The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutItem 8.2 Report Regarding City Council and Mayor’s Salaries Agenda Item 8.2 STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 3 DATE: May 19, 2026 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager SUBJECT: Report Regarding City Council and Mayor’s Salaries Prepared by: Marsha Moore, MMC, City Clerk EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will receive a report regarding potential adjustments to City Councilmembers’ and Mayor’s salaries and provide direction. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Receive the report and provide direction. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Should the City Council adopt an increase at the maximum allowed by law, the fiscal impact of a partial year increase (December 2026 – June 2027), including salary-based taxes and contributions, would be an increase of $5,756. The additional cost for the full year (12 months) would be $11,512. Any cost changes will be included in the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 and 2027-28 budgets. DESCRIPTION: Government Code Section (GC) 36516 allows a general law city to provide a salary to City Councilmembers and an increase in compensation is allowed by ordinance. The salary for City Councilmembers is set in the Dublin Municipal Code Section 2.08.020 and the Mayor’s salary is set in Section 2.08.040. The Mayor receives a monthly salary equivalent to half of the City Councilmember salary, in addition to that which is received as a City Councilmember. The City Council is eligible for a compensation increase following the November 2026 election and the Mayor is eligible to receive the differential of the new salary upon the effective date of the ordinance increasing compensation. Changes to Government Code Section 36516 became effective January 1, 2024, after the adoption of Senate Bill 329. The legislation increased the starting amount for salaries 470 Page 2 of 3 approved by ordinance based on population of the City. In 2024, with a population between 50,000 and 75,000, the City Councilmembers’ salaries were set by ordinance at $1,600 per month and the Mayor’s monthly salary became $2,400 per month. The City Council salaries became effective after the November 2024 Election. Salary Increase Options The City population remains between 50,000 and 75,000 and the City Council is allowed to increase the salary beyond the amount set in 2024 by ordinance, but the amount of the increase shall not exceed the greater of either of the following two options . Increase Based on Five Percent Per Calendar Year The first option is to increase the salary amount equal to five percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of the salary. With the current salary at $1,600, adding five percent for each calendar year since the increase in December 2024, would put the City Councilmembers’ salary at $1,764, and the Mayor’s salary at $2,646. The annual increase in salaries would be $10,824. Increase Based on California Consumer Price Index The second option is to increase the salary by an amount equal to inflation from January 1, 2024, based on the California Consumer Price Index, which shall not exceed 10 percent for each calendar year. The inflation from January 1, 2024 was determined to be six percent. With the current salary at $1,600, adding six percent would put the City Councilmembers’ salary at $1,696 and the Mayor’s salary at $2,544. The annual increase in salaries would be $6,336. Table 1. Salary Increase Comparisons Based on 5% Per Calendar Year Based on California Consumer Price Index Councilmember Per Month Increase $164 $96 Mayor Differential Per Month Increase $246 $144 Total Annual Increase $10,824 $6,336 Staff is requesting that the City Council provide direction regarding the City Councilmembers’ and Mayor’s salaries. Based on this direction, Staff will prepare an ordinance for introduction at the June 2, 2026 Regular City Council meeting, followed by the second reading and adoption on June 16, 2026. The change in compensation will not be applied until after the November 2026 election. The Mayor will receive the differential of the new salary upon the effective date of the adopted ordinance. 471 Page 3 of 3 STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: The City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Government Code Section 36516 2) Dublin Municipal Code Section 2.08.020 and 2.08.040 472 State of California GOVERNMENT CODE Section 36516 36516. (a) (1) A city council may enact an ordinance providing that each member of the city council shall receive a salary based on the population of the city as set forth in paragraph (2). (2) The salaries approved by ordinance under paragraph (1) shall be as follows: (A) In cities up to and including 35,000 in population, up to and including nine hundred ﬁfty dollars ($950) per month. (B) In cities over 35,000 up to and including 50,000 in population, up to and including one thousand two hundred seventy-ﬁve dollars ($1,275) per month. (C) In cities over 50,000 up to and including 75,000 in population, up to and including one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) per month. (D) In cities over 75,000 up to and including 150,000 in population, up to and including one thousand nine hundred dollars ($1,900) per month. (E) In cities over 150,000 up to and including 250,000 in population, up to and including two thousand ﬁve hundred ﬁfty dollars ($2,550) per month. (F) In cities over 250,000 population, up to and including three thousand two hundred dollars ($3,200) per month. (3)For the purposes of this subdivision, the population of a city shall be determined by the last preceding federal census, or a subsequent census, or estimate validated by the Department of Finance. (4)The salary of council members may be increased beyond the amount provided in this subdivision by an ordinance or by an amendment to an ordinance, but the amount of the increase shall not exceed the greater of either of the following: (A)An amount equal to 5 percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of the salary in effect when the ordinance or amendment is enacted. (B)An amount equal to inﬂation since January 1, 2024, based upon the California Consumer Price Index, which shall not exceed 10 percent for each calendar year. (5) No ordinance shall be enacted or amended to provide automatic future increases in salary. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), at any municipal election, the question of whether city council members shall receive a salary for services, and the amount of that salary, may be submitted to the electors. If a majority of the electors voting at the election favor it, all of the council members shall receive the salary speciﬁed in the election call. The salary of council members may be increased beyond the amount provided in this section or decreased below the amount in the same manner. STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL Attachment 1 473 (c) Unless speciﬁcally authorized by another statute, a city council may not enact an ordinance providing for compensation to city council members in excess of that authorized by the procedures described in subdivisions (a) and (b). For the purposes of this section, compensation includes payment for service by a city council member on a commission, committee, board, authority, or similar body on which the city council member serves. If the other statute that authorizes the compensation does not specify the amount of compensation, the maximum amount shall be one hundred ﬁfty dollars ($150) per month for each commission, committee, board, authority, or similar body. (d) Any amounts paid by a city for retirement, health and welfare, and federal social security beneﬁts shall not be included for purposes of determining salary under this section, provided that the same beneﬁts are available and paid by the city for its employees. (e) Any amounts paid by a city to reimburse a council member for actual and necessary expenses pursuant to Section 36514.5 shall not be included for purposes of determining salary pursuant to this section. (f) A city council member may waive any or all of the compensation permitted by this section. (g) (1) For the purposes of this section, a city council shall consider the adoption of an ordinance to increase compensation in open session during at least two regular meetings of the city council. (2) At the ﬁrst meeting, the city council shall present the proposed ordinance, which shall include ﬁndings demonstrating the need for the increased compensation. The ordinance shall not be adopted at the ﬁrst meeting. (3) At least seven days after the ﬁrst meeting, the city council shall hold a second meeting to consider whether to adopt the ordinance. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 27, Sec. 2. (SB 329) Effective January 1, 2024.) 474 2.08.020 Salary for members established. A. Pursuant to Section 36516 of the Government Code which provides that a city council may enact an ordinance providing that each member of the city council shall receive a salary which shall be determined by a schedule of population for cities, the members of the City Council shall receive a salary of one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) per month. B. No Councilmember shall be eligible to receive the increase provided herein until one (1) or more Councilmembers begin a new term of office. (Ord. 3-24 § 2; Ord. 17-09 § 1 (part)) 2.08.040 Mayor’s salary. The Mayor shall receive a monthly salary equivalent to half (50%) of the City Councilmember salary amount set forth in Section 2.08.020(A), in addition to that which he/she receives as a Councilmember. (Ord. 4-22 § 2; Ord. 17-09 § 1 (part): Ord. 13-92 § 2) Dublin Municipal Code 2.08.020 Salary for members established. Attachment 2 475 City Council and Mayor’s Salaries May 19, 2026 476 Background •Government Code Section (GC) 36516 •Dublin Municipal Code Sections 2.08.020 and 2.08.040 •Senate Bill 329 –January 1, 2024 •Current Councilmembers’ salary -$1,600 per month •Current Mayor’s salary -$2,400 per month 477 Options Under GC 36516 •Increase Based on Five Percent Per Calendar Year •City Councilmembers’ salary -$1,764 per month •Mayor’s salary -$2,646 per month •Increase Based on California Consumer Price Index from January 1, 2024 •City Councilmembers’ salary -$1,696 per month •Mayor’s salary –per month $2,544 478 Recommendation and Next Steps •Staff is requesting that the City Council provide direction regarding the City Councilmembers’ and Mayor’s salaries. •Based on this direction, Staff will prepare an ordinance for introduction at the June 2, 2026 Regular City Council meeting, followed by the second reading and adoption on June 16, 2026. •The change in compensation will not be applied until after the November 2026 election. 479