It’s been 17 years since Manteca City Council members have had a salary increase.
Council members — including the mayor — are all now receiving $500 a month — the “basic” maximum amount state rules allow for general law cities between 50,000 and 75,000 residents to pay council members.
Now that the state Department of Finance has placed the city’s population at 81,345 as of Jan. 1, the council is considering adjusting their salary — or stipends — as allowed under state law.
On Tuesday the council will weigh options that could increase their pay to either $600 a month or to $925 a month.
The three options are:
*Increase council pay to $600 per month based on population growth.
*Increase by ordinance in excess of the amount identified in Government Code Section 36515 that allows the amount of the increase not to exceed 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 was enacted. In Manteca’s case that was back in 2001 when Carlon Perry was mayor and the previous pay was $400 a month. The amount would be a $425 increase based on $500 a month over 5 percent annually compared over 17 years.
*Suggest an amount that would be placed on the ballot for the voters to decide.
The first option would take place automatically. The second option would require council action. All three would not take effect until after the next municipal election which is Nov. 6.
The next automatic pay hike based on population would not occur until Manteca tops 150,000 residents. Depending upon various estimates, that isn’t likely to happen until sometime between 2040 and 2060. The council pay once that benchmark is reached would go to $800 a month. When a general law city’s population exceeds 250,000 residents the council pay increases to $1,000.
Ripon and Lathrop under general law rules pay council members $300 a month. Stockton, as a charter city, doesn’t have to adhere to the state rules for council pay.
The council meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
