BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL
POST-MEETING AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
August 13, 2025, 3:30 p.m.
Council Chambers, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue
1. ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
*1. Written material provided by Penny Martinez
*2. Written materials provided by Eddy Laine
*3. Written materials provided by Zac Griffin
b. Agenda Item Public Statements
3. REPORTS
a. Potential Amendment to Charter to Increase Council Salary.
The City Attorney will provide a PowerPoint presentation and look to City Council for feedback and direction. *If there is insufficient time for this item to be heard, this item will be delayed until the Deferred Business portion of the 5:15 City Council Meeting.
Staff recommends City Council feedback and direction.
Option 1
*1. PowerPoint presentation
4. CLOSED SESSION
a. Conference with Labor Negotiator pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6
5. CLOSED SESSION ACTION
6. ADJOURNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: August 13, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: REPORTS TO: Honorable Mayor and Council
FROM: Virginia “Ginny” Gennaro
DATE: August 8, 2025
SUBJECT: Potential Amendment to Charter to Increase Council Salary
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends City Council feedback and direction.
BACKGROUND:
The City Attorney will provide a PowerPoint presentation and look to City Council for feedback and direction. *If there is insufficient time for this item to be heard, this item will be delayed until the Deferred Business portion of the 5:15 City Council Meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Fiscal Impact will be determined pending Council direction.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS:
Potential Charter Amendment
re: Council Salaries
VIRGINIA GENNARO, CITY ATTORNEY
AUGUST 13, 2025
Charter Language
• Section 18 of City Charter states:
• “The salaries of the councilmen first elected under this charter shall be Fifty Dollars per month. Thereafter the Council may, by ordinance submitted to a referendum at any municipal election, change the salary of members of the Council.”*
*Increased to $100. per month, see Section 2.68.010 (1956)
Councilmember Salaries
CITY SALARY
Los Angeles $20,394
San Diego $15,295
San Jose $12,928
San Francisco $13,362
Fresno $6,667
Sacramento $8,566
Long Beach $3,843
Oakland $9,067
Bakersfield $100
Anaheim $1,500
TOP TEN CITIES
CITY SALARY
Riverside $3,811
San Bernardino $3,296
Stockton $2,569
Fremont $4,313
Modesto $2,500
Oxnard $1,701
Glendale $1,430
Santa Monica $1,584
Bakersfield $100
SURVEY CITIES
Recent Council Direction
re: Salary
• 2022
− Council referral to staff to consider a Charter review. • 2023
− January 18: Council directed staff to use Moss Adams consulting services to conduct a Charter review.
− June 28: Moss Adams completed evaluation of Charter and presented findings to Council regarding high and medium priority Charter revisions. − August 9: Based on Council referral, the City Attorney gave a presentation on potential amendment to the Charter re: Council salary [receive & file] Page 27 of 47 Recent Council Direction
re: Salary
• 2024
− January 24: City Manager’s Charter Review presentation and request that the City Attorney revisit Council salary options.
− February 14: The City Attorney gave a presentation regarding Council salary. • VM’s original motion: “…I would like to make a motion tonight that we direct the City Manager’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office to work with key stakeholders, including but not limited to the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Black Chamber of Commerce, the Realtors’ Association, the Kern Tax Payers’ Association…”
• “I would like to amend my motion to direct staff to bring back this item in a future council meeting …so that we can …actually work towards a November 2026 timeline…”
Timeline
• Spring/Summer 2024
− City Attorney completes presentations to stakeholder groups. • Fall 2024/Spring 2025
− City Attorney reports feedback to Council/ City Manager − City Manager coordinates feedback and Public Workshops • August 2025
− Stakeholder recommendation to Council
Update
• March 2024: The City Attorney sent invitation letters to various organizations re: presentation on City Council salary topic:
− Kern Taxpayers Association: May 16, 2024
− Home Builders Association: May 21, 2004
− City Unions (SEIU, BPOA, BFLO): May 30, 2024
− Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce: July 26, 2024 − Bakersfield Realtors Association: August 16, 2024
− Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
− Black Chamber of Commerce
− Kern Asian Chamber of Commerce
History of Changing
Council Salaries
• 1947: “Shall the proposed amendment to the Charter of the City of Bakersfield providing that Councilmen shall serve without compensation be adopted?” FAILED
• 1954: “An ordinance of the City of Bakersfield fixing the salary of Councilmen at $200 per month.” FAILED
• 1956: “An ordinance of the City of Bakersfield fixing the salaries of Councilmen at $100 per month and fixing a rate of $20 per day as a member of the Board of Equalization.” PASSED
BMC Language
• Ordinance No. 1079 adopted by voters in 1956 special election increased pay to $100
• BMC SECTION 2.68.010. Monthly salary.
“The salary of Councilmembers shall be one hundred dollars per month.” • BMC § 2.68.020. Daily salary for board of equalization and budget meetings— Number of days limited.
“Each councilman shall be paid twenty dollars per day while sitting as a member of the board of equalization, not to exceed five days, and while meeting to determine the annual budget of the city for the ensuing fiscal year, not to exceed five days.”
Charter Language
• Section 18 of City Charter states:
• “The salaries of the councilmen first elected under this Charter shall be Fifty Dollars per month. Thereafter the Council may, by ordinance submitted to a referendum at any municipal election, change the salary of members of the Council.”*
*Increased to $100 per month, see Section 2.68.010 (1956)
History of Changing
Council Salaries Cont.
• 1988: “Should Section 18 of the Bakersfield City Charter be amended to provide annual salary for Councilmembers in amount of $6,000?” FAILED
• 1990: “Shall Section 2.68.010 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code be amended to increase, for the first time since 1956, the salary of Bakersfield City Councilmembers to $700 per month?” FAILED
History Summary
• 1947: $0 FAILED
• 1954: $200 monthly FAILED
• 1956: $100 monthly PASSED
• 1988: $6,000 annual FAILED
• 1990: $700 monthly FAILED
State Law re: Council Pay
• GC 36516 allows cities to enact ordinances concerning City Council pay based upon population [Recently updated June 2023 to increase salary amounts]
• In cities over 250,000 population, max $3,200 per month • Can increase more than $3,200 so long as no more than the greater of:
• 5% for each calendar year from last salary adjustment; OR • amount = to inflation since 1/2024 based on CPI which shall not exceed 10% each calendar year
• No ordinance shall provide automatic increases
Options
1.Leave as is (no charter amendment)
-FI: $0
2.Add new salary (set amount to propose to voters)
-FI: TBD + Election Costs
3.Delete Charter and BMC language entirely (come back later w/ordinance) -FI: Election Costs
4.Follow state law (default amount & method of increase) -FI: $270,000 annual + Election Costs
Option No. 1: Leave As Is
Section 18:
• “The salaries of the Councilmen first elected under this Charter shall be Fifty Dollars per month. Thereafter the Council may, by ordinance submitted to a referendum at
any municipal election, change the salary of members of the Council.”*
*Increased to $100 per month, see Section 2.68.010
(1956)
FI: $0
Option No. 2: Add New Salary
Section 18:
• “The salaries of the Councilmen first elected under this Charter shall be Fifty Dollars (INSERT NEW AMOUNT)
per month. Thereafter the Council may, by ordinance
submitted to a referendum at any municipal election,
change the salary of members of the Council.”*
*BMC will mirror above
FI: TBD + Election Costs
Option No. 3: Delete Charter and BMC
Language
Section 18:
The salaries of the Councilmembers shall be established, and may be increased without voter approval, in accordance with Government Code section 36516, as may be amended from
time to time. (Effective July 1, the salaries of Councilmembers shall be $3,200 per month).
BMC Section 2.68.010 to read:
The salary of councilmembers shall be one hundred dollars per month.
FI: Election Costs Page 40 of 47
Option No. 4: Follow State Law
Section 18 (old one deleted and replaced):
Effective January 1, 2027, the salaries of the Councilmembers shall be $3,200 per month and may increase, in accordance with Govt. Code Section 36516 as it may be amended from time to time.
BMC Section 2.68.010 will mirror Section 18 above
FI: $270,000 annual + Election Costs
Sample Ballot Measure
Shall the Bakersfield City Charter
and the Bakersfield Municipal
Code be amended to provide
that effective (INSERT DATE),
salaries of City Councilmembers
shall be set in accordance with
State Law at $3,200 per month
and shall only be increased per
State Law?
YES
NO
Election Costs
• Election costs fluctuate greatly based on several factors:
• Number of other measures submitted by other jurisdictions [costs are shared when consolidated w/County elections] • Number of registered voters
• Printing costs for measures in voter info. guide (length, etc.)
Date Type Wards Measures
# Reg.
Voters
(Total)
# Reg.
Voters
(Eligible)
# Votes
Cast
Voter
Turnout Total billed
11/6/2018 General 1,3,4,7 N,O 172,596 172,596 55,531 32.17% $284,906.61 3/3/2020 Primary Mayor 190,227 190,227 27,523 14.47% $399,129.57 11/3/2020 General 1,2,5,6 203,466 108,062 61,323 56.75% $63,057.85 11/8/2022 General 1,3,4,7 L 208,938 208,938 85,895 41.11% $162,947.27 3/5/2024 Primary Mayor 211,781 211,781 53,774 25.39% $400,492.12 11/5/2024 General 2,5,6 219,830 96,757 53,101 54.88% Not yet billed Recent Election Costs
*Estimated cost for Nov. 2026 election: $474,500 - $524,500
Draft Election Calendar 2026
• Feb – March 2026: decide ordinance & charter language • June 2026: CC adopt resolution calling for election,
submission of ballot measure / publish & post notice / deadline to file arguments, etc.
• July 2026: deadline to file rebuttals & impartial analysis • August 2026: submission of materials to County
• November 3, 2026: GENERAL ELECTION
• December 2026: CC declaration of election results
Questions/Direction
Motion Options
1.Leave as is (no charter amendment)
-FI: $0
2.Add new salary (set amount to propose to voters)
-FI: TBD + Election Costs ($500,000+)
3.Delete Charter and BMC language entirely (come back later w/ordinance) -FI: Election Costs ($500,000+)
4.Follow state law (default amount & method of increase) -FI: $270,000 annual + Election Costs ($500,000+)