Santa Ana Charter Amendment to Increase Pay of Councilmembers

After some concerns regarding the new motion, Santa Ana Councilmembers went ahead to support a motion to increase their annual salary at a starting rate of $78,000.00 per year.

Santa Ana City Council members voted on a motion to increase the salary of sitting members from $12,000.00 per year, to “a salary of 33% of that of an Orange County Superior Court Judge.” The proposed increase was included as the second part of new charter recommendations that include a rent stabilization ordinance and a non-citizen voting amendment. If successful, the new increase would take effect in January of 2025.

The council members were somewhat divided on this issue with three voting in favor of the motion, three voting against it, and one who after some reluctance ended up supporting it at the end of the discussion, resulting in a 4-3 decision in favor.

Mayor Pro Tem Thai Viet Phan delivered her comments in support of the motion, arguing that the current salary is too low for citizens that come from lower socio-economic backgrounds. 

“Everyone here works more than the…probably part time of whatever amount of hours that is, that people think,” said Councilmember Phan, “and I think that is really important for the future of Santa Ana, to be able to recruit and get working-class people, middle-class people, to be interested in serving on the City Councils of Santa Ana.” 

She elaborated that not everyone has flexibility in their work life to give their time on the City Council for a compensation of only $1,000.00 per month, resulting in a City Council that gives preference to wealthier representatives.

Councilmembers Jonathan Ryan Hernandez and Phil Bacerra expressed support of the motion in their comments, with Bacerra adding that fast food workers, “make two-and-a-half times more than we do today. They flip burgers, we deal with billion dollar budgets…” 

When the councilmembers voted, Hernandez, Bacerra, and Mayor Pro Tem Phan voted to support it, while Councilmembers David Penalooza, Benjamin Vasquez, and Mayor Valerie Amezcua voted no. 

Councilmember Jessie Lopez delayed giving her vote, and expressed “reservations” about the motion due to not being included in the ad hoc committee, but ended up supporting the motion at the end of the deliberation. Voters will decide on the motion’s future on the November ballot.