After spirited debate Monday, Denver’s City Council voted 10-3 to tentatively approve a 6.6 percent raise for the next sitting council and every other elected official — an increase to be delayed for half of their four-year terms.

The city is facing a $100 million budget shortfall for the 2012 budget and has a structural budget problem that, if not addressed, could balloon into a $500 million deficit by 2030.

Many council members think the meager increase would not affect that problem and that denying a raise would be symbolic rather than practical.

“The substance of passing this has virtually zero impact on the budget,” said council president Chris Nevitt. “I was sent here to do a job to get things done. I much more prefer substance over symbolism.”

All 13 council positions, along with the mayor, auditor and clerk and recorder, are up for election May 3.

Six council members are running unopposed to retain their seats.

The raise, up for final approval next Monday, would be delayed for the first two years of the four-year term and kick in with a 3.3 percent raise in July 2013 and the second part of the raise in July 2014.

Denver is the only large city in Colorado that pays its council members a living wage — $78,173 a year, plus about $30,000 in benefits.

The raise would give the council members an annual salary of $83,332 by July 2014. The council president makes about $10,000 more.

The mayor’s salary will grow to $155,211 from its current $145,601. The salaries of both the clerk and recorder and the auditor would be $134,235, up from their current $125,924.

Ten candidates are running for mayor, including council members Carol Boigon, Doug Linkhart and Michael Hancock. Linkhart and Hancock voted for the pay raise.

Under city law, the outgoing council sets the salary increases for the incoming officers. The council hasn’t had a raise in four years.

Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz, who represents southwest Denver, offered an amendment that would have given no raises.

“The primary reason is it is a very poor economy,” she said. “I believe it is inappropriate for us to raise the salaries at this point.”

She had support from four other council members — Boigon, Marcia Johnson, Jeanne Robb and Paula Sandoval — but the measure failed.

Councilman Paul Lopez said the raises were necessary to make sure a working person with a family could afford to be a council member.

“What you are creating is a hobby for the wealthy,” Lopez said. “How is a working person from a poor community who has a family going to be able to do that? That’s a natural barrier.”

Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com