But the original plan for the bill had originally been to set up a speedy vote this month, before Mamdani took office \u2013 a maneuver council members had to scuttle when they realized city law blocked them from voting on the pay raises during the post-election lame-duck period.<\/p>\n
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New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announces 17 committees, staffed by 400, as part of his transition team. James Keivom<\/p>\n
The hasty, confused pay push raised eyebrows among many insiders, who gossiped that the City Council was either trying to pull an end run around the incoming mayor or spare him an embarrassing early decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing is I think they are worried that the mayor-elect won\u2019t do it,\u201d said Kalman Yeger, a Democratic state Assemblyman and former council member.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are afraid if they pass it in January and he\u2019d have to veto. How does the mayor-elect justify it, saying the working man can\u2019t afford milk? He can\u2019t sign off to give them a $20,000 raise.\u201d<\/p>\n
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City Council members prepare to vote on an issue in the chamber. Getty Images<\/p>\n
The bill introduced by Williams is co-sponsored by 32 Council members, including prominent Mamdani allies Crystal Hudson (D-Brooklyn), Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn) and Chi A. Oss\u00e9 (D-Brooklyn).<\/p>\n
A well-placed source agreed the pay hike legislation puts Mamdani, who ran a campaign promising affordability for working-class New Yorkers, in a bind.<\/p>\n
He can veto the bill or approve a law \u201cmaking New York more affordable for the political class,\u201d the source quipped.<\/p>\n
The bill, if approved, would give council members their first raise in nearly a decade and swell their salary budget from $7.5 million to $8.8 million.<\/p>\n
They\u2019d see their salaries jump from $148,500 to $172,500.<\/p>\n
The lawmakers wouldn\u2019t be the only ones to benefit from the pay bumps \u2014 the potential new legislation would pad the paychecks of the mayor, public advocate and borough presidents.<\/p>\n
Mamdani\u2019s salary, as mayor, would get a bump from the current $258,000 to $300,500.<\/p>\n
The city comptroller currently makes $210,000, the public advocate is paid $184,000 and borough presidents $180,000 \u2014 and each would get 16% bumps in pay under the plan.<\/p>\n
The legislation comes after grousing by council members that their pay is\u00a0stuck at levels set in 2016<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 as other\u00a0city employees have seen hikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-Queens) said the plan is to introduce the bill on Tuesday. Hans Pennink<\/p>\n![\"Councilwoman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cacd3b11edb65f05afa4fe8ec53ce9bd.jpeg\"\/)
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