Coral Gables commissioners to lower salaries after pay raise

Driving the news: The new pay structure would reduce the salaries and expense stipends paid to commissioners, while nixing a $703 monthly car allowance approved in 2023 by the prior commission.

By the numbers: The mayor's overall compensation would be reduced 45% to $47,908 from the current $87,000.

• The vice mayor's compensation would decrease 51% to $41,875 from $85,046.
• The three commissioners –– two of whom voted in 2023 to increase their pay — would see a 53% pay decrease to $38,922 from the current $83,046.

The latest: Commissioners voted 4-0 earlier this month to approve the pay decrease on first reading, with a final vote scheduled for Tuesday.

What's next: Lago wants to give voters the right to approve any future compensation changes.

• He proposed a resolution calling for a November referendum to require voter approval for any compensation changes apart from Consumer Price Index adjustments.
• The four commissioners present at the May 6 meeting said they agreed with giving residents power over their pay.

The intrigue: Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, who also voted in 2023 to increase his own salary, now supports reversing that pay increase.

• He said at the May 6 commission meeting that raising commissioner pay would allow ordinary residents to run for office, but says he now believes voters should decide.
• He told Political Cortadito he is following the message voters sent this past election.

The bottom line: "This is what the residents want," Fernandez said. "We have to deliver."