To make the role of city councilmember more appealing to Seaside citizens of all income levels, the council voted in 2025 to increase the pay for councilmembers, which had remained stagnant at $400 per month since 1986.
The raises came on the heels of State Senate Bill 329, passed in 2023, which increased the monthly salary caps for city council members in relation to population. For example, in cities with populations up to 35,000, like Seaside, members are allowed up to $950/month, or “an amount equal to 5 percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of the salary in effect when the ordinance or amendment is enacted.”
Seaside city staff, based on the 5-percent yearly increase from 1986 to 2024, landed on a raise of just over $2,400 per month. An ordinance was adopted in May 2025, which included the $2,400 monthly amount and a $300 monthly automobile stipend for the mayor. The mayor and council members began to collect the salaries in June 2025.
A year later, a resident contacted the city with a question regarding the ordinance. “Staff took the inquiry seriously and immediately initiated an internal review,” Seaside City Manager Greg McDanel says. The city retained outside legal counsel, who identified two legal issues.
The $2,400 amount, based on compounding the percentage increase, was incorrect, and the pay raises should not have taken effect until one or more members of the City Council begin a new term and are sworn into office in December.
On July 16, the City Council adopted an ordinance immediately returning council compensation to $400 and a second ordinance establishing the correct pay, calculated at $1,180 per month. The city will also retain an independent accountant to establish a repayment process for the roughly $26,000 overpaid to each official.
Councilmember Alex Miller was the sole dissenting vote. “My reasoning was straightforward: Since the application of the percentage formula was botched originally and had already created confusion, I felt it was prudent to avoid relying on that same calculation again,” he says.
McDanel says that while this situation is unfortunate, it demonstrates the importance of accountability in local government. “Our focus continues to be ensuring compliance with California law, protecting the public’s trust and making the City whole through a transparent process.”