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PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO SALARIES FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF STOCKTON IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE IV, SECTION 410 OF THE CITY CHARTER
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Recommendation
It is recommended that the Salary Setting Commission review and discuss the contents of this report and formulate a recommendation for City Council members’ salaries for a two-year period commencing January 1, 2027.
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Background
A compensation study was conducted to identify the market median salary for City Council members. On February 11, 2026, Human Resources presented salary data to the Salary Setting Commissioners to determine if data was sufficient to conduct a public hearing and to make a recommendation to Council. The Commissioners requested additional information be provided and data within the salary survey be updated.
On March 12, 2026, an updated salary survey and the following data was presented to the Commissioners:
• Median household income for residents within each comparable agency
• Base salary projections reflecting 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% increases
• The number of council members serving in each agency
• Identification of each agency as a Charter City or General Law City
• Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) information for comparable cities, where applicable
• Removal of the City of Bakersfield from the salary survey
• Language pertaining to General Law City compensation limits
• Role of the City Council (Charter of the City of Stockton, Article IV)
• Financial information on how Council salaries are paid and the impact to taxpayers
• Compensation data for Sacramento, Oakland, and San Jose
DISCUSSION
Present Situation
The revised salary survey is reflected in Attachment A. Included in the revision is the following information requested during the February 11, 2026, meeting:
• Column identifying Charter vs General Law Cities
• Column identifying the number of Council Members
• Column identifying the Median Household Income
During the March 12, 2026, Salary Setting Commission meeting, it was requested that staff present the following information at the next meeting:
• Average hours City Council Members work per month
• Percentage of increase if salary was increased to $40,000 and $45,000
• The percentage of salary compared to median household income for the City of Stockton
• Additional information on impact to the General Fund
Next Steps
Based on the information received, the Salary Setting Commission shall propose a recommendation for the salaries of the City of Stockton Council members. Once a recommendation is approved, staff will prepare a staff report and documents consistent with the recommendation on behalf of the Salary Setting Commission and present to the City Council in accordance with Article IV, Section 410 of the Stockton City Charter.
Attachments
Attachment A - Salary Survey
PowerPoint Presentation