South Fulton taxpayers ‘livid’ mayor wants increase in salary

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Taxpayers in a metro city are livid that the mayor wants to nearly double his salary. People in the City of South Fulton wonder why the Mayor Khalid wants to get paid so much when he works part-time.

Some people told Channel 2 reporter Tom Jones $85,000 is a lot of money. “Not for it at all,” Rosalyn Green said.

Ed Lee felt the same way.

“Right now, I do not support it based on what I’ve seen so far.”

Mayor Khalid has proposed an ordinance that would increase his salary from $47,676 a year to $85,000 a year. A 78-percent increase.

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Some taxpayers wondered are employees getting raises too. “If you are looking out for yourself. You have to look out for everybody,” one woman explained.

Others kept pointing out it is a part-time position.

“He accepted the job, a part-time job, at that salary. It is what it is. The salary should remain the same,” Green said.

Jones tried repeatedly to reach the mayor by phone, text, and email. Even reached out to his Chief of Staff. He never heard back from anyone.

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“Residents are livid,” District 3 Councilwoman Helen Zenobia Willis told Jones. She put out a survey on the pay increase proposal because she thought taxpayers did not know about it. 94% opposed the idea.

Willis says $85,000 is a full-time salary.

“If the state charter says we are part-time, then we cannot go pay ourselves a full-time salary. That would be fiscally irresponsible.”

Ed Lee says $85,000 is a lot of money.

“Seems like a lot of money for a part-time position. Especially in a city where we’re really trying to focus on the budget.”

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Mayor Khalid is also proposing taxpayers reimburse elected leaders for their tuition. Willis thinks that ordinance would only benefit the mayor.

The council will vote at Welcome All Park on the proposals November 12 at 7 p.m.

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