Glendale has sneaky way to pursue a pay raise

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to ask your employer to give you a 50% pay raise.

But to make the request on a Friday morning? During the dog days of July? When absolutely nobody is paying attention? And anyone who might object is absent?

Well, that’s Glendale for you. Four members of the Glendale City Council held a special meeting on a Friday morning in early July and without comment voted 4-0 to ask voters in November to boost to their pay.

The city’s long suffering mayor, Jerry Weiers, who earlier this year enjoyed a 12-day European junket courtesy of Glendale taxpayers, is looking to boost his salary by 42% to $68,490.

The council would enjoy a 55% bump, to $52,685.

The Republic’s Jen Fifield reports the increases would move pay of Glendale’s elected officials from the middle to near the top when compared with other large cities in metro Phoenix. If approved, only Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego would make more than Weiers.

It’ll be up to Glendale voters to decide whether their leaders deserve such a massive pay raise. Whether not having had a raise since 2006 justifies the jump.

It’s the sneaky way in which Glendale’s leaders are going about asking that should raise hackles.

First, by taking a vote at 10 a.m. on a Friday morning in July when the three council members most likely to raise a stink were on vacation.

Second, by asking voters to approve the pay raise during a special election in November, when I’m guessing hardly anyone will vote.

This is a matter that should be voted upon in a regular city election — in this case, in November 2020, when I’m guessing turnout will be sky high.

But then I guess Glendale’s leaders don’t much trust Glendale’s voters.