A commission tasked with examining the salaries of Stockton’s mayor and city council members has recommended a $32,586 pay cut for Mayor Anthony Silva.
The City Salary Setting Commission issued its recommendation Thursday in a 3-2 vote, stating that Silva’s $104,970 salary should be reduced to $72,384 as of July 1.
“We looked at the Consumer Price Index, we compared the average salary of city employees, and we looked at numbers from other cities,” said the commission’s Chairwoman, Shellie Lima. “It got us into a ballpark area. … We also talked quite a bit about the fact that city employees have taken huge pay cuts in recent years and the mayor’s salary has continued to rise.”
In addition, the commission recommended that the mayor receive life insurance as part of his benefits package without the option to opt out of benefits in favor of a cash payment.
The commission’s authority over the mayor’s compensation stems from an amendment to the City Charter which was passed by voters in November. Once the official draft is provided, the mayor and the council will have a chance to vote on the proposal.
While Mayor Silva says he is concerned about the recent recommendation, he remains confident that the council will reject it. He also said he plans to run for a second term in 2016, regardless of what the council decides.
Read more about the commission’s recommendation here.