The Denver City Council is weighing a nearly half-million-dollar pay raise package for 12 top city officials appointed by Mayor Mike Johnston, with increases ranging from $6,800 to over $80,000 per year. The total increase, set to cost taxpayers $492,913, is intended to keep city leadership salaries competitive with other major U.S. cities.
The raises were approved Tuesday by the council’s Finance and Governance Committee and will go before the full council for a first reading on May 19. A final vote is scheduled for June 2. If passed, the raises would take effect July 1.
According to the city’s Deputy Executive Director of Human Resources Carla Anthony, the pay hikes reflect market analysis done last fall and would bring department head salaries to the median range of their peers nationwide. City officials noted the recipients haven’t received raises since 2022.
Among the most notable increases is a 43.6% raise for the city’s finance director, whose salary would jump from $185,366 to $266,162. The city attorney would receive a 24.3% raise, going from $216,061 to $268,479 annually. The aviation manager, funded through the Enterprise Fund rather than the city’s general budget, would see a 17.2% bump from $346,957 to $406,511.
Other increases include:
- Parks and Recreation Manager: $170,523 to $207,454 (21.7%)
- Transportation and Infrastructure Manager: $195,220 to $240,676 (23.3%)
- Environmental Health Manager: $188,766 to $210,972 (11.8%)
The Mayor’s Office would cover the bulk of the cost using its General Fund, paying $216,689 for the second half of 2025 and $433,377 in 2026. The Enterprise Fund will contribute $29,768 in 2025 and $59,536 in 2026 for the aviation manager’s raise.
The city, home to over 716,000 residents, argues that these adjustments are necessary to attract and retain qualified leaders amid a competitive national market. Meetings of the Denver City Council are held Mondays at 3:30 p.m. and can be accessed online via denvergov.org.
