Mayor Says He Will Take Pay Raise

He didn't ask for it, but Mayor Ted Bettencourt says he will accept the raise offered him this week by the City Council.

Bettencourt said Friday afternoon the amount wasn't out of step with what mayors in Beverly and Salem are paid and therefore was "comfortable" with accepting the higher salary after just one year on the job.

Councilors voted 8-2 Thursday during their annual review of the mayor's and councilors' salaries to boost the mayor's base pay to $105,000, which is just over a 10 percent increase.

"I knew the meeting was coming up...but I didn't take a position on a raise and certainly didn't ask for one," Bettencourt said.

He noted, however, he consistently voted in favor of raising the mayor's salary while a councilor himself.

Bettencourt said that was because he felt, as now, Peabody's CEO should at least be paid in the same range as other North Shore mayors.

Former Mayor Michael Bonfanti, however, made it clear to councilors he would not accept a pay raise.

The only recent time Bettencourt voted against giving the mayor a raise was in 2011 when he ran for the seat.

Bettencourt's new salary will take effect once the ordinance is adopted by the council, likely next month.

In addition to his salary, the mayor receives a car allowance (Bettencourt drives his own car instead), city health insurance (now under the state GIC plan) and a vested city pension once he has 10 years of service accumulated.