Mayor Menino And Staff To Take Pay Cut

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and his senior aides are taking a 3 percent pay cut and freezing their wages in an effort to encourage the city's 17,000 employees to accept a wage freeze.

Press aide Nick Martin confirmed Monday night that Menino will trim his $175,000 salary to $169,750 beginning with the pay period starting on Saturday.

The Boston Herald reported that the city expects to save $122,000 after the mayor and his 19-member Cabinet freeze their pay until the end of June 2010.

Boston has lost $22.9 million in state aid this fiscal year and seeks ways to bridge a $140 million budget deficit next year.

The Boston Globe reports that the city could save about $60 million if workers agree to waive their wage increases for one year.

Unions want guarantees that their members would not be laid off before they accept a wage freeze. Menino has said he cannot offer the guarantee.