Gahanna Enacts City Attorney Salary Increase to $110,000 Effective in 2028
The city attorney pay increase to $110,000 takes effect in 2028 after Laurie Jadwin vetoed companion mayoral salary legislation.
Gahanna City Council introduced legislation where ORD-0034-2026 would raise the city attorney's salary from $80,765 per year to $110,000 annually. Under the legislative schedule, the salary change for the city attorney would take effect Jan. 3, 2028. Gahanna municipal records officially recorded ORD-0034-2026 as passed by City Council.
Gahanna City Hall building exterior at 200 S. Hamilton Rd. in Gahanna, Ohio.
Credit: Sixflashphoto / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Image source
Mayor Laurie Jadwin vetoed companion legislation that would raise the mayor's salary beginning with the 2028 term, with her veto message delivered on Oct. 28, 2026.
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 6 that Gahanna's mayor resisted a proposed salary increase as council weighed stagnant pay, reported on Oct. 29 that the mayor opposed the mayoral salary increase as council weighed a charter deadline, and reported on Oct. 30 that council enacted a salary adjustment effective in 2030.
The city attorney raise was introduced on Sept. 21 alongside companion measures to adjust compensation for the mayor, city attorney, and council members under the city charter. During committee discussions, Councilmember Merisa Bowers stated that the file also included a draft estimate of the financial impact of the proposed salary increases.
Councilmember Nancy Padova stated during committee debate that the current City Attorney salary was $80,765 per year. Padova stated that increasing the salary to $110,000 per year represented a reasonable expectation for a position that required residency in Gahanna and an advanced degree.
Council members expressed differing perspectives during the compensation debate. Councilmember Michael Renner stated that he opposed increasing Council salaries and did not believe an increase was necessary. Renner stated that he remained open-minded regarding the City Attorney salary, emphasizing that legal fees and legal issues represented growing concerns and that he wanted the city to have access to high-caliber attorneys.
Councilmember Michael Schnetzer stated that he was willing to review more current data but questioned the timing of council action. Schnetzer suggested a one-month delay with updated information from the council office staff.
Pointing to municipal finances, Mayor Jadwin warned that the combined impact of the proposed salary increases would total approximately $306,000 over each four-year term at a time when city revenues face flat projections and major capital needs. While resisting higher pay for the executive post, Jadwin said she believed the City Attorney position should receive an increase because of the work and expertise required and because it was a licensed position.
Gahanna City Council is scheduled to convene in regular session on Nov. 2, 2026, to address the vetoed mayoral salary measure.
Video Watch video 0:36
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Gahanna Mayor Resists Proposed Salary Increase as Council Weighs Stagnant Pay
Supporting evidence (6)
Gahanna City Council introduced legislation where ORD-0034-2026 would raise the city attorney's salary from $80,765 per year to $110,000 annually.
Read supporting passage
ORD-0034-2026 would raise the city attorney's salary from the current City Attorney salary was $80,765 per year to $110,000 annually, which Padova called a reasonable adjustment for a licensed legal director requiring Gahanna residency.
Under the legislative schedule, the salary change for the city attorney would take effect Jan. 3, 2028.
Read supporting passage
If approved, the mayoral and at-large council salary changes would take effect Jan. 2, 2028, followed by the city attorney on Jan. 3, 2028, and ward council members on Jan. 2, 2030.
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 6 that Gahanna's mayor resisted a proposed salary increase as council weighed stagnant pay, reported on Oct. 29 that the mayor opposed the mayoral salary increase as council weighed a charter deadline, and reported on Oct. 30 that council enacted a salary adjustment effective in 2030.
Read supporting passage
Gahanna Mayor Resists Proposed Salary Increase as Council Weighs Stagnant Pay
The city attorney raise was introduced on Sept. 21 alongside companion measures to adjust compensation for the mayor, city attorney, and council members under the city charter.
Read supporting passage
The legislation—ORD-0033-2026, ORD-0034-2026, and ORD-0035-2026—was introduced on Sept. 21 to adjust compensation beginning in 2028 for the mayor, city attorney, and council members under the city charter.
Pointing to municipal finances, Mayor Jadwin warned that the combined impact of the proposed salary increases would total approximately $306,000 over each four-year term at a time when city revenues face flat projections and major capital needs.
Read supporting passage
Pointing to municipal finances, Jadwin warned that the combined impact of the proposed salary increases would total approximately $306,000 over each four-year term at a time when city revenues face flat projections and major capital needs.
While resisting higher pay for the executive post, Jadwin said she believed the City Attorney position should receive an increase because of the work and expertise required and because it was a licensed position.
Supporting evidence (1)
Gahanna municipal records officially recorded ORD-0034-2026 as passed by City Council.
Read supporting passage
File=ORD-0034-2026, Legislation type=Ordinance, Municipality=gahanna, Status=Passed
Gahanna Mayor Opposes Mayoral Salary Increase as Council Weighs Charter Deadline
Supporting evidence (3)
Mayor Laurie Jadwin vetoed companion legislation that would raise the mayor's salary beginning with the 2028 term, with her veto message delivered on Oct. 28, 2026.
Read supporting passage
Gahanna Mayor Laurie Jadwin has officially vetoed legislation that would raise the mayor's salary beginning with the 2028 term, with her veto message delivered to the Gahanna City Clerk on Oct. 28, 2026.
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 6 that Gahanna's mayor resisted a proposed salary increase as council weighed stagnant pay, reported on Oct. 29 that the mayor opposed the mayoral salary increase as council weighed a charter deadline, and reported on Oct. 30 that council enacted a salary adjustment effective in 2030.
Read supporting passage
Gahanna Mayor Opposes Mayoral Salary Increase as Council Weighs Charter Deadline
Gahanna City Council is scheduled to convene in regular session on Nov. 2, 2026, to address the vetoed mayoral salary measure.
Gahanna City Council Enacts Council Salary Adjustment Effective in 2030
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 6 that Gahanna's mayor resisted a proposed salary increase as council weighed stagnant pay, reported on Oct. 29 that the mayor opposed the mayoral salary increase as council weighed a charter deadline, and reported on Oct. 30 that council enacted a salary adjustment effective in 2030.
Read supporting passage
Gahanna City Council Enacts Council Salary Adjustment Effective in 2030
Committee of the Whole · 2026-09-28
Supporting evidence (8)
During committee discussions, Councilmember Merisa Bowers stated that the file also included a draft estimate of the financial impact of the proposed salary increases.
Read supporting passage
Councilmember Bowers stated that the file also included a draft estimate of the financial impact of the proposed salary increases.
Councilmember Nancy Padova stated during committee debate that the current City Attorney salary was $80,765 per year.
Read supporting passage
Councilmember Padova stated that the current City Attorney salary was $80,765 per year.
Padova stated that increasing the salary to $110,000 per year represented a reasonable expectation for a position that required residency in Gahanna and an advanced degree.
Read supporting passage
She stated that increasing the salary to $110,000 per year represented a reasonable expectation for a position that required residency in Gahanna and an advanced degree.
Councilmember Michael Renner stated that he opposed increasing Council salaries and did not believe an increase was necessary.
Read supporting passage
Councilmember Renner stated that he opposed increasing Council salaries and did not believe an increase was necessary.
Renner stated that he remained open-minded regarding the City Attorney salary, emphasizing that legal fees and legal issues represented growing concerns and that he wanted the city to have access to high-caliber attorneys.
Read supporting passage
Councilmember Renner stated that he remained open-minded regarding the City Attorney salary.
Renner stated that he remained open-minded regarding the City Attorney salary, emphasizing that legal fees and legal issues represented growing concerns and that he wanted the city to have access to high-caliber attorneys.
Read supporting passage
He stated that legal fees and legal issues represented growing concerns and that he wanted the City to have access to high-caliber attorneys.
Councilmember Michael Schnetzer stated that he was willing to review more current data but questioned the timing of council action.
Read supporting passage
He stated that he remained willing to review more current data but questioned why City Council needed to act at that time.
Schnetzer suggested a one-month delay with updated information from the council office staff.
Read supporting passage
suggested returning to the issue within approximately a month with updated information from the Council Office staff.