A proposed cost-of-living adjustment will keep Kent Mayor Dana Ralph as the highest paid mayor among six comparable cities.
A hike of 3.6%, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025, would boost Ralph’s salary to $219,720 per year, up from $212,088 in 2024, according to documents from the city’s three-member Independent Salary Commission which met March 6 for a 2025 salary review.
The commission also proposed a 3.6% cost-of-living hike for the seven City Council members. That would raise their pay to $37,296 per year from $36,000 per year.
The commission will meet again at 5 p.m. Monday, March 24 in the Centennial rooms across from City Hall to vote to adopt the proposals. Residents can comment at the meeting about the proposed salary increases.
If the mayor’s raise is approved, the $219,720 will keep her just above the Federal Way mayor at $216,828 per year and the Renton mayor at $216,504, according to salary commission documents. The annual pay for mayors at the other comparable cities are Everett, $215,940; Auburn, $200,316; Marysville, $186,576; and Redmond at $170,004.
If approved, the increase for the part-time Kent City Council will keep it the highest paid at $37,296 followed by Everett, $33,372; Redmond, $27,600; Renton, $24,000; Marysville, $20,280; Auburn, $20,004; and Federal Way at $19,536.
The comparable cities were selected based on a population of at least 25,000; be located in King, Pierce or Snohomish counties; and operate under a mayor-council plan of government. To ensure comparability to cities similar in size to Kent, the city of Seattle with a population of 797,700 and cities with populations under 60,000 were excluded.
Kent is the largest city of the six with a population of 140,400, according to commission documents. Next is Everett, 114,800; Renton, 108,800; Federal Way, 102,500; Auburn, 88,950; Redmond, 80,040; and Marysville, 74,390.
The Kent City Council voted 5-2 to form the Salary Commission in 2022 to look at increasing pay for the mayor and council members. Three residents applied to be on the commission and were approved by the council. The commission in 2023 hiked the mayor’s salary to $198,000 from $168,141 per year, with a 2.5% cost-of-living increase on Jan. 1, 2024. The commission approved a salary increase of $9,132 for the mayor last year and kept the council at the same pay.
The members of this year’s commission are Julie Miller, Pat Hanis and Bill Cogswell. Miller and Hanis were part of the original commission approved by the council. Cogswell was just approved at the Feb. 18 council meeting. He replaced Todd Minor.
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