Sacramento council set to approve significant raise for City Manager Howard Chan
Note: The Sacramento City Council unanimously approved Chan’s raise during its May 4 meeting.
The Sacramento City Council is set to approve a significant raise for City Manager Howard Chan.
The raise would bring Chan’s annual base salary from $308,016 to $372,700, an increase of 21%.
Chan has not received a raise since February 2019. The new amount will be retroactive to February 2021, according to a city staff report. A separate amount of $338,819 will be retroactive to February 2020.
Under Chan’s leadership, the city has weathered the coronavirus pandemic without significant cuts or disruptions in services. Despite the lockdown, the city is about to open a sprawling new convention center and performing arts center downtown and has permitted hundreds of new housing units over the past year. It has also opened three large homeless shelters, with a fourth on the way this summer.
Earlier this year, Chan came under criticism for his decision not to open a warming center for the homeless on the night of a major storm, citing coronavirus concerns. Demonstrations have been held outside his house, including one where Black Lives Matter protesters placed body bags in his front yard representing Black men who have been killed by police. Chan did not fire either of the officers who fatally shot Stephon Clark in 2018, but he has fired six officers and disciplined three dozen others since 2016.
Chan’s new base salary would be more than Fresno’s city manager, Sacramento County’s interim executive and San Francisco’s mayor, according to salary figures provided to The Sacramento Bee by those cities’ spokespeople. Fresno City Manager Thomas Esqueda’s base salary is $225,000. Sacramento County Interim Executive Ann Edwards’ base salary is $336,481. San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s salary is $351,116. In addition to being mayor of the city, she is also a leader of the county.
Chan’s total compensation package including benefits will be $431,885. He currently receives $500 per month for an automobile allowance, $100 per month for his cellphone and $400 as a monthly expense allowance.
The council meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday and will be livestreamed on the city’s website.
This story was originally published May 4, 2021 at 10:40 AM.
