highest earners in city government, as of 2024, are all members of the New Bedford Police Department, who earn significant portions of their salary through overtime and detail pay. Of the 50 highest-paid city employees: 44 were police, five were from the fire department, and one was from the mayor’s office. The highest paid city employee was a police officer who earned a total of $255,708.51, including more than $130,000 through overtime and detail pay.
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org
Sounds like an audit of the cops making $250k is in order first. Generally, shouldn’t all employees see a raise to offset inflation and then a merit based increase? Provide your fellow civil servants a fair increase and yourself, then you won’t have to spring a 50% salary increase on the city.
Look back I think it was two years when city council raised salaries across the board to some standard even though no one seemed to be lobbying for the salary hikes.
That’s a well-deserved pay raise for Mayor Mitchell. He works very hard for the City of New Bedford.
Manuel, have you lived in New Bedford all his terms?
It used to be that the Mayor had to make 1$ more than the Chief of Police? The Question is do they deserve what they receive?
His secretary Silvie has done so much good work for the residents, she should get a nice raise.