SLO mayor, council positions to get big pay raises. Here’s how much they’ll earn
San Luis Obispo’s mayor and city council will get significant pay raises next year to help bring their compensation in line with the average area median income.
The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve pay increases for the people who will hold those positions in 2021, recommended by a Council Compensation Committee.
It’s the city’s (voter adopted) charter requirement to review mayor and council compensation every two years, and the council votes on the pay decision as a body.
Mayor Heidi Harmon, or the person who holds her job in 2021, will receive a 46% raise, increasing monthly pay from $1,725 to $2,508. Meanwhile, council members will see a 63% raise from $1,224 to $1,990 monthly.
The change will increase council members’ pay to earn around $23,880 per year each and San Luis Obispo’s mayor would take in $30,096, up from $14,688 and $20,700, respectively.
The raise becomes effective the first full pay period in January 2021, after the November election that could determine the seats for three sitting council members.
“I’m in full support,” Vice Mayor Aaron Gomez said. “This job takes more time, emotional dedication than owning my own (jewelry) business. And it makes it incredibly difficult to do both jobs...You do this for the love of your community.”
Gomez said sleepless nights considering weighty issues, lost friends due to controversial votes, and complex decisions that affect current and future generations are a part of a council member’s duty, and he hopes to make the job more accessible to more people.
Councilmember Erica Stewart said she took a large cut in pay and change of title in her full-time job at Cal Poly to serve her community, juggling the hours and duties of both jobs. She added that she spends far more than part-time hours to accomplish her council duties.
“I’m not complaining, I’m just saying what it is,” Stewart said. “It’s really awkward to vote for yourself to get more money.”
Harmon said relationship building as a city leader is “really time-consuming.”
“This job feels and is 24-7,” Harmon said. “I pretty much wake up every night in the middle of the night every night and I am up for hours. ... And the amount of abuse this role has takes a toll. It has affected my health. We hold this city in our hands.”
But despite the stress, Harmon said she’s extremely proud to serve the city, which deserves professional wages and value placed on the work. Harmon echoed other council members’ sentiments that council and mayoral jobs should be accessible to a wide group of candidates.
“We’re not voting for ourselves, we’re voting for positions,” Harmon said. “We’re voting for the next council.”
Harmon, Gomez and Councilwoman Andy Pease are up for re-election in November 2020. Stewart and fellow council member Carlyn Christianson will retain their council positions until 2022.
Committee reviewed appropriate SLO Council pay
The Council Compensation Committee met four times between September 2019 and January 2020.
The compensation committee, which is appointed by the council, included citizens-at-large Kim Bisheff, Garret Otto, Audrey Bigelow, Jenn Stubbs and Ron Yukelson. Dan Rivoire served as the committee’s appointed previously elected official, and the personnel board representative was Cal Stevens.
The committee based its recommendation on the area median income of $47,777 from the 2013-2018 census, and prorated that amount using the average number of hours worked as reported by former council members, a San Luis Obispo staff report stated.
San Luis Obispo’s mayor works an average of 25 hours per week and each council member puts in 20 hours per week, according to feedback from past elected officials.
The committee compared compensation packages in other similar cities to determine San Luis Obispo’s, such as those in Chico, Davis, Ventura and Napa.
“Our hope is that the council service role is open to people of different socioeconomic and work and employment backgrounds,” Rivoire said. “And we looked at whether compensation is a barrier to entry, whether council members are being compensated appropriately and if there was a fiscally responsible way to adjust the compensation.”
Rivoire said the level of pay was determined to be a barrier of entry and the relatively small amount in the city’s budget for the increase was appropriate.
“This compensation is a baby step to let anyone willing, and who wants to run, to be able to run,” Otto said. “A livable wage is much higher than this because of living expenses in SLO. There needs to be additional adjustments in the future. Let’s make that next step in two years so anyone who wants to run can run.”
Salary compensation costs to the city
The council’s increase to salaries will increase San Luis Obispo’s annual budget for fiscal year 2020-21 by $23,082, and $46,164 a year thereafter.
Council members also receive health, medical and dental insurance coverage, similar to many other cities.
In 2018, the mayor received a 15% pay increase, and the rest of the council got a 2% bump.
At the time, some council members said Harmon’s duties and responsibilities as mayor far exceeded her pay, and the increase helped bring her compensation into line with her work.
“When I think of my role in particular, and look across the landscape of this community, I have a really difficult time thinking of candidates who come to mind who I’d reach out to, knowing that a lot of the people who I’d think would be wonderful in the role are limited because of this very reason (compensation), and that really decreases the lack of diversity, and especially the diversity of thought,” Harmon said in 2018.
Community members debate SLO pay issue
In a letter to the council sent Monday and posted on the city’s website, San Luis Obispo photographer Kelly Donohue echoed Harmon’s thoughts.
“I would like to express my strong support of increasing council compensation to ensure a diverse and representative community can continue to contribute to local leadership without the burden of financial compensation that is below median wage,” Donohue sated.
But San Luis Obispo resident John Grady urged a “no” vote on the pay raise, saying it would be cost prohibitive to the city.
“First, these positions are not meant to be (and hopefully never will be) one’s full time occupation and sole source of income,” Grady said. “Serving on the city council has come from the desire to serve the city and community, not for the money offered for service.”
Dave Garth, the former San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce president/CEO, said in public comment Tuesday that appropriate compensation will attract a diverse candidate group, including people of color, and encouraged the raise.
Jeff Specht, a frequent council critic, said at Tuesday meeting’s that the council should address homelessness and other issues, not give themselves a raise, which he called shameful.
An online city survey was posted from December 16, 2019, to Jan. 6, 2020, with 72 responses on the questions “Would you consider, or have you considered running for City Council?” and “How could compensation for the position affect your decision to run for City Council?”
Responses can be viewed on the city’s website at the following address: https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/189/Issue_8129?cookies=detect.
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 10:24 PM.
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