Chick Suggests Elected Officials Forgo 5% Pay Raise, but Not All Agree

For the second time in her brief tenure on the Los Angeles City Council, Laura Chick offered Friday to sacrifice her salary in order to prove that she is serious about tightening the city’s purse strings.

With the support of Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, whose district includes Sherman Oaks, Chick asked that all elected city officials forgo a 5% pay increase that is set for Jan. 1, saving Los Angeles $78,000 every year.

The council will get the chance to vote on the raise Tuesday, which could increase the members’ $90,680-a-year salary to $95,214.

The salaries are scheduled to increase because of an ethics package adopted by voters in 1990, which ties the pay of elected officials to that of Municipal Court judges. Those judges, in turn, receive the pay increase won by state employees in bargaining.

Elected officials, who have gone without raises for two years, currently are negotiating salary contracts with police officers and other employee groups who also have gone without raises for years. In addition, the city faces a $125-million budget shortfall during the next fiscal year.

Chick’s call for belt-tightening began during her campaign for the council seat that represents the southwestern San Fernando Valley. A month after the election, Chick contributed 10% of her salary, or $9,100, to the Los Angeles Police Department, along with three of the seven city cars assigned to her staff.

Although several elected officials agreed that it would be politically damaging to accept the proposed 5% raise, some took exception with Chick and Yaroslavsky’s bid to dictate salaries.

“I have a distinct aversion to legislating other people’s morality,” said Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, who represents the airport, Venice and other Westside communities. “I would hope that council members are giving some of their money to charity. But we should not tell them to do so.”

Although Councilman Nate Holden said he would probably agree to forgo the raise, he called Chick’s motion “grandstanding.”

Councilman Hal Bernson, who represents the northwest Valley, said he would rather have his raise go to the police bureau in his district than return it to the city’s General Fund.

“They are trying to do the right thing, but in the wrong way,” he said of Chick and Yaroslavsky.

But Chick defended her actions, saying she did not mean to ruffle feathers but wanted simply to send a message that city leaders are willing to take the cutbacks required of other city employees.

“I’m not saying the council members are overpaid, because we are not,” she said. “It’s about common sense, integrity.”

She said that when she initially offered to cut her salary by 10% she tried to get other council members to join her but found “the door was just closed in front of me.”

Whatever her colleagues think of Chick’s maverick tendencies, her actions have won praise from constituents.

“I think it’s a very noble gesture,” said Gerald Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino.

“It says she is willing to tighten her belt.”

Times staff writer Marc Lacey contributed to this story.

Biting the Bullet

Two council members have suggested that elected city officials forgo a 5% pay hike that is set to take effect Jan. 1. Here are their current salaries, and what they would be if the raises kick in.

CURRENT WITH 5% RAISE City Attorney $108,816 $114,256 City Controller 99,748 104,735 Council members 90,680 95,214 Mayor* 117,884 123,778

* Mayor Richard Riordan is voluntarily accepting only $1 a year as his salary.

SOURCE: City of Los Angeles