CITY OF SAN PABLO
City Council Policy Direction on
Elected Officials' Salary Adjustment
Consideration of a proposed ordinance amending Chapter 2.40 of the San Pablo Municipal Code for the elected term of office beginning December 2026 City Council Meeting | September 8, 2026
Prepared by: Matt Rodriguez, City Manager
FY 2025- 27 COUNCIL PRIORITY WORKPLAN : ADOPTED POLICY NO. #118 Decision Point: Provide policy direction via minute order Council is asked to select one of two (1 of 2) policy directions::
1 OPTION 1 — T AKE NO ACTION
• Councilmember salaries remain at $1,422 per
month
• No ordinance is prepared; Chapter 2.40 is
unchanged
• No added General Fund cost in FY 2026-27 or FY
2027-28
• Next opportunity to adjust would be the
December 2028 term
2 OPTION 2 — ADJUST UP TO +5% PER
CALENDAR YEAR PER ST ATE LAW (GC
36516)
• Direct staff to draft an ordinance amending SPMC Ch.
2.40 • Maximum +10% adjustment: $1,422 → $1,565 per
month
• Effective at the start of the new elective term,
December 2026
• Estimated added cost: All five (5) Councilmembers
Annual Cost totals: $90,297; (Net budget increase of
+$5,000 for FY 2026-27 period)
ELECTED CITY CLERK AND CITY TREASURER: The elected City Clerk and elected City Treasurer are NOT eligible for a salary adjustment at this time — a +30% adjustment effective December 2026 was already approved under Ordinance No. 2024-005 (October 2024).
BACKGROUND
Legal and Policy Framework for General Law Cities
Gov. Code § 36516(a)
MAXIMUM SALARY ADJUSTMENT PER CALENDAR YEAR: For general law cities under 35,000 residents, salaries may be increased by ordinance up to 5% for each calendar year since the last salary adjustment (October 2024 via Ordinance #2024-005) Senate Bill 329 (eff.
1/1/2024)
NEW STATE LAW UNDER GC: Allows the greater of 5% per calendar year or CPI-based inflation since 1/1/2024, capped at 10% per year. Council practice has been to stay with the 5% per calendar year option per State Government Code 36516 (a) requirements.
Gov. Code § 36516.5
TAKES EFFECT AT NEW ELECTIVE TERM OF OFFICE: Any adjustment may only take effect when one or more Councilmembers begins a new elective term of office following Ordinance adoption, and after certification of election results (December 2026) SPMC Chapter 2.40
CURRENT SALARY: Councilmember compensation is currently at $1,422 per month.
Automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are not permitted by state law. Future adjustments must be adopted via Ordinance before new elective term of office.
City Council Priority
Workplan
ADOPTED POLICY #118: Directs staff to bring forward a salary ordinance for Council consideration every two years, beginning fall 2026 (FY 2025-27 Workplan, eff. April 7, 2025).
CURRENT COMPENSATION
City Councilmember Salaries Today (FY 2026-27)
$1,422
per month, per Councilmember
SPMC § 2.40.040
$17,066
per year, per Councilmember
12 monthly payments
$85,313
per year, all five members
FY 2026-27 General Fund
Last Adjusted October 2024: (Ordinance No. 2024-005), effective with the December 2024 elective term of office
Time since last adjustment Two (2) calendar years (2025 and 2026) have passed since last salary adjustment in 2024
Adopted Budget FY 2026-27 Adopted GF Budget has a total of $85,313 budgeted for Council salaries, with any necessary budget adjustments to be processed during the Mid- Year Budget Cycle, if required.
IMPORTANT EXCLUSION
Elected City Clerk and City Treasurer — not eligible at this time NO salary adjustment is proposed for the elected City Clerk or elected City Treasurer for December 2026.
A +30% salary adjustment was already approved under Ordinance No. 2024-005, adopted October 6, 2024, and takes effect with their next elective terms in December 2026. $240
current monthly salary
each office
$312
monthly salary as of Dec. 2026
per Ordinance No. 2024-005
+30%
adjustment already approved
no further action needed
Budget note: Combined salaries for the two elected offices are budgeted at approximately $5,722 in FY 2026-27.
Note: The December 2026 increase to $312 per month creates an estimated ($1,000) shortfall, which will be addressed at the Mid-Year Budget review during FY 2026-27 period.
CITY COUNCIL HISTORY ON ELECTED OFFICIAL COMPENSATION
Prior City Council action on elected officials' compensation 2011
Ordinance No. #2011-002
Established limits on medical in-lieu compensation, retirement and welfare benefits for Councilmembers.
2014
Ordinance No. # 2014-011 / 2014-014
Established salaries for Council, City Clerk and City Treasurer; limited retiree health benefits.
Clerk's salary set at $400/mo for the 2014-2018 term, $200/mo thereafter. 2018
Ordinance No. #2018-004
Councilmembers increased to $1,094 per month; City Clerk and City Treasurer to $240 per month.
2024
Ordinance No. #2024-005
Councilmembers increased salary to $1,422 per month, effective December 2024; City Clerk and City Treasurer to $312 per month, effective December 2026.
LABOR MARKET ANALYSIS OF COMPARABLE CITIES IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Council Annual Salary – Labor Market Analysis (August 2026) $5,640
$6,000
$7,800
$7,800
$9,600
$9,979
$9,984
$11,400
$11,400
$13,020
$13,807
$16,644
$22,800
$22,800
$30,294
$17,066
$0 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000
Clayton
Pittsburg
El Cerrito
Walnut Creek
Oakley
Hercules
Martinez
Pleasant Hill
Pinole
San Ramon
Brentwood
Danville
San Pablo
Concord
Antioch
Richmond
$950
median monthly salary
(16 agencies surveyed)
+49.7%
San Pablo above the
survey median
San Pablo ranks 4th of 16
among Contra Costa County
cities
With +10% adjustment ($1,565
per month; $18,780 annually),
San Pablo would still remain 4th,
below Concord, Antioch and
Richmond
Source: City Manager / Human Resources salary survey, August 2026. All agencies are general law cities except Richmond, El Cerrito and San Ramon (charter cities).
POLICY OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
Option #1: Do not adjust City Councilmember salaries What this means
• No ordinance is prepared and Chapter 2.40 of the
San Pablo Municipal Code remains unchanged.
• Councilmember salaries stay at $1,422 per month
($17,066 annually) into the new December 2026
elective term.
• San Pablo remains 4th of 16 surveyed agencies
and 49.7% above the survey median.
• The next opportunity to adjust Council salaries
would be prior to the new elective term
beginning December 2028.
• Council direction is still recorded by minute order.
$0
NO ADDITIONAL GF BUDGET COST IMPACT
Considerations:
• Preserves General Fund capacity at a time of
limited and stagnant annual Casino revenue.
• Foregoes the 10% authority accrued since
the October 2024 adjustment; can be
reconsidered prior to new elective term in
December 2028
Under Gov. Code § 36516.5, no change in compensation may take effect until a new term of office begins.
POLICY OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
Option #2: Proceed with drafting ordinance adding a maximum +5% adjustment per calendar year (+10% max. adjustment) What this means:
• Direct staff to draft an ordinance amending SPMC
Chapter 2.40.
• Maximum +10% adjustment to Councilmember salaries
for years 2025 and 2026 since last adjustment in 2024,
consistent with Gov. Code § 36516(a).
• Ordinance, once adopted, becomes effective at start of the new elective term in December 2026, and following
certification of the November 3, 2026 election.
• Applies to all five (5) Councilmembers beginning
December 2026
$1,565
per month, per member
up from $1,422 (+143.00)
$18,780
per year, per member
up from $17,066 (+1,714)
$90,297
per year, all five members
up from $85,332 (+4,965)
(Dec. 2026 - June 30, 2027)
Net FY 2026-27 General Fund Cost Impact: Annual net budget increase (< +$5,000) for all five Councilmembers beginning with the December 2026 term for remainder of FY 2026-27 period (based on seven months of GF budget impact from December 2026 – June 2027).
State law would permit up to +10% (5% per calendar year, non-compounded, since the October 2024 adjustment); this option is capped at +5% per Council direction.
FISCAL COMPARISON
Option 1 and Option 2 – Fiscal Comparisons
Option 1 — No Adjustment Option 2 — Maximum +10%
Monthly salary per Councilmember $1,422 $1,565
Annual salary per Councilmember $17,066 $18,780
Annual cost — all five members $85,332 $90,297
Change from current $0 +<$5,000 net budget increase
(FY 2026-27)
Effective date In effect since December 2024 December 2026 Ordinance required No Yes; to amend SPMC Ch. 2.40
Rank among 16 surveyed agencies 4th 4th
All salary costs for City elected officials are contained within the Adopted FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 General Fund Operating Budget. Any unbudgeted salary expense would be addressed at the FY 2026-27 Mid-Year Budget review and require one-time fund appropriation from FY 2026-27 City Manager Operating Contingency Reserve (Fund 110).
REQUESTED ACTION
Provide policy direction via minute order
1 Council Policy Direction • Select Option 1 (no adjustment); or • Select Option 2 (draft an ordinance with a maximum +10% adjustment) by minute order.
2 Ordinance Preparation If Option 2 is selected, the City Attorney directed to prepare an ordinance amending SPMC Chapter 2.40
.
3 Introduction and Adoption First reading scheduled for 09/21/26; with second reading/adoption on 10/05/26, in accordance with Gov. Code §§ 36516, 36516.5 and 36517. 4 Effective date Once Ordinance is adopted, adjusted salaries take effect with the new elective term beginning December 2026, and following certification of the November 3, 2026 election results
QUESTIONS?
1 2
3