HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2403-2770CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, April 01, 2024
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
9.SECOND READING: Adopt an Ordinance Increasing Council Member Salary From
$1,000/Month to $1,600/Month, Effective January 1, 2025, as authorized by State law
(FIRST READING: March 11, 2024 PASSED 6-1, Tanaka no)
City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: April 1, 2024
Report #:2403-2770
TITLE
SECOND READING: Adopt an Ordinance Increasing Council Member Salary From $1,000/Month
to $1,600/Month, Effective January 1, 2025, as authorized by State law (FIRST READING: March
11, 2024 PASSED 6-1, Tanaka no)
BACKGROUND
This was heard by the City Council on March 11, 2024 for a first reading and was approved 6-1,
Tanaka no. No changes were made to the ordinance; it is now before you for a second reading.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Ordinance Amending Chapter 2.04 (Council Organization and Procedure) of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code to Increase the Salary of Council Members Effective 1-1-2025
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment B
1
Ordinance No. _____
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter 2.04
(Council Organization and Procedure) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to
Increase the Salary of Council Members Effective January 2025
The Council of the City of Palo Alto ORDAINS as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings and Declarations. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A. Article III, Section 17 of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto provides that
compensation may be paid to council members in amounts not to exceed those provided by
general law.
B. Council member salaries were last set in 2017 by Ordinance No. 5304 in the
amount of $1,000 per month.
C. In 2023, the state legislature adopted SB 329, which allows a city of Palo Alto’s
size to provide council members a monthly salary of $1,600.
D. Palo Alto is among the highest cost areas in California.
E. There is a need to ensure a council member’s time commitment is fairly
compensated, to allow candidates of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to fill the role without
significant personal burden.
SECTION 2. Chapter 2.04 (Council Organization and Procedure) of Title 2
(Administrative Code) the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows:
2.04.360. Salary of council members.
(a) The salary of the council members shall be $600.00 per month. Effective
January 1, 2017, the salary of the council members shall be $1,000 per month.
Effective January 1, 2025, the salary of the council members shall be $1,600 per
month.
(b) A city council member may waive any or all of the compensation permitted by
this section.
SECTION 3. If any section, subsection, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any
reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion or
sections of the Ordinance. The Council hereby declares that it should have adopted the
Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of the
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment B
2
fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared
invalid.
SECTION 4. The Council finds that this project is exempt from the provisions of the
California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), pursuant to Section 15061 of the CEQA
Guidelines, because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance
will have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first day after the date of
its adoption.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST:
____________________________ ____________________________
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
____________________________ ____________________________
Deputy City Attorney City Manager