Councilman Lou Rotunno made a motion Wednesday to increase the mayor’s salary from $44,000 to $49,000 a year and the city controller’s pay from $7,000 to $8,000 a year.

Council passed a first reading of the proposed raises in a 4 to 1 vote with Councilman George Gulla casting the lone no vote.

If the motion recieves final approval, the salary increases would not go into effect until 2002, council President Fred Hoffman said. That is when those who are elected this year will take office.

Price is running for re-election this year. Also running for mayor is current city controller David O. Ryan. Councilman Raymond Fabian said he would like to see the mayor’s salary increased to $51,000 a year. By the end of the next mayor’s four-year term, that won’t seem so drastic, he said. Rotunno said he thinks a $5,000 increase is sufficient.

Price said he appreciates the motion but he would "respectfully decline" a raise. He noted the raise would not necessarily affect him but whoever is elected this year.

"Good leadership should show the way," Price said. He said many people are going to have to sacrifice in the upcoming years and the sacrifices should start from the top.

Many most department head salaries are higher than the mayor’s, but they are "good, quality people," Price said.

Gulla said right now he is against raises for anyone. Gulla still thinks this year’s "budget is going to come back and bite us," he said.

Council voted 3 to 2 in December on the city’s $7.5 million budget for 2001. Hoffman and Gulla voted no to the budget that did not include a tax increase.

Council must pass the increase before Feb. 13. That is the day candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions for this year’s local election.

Also on the ballot this year for city controller are Nick Morocco, a Sharon firefighter and school board member, and William Cohen a local accountant.