OCEANSIDE — The City Council agreed last week to increase council members’ salaries for the first time in nearly a decade in order to keep up with inflation, make rates more comparable with those of other cities, and ensure future candidates can afford to take office.
Currently, council members receive $1,932.75 per month or $23,193 annually, and the mayor receives $2,107.91 per month or $25,294,92 annually.
Effective in mid-December, council members will receive $2,802.49 monthly for an annual salary of $33,630, and the mayor will receive $3,056.764 monthly for an annual salary of $36,678.
The mayor and council members also receive $4,200 annually for Community Development Commission meetings and $2,400 annually for Harbor Port meetings. With these payments plus the general salary increase, salaries will total $43,278 for the mayor and $40,230 for council members.
Councilmember Jimmy Figueroa said everyone serves on the council because they are passionate about the city, not to make money. However, he said it can be challenging for prospective candidates who need to make sure they can support their families.
“It is a huge sacrifice. I work a full-time job. Even when I was fortunate enough to be elected, I had to find an employer that would work with my new schedule, and it is a lot, as far as trying to do the best you can to serve the city but at the same time having to provide for an 11-year-old, an 8-year-old, my wife,” Figueroa said.
Senate Bill 329, adopted in 2024, allows for the council to set a base monthly salary of $2,550. It allows additional increases beyond this base, equal to 5% for each calendar year since the last increase, or an amount equal to inflation, whichever is greater.
City staff said the council can apply a 5% increase for each of the nine years since the last increase, for a 45% salary increase overall.
The council also said they would support similar raises for the city clerk and city treasurer positions, and gave direction to staff to bring back a resolution to this effect.
Daniel Dominguez, who is married to Oceanside City Treasurer Phyllis Dominguez, spoke in support of all the proposed salary increases. He said all of the city’s elected officials do a fantastic job, but that salaries need to increase to draw more candidates from younger generations.
“A lot of the younger candidates don’t run because they can’t afford all the hours they have to take from their job to do the City Council,” Dominguez said.
Resident Jimmy Knott advocated for increases to be awarded based on merit.
“What have each of you done to deserve these raises? I think you can tell the public that,” Knott said.
Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce noted that citywide-serving positions, such as the mayor, city clerk, and treasurer, all require additional work that should be fairly compensated. Mayor Esther Sanchez said she works at least 60 hours per week.
City leaders compared Oceanside’s current council salaries to the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, Vista, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Escondido, and San Marcos. Human Resources Director Chelsea Phebus said Oceanside is on the lower end, with salaries higher only than San Marcos.
The proposed increases will bump the city up to the “middle of the pack,” Phebus said.
