What it demands: “Shall Section 7 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be repealed and replaced to set compensation for City Council members at 40% of the regional median income and 50% of the regional median income for mayors, beginning on the swearing-in date of newly elected City Council in December 2026, as set forth in the Ordinance 8640 provided for in more detail?”

What it means: The measure would amend the city's charter to give council members a raise and pay them salaries based on annual regional median income. Currently, council members receive meeting pay for up to 52 meetings per year and can earn a maximum of $12,695. If the measure were approved and took effect this year instead of 2026, the mayor's salary would be $51,100. Area average income values, which can fluctuate from year to year, are set by the federal government and are commonly used for housing restrictions.

What supporters say: Increasing salaries would encourage more people, including more diverse candidates, to run for council and would compensate council members more fairly. Working on the council can require more than 20 to 30 hours per week, roughly equivalent to part-time work, and earns higher pay.

What opponents say: In times of tight budgets, council members should not receive salary increases. The money would be better used to pay for core city services.