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AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE IV CITY COUNCIL, SECTION 410 COMPENSATION
recommendation
Consider recommendation of the Charter Review Advisory Commission to amend Section 410 of the Charter and, if approved, forward to the full Council for approval to place on the November 2016 General Election ballot.
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Charter Review Advisory Commission Recommendation
Background
Section 410 of the charter was amended at the last general election to remove the connection of the salary of the Mayor with the salary of the Chair of the Board of Supervisors of San Joaquin County. Prior to the amendment, the salary of the Mayor, as proposed by the Council Salary Setting Commission (“Commission”), could not be less than that of the Chair of the Board of Supervisors. Language was also approved to authorize the Council to reduce the salaries of the Mayor and Council at any time by a two-thirds vote.
Under the recently amended section 410 the Council, following the recommendation of the Commission in accordance with the mandate of the charter, has reduced the Mayor’s salary mid-term.
Current Situation
The draft amendment to section 410 (Attachment A) seeks to prevent a mid-term salary reduction for a Mayor by aligning the activities of the Commission more closely with the election cycle. If approved, the salary for the Mayor would be set by term, while Council salaries would be set biennially. Currently the Mayor’s salary is able to be changed in the middle of the term. The proposed language would limit any change to the Mayor’s salary to be implemented at the beginning of each term.
There is also provision made for the transition to the new process. The amendment would have the Commission meet in 2017 to set the salary for the Mayor for the remainder of the then-current term, which ends December 31, 2020. The Commission would also in 2017 set the salaries for the Council through December 31, 2022. Following these initial transition periods the Commission would meet biennially to consider salary changes.
The proposed amendment also mandates that the salary of the Mayor exceed that of the Council, but does not otherwise place a floor or ceiling on either salary.
Staff Recommendation
Staff supports the Charter Review Commission’s recommendation regarding Article IV Section 410 - Compensation.
Attachment A - Proposed Revisions to Section 410