Costa Mesa : Council Members Vote Themselves a Pay Hike

Citing an increased workload and minimal pay, City Council members voted to give themselves a raise from $408 to $600 a month.

“It makes me a little uncomfortable to be the people to have to raise our own salaries,” Councilwoman Mary Hornbuckle said Tuesday. “But we really don’t have a choice. If it is going to be done, we are the ones who have to do it.”

State law authorizes cities with populations between 75,000 and 150,000 to pay their officials a base salary of $600. About 86,000 people live in Costa Mesa. Moreover, once the base salary is implemented by city ordinance, the salary cannot be increased by more than 5% for each calendar year.

“Anybody who really considers what the job entails, $600 a month is not much,” Hornbuckle said, adding that some weeks she puts in 30 hours of work in the part-time position. “I’m afraid I’d be in tears if I figured how little I’m worth an hour.”

Voting along with Hornbuckle in favor of the pay hike were Norma Hertzog and Donn Hall. Council members Dave Wheeler and Arlene Schafer were absent but are expected to vote in favor of the increase when the measure comes back to the council for final approval in two weeks.