ANAHEIM : City Pulls Pay Hike Request From Ballot

In a special meeting Tuesday, the City Council voted to scrap plans for a City Charter amendment that would have tripled the monthly salaries of council members and given the mayor a 50% raise.

In addition, officials removed eight other proposals from the Nov. 6 ballot, reducing the number of city measures for Election Day from 17 to eight. Anaheim had more ballot measures than any other city in Orange County.

“I think there’s such a thing as a ballot that’s too long,” said Councilman Tom Daly, after officials voted 5 to 0 to cut proposed “housekeeping” changes to the charter.

However, the council was split over the pay raise plan that would have increased the monthly stipends of council members and the mayor to $1,200. Currently, council members receive $400 monthly and the mayor receives $800.

“I think we ought to put this to bed,” said Councilman Irv Pickler. “Let the people decide what they want to do--if they want to give it to us, they will. If not, they won’t.”

The council voted 3 to 2 to remove the measure from the ballot, with Pickler and Daly in favor of placing the issue before voters.

Like all the ballot measures this fall, the proposed salary increase was recommended by a committee charged with reviewing the city charter.

Jo Anne Barnett, committee chairwoman, said salaries of elected officials in Anaheim are lower than those in cities of comparable size.