Salary
League members may also request an opinion directly from the League via email. Please include the subject heading and number when making such a request.
427. Neither 62.09(6)(am)2 nor 62.09(6)(b) prohibit a salary increase in 2012 for a city attorney elected to office in 2009 for a four-year term because 62.09(6)(am)2 does not apply to an officer elected prior to 2010 and, pursuant to prior interpretations by the League, 62.09(6)(b) allows mid-term salary increases for elected officials other than members of the governing body. 1/31/12.
426R2. Discusses common questions concerning governing body member salaries such as how salary is established or changes, timing constraints on changes, what is considered salary, whether use of automatic cost-of-living adjustments are permissible, whether ethics code allows governing body members to vote on own salaries, and procedures/timing for refusing salary. 11/2021.
426R1. Discusses common questions concerning salaries for governing body members such as how salary is established or changed, timing constraints on changes, what is considered salary, whether use of COLAs is permissible, whether ethics code allows governing body members to vote on own salaries, and procedure for refusing salaries. 5/1/11.
426. Discusses common questions concerning salaries for governing body members such as how salary is established or changed, timing constraints on changes, what is considered salary, whether use of COLAs is permissible, and whether ethics code allows governing body members to vote on own salaries. 3/31/06.
425. A compensation scheme which is based upon an elected incumbent's performance or length of service is of questionable legality since compensation must be attendant to the office, not the personal characteristics of the individual that holds that office at any particular time. 80 Op. Att'y Gen. 258 (1992). 8/26/97.
424. Longevity pay or a longevity bonus constitutes "salary" as defined by the Wisconsin Supreme Court because it is a "fixed, periodical compensation paid for services rendered...." Geyso v. Cudahy, 34 Wis.2d 476, 483, 149 N.W.2d 611 (1967). 8/26/97.
423. The monthly general expense and auto expense payments paid to the mayor and members of the common council may be increased midterm without violating secs. 62.09(6)(b), Stats, (governing the timing of city officer salary changes) and 66.196, Stats. (prohibiting midterm salary increases for council members) unless the amounts are not reasonably related to the actual expenses incurred by the mayor and alderpersons and instead are designed to increase the officials' level of compensation. Geyso v. City of Cudahy, 34 Wis.2d 476, 483, 149 N.W.2d 611 (1967) 7/23/97.
427. Neither 62.09(6)(am)2 nor 62.09(6)(b) prohibit a salary increase in 2012 for a city attorney elected to office in 2009 for a four-year term because 62.09(6)(am)2 does not apply to an officer elected prior to 2010 and, pursuant to prior interpretations by the League, 62.09(6)(b) allows mid-term salary increases for elected officials other than members of the governing body. 1/31/12.
426R2. Discusses common questions concerning governing body member salaries such as how salary is established or changes, timing constraints on changes, what is considered salary, whether use of automatic cost-of-living adjustments are permissible, whether ethics code allows governing body members to vote on own salaries, and procedures/timing for refusing salary. 11/2021.
426R1. Discusses common questions concerning salaries for governing body members such as how salary is established or changed, timing constraints on changes, what is considered salary, whether use of COLAs is permissible, whether ethics code allows governing body members to vote on own salaries, and procedure for refusing salaries. 5/1/11.
426. Discusses common questions concerning salaries for governing body members such as how salary is established or changed, timing constraints on changes, what is considered salary, whether use of COLAs is permissible, and whether ethics code allows governing body members to vote on own salaries. 3/31/06.
425. A compensation scheme which is based upon an elected incumbent's performance or length of service is of questionable legality since compensation must be attendant to the office, not the personal characteristics of the individual that holds that office at any particular time. 80 Op. Att'y Gen. 258 (1992). 8/26/97.
424. Longevity pay or a longevity bonus constitutes "salary" as defined by the Wisconsin Supreme Court because it is a "fixed, periodical compensation paid for services rendered...." Geyso v. Cudahy, 34 Wis.2d 476, 483, 149 N.W.2d 611 (1967). 8/26/97.
423. The monthly general expense and auto expense payments paid to the mayor and members of the common council may be increased midterm without violating secs. 62.09(6)(b), Stats, (governing the timing of city officer salary changes) and 66.196, Stats. (prohibiting midterm salary increases for council members) unless the amounts are not reasonably related to the actual expenses incurred by the mayor and alderpersons and instead are designed to increase the officials' level of compensation. Geyso v. City of Cudahy, 34 Wis.2d 476, 483, 149 N.W.2d 611 (1967) 7/23/97.