Calling it “counterproductive,” Slidell Mayor Ben Morris has put his veto pen to a bill that would have lowered the salaries of the mayor, police chief and council members.

The bill was passed at the June 23 meeting of the City Council by a close vote of 5 to 4 over the objections of Morris and some on the council.

The bill was first introduced in May, and the original legislation called for a reduction of the mayor’s salary from $104,212 to $90,000 and the chief of police’s salary would have gone from $93,791 to $81,000. Some on the council wanted to even the playing field and reduce both salaries. According to the Louisiana Municipal Association, the Slidell mayor is the third-largest salary in the state with only the mayors of Baton Rouge and New Orleans earning more money. Several council members said the salary reduction was a way to save money in the current economic environment. The bill was tabled, because Morris thought that the council should look to reducing their own salaries. The bill came off the table at the June 23 meeting with two amendments. First the council agreed to lower their salaries from $18,750 to $16,225 a year. Secondly, the ordinance would take effect July 1, 2009 but the salary cuts would start when the new mayor and council are elected in 2010.

In his veto message, Morris said that reducing the salary of the mayor would decrease the pool of qualified people who would run for the office.

“My only interest in the issue is that our city continues to move forward, not backward, and that our citizens have the best qualified individuals to select from for their future leaders,” Morris wrote.

However, other council members said that it should not be money that draws people into public service.

“We don’t do this job for the money. My satisfaction is in getting things done,” Councilman Lionel Hicks said.

Councilman at large Landon Cusimano said that the mayor is not taking the economy into consideration and the salary reduction is a way to save money.

“To be fair, we don’t want to stop qualified candidates,” Cusimano said. “But we don’t want someone who runs for the office just for the money.”

Morris is in his final term, and the legislation would not affect him. In fact, he has said several times in the past, that he doesn’t care if his salary is reduced. He reminded the council that the salaries for the mayor and the police chief have been frozen for the past two years. But he said that while the city is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, the people need the best possible person to lead the city, and lowering the salary takes away from that goal.

To override the mayor’s veto, the council needs six votes. Councilperson at large, Kim Harbison, who voted against the bill, said she is not going to change her vote.

“I think it is a step backward. It won’t save the city much money,” Harbison said. “I think a better way to do it is to freeze the salaries.”

Besides Harbison, Councilmen Wayne Crockett, Bill Borchert and James Devereux voted against the bill.

Cusimano said the council is working on holding a special meeting next week, because he will be absent from the July 28 meeting. He said he doesn’t know if there are enough votes to override the mayor, but he thinks those that voted against the bill will listen to their constituents.

“I’m hoping public sentiment will change their minds,” Cusimano said.