Beverly Hills : Council Refuses Pay Raise

Members of the City Council turned down a potential pay raise of $34.25 a month, saying it appeared on the agenda without their knowledge.

At a meeting Tuesday night, the council voted 4 to 0 not to consider the item. Members also voted to require that the mayor, vice mayor, city attorney and a representative of the city staff be present when agendas are drawn up in advance of their twice-monthly meetings.

Staffers said the proposed raise from $330.75 to $365 a month was based on provisions of the California government code. It represented a 5% increase for each of the two last two years.

“The salary is adjusted routinely before elections,” Finance Director Don Oblander said. “It requires council action to implement it. It has been treated in the past as a routine matter, and this year the council wanted to give more thought to it.”