Folsom raises council members’ pay to boost diversity despite budget concerns
.jpg "The Folsom City Council on Tuesday, April 14, approved a proposal that more than tripled their salaries.")
Less than a year after Folsom found itself in a $3 million financial pinch, City Council members Tuesday night debated salary increases for themselves.
Folsom currently pays its council members $7,200 a year, and Tuesday night’s 3-2 approval will boost the wage to $22,800 — a 217% increase — beginning in December. Council members Barbara Leary and Sarah Aquino opposed.
Those in favor of the proposal, including Mayor Justin Raithel, said the move could attract a more diverse pool of candidates in the upcoming election. The increased salary, he said, could help provide additional resources to prospective candidates who otherwise couldn’t give extra time to the role.
“I want everybody to be able to run (for office),” Raithel said. “I don’t want them to only be independently wealthy or retired.”
Seats held by Council members Aquino, Mike Kozlowski and Anna Rohrbough are up for reelection this November.
Meanwhile, those opposed to the salary increase pointed to Folsom’s approximately $3 million general fund deficit this summer, which was driven by rising pension costs, flat revenue growth and long-term underinvestment in infrastructure. The city got itself out of the deficit by cutting 20 staff positions and organizational restructuring, pushing the city into the black by $700,000.
“It sounds like a lot of money, but it is not,” Leary said of the $700,000 buffer.
In response to Leary’s budgetary concerns, Rohrbough said the city exceeded its policy to have more than 20% of the budget in the general fund reserves. The net budgetary impact for the salary increase is $78,000 annually.
More than five residents spoke against the salary increase Tuesday night, expressing concern about public perception. No residents spoke in favor of the proposal.
“At a time when many residents are dealing with rising costs, housing pressures and economic uncertainty, such a large increase can appear disconnected from the community’s reality,” resident Shelley Hudson said. “Even if this action is legally allowed, perception matters. Decisions like this can erode public trust and raise concerns about priorities.”
Despite the approved increase, Leary and Aquino said they won’t accept the raise, if applicable.
While the wage increase was approved, Folsom’s council member salary debate isn’t over. The 2026 Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee will likely discuss a proposal by committee member Justin Hurst that would require voter approval to finalize salary changes for council member compensation. In addition to voter approval, Hurst’s proposal would establish annual wage increases tied to the California Consumer Price Index, with caps of either 2% or 5%.
Hurst’s proposal, however, faces several hurdles. The Charter Review Committee must first approve the proposal and send it to the City Council before the charter amendment can go on the ballot this November. The committee is scheduled to meet April 30 and May 4 at City Hall.
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 7:51 AM.
