Milpitas’s newly elected leaders are taking steps to double their monthly paycheck after more than a decade of stagnant wages, joining a growing state-wide trend to improve compensation and entice more residents to run for office.
The council agreed this week to move forward with plans to increase their monthly salary from $904 to $1,900 a month, and the mayor’s from $1,130 to $1,900. If the council eventually approves an ordinance allowing the raise, their yearly salaries would be $22,800 and the change would take effect during the next election in December 2026.
“The salary sometimes, could be a factor on some people running for office, to encourage more people to at least get involved in governance,” said Councilmember Evelyn Chua. “So that is an attraction as well. It might not be a lot but it helps.”
Milpitas joins a long list of Bay Area cities that have decided to give their leaders a pay increase — courtesy of a state bill that went into effect last year allowing cities to adjust their council salaries based on population growth and inflation.
In cities with a population between 75,000 and 150,000, like Milpitas, the council may receive up to $1,900 per month, or $22,800 per year. The change must take place when the councilmembers begin a new term. The mayor’s salary however, has no limit. Under state law, the mayor can earn an allowance above the $22,800 baseline that can go into effect immediately if approved by the council.
The council’s potential raise was met with overall support from Milpitas’s leaders, but some raised questions about the fairness of the mayor potentially having another raise before the council can.
“If we’re going to get the same pay raise, council and mayor should have it at the same time,” said Councilmember Hon Lien.
The council and mayor’s pay checks comes out of the city’s General Fund. If the salary is increased, the city would need to take out $74,240 per year.
The council has made salary-related decisions only a handful of times. In 2010, the then-council voluntarily voted to cut their salaries by 6% due to the economic downturn. Then in 2012, the council reduced their salary and car allowance, bringing the total decrease since 2010 to 10%. Leaders in 2014 approved a restoration of the salaries to its current $904.
Their current salary is considered to be typical for South Bay city leaders. Campbell’s mayor and city council members make $15,300 a year, while elected leaders in Los Altos make $11,400 and in Palo Alto, $12,000.
Outliers include heavily-populated cities, likes San Jose, where the mayor makes $225,000 and the councilmembers $169,000.
Bay Area cities that recently introduced a wage increase include the Gilroy City Council, which will see a 50% bump in their salaries, and bring their yearly total to $28,800. The Dublin City Council last year also approved a new pay rate allowing them to receive $19,200 a year. In Richmond, councilmembers are deciding whether to implement an 80% salary increase. Others include Palo Alto, Fremont, Los Altos, San Mateo, Hayward and Alameda.