The change we want · Auburn, Washington
Lead by example. Same treatment.
City leadership should put equity first, including in its own leave and benefits.
Last reviewed
The record
In her March 2026 response to a recall effort, Mayor Nancy Backus defended her handling of mayoral leave benefits. She said:
I did seek legal counsel to ensure that my rights and benefits were not being denied.
Her full statement, published by the Auburn Examiner, explains that she consulted counsel during the council’s 2023 consideration of benefit changes and that the council and mayor resolved their concerns. The Examiner also reports that the recall petition was dismissed; that proceeding did not establish wrongdoing.
The published city code governing mayoral leave lists a maximum vacation accrual of 364 hours. It does not describe current vacation accrual as unlimited.
What we don’t want
In our view, her explanation centers protecting her own benefits. We want a different priority from city leadership: equity, and a willingness to lead by example.
What we do want — our proposal
Same treatment. The mayor should follow the same leave rules as city directors. Leadership should be willing to accept the standards it sets for others.
This is our proposed standard, not a claim that current policy already requires equal treatment.