Every Lexington City Council seat is up for grabs this year, as well as the mayor's seat. Five current members of the council are not seeking reelection. Three of those are claiming financial concerns with keeping their seats.
In an interview with Eastern Standard, Council Member Liz Sheehan said council members are not paid enough for the work they do for the community.
“This isn't just about the actual pay; you're comparing the pay to the time, right? So, it's a lot of unpaid labor, if you're thinking about a 40-hour work week, you're working well beyond that in a lot of cases. Every council member treats it differently, and they decide how they spend their time.”
Sheehan said that makes things difficult for ordinary people to run and could limit who can get a seat at the table.
“The joke, but it's based in reality, is that politicians are generally rich, realtors, or retired. That speaks to who has the time flexibility to do this work, but also access to wealth that makes it viable to do this work and to campaign.”
When she announced her decision in December, she said that when financial constraints determine who can hold elected office, the Council cannot fully represent the people it’s meant to serve.
Lexington council members make just under $40,000 a year.
Hear more with Lexington Council Member Liz Sheehan later this week on Eastern Standard on WEKU.
