No San Bruno council pay hike

The implementation of Senate Bill 329, legislation that ups maximum allowable payments based on a population size, has catalyzed conversation around wage increases in multiple Peninsula cities. 

The San Mateo City Council is doubling its monthly salaries to $1,200 a month beginning in 2025, councilmembers discussed in early May, and San Carlos increased its monthly salaries to $950 in January. 

Alvarez acknowledged the various ethical concerns around councilmembers raising their own salaries and possible public opinion that councilmembers are overpaid. But the City Council hasn’t received a salary increase in the last 20 years and, with a population of 42,054, is now eligible for a monthly salary of up to $950, she said. 

“It can also be fairly stated, councilmembers can and do put in long hours and have sometimes weighty responsibilities worthy of compensation,” she said. “The reasoning behind this request for open conversation so I can hear everyone’s opinion, including the public.” 

Councilmember Tom Hamilton roundly rejected the proposal and said it was inappropriate for the city to consider while facing a budget deficit and considering a potential bond measure to fund San Bruno’s capital needs. 

“We’ve been hearing for months and years about our lack of revenue, things are so expensive, we’ve got a billion dollars in unfunded capital improvement projects, we’re actively talking right now about going to the voters to ask them for more money, cause we can’t pay for everything,” he said. “In the midst of all that, we’re gonna ask to give ourselves more money? No.” 

Despite Hamilton’s protestations that even considering the proposal could put voters off funding a bond measure, Alvarez maintained the two issues were unrelated. 

“Proposing a measure, in my opinion, has nothing to do with proposing an increase after 20 years,” she said. 

Raising the salary could make the job more attractive to a wider pool of candidates, said Vice Mayor Michael Salazar — who voted yes to agendizing the item, although he said he wasn’t sure of his final position. He also noted that the salary expenses would be fairly minimal in the budget’s grand scheme. 

“Collectively we earn about $25,000 a year. Doubling that would be another $25,000. Is that going to make or break the budget? It’s not even a drop in the bucket,” he said. 

Councilmember Marty Medina said he understood the point of having further discussion, but he would likely vote no on any salary increase. 

Two public speakers were tentatively in favor of salary raises for councilmembers and one was against, citing Alvarez’s inadequacy in representing and engaging with her own constituents. 

“It’d be really nice to have a conversation around compensation and I’d be open to the idea of council having a raise on their salaries,” Matt Jones, a San Bruno resident, said in support of agendizing a discussion. “I think overall, the council has a lot of responsibility, a lot of reviewing agenda packets, going to public meetings and engaging with constituents.” 

holly@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105