City Attorney Wins Hefty Pay Increase

Oxnard City Atty. Gary Gillig is now one of the highest paid city attorneys in the county, earning $141,556 annually, including benefits.

The Oxnard City Council unanimously approved a salary increase for Gillig, who last year made $137,295 with benefits. The increase is effective immediately.

Councilman Dean Mulhardt supported the raise. “We have to evaluate the person on the job he is doing,” Mulhardt said. “I don’t necessarily believe that you don’t pay someone what he is worth just because he is the highest paid in the county. If you look at our [lawsuit] won-loss ratios, we have done a very good job. Our losses are very well contained. You need a good lawyer for that.”

Although the motion passed 5 to 0, Mayor Manuel Lopez stated his disapproval with Gillig’s raise.

“This is not meant to cast aspersions on the quality of the incumbent’s service but rather is based on the city’s ability to pay at a time when every employee and citizen is being asked to do more with less,” Lopez said.

Gillig’s annual salary will be considerably higher than most of the county’s city attorneys. Simi Valley’s John Torrance earns $143,559 a year with benefits. Ventura’s Peter Bulens’ yearly salary is $106,380 with benefits. In Thousand Oaks, City Atty. Mark Sellers makes $111,684 with benefits.