The Belmont City Council is considering increasing its stipend compensation as a way to remove financial obstacles to serving on the city’s highest elected position.
At its Sept. 12 meeting, the council agreed to further discuss increasing council compensation from its current amount of $390 a month. Belmont Mayor Julia Mates said increasing the monthly stipend was something to look into given the time and money it costs to be on the council and the obstacles people face when running for local office. She believes the $390 monthly stipend did not keep up with inflation and could discourage single parents, young people and people of color from running. The 1995 increase took the stipend from $90 monthly to $390. She believes even a small increase to match inflation could help with care or transit costs of going to council meetings and the regional board and commissions councilmembers sit on because of their role on the Belmont council.
“I wouldn’t want to limit who can serve on the council just because the compensation is lower than it should be,” Mates said.
Mates did not have any specifics on the amount of increase there could be other than it would not be a living wage and would remain a stipend.
According to a staff report, the increase would likely be based on legislation passed in July through Senate Bill 329, which makes it possible to increase the stipend paid to members of city council in California. SB 329 aims to address inflation and support diversity on city councils. The bill states that salaries would be based on the city’s population, with cities up to, and including, 35,000 people can receive up to $950 a month. Belmont currently has an estimated population of around 26,000, according to the U.S. Census. The bill states that cities between 50,000 and 75,000 would get $1,600 a month, while cities with populations between 75,000 and 150,000 would get $1,900. The ordinance would not be allowed to provide automatic future increases in salary. Other compensation like medical benefits provided to councils would not be included in the pay increases.
City staff will now review options and study research compensation from other cities.
Excuse me, don't we already have people of color and single parents on the Council? Do we really need more of them? Lets base it on the demographics of our city instead of a few slick talking amateurs pretending to represent us.
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Excuse me, don't we already have people of color and single parents on the Council? Do we really need more of them? Lets base it on the demographics of our city instead of a few slick talking amateurs pretending to represent us.
What Mr. van Ulden said…
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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