Palmdale Council Approves Pay Raise

Palmdale City Council members voted unanimously to increase their salaries from $400 to $600 a month beginning in April of next year, under a state law that links council pay to population increases.

The five-member council approved the pay increase without comment at its Thursday night meeting.

Council members were eligible for the raise because the city’s population, according to state officials, had grown to more than 78,000 as of January. State law sets council salaries at $600 a month for cities with populations from 75,000 to 150,000.

But under state law, the raise cannot take effect until after the city’s next municipal election. The mayor’s office and two council seats will be on the ballot in April.