Biloxi mayor reduces salary by nearly 80 percent

Like many cities, Biloxi, Miss., is facing a budget crisis. So, as part of Mayor A.J. Holloway’s proposed administration department budget, the mayor cut his own pay by nearly $90,000.

During his State of the City speech in January, Holloway said that, with gaming and sales tax revenues at 10-year lows, the city would have to cut expenses, spur economic development and continue working on rebuilding the city, which was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “You can pick whatever cliché you like, but the fact is, we haven’t turned the corner, we’re not out of the woods, and we’re not at the point where we can see light at the end of the tunnel,” Holloway said.

Holloway said his voluntary salary cut, down from $115,900 a year to $27,000, is a “win-win situation.” “I’ve been paying into the state retirement system for nearly 34 years at this point, and tax-wise, it works out better to begin drawing some of my retirement funds,” Holloway said. “This move saves the city nearly $90,000 a year, which is significant in these budget times.” And, the mayor said, he plans on showing up for work every day, regardless of the pay. “Frankly, I enjoy the work,” Holloway said, “and we have a great deal more to accomplish. I could go for another six to eight years.”

Read Holloway’s statement about cutting his salary and the mayor’s comments in his January State of the City speech.