STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
CC 9
6/24/2025
TN
Date: June 24, 2025
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From: Andrea Alexander, City Clerk
Subject: Ordinance No. 1134 Amending Section 2.04.060 of the Lancaster Municipal Code relating to a local expense allowance for the Mayor and Council Members Recommendation:
Adopt Ordinance No. 1134 amending Section 2.04.060 of the Lancaster Municipal Code (“LMC”) relating to the local expense allowance for the Mayor and Council Members.
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
None.
Background:
On December 13th, 2016, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1017, which amended section
2.04.060 of the Lancaster Municipal Code to increase the fixed monthly expense allowance from $100 to $600.
Section 2.04.060 states
Members of the City Council shall be entitled to receive $600 each month, as an allowance for expenses incurred when fulfilling the duties of the elected office, including using their personal automobile for local travel for official business. As used in this Section, “local travel” means travel by personal automobile within the boundaries of the City and within 15 miles thereof. The City Council hereby determines that such monthly allowance represents the actual and necessary expenses incurred by the Mayor and City Council members in the performance of official duties.”
Since 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) federal reimbursement for mileage used for the purpose of tax deduction calculation increased from $.54/mile to $.70/mile. An increase of
29.63%. If the same increase is applied to the $600 reimbursement amount set in 2016, that represents an increase of approximately $180, bringing the revised total to $780 per month.
At the Lancaster City Council Meeting held on June 10, 2025, the City Council approved the introduction of Ordinance No. 1134, amending Section 2.04.060 of the Lancaster Municipal Code (“LMC”) relating to the local expense allowance for the Mayor and Council Members, by the following vote: 5-0-0-0; AYES: Hughes-Leslie, Malhi, Mann, Crist, Parris; NOES: None; ABSTAIN: None; ABSENT: None.
Attachment:
Ordinance No. 1134