City Council members will hold a public hearing Tuesday on an ordinance that would raise their salaries by 40 percent from $500 a month to $700 for council members and from $600 to $800 for the mayor.
Also proposed is a monthly allowance of $200 for car expenses, ending a requirement for receipts before car allowances are paid.
Mayoral candidate Steve Brozosky said he will vote against the proposal, adding that he believes it is inappropriate to be considering pay raises for the council at election time.
“We’re not doing this for the money in the first place,” Brozosky said. “I might support giving those who serve more money, but this should be considered in an off-election year, not now.”
The proposed increases are contained in an ordinance that must be approved by a majority of three on the council Tuesday if they are to take effect when the next council is seated on Dec. 5. Otherwise, a new ordinance would have to be drafted and taken before the next council for pay increases the following year.
City Attorney Michael Roush said state law permits a City Council to increase its salary by an amount no greater than 5 percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment. In Pleasanton, the council last received a pay boost for its services in December 1990 when the pay was raised to the current $500 a month. By agreement, the mayor receives an additional $100.
“Generally, city council salaries are determined by population,” Roush explained. “When the city’s population reached 50,000 in 1989, the council adopted an ordinance raising its salary to $500 a month.”
Because city council salaries, based solely by population, will not be able to be increased until the city’s population reaches 75,000, the Government Code also provides that compensation may be established by the adoption of an ordinance that can increase the monthly salary by 5 percent for each calendar year from the time of the last raise.
Roush said that provision would allow council members to boost their salaries by as much as $400, but that city staff recommended limiting the increase this year to $200.
“In addition, council members and the mayor routinely use their personal cars for city business,” Roush said. “In recognition of that, staff is also recommending that the council establish a $200 a month car allowance for the council and mayor.”
If approved, the new salary and car allowance schedules would require a budget adjustment of an additional $15,380 for the current fiscal year.
The public hearing will be heard near the start of the regular City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the City Hall Council Chambers at 200 Old Bernal Ave.
