The City Council will consider a proposal at their meeting Monday afternoon to increase City Council salaries, including the mayor.
The proposal would increase City Council salaries from $75,386 to $80,361.
The mayor's salary would increase from $100,464 to $107,095. Kevin Faulconer is currently the Mayor of San Diego.
This increase would take effect on July 1, 2019.
“I oppose the vote to have you increase your own pay,” said one San Diego resident during the city council meeting. “There is a conflict of interest that exists when you vote on your own pay.”
The resident added there should be an ethics reform to allow voters to decide council salaries.
Another San Diego resident said the money should go towards road repairs and adding more books into the city library.
Local
The meeting is in accordance with a city charter that says the Salary Setting Commission should meet every two years to make recommendations to the City Council on salaries for the Mayor and councilmembers for the following two fiscal years.
The City Council may adopt the salaries as recommended, or in some lesser amount, but may not increase the amount.
The report from the Salary Setting Commission was first released February 2, 2018.
“What I think is a complete and utter disgrace is the salary of our mayor,” said Councilmember Lorie Zapf. “We are one of the top ten cities in the United States of America and what we are paying the chief executive, who works 24/7 presiding over this huge budget, is embarrassing.”
“I do perceive that it is a conflict of interest to vote on our own salaries,” said Council President Pro Tem, Barbara Bry.
The City Council passed a motion to deny the requested recommendations from the Salary Setting Commission and adopt the resolution directing the City Attorney to have no change to the Mayor of Councilmmember salaries for Fiscal Year 2019.
The motion passed 7-2 with councilmembers Chris Ward and Scott Sherman voting no.
Also on the agenda is a proposed reduction in taxicab insurance requirements.
It is a resolution that would authorize the Mayor to tell the MTS CEO that the City of San Diego will reduce taxicab insurance requirements to $350,000.
The public meeting is at 2 p.m. Monday at San Diego City Administration Building on the 12th floor in the Council Chambers.
