No mandatory pay cuts for California lawmakers, other leaders. Commission freezes salaries

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, state lawmakers and other elected officials will see a salary freeze for the coming year, and the commission that sets their pay on Thursday encouraged them to take a voluntary pay cut.

Newsom plans to take a 10 percent pay cut, his spokesman Nathan Click said. That’s in line with the 10 percent cut he has proposed for state workers overall, including employees of his office.

That will be the first pay cut for a California governor since 2012, when the governor’s salary fell from $173,987 to $165,288.

The California Citizens Compensation Commission at its annual meeting considered requiring a pay cut for Newsom and lawmakers because of the recession caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Instead, commission members said they did not have enough information to order a pay cut and unanimously opted for a salary freeze.

Newsom’s salary will drop from $209,747 to $188,772. If they do not take a voluntary cut, state legislative leaders will keep their pay at $132,107 and $123,493, respectively, for the top minority and majority lawmakers in each house.

Commission Chairman Tom Dalzell urged elected officials to “seriously consider” surrendering a portion of their salaries “in recognition” of the Californians who have experienced budgetary hardship in recent months.

The commission — which meets once a year to vote on salary changes — approved a 4 percent raise last June, and accepted single-digit increases every year since 2012. The governor’s pay peaked in 2008, when it was set at $212,179.

This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 2:56 PM.