Binghamton City Council voted to decrease the number of positions and increase salaries in the code enforcement office. But there’s already some desire to bring those positions back.
The lowest paid Binghamton code inspector will now get an $8,000 raise to $43,000 a year. But that funding is being made available by defunding two vacant positions.
Before it came to a vote, Councilman Joe Burns, a Democrat, offered an amendment to effectively make the raises and keep the existing positions by using the city’s fund balance. Councilwoman Aviva Friedman agreed.
"We have a healthy fund balance that we like to brag about," Friedman said. "But that healthy fund balance is useless unless we actually take the money and put it toward things that benefit the residents of the city of Binghamton."
Burns ended up withdrawing the agreement after Republicans on the council’s majority agreed to bring up legislation to reinstate the positions with the added raises at the next meeting. Republican Councilman Tom Scanlon said he would be supportive of that idea.
“We don't have the information we need to make the decision,” Scanlon said. “And I think we're all talking the same language. I would support bringing those two positions back, at the next meeting."
Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said the raises were part of a salary study conducted by the union representing the department.
