The bonus thing? It’s for real.
After hearing about a $10,000 performance bonus approved for the school superintendent, Mayor Mark Lauretti Thursday formally asked the Board of Aldermen for his own bonus.
“I just thought it was a little ironic that here we laid off people, we charged people to participate in athletic activities and extra-curricular activities like the band and the drama club and the Board of Education is giving out bonuses,” Lauretti said.
If the mayor’s move is symbolic, meant as a way to criticize the superintendent’s high salary and bonus pay — it certainly did not play that way Thursday.
In fact, it is just the start of the discussion, as the Aldermen voted to send the issue to its finance subcommittee for further discussion.
Lauretti gets paid $102,000 and has been mayor for 20 years. He did not specify an amount for the bonus he was seeking. Lauretti said he deserves the bonus because of his record running the city.
“There are many examples that could be given through the years that I think speak to one’s performance,” Lauretti said. He often cites businesses development and a low tax rate among his performance highlights.
The Connecticut Post pointed out in an editorial Tuesday that state law prohibits from raising their salaries while in office.
Bonuses for school superintendents are common, if included in their negotiated contracts.
Board of Aldermen President John Anglace said any bonus would have to be decided before the next mayoral term begins, and couldn’t go into effect this term.
“It’s not on past performance, but on stated goals,” for the future, Anglace said.
Democratic Town Committee Chairman David Gioiello made similar statements during the public comment portion of the Board of Aldermen meeting Thursday evening. He cited the city’s charter as requiring all pay changes for the mayor to be made before the next term and apply for the incoming mayor.
“When you give a person a bonus, and you’re in a private industry, you have certain goals you have to meet in order to qualify for that bonus,” Gioiello said in an interview after the meeting. “The bonus that the mayor gets is to get re-elected.”
Gioiello said Lauretti gets paid enough as it is.
Lauretti has been cited as a target of a federal corruption probe into development in Shelton. Lauretti has never been charged, and has denied wrongdoing. Click here to read past stories on the investigation.
