Bay Area

Bill to Increase City Council Pay Approved by State Legislature, Heads to Governor’s Desk

A bill designed to increase the diversity of city council members in California by increasing salaries cleared the state’s Legislature and is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. If Newsom signs it, Senate Bill 329 by state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, would allow city councils to raise their maximum pay to keep pace with inflation.

Published

2 years ago

June 24, 2023

Oakland Post

California District 3 Senator Bill Dodd representing Solano, Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, Contra Costa and Sacramento counties. (Lorie Leilani Shelley/Senator Dodd via Bay City News)

By Kiley Russell
Bay City News

A bill designed to increase the diversity of city council members in California by increasing salaries cleared the state’s Legislature and is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

If Newsom signs it, Senate Bill 329 by state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, would allow city councils to raise their maximum pay to keep pace with inflation.

Any increases would require a simple majority vote by a council and would be calculated using the California Consumer Price Index.

“No one runs for city council to get rich. But the low levels of pay make it much harder to balance careers and personal obligations with the calling to serve their community,” Dodd said.

“It’s especially hard for working people and those from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds,” he said in a news release Tuesday. “By allowing councils to adjust their maximum pay to reflect inflation, my bill will remove barriers to achieving more equitable representation in local government.”

Currently, city council members’ salaries are capped based on the population size of their cities, and the maximum pay hikes set by state law have not increased since 1984.

That means that for cities with fewer than 35,000 people, monthly salaries generally top out at $300, according to Dodd’s office.

“This is an incredible step toward equitability,” said Rohnert Park Mayor Samantha Rodriguez, who testified in favor of the bill.

According to data compiled by the Bay Area Equity Atlas, a tool to track racial and economic equity in the region, while white people accounted for 40 percent of the Bay Area’s population in 2021, they held 66 percent of local elected offices.

Additionally, Asian and Pacific Islander and Latino populations together made up about half of the Bay Area’s population but accounted for just 24 percent of local elected officials.

“Many councilmembers get paid minimally, if at all. This can provide opportunity for working people who have had to balance jobs, childcare and school with public service,” Rodriguez said.

Dodd’s office said the bill is supported by the League of California Cities and the NAACP.

Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

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Asm. Corey Jackson Proposes Safe Parking for Homeless College Students Sleeping in Cars

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 90, which would require community colleges and California State University campuses to create overnight parking programs where students can sleep safely in their vehicles. With one in four community college students in California experiencing homelessness in the past year, Jackson says the state must act urgently.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Corey Jackson. File photo.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

As California’s housing crisis continues to impact students, new legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 90, promises to allow college students without stable housing to sleep in their cars on campus, offering a stark but practical solution aimed at immediate relief.

“This just deals with the harsh realities that we find ourselves in,” he said at a recent hearing.

The bill passed its first committee vote and is gaining attention as housing affordability remains a top concern across the state. California rents are more than 30% above the national average, and long waitlists for student housing have left thousands in limbo. CSU reported more than 4,000 students on its housing waitlist last year.

Supporters stress that the bill is not a long-term solution, but a humane step toward helping students who have no other place to go. A successful pilot program at Long Beach City College has already shown that safe, supervised overnight parking can work, giving students access to restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a secure environment.

However, the CSU and community college systems oppose the bill, citing funding concerns. Critics also worry about safety and oversight. But Jackson and student advocates argue the crisis demands bold action.

“If we know students are already sleeping in their cars, why not help them do it safely?” said Ivan Hernandez, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.