Toronto council’s executive committee has voted against a motion calling for a 12 per cent pay raise for councillors and the mayor.

Instead, the committee voted on a raise in line with inflation, somewhere between 1.5 per cent and 3 per cent.

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti voted against a raise of any kind, saying the city’s residents should decide if and when councillors get a pay hike.

An “arms-length,” three-person panel should ask voters about the issue and report back to council, he said.

“I think the time has come for us to recognize that it shouldn’t be the politicians voting their raises in,” Mammoliti told CP24’s George Lagogianes. “The public should be voting our raises in. Give them the opportunity to tell us whether or not we deserve a raise.”

Mammoliti acknowledged that the law stipulates that councillors decide the issue of a pay raise before the end of this council term.

Back in 2006, council approved a bylaw that calls for the mayor and councillors to be paid salaries in the 75th percentile compared to councillors in 16 comparable cities. However, councillors have routinely voted against giving themselves that raise, reported CTV’s Natalie Johnson.

City council will debate the proposed raise in line with inflation at its meeting scheduled for May 7. It would go into effect in January, if approved.

Currently, councillors are paid $105,397, while the mayor’s salary is $177,499.

With files from CP24