Most Local Elected Officials Work Hard for Low Pay

Recent votes to give California's mayors and council members pay raises have led to criticism. Is it justified?

PUBLISHED FEB 3, 2025 4:50 A.M.
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Yeah, it might feel like that but it (probably, mostly) isn't true.

Yeah, it might feel like that but it (probably, mostly) isn't true.   Sanfranman59 and Vincent Le Moign   CC BY 4.0

Introducing California Senate Bill 329

The maximum monthly compensation of California's mayors and city council members is established by state law, and is determined according to the population of their municipality. The state law includes a mechanism by which they may vote themselves a raise of no more than 5% over the previous fiscal year. 

This was updated by the California Senate with SB 329, which was passed during the 2023-2024 legislative session. The update established a new, higher, compensation schedule—again based on the population of the municipality.

SB 329 increased the maximum amount that lawmakers can be paid as follows:. 

  • $950 in cities with populations up to 35,000
  • $1,275 in cities with populations between 35,000 and 50,000
  • $1,600 in cities with populations between 50,000 and 75,000
  • $1,900 in cities with populations between 75,000 and 150,000
  • $2,250 in cities with populations between 150,000 and 250,000
  • $3,200 in cities with populations over 250,000

Toward the end of 2024, city councils started holding public discussions and approving themselves raises.

Among them:

  • Milpitas, population 77,321, from $900 to $1,900 per month
  • Lodi, population 67,348, from $860 to $1,600 per month
  • Grass Valley, population 14,074, from $275 to $550 per month
  • Gilroy, population 58,250, from $1,022 to $1,600 per month
  • Elk Grove, population 187,985, from $800 to $2,250 per month
  • Richmond, population 114,106, from $1,402.50 to $2,524.50 per month

As might be expected, council members who voted themselves a raise received a fair amount of flack from their constituents. This was encouraged by headlines blaring  "... Over 300%..." or "...more than doubled..." 

It's never a good look—at first glance—when public servants vote themselves a pay increase, and many critics were quick to jump on it as nothing less than a raid on the treasury.

In most cases, though, the criticism is probably undeserved.

According to the bill’s text: “The compensation schedule for general law cities has not been adjusted since 1984, meaning that city council compensation has not kept pace with inflation.

“Allowing cities to adjust their compensation for inflation since 1984 may help city councils become more diverse because increased compensation can help individuals from across different income levels receive sufficient income from their service to help ensure that they can continue to serve the public and support their families.”

They Work Hard for the Money ...

The job of mayors and city council members is hard and the hours are long.

Duties include:

  • Attending council-related meetings, workshops and special sessions
  • Attending city-related commission and board meetings
  • Ex-officio duties with outside boards and commissions
  • Establishing annual budgets
  • Consideration and passage of laws and ordinances
  • Making land-use and capital improvement decisions
  • Maintaining the General Plan in compliance with state law
  • Working with constituents and stakeholders with business before the city
  • Reading the enormous amount of material necessary to make sound decisions

Meetings often go long into the night, and the mayors and city council members often need to be available at no notice on a 7/24 basis.

... but They're Not in it For the Money

As can be seen from the SB 329 compensation schedules, nobody's getting rich off the compensation for their local elected office. 

Though their pay may be going up in some towns and cities, most elected municipal officials pursue public service as a means of making things better. And in the end, they work for you, and ultimately it's up to you to hold them accountable and get the most bang for your buck.

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