ST. PAUL -- A Republican Minnesota House leader has come to the rescue of the Virginia mayor and City Council, who earlier this month decided to cut their pay 10 percent -- even if it's against state law.
Virginia Mayor Steve Peterson said officials are willing to defy the law so the city can save $2,760 this year. Cuts in state aid leave city leaders fearing they will have to trim police forces, fire brigades, library operations and other city functions.
Fiscal conservative Rep. Marty Seifert said he will introduce a bill that would allow them to chop their salaries with immunity.
"Every penny helps," the Marshall Republican said, so he plans a bill aimed at nonunion local government employees.
The state statute that doesn't allow city councilors to raise their own salaries after an election also prohibits them from decreasing them.
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"It's one of those arcane laws," Seifert said.
But Peterson said he has instructed city staff to go ahead and skim 10 percent off the officials' March paychecks. The mayor receives a monthly salary of $500, while city councilors receive $350. They also receive a city benefits package worth about $1,100 a month for those with family health-care plans, Peterson said.
He said public reaction to his proposal has been mixed.
"There are people that think we should [cut] more; some think we should serve for nothing," Peterson said. "But I firmly believe there's a reason to compensate people. They do a lot of work, and spend a lot of time on this."
The City Council salary cuts are part of an overall effort to make up for an expected $1 million loss in local government aid, Peterson said. Other city departments have been asked to cut 10 percent from their budgets.
Whether city officials would be fined or prosecuted for violating the current statute is unclear.
St. Louis County Attorney Melanie Ford said violating the statute would be a misdemeanor, something her office typically doesn't prosecute and would refer to the city's attorney.
But Virginia City Attorney Thomas Butorac said he would have a conflict of interest in enforcing the statute, because he represents the City Council.
