Solana Beach City Council members voted to approve a pay raise for themselves during their Oct. 9 meeting.
Using a state-mandated formula of 5% per year from the previous pay increase, the new figures would be $1,032 maximum per month for council members and $1,152 per month maximum for the mayor.
The raise is still pending a second reading and would take effect at the beginning of new terms. The previous pay increase in Solana Beach was in December 2020, going from $712.58 to the current $860.
“Under state law, as a general law city, the City Council is to establish by ordinance a salary up to a ceiling dependent on the population of the city,” according to a city staff report. “The salary established by the City Council may be increased, ‘but the amount of the increase may not exceed an amount equal to five percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of salary’ unless the electorate approves a higher salary.”
In Del Mar, voters will decide whether to give the council its first pay increase in more than 30 years through a ballot measure in the November election.