PALM COAST, Fla. – Palm Coast city council members and the mayor voted to move ahead with a plan to give themselves a raise Tuesday night and were met with jeers from their constituents.
The raise amounts to nearly quadruple the current salaries of the mayor and council members.
The Palm Coast Observer reported that council members currently make $9,600 annually while the mayor makes $11,400 annually.
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According to the ordinance, the salary for council members would to jump to $44,670 while the mayor could see his pay go to $46,470 yearly.
The ordinance passed in a 4-to-1 vote with councilmember Eddie Branquinho being the only dissenting vote.
Prior to the vote, the public commentators called on the elected leaders to vote down the ordinance.
“Politics and public service used to be all about giving of yourself, not asking the taxpayers to give from their wallets,” one person said.
Once the vote passed, the comments devolved into shouting and booing. You can hear some of the jeers in the video above.
“You’re all crooks,” at least two people shouted.
“You have no heart,” shouted another person.
The ordinance will now go to a second public hearing and vote at a future meeting.