Politics & Government

Should the Santa Cruz City Council Get a Raise Tuesday?

The city council Tuesday is looking at voting itself a 32 percent raise, from $17,000 a year to $25,000 a year, and upping the mayor's salary from $32,000 to $50,000.

The council's salaries have stayed the same since 2008, when they took voluntary pay cuts as they asked the same from all city employees.

The increase would cost the city $65, 543 a year, but council could vote themselves smaller raises or no raise.

Assistant City Manager Tina Shull told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that the pay increase is suggested because the economy has improved. Other agencies have received bonuses after cutting back for years.

"We have an improved economic condition, and we were able to improve employee situations a bit," Shull said. 

Voters doubled the council's pay in 1998 and approved a 5 percent annual raise, but the council has declined to take it. The council is scheduled to discuss the matter at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

For comparison, Berkeley city council members earn $37,000 a year and San Jose's earn $116,000.  Here's a graphic of what some city councils earn and what is recommended by the state for them.

What do you think they should do? 


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