Frustration grows in Niagara Falls, as Mayor Paul Dyster's newly proposed budget quickly becomes a hot button issue. Many residents are bothered by him proposing raises and promotions for some officials in city hall.
Dyster wants to raise the city administrator's pay by $6,500. The administrator's new salary would be $85,000 a year. The mayor also wants to promote his executive assistant to special assistant and raise the pay by almost $18,000. Then he wants to hire the city clerk full time, which would move the salary up the scale by $18,000, as well. The city assessor would get a $6,000 raise.
"I don't agree with them getting a raise especially when the city of Niagara Falls looks the way it looks," Niagara Falls Resident, Tommy said.
The mayor defends his proposed raises. He told 7 Eyewitness News the pay hikes would save the city money and the raises would put The Falls about even with other cities pay scales.
"You have to have the money to pay people in order to be able to be a good steward," Mayor Dyster said.
But Councilman, Kenneth Tompkins thinks this will hurt a city that's already hurting. He doesn't plan on voting in favor of this proposed budget, until some changes are made.
"It seems funny that we are going to give raises out while we really need to tighten up. Look at our infrastructure. Look at the street here that we are on. I say there is a lot of work to done. I don't believe we have the money to be giving people raises," Tompkins said.
Niagara Falls City Council will hear from the public on this topic and other budget related issues on Tuesday, during their council meeting. The city has until December to pass a new budget.
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