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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/1/2018 Item 13, Igel Hi council, my name is Vanessa Igel and I’m representing the SLO U40 Steering Committee. The mission of SLO U40 is to inform and inspire people of all ages to act on issues that impact the Under-40 residents of SLO County. We believe the issue of council compensation is one that needs to be addressed. SLO U40 reviews issues through the lens of our seven focus areas, one of which is Diversity, including financial diversity in our county. We believe that city council’s compensation, including the mayor’s, should reflect the current demands of the position and be competitive to attract a diverse pool of candidates. Through our research and public documents, council members are compensated $1,200/mo and mayor at $1,500/mo. A majority of our city council members also have full-time jobs as their primary source of income and the demands of the position affect their work schedules and income. We also see that most mayors have not worked outside of their mayoral role so this is their primary source of income, at approximately $18,000/year. This isn’t a living wage in a community that they are required to reside in. This systematic disconnect affects all residents that may be interested in running for office, but especially the under 40 citizens that are building their careers and starting families. Compensation shouldn’t be the only factor for why a candidate chooses public service, but a fair and living wage would support more candidates that are qualified to be in office and not only those that can afford to serve. SLO U40 is in support of a salary increase for both the mayoral position and city council, more for the mayor than currently recommended by the Council Compensation Committee. A more substantial compensation of $2,500/month for the mayoral position would compensate for the time commitment of the position, allow a mayor to reasonably afford to live the city that they govern, and by offering a livable wage will allow a more diverse pool of candidates to consider running for office. SLO U40 also recommends City Council members compensation be increased by 10%. ($1,320). This compensation request is miniscule in relation to the city’s budget and will allow greater diversity in representation. Offering a slightly higher competitive wage will support the city in attracting competent leaders that can take on our financial challenges, now and in the future. We want to see the mayor and city council positions attracting the most qualified candidates looking to serve the city, not just the candidates that can afford to take on the role. We thank you for your consideration and hope you will seriously consider increasing the current salary beyond the committee’s recommendation.