Sacramento City Manager Howard Chan is getting his sixth raise in seven years.
Last week, city leaders approved a 5% pay bump for Chan, who is already the highest paid administrator in the state. The raise is retroactive to February 2023 and will bring his annual salary to around $420,000.
Chan’s lucrative raises have become a divisive issue in Sacramento. A scheduled raise was put on hold three months ago following a public backlash.
The latest salary increase comes at a time of great economic uncertainty. Budget Manager Mirthala Santizo has warned that the city could see a projected deficit of $24.5 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Chan isn’t the only department head getting a 5% raise. The City Attorney, Auditor, Clerk, Treasurer and Director of the Office of Public Safety Accountability will also see their pay jump 5%. The increases are based on cost of living increases, according to a city staff report.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg as well as Council Members Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang abstained from the vote.