Gahanna Mayor Opposes Mayoral Salary Increase as Council Weighs Charter Deadline
Laurie Jadwin voiced direct opposition to raising pay above 2011 levels while council reviews fiscal constraints and election filing rules.
Gahanna City Hall at 200 S. Hamilton Rd.
Credit: Sixflashphoto / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Image source
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. The city's legislative filings were updated Oct. 29 to record receipt of the veto, setting the stage for Gahanna City Council's upcoming regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, where council is scheduled to take up the measure and decide whether to attempt an override or amend the proposal.
The measure, designated as Ordinance ORD-0033-2026, provides that compensation is authorized beginning Jan. 2, 2028, for the full-time mayoral office under updated codified ordinances. The proposal specifies that Section 131.07 of the city code, last amended by Ordinance 0135-2011, is repealed.
Previously, Pique reported that Gahanna's mayor resisted a proposed salary increase as council weighed stagnant pay.
Mayoral Opposition and Stagnant Pay
The legislation was introduced on Sept. 21 alongside companion measures to adjust compensation beginning in 2028 for the mayor, city attorney, and council members under the city charter. The broader compensation package includes ORD-0034-2026, which would increase the city attorney's annual salary from $80,765 per year to $110,000 annually, and ORD-0035-2026, which addresses legislative salaries for ward and at-large council members.
During a Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 28, Jadwin voiced direct opposition to boosting mayoral pay beyond the $103,809 level established in 2011. Jadwin stated that after serving for seven years, she believed the current compensation was fair and more than sufficient for the role. She argued that elected service should be kept distinct from the professional careers of city directors who devoted their education and working lives to the public sector, stating that elected leadership should not be treated like professional employment.
Jadwin also warned of broader fiscal consequences, cautioning that the total salary adjustments would cost approximately $306,000 over each four-year term at a time when Gahanna faces flat revenue projections and extensive capital demands. While opposing an increase for the executive post, Jadwin said she supported higher pay for the city attorney because of the work and expertise required of a licensed legal director.
Fiscal Debates and Charter Constraints
Following initial debate, council members postponed second readings on Oct. 5, returning the ordinances for further debate in the Committee of the Whole on Monday, Oct. 12 to review updated comparative data. During the Oct. 12 deliberations, Councilmembers Karen McGregor and Michael Schnetzer raised fiscal warnings regarding municipal fund balance drawdowns, emphasizing that compensation decisions must account for citywide financial constraints and budget sustainability. McGregor previously cautioned that council should weigh municipal affordability rather than individual personal finances when setting compensation.
During council deliberations on legal timing, the city attorney advised that salary changes must take effect at least 120 days before the election for an office to be voted on. City Attorney Jyothi Tamilarasan advised council that members needed to establish the mayoral salary before the February candidate filing deadline, explaining that because the charter forbids altering compensation during a sitting official's term, any adjustment must be enacted before candidates file nominating petitions.
Gahanna City Council is scheduled to convene in regular session on Nov. 2, 2026, to address the vetoed mayoral salary measure. At that meeting, council members are slated to determine whether to attempt an override or amend the salary package ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Supporting evidence (2)
The measure, designated as Ordinance ORD-0033-2026, provides that compensation is authorized beginning Jan. 2, 2028, for the full-time mayoral office under updated codified ordinances.
Read supporting passage
effective January 2, 2028, the position of Mayor shall continue to be a full-time position and compensation is hereby authorized and directed in the amount and on the effective date declared and set forth in Section 131.07 - Full-Time Mayor of Chapter 131 - Mayor
The proposal specifies that Section 131.07 of the city code, last amended by Ordinance 0135-2011, is repealed.
Read supporting passage
Section 131.07 - Full-Time Mayor of Chapter 131 - Mayor, last amended by Ordinance 0135-2011, or any ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
Gahanna Mayor Resists Proposed Salary Increase as Council Weighs Stagnant Pay
Supporting evidence (11)
Previously, Pique reported that Gahanna's mayor resisted a proposed salary increase as council weighed stagnant pay.
Read supporting passage
Gahanna Mayor Resists Proposed Salary Increase as Council Weighs Stagnant Pay
The legislation was introduced on Sept. 21 alongside companion measures to adjust compensation beginning in 2028 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.
The broader compensation package includes ORD-0034-2026, which would increase the city attorney's annual salary from $80,765 per year to $110,000 annually, and ORD-0035-2026, which addresses legislative salaries for ward and at-large council members.
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. ORD-0035-2026 would adjust council pay, though Councilmember Stephen Renner opposed increasing Council salaries and did not believe an increase was necessary for part-time legislative roles.
During a Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 28, Jadwin voiced direct opposition to boosting mayoral pay beyond the $103,809 level established in 2011.
Read supporting passage
During a Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 28, Jadwin voiced direct opposition to boosting mayoral pay beyond the $103,809 level set in 2011.
Jadwin stated that after serving for seven years, she believed the current compensation was fair and more than sufficient for the role.
Read supporting passage
Jadwin said that after serving in the role for the past seven years, she believed the current compensation was fair and more than sufficient.
She argued that elected service should be kept distinct from the professional careers of city directors who devoted their education and working lives to the public sector, stating that elected leadership should not be treated like professional employment.
Read supporting passage
Jadwin argued that elected leadership should not be treated like professional employment, stating that elected service from the professional careers of city directors who devoted their education and working lives to the public sector should be kept distinct.
Jadwin also warned of broader fiscal consequences, cautioning that the total salary adjustments would cost approximately $306,000 over each four-year term at a time when Gahanna faces flat revenue projections and extensive capital demands.
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 opposing an increase for the executive post, Jadwin said she supported higher pay for the city attorney because of the work and expertise required of a licensed legal director.
Read supporting passage
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.
Following initial debate, council members postponed second readings on Oct. 5, returning the ordinances for further debate in the Committee of the Whole on Monday, Oct. 12 to review updated comparative data.
Read supporting passage
The council postponed second readings of three compensation measures on Oct. 5, scheduling the ordinances to return for further debate in the Committee of the Whole on Monday, Oct. 12 to review updated comparative data.
McGregor previously cautioned that council should weigh municipal affordability rather than individual personal finances when setting compensation.
Read supporting passage
Councilmember Karen McGregor expressed caution regarding the rationale, stating that Council could not anticipate the personal cost of living, bills, or budget of every person who might choose to run for Mayor and should evaluate compensation based on municipal affordability rather than individual applicant finances.
City Attorney Jyothi Tamilarasan advised council that members needed to establish the mayoral salary before the February candidate filing deadline, explaining that because the charter forbids altering compensation during a sitting official's term, any adjustment must be enacted before candidates file nominating petitions.
Read supporting passage
City Attorney Jyothi Tamilarasan advised the council that City Council needed to establish the mayoral salary before the primary petition filing deadline of February 3, 2027. She stated that this represented the earliest deadline. Because the charter forbids altering compensation during a sitting official's term, any adjustment must be enacted before candidates file nominating petitions for the 2027 election.
Supporting evidence (1)
During council deliberations on legal timing, the city attorney advised that salary changes must take effect at least 120 days before the election for an office to be voted on.
Read supporting passage
the city attorney advised that salary changes must be effective at least 120 days before the election for an office to be voted on.