Code of Virginia

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Code of Virginia
Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns
Chapter 14. Governing Bodies of Localities
12/4/2023

§ 15.2-1414.6. Permitted salaries; salary increases; reimbursement for expenses.

Subject to the exception provided for in § 15.2-1414.5, the annual salary of each member of the council of any city shall be set by its members by ordinance notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special. The setting of such salaries by members of council shall include the salary of the mayor or president of the council whether such official is a member of council or not.

Cities within the following population brackets shall be allowed to set salaries for mayors, which include presidents of council, and council members not to exceed the following:

aPopulationAnnual Salary
b260,000 and over
cMayor$30,000
dCouncil28,000
e175,000 to 259,999
fMayor27,000
gCouncil25,000
h75,000 to 174,999
iMayor25,000
jCouncil23,000
k35,000 to 74,999
lMayor20,000
mCouncil18,000
n20,000 to 34,999
oMayor13,000
pCouncil12,000
q15,000 to 19,999
rMayor12,000
sCouncil11,500
t14,999 and under
uMayor11,500
vCouncil11,000

No increase in the salary of a member of council shall take effect until July 1 after the next regularly scheduled general election of council members.

Every proposed increase in the salary of a member of council shall be adopted at least four months prior to the date of the next municipal election except in the case of a newly created consolidated city when the proposed increase shall be adopted at least two months prior to the date of its first municipal election.

Any member of council shall be eligible to be reimbursed for any personal expenses incurred by him for official business. However, all claims for reimbursement shall be for reasonable expenses to the extent permitted by law incurred in the conduct of official city business and shall be itemized and documented by stamped paid receipts to the extent feasible.

In addition to salary, each member of the council of any city may be compensated with such benefits as are provided city employees by the city.

1981, c. 358, § 14.1-47.2; 1982, c. 125; 1985, c. 111; 1986, cc. 111, 312; 1988, c. 213; 1996, c. 263; 1997, c. 592; 1998, c. 872.

The chapters of the acts of assembly referenced in the historical citation at the end of this section may not constitute a comprehensive list of such chapters and may exclude chapters whose provisions have expired.