Santa Clarita City Council members approved a 5% pay hike for themselves at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The raise was authorized for next year after the second reading and approval of a motion to increase council members’ salaries, which was initially approved at a March 12 hearing.
The increase accounts for a 2.5% raise each year over a two-year period, as the pay raise takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.
The increase was identical, percentage-wise, to the City Council’s previous hike, which was a 5% hike approved in April 2022.
Councilman Bill Miranda moved to approve the motion calling for the raise, which was seconded by Councilwoman Marsha McLean.
Councilwoman Laurene Weste was the lone vote in opposition. She explained her vote as a protest against the ridiculous rise in costs everyone is facing.
The raise comes out to roughly $58 more a month for the council members, bringing their pay to about $2,386 per month.
That brings their wages starting next year to $28,632 per year. The minimum wage in Los Angeles County is $15 per hour, which comes out to $31,200 per year.
In 2023, council member compensation increased to $2,328.28 per month. During the discussion of that Aprill 2022 pay hike, Weste estimated she spends between 30 to 50 hours per week on council business.
McLean put the figure at about 50 hours per week and considers being a council member a full-time job, according to the official minutes of the April 2022 meeting.
