LAGUNA BEACH : Council Members Double Own Pay
Laguna Beach council members voted unanimously this week to double their monthly paychecks from $150 to $300.
The pay raise, scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, was proposed by Councilman Dan Kenney, who is not seeking reelection in November.
“The last time the City Council got a raise was in 1965. I figured it was probably not so bad if I brought it forward,” Kenney said Tuesday before the council’s vote.
“It’s really just an indication of the amount of work we put in,” he said.
After taxes and other payroll deductions, Kenney said, council members currently take home $69.23 every two weeks.
The state Government Code states that in cities with a population of less than 35,000, councils can approve salaries up to $300 per month. Subsequent pay hikes may not exceed 5% each year.
All Orange County cities except one in that population category already pay their council members at least $300 per month. The exception is Villa Park, population 6,950, which does not pay its council members.
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