Marysville council advances proposal to nearly double member pay
The Marysville City Council voted to approve a motion to increase council members’ pay after completing the first of two public hearings on the topic May 5.
The council is considering increasing compensation from $300 to $585 per month, or $7,020 annually. The raise would nearly double the city’s annual spending on council pay from $18,000 to $35,100.
The motion passed without a vote from Councilmember Stuart Gilchrist, who was absent from the meeting. City officials said the second hearing is scheduled for May 19.
If approved, it would mark the first adjustment to council compensation since 2007.
State law allows city councils to approve compensation up to a set monthly amount based on population. With about 12,000 residents, Marysville falls within the lowest population tier, allowing council members to receive up to $950 per month, according to previous Bee reporting.
The seats held by Councilmembers Bruce Buttacavoli and Brad Hudson are up for election in November. City officials said the raise would take effect in January after newly elected council members are sworn in.
The proposed increase would bring Marysville council members’ pay close to that of Yuba City council members, who earn $600 per month on a five-member council. Yuba City, with a population of about 70,000, could pay council members up to $1,275 per month under state law.
The proposal follows salary increases approved by councils in other cities. In Folsom, council members voted in April to triple their salaries, according to previous Bee reporting.
Before the vote, Folsom council members earned $7,200 annually, according to a city staff report. Beginning in December, members of the five-person council will earn $22,800 annually, a 217% increase.
