Salinas City Council approves increasing council compensation.

On Tuesday, Jan. 23 Salinas Salinas City Council voted 5-1 to approve increases to councilmember compensation, with Steve McShane opposing. 

“This is public service,” McShane said. “The increase is extraordinary,” he added. 

Compensation for council members at many city councils across the California hasn’t been updated since 1984. On Jan. 1, Senate Bill 329 became effective, allowinf cities to adjust councilmembers’ compensation to inflation. Increases are based on city size; for cities of up to 35,000 inhabitants, compensation is $950 per month and for cities from 150,000 to 250,000 people, it is $2,550. (Amounts can be greater but can’t exceed 5 percent each year or can’t exceed the amount of inflation; the cap on inflation is 10 percent per year.) 

The city council approved the same salary for all members of the Salinas council, including the mayor. Compensation for mayor will increase from $800 per month to $2,550 (bumping the annual salary from $9,600 to $30,600) and for councilmembers, it will rise from $600 to $2,550 per month (or from $7,200 to $30,600 annually). 

Mayor Kimbley Craig said she respected the council's decision to assign the same compensation across the board, but pointed out the mayor position has additional responsibilities. “The work of the mayor is different and it has more representation and more responsibility than that of  councilmember,” she said. Craig noted it might prevent councilmembers from running for mayor, and hopes it will be revised in the future. 

The League of California Cities backed the state bill. “Lengthy time commitments and limited pay discourage many, especially low-income residents, single parents, people of color, and young people, from running for public office," the group wrote in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom. "For many, being a council member is a full-time commitment with part-time pay,” the letter stated. 

Salinas isn’t the only city that has increased compensation. Last September, Monterey City Council approved increasing council compensation. Starting in January the mayor earns $1,417.50 per month, up from $675, and councilmembers earn $965.25 per month, compared to $429 previously. These figures hadn’t been updated for over 20 years. 

The new salary schedule in Salinas will become effective 30 days after approval, and will not be retroactive. In both Salinas and Monterey, the money for the pay increases comes from the general fund.