A Citizens' Independent Salary Commission is created with the authority to set the salaries of the Mayor and Councillors. The Commission has the authority to evaluate the annual salaries and determine whether they should be increased or decreased. The Commission has authority to consider all factors relevant to the salaries.
(a) The Commission shall consist of five members selected by the Accountability in Government Committee. All members shall be residents of the City of Albuquerque and shall not be an officer, official or employee of the city or an immediate family member of the same. The term of each member shall be for four years, unless a member is selected to fill a vacancy, and no member shall be appointed to more than two terms. The initial terms of members of the newly established Commission shall be staggered; the initial term for two members shall be two years and the initial term of three members shall be four years.
(b) At least one year prior to each regular municipal election, the Commission shall review the salaries paid by the city to the Mayor and Councillors. If after such review the Commission determines that the salary should be increased or decreased, the Commission shall file a written salary schedule with the City Clerk indicating the proposed salary.
(c) Changes to the salaries shall not be effective for the incumbent Mayor and Councillors, but shall be effective at the beginning of the next term.
(d) Any change to salaries recommended by the Commission shall be subject to the referendum procedures as provided for in Article III, Section 2 of this Charter.
(e) All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public and subject to the Open Meetings Act, Sections 10-15-1 et seq. NMSA 1978.
(Article XVIII adopted at Regular Municipal Election, October 6, 2009.)