Raising pay for Charlotte City Council is a step toward better representation | Opinion

It’s the opening of municipal elections, and candidates are vying for seats on Charlotte City Council. But it’s also a reminder that running for those seats isn’t an option for everyone, because not everyone can afford it. 

There’s a fix: Pay City Council members more.

In 2021, Charlotte City Council members voted to increase their salaries to $32,638, which does not include allowances for automobile and technology-related expenses, as well as general expenses. As of July 2025, that figure has been increased to $41,600, plus allowances. Being a council member is considered a part-time position. Representatives need a flexible full-time job to live comfortably. Former at-large council member Braxton Winston said that salary and lack of job flexibility kept a lot of voices out of the equation for representation. 

“It’s not something that a school teacher can do, or a police officer, or, you know, a construction worker can do,” Winston said. 

Raising council pay, of course, would require members to vote to raise their own salaries by a healthy amount. That’s politically risky territory, because it could come across as politicians just eager to make more money. But it’s a necessary step toward a more representative democracy. It also could reduce the conflicts of interest that sometimes occur from city leaders also holding positions in the private sector.

Joi Mayo is running for Charlotte City Council District 3. A belief she holds close to is raising the city council salary. Mayo said raising council pay would make the council more representative. 

“I think it is important to have people that are out and about and reflecting the community,” Mayo said.

Current council members usually need a white-collar job with both the pay and the flexibility to spend at least half their time doing something else. Committee meetings, for example, happen during the afternoons when most people are still at work, and being a council member sometimes requires travel as well. It’s a part-time job that often requires full-time work — but doesn’t offer full-time pay. 

It’s young people and working-class people who are shut out the most. For a long time, there weren’t many young people on Charlotte City Council. That changed in 2017, when a single election lowered the average age on the council from 61 to 45. For the first time, people under 40 years old held the majority in City Council. 

But some of those new members struggled with low pay. Winston was one of those members. He spoke about how he lost some of his prime years as a young professional working in show business, representing thousands of constituents while barely making ends meet for his family. 

“I was elected. I was 34 and so I was scraping by, right? I went, and I’ve gone into, incredible debt. And that is fine, but it comes to a point where you can’t do that anymore,” Winston said. 

The average age of Charlotte is 34. Mayo said Charlotte‘s population is increasing with a youthful demographic that needs to be reflected in city government. The council may slowly be getting younger, but the next hurdle for better representation is giving everyone an ability to serve their community, regardless of their background or financial status.

“It is an important step in order for our governing population to look like our growing population,” Mayo said. 

True democracy is only achieved through true representation, and Charlotte’s government should be reflective of the people it serves. Raising the salaries of public servants won’t be a fix for everything, but it is a step closer to ensuring everyone has the chance to serve their community. 

CLARIFICATION: This story has been reflected to update the fact that Charlotte City Council members receive additional compensation for automobile and technology-related expenses, as well as other allowances. As of July 2025, the base salary for council members has been increased to $41,600. A previous version of this story did not mention the recent increase.

This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.