The Fairfax City Council has unanimously approved the first pay raise for its members and the mayor in over a decade, increasing annual compensation to $22,000 for members and $24,000 for the mayor.
The new rates are the maximum allowed under Virginia law, and will take effect July 1, 2027. The current pay is $12,000 for council members, and $13,000 for the mayor.
No members of the public spoke during the Tuesday (June 23) public hearing, which was followed by the vote. Council members had previously expressed agreement that increases in the cost of living and the amount of time involved in the job made a raise necessary, but Billy Bates was the only member to speak before the Tuesday vote.
“I just want to re-emphasize that I hope that the salary increase will make it more feasible, more realistic for early-career professionals, perhaps single parents, etcetera, to run for office who might … need to reduce their hours worked in their daytime careers,” Bates said.
Bates, who is not running for reelection this November, said he also hopes that future councils will consider “how we’re paying our staff and taking care of our staff.”
Under Virginia law, local elected officials can only raise their own salaries at least four months prior to an election, with the new pay rates taking effect on July 1 of the following year after the newly elected or re-elected officials take office.
The deadline to file for that election was June 16. Out of the current council members, Stacy Hall, Rachel McQuillen, and Anthony Amos have filed to run for reelection in the fall, according to the city’s Office of Elections.
Councilmember Stacey Hardy-Chandler will not seek another term, nor will Mayor Catherine Read.
Current council member Thomas Peterson has filed to run for mayor against the vice chair of the city’s planning commission, Kirsten Sides Lockhart.
Other candidates for the council’s six seats include Sandi Slappey Brown, Kelly O’Brien, Russell Jones, Stephen Kim, Susan Hartley Kuiler, María José Padmore, Steve Chang and Jessica Lough.
Fairfax City’s local elections are officially nonpartisan, with terms for both council members and the mayor lasting two years.
