D.C. Council pay second-highest in nation

D.C. Council members get paid more than their counterparts in neighboring localities and most of the nation’s biggest cities like New York, according to an analysis of salary figures.

Despite a looming budget deficit, the District, with 572,000 residents, pays its 12 council members $92,520 each and its chairman $132,500 annually.

New York, the nation’s most populated city, with 8 million residents, pays its council members $90,000 a year.

D.C. Council members yesterday defended their high pay.

“This council operates as a city, county and state legislative body,” said council member Adrian Fenty, Ward 4 Democrat. “You take on everything from Medicaid to community policing and potholes. It’s a different job in the amount of work that needs to be done and also in the amount of time.”

The median household income in the District is $41,169.

D.C. Council members also get paid more than counterparts in Houston, which pays council members $44,217 a year, and in Philadelphia, which pays $80,000 a year. Houston has 2 million residents; Philadelphia has 1.5 million.

The D.C. Council’s salaries also surpass those of county and city legislative bodies in the Washington suburbs, the analysis by The Washington Times shows.

Montgomery County Council members earn $72,557 a year, while counterparts in Prince George’s County make $70,000. Montgomery has 891,347 residents; Prince George’s has 816,791.

Fairfax County supervisors, who represent 985,161 residents, earn $59,000. Arlington County Board members make $27,937, and Alexandria City Council members make $27,500. Arlington has 187,469 residents; Alexandria has 128,283.

Elected officials who lead the legislative bodies often are paid slightly higher salaries.

D.C. Council member Kevin P. Chavous, Ward 7 Democrat, said his job demands full-time, year-round attention. He said he works at least 50 hours a week.

Under a city statute, the council members’ positions are defined as part time and the council chairman’s position as full time.

“I can understand people’s concerns about salaries,” Mr. Chavous said. “But you have to go back to the start of home rule in the District. The federal government tied some salaries to positions in federal government. Sometimes they made sense. Sometimes they didn’t. We’re also in session more than other legislative bodies.”

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