• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

Council to Consider Proposal that Would Double Elected Officials’ Pay

Staff by Staff
February 23, 2022 4:05PM
in EYE ON SC, News Headlines
OC Democrats Out Earning GOP in Congressional Races

More than $7 million has been poured into the war chests of 2020 candidates running in Orange County’s seven congressional district races, with most of that money going toward Democrats looking to capitalize on their sweeping victories in 2018. Photo: Pexels

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By C. Jayden Smith

A proposal by Mayor Gene James could more than double the pay that San Clemente’s elected officials make. During the previous council meeting on Feb. 15, James motioned to start the process of potentially doubling future councilmembers’ pay, from around $400 to $860.

James’ motion was supported by Councilmember Laura Ferguson and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan, which will allow city staff to produce a report on the matter and soon bring it back to the council for consideration.

After several people approached James and mentioned how little pay San Clemente councilmembers receive in relation to other elected officials in Orange County cities, he felt comfortable enough to try to agendize the discussion at the meeting.

“We have not taken a pay increase in 23 years,” James said during last week’s meeting. “We’re allowed to calculate 5% per year, and not give ourselves a raise, but to give the next council a raise.”

The council could do so under California’s Government Code Section 36516.4.

The proposal follows an Orange County Register article published in late January that listed the stipends city councilmembers receive in Orange County, with Anaheim topping the list of the highest average compensation in one year.

According to the California State Controller’s Office, San Clemente’s councilmembers received an annual compensation of $4,984 in 2020, with $186 going to a deferred compensation plan—the only support the city provided in terms of a retirement and health contributions.

Monthly, councilmembers receive $399.83 in stipends.

As the longest serving councilmember in San Clemente, Kathy Ward said the reason the stipend has remained so low was that previous councils wanted to discourage candidates from running for financial gain.

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Duncan jokingly responded, which was met with a laughter from the audience at last week’s meeting.

During an interview on Wednesday, Feb. 23, James said he felt that the current council’s pay was too low for the amount of work that the officials do and time they spend for the city, which can total as much as 40 hours.

He said that the $400 does not even cover his gas bill for all the miles he drives within San Clemente alone.

“There’s no way we’d ever get compensated at market rates for what we do,” James said. “However, at the very least, we should receive some amount of compensation to at least cover our expenses, such as gasoline, buying an occasional lunch for a constituent, that sort of thing.”

San Clemente resident Bill Malamud is one private citizen who has been vocal about the council receiving higher pay for several years. He remembers multiple occasions in which the matter has been previously discussed, with all failing at some stage or another.

“It’s kind of nonsense,” Malamud said. “It’s not like the amount matters that much.”

Regarding the time-consuming nature of the position, he believes it is reasonable for councilmembers to be paid more, as much as $1,250 per month, in his fair-but-frugal view.

James said he was pleasantly surprised by the support he received at the meeting by the other councilmembers, especially considering that he had not talked privately to any of them before mentioning the raise, nor since.

That lack of conversation also made James unsure of whether a future vote would pass, and he figured that since he was contacted about the issue, other councilmembers may be as well, which could swing the way the vote goes.

Conversely, Malamud is confident that a proposed raise would receive enough votes to pass.

“I don’t see why they would turn this down,” he said. “I don’t think it’s that political of an issue, frankly.”

As of this posting, Councilmember Ward was unavailable to provide additional comment for this story.

C. Jayden Smith graduated from Dana Hills High in 2018 before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in digital and broadcast journalism from the University of North Texas. After graduating in December 2020, he reported for the Salina Journal in Salina, Kansas. Jayden loves college football and bothering his black lab named Shadow.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: Chris DuncanCity CouncilFeaturedGene JamesKathy WardLaura FergusonLocal GovernmentOrange Countypay raisesSan ClementestipendsTaxpayer money
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Local Boy Scout Helps Give Senior Center a Facelift

Local Boy Scout Helps Give Senior Center a Facelift

February 1, 2023
Surfrider, Pottery Barn Teen Inspire Sustainability with Décor Collection

Surfrider, Pottery Barn Teen Inspire Sustainability with Décor Collection

January 31, 2023
MURF

Local Electric Bike Company Anticipates Year of Growth with Its New Partnership

January 30, 2023
San Clemente Girls Soccer Finishes Early, Moves into First Place with Shutout of San Juan Hills

San Clemente Girls Soccer Finishes Early, Moves into First Place with Shutout of San Juan Hills

January 28, 2023
Next Post

Fictitious Business Name: RES+ORED.

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media