Farrell council agreed Monday night to raise the city tax collector's annual salary next year.

Council approved the first reading of an ordinance raising the salary from $27,050 a year to $28,300 in 2004. Council members Jeannette Wright-Hooks and Helen Marenchin opposed the increase. The ordinance must pass a second reading.

Council initially considered raising the salary to $28,050 but Council member Louis Falconi moved to increase the pay to the higher figure, which represents a one-time $1,250 raise in 2004 with no increases over the next three years of the elected tax collector's term.

The cost will be split among the city, school district and county.

Because of that, the vote of each member of council, school board member and commissioner is broken down into a fraction, with an overall majority needed to approve the salary increase.

Farrell Area School Board and Mercer County commissioners have not acted on the request to raise the salary.

The current tax collector is Kathleen Multari. She would only get the pay hike if re-elected in November.

The last time the tax collector's salary was raised was in 2000. The salary was raised to $22,550 in 2000, with $1,500 raises in 2001, 2002 and 2003

The position includes the title of city treasurer which carries a $2,400 annual salary, which will remain at that figure, and is paid by the city.