Members of the Santa Maria City Council narrowly voted to give themselves a 20% pay raise, or roughly $340 more a month, sparking a brief debate about the public service aspect of the elected role.

The panel voted 3-2 on Tuesday to approve the proposal to boost the stipend, with Mayor Alice Patino plus Councilwomen Gloria Flores and Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez in favor. Councilwoman Gloria Soto and Councilman Ricardo Batalla voted against the increase.

City Council members will be paid $2,048 a month, instead of $1,706.90. The mayor’s salary will rise from $1,956.90 to $2,298 a month. Under state law, the salary hike can’t take effect until a council member begins a new term, which will be in December.

Soto questioned the pay hike’s timing amid the city’s large deficit and the fact that the council plans to ask voters to approve a sales tax increase this fall.

The council agreed to ask voters to approve a sales tax hike of 0.50%, which would push the rate from 8.75% to 9.25% in the city. The additional funds are expected to help ease the financial crunch. 

Soto also noted that the city initially proposed a 10% pay cut for members of the Service Employees International Union Local 620. 

“At the moment, as we’re having these conversations with employee groups asking them to understand the state of our city budget, I just think they cannot support this,” Soto said.

Aguilera-Hernandez said supporting the pay hike could help encourage others in the community to run for elected office, adding that some residents she had spoken to say they can’t afford it.

“This is, at least for me, an attempt to get other people to serve our community who would be really good at bringing new ideas, especially the young people who don’t make a lot of money and don’t have flexible schedules in their jobs to come and serve the city,” she added.

While advocating for the pay raise, Aguilera-Hernandez said she wouldn’t benefit. Her term ends this year, and she is running for a seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

Flores agreed, noting that she had proposed the review of the current rate.

“I believe that we need to pass this as a council and take care of City Council and mayors that come on board,” she said. “It’s only $341.31. Our city can afford that.”

Batalla, the newest member of the council after being appointed in the spring, said serving on the public panel isn’t about money. 

“I do it because I care for this community,” he said, adding that it is like having a second full-time job. 

Both Soto and Batalla will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Terms for the mayor and Flores don’t expire until 2028.

Santa Maria has the largest population among cities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, but the council’s pay sits in third place between two of the four cities checked, City Manager David Rowlands said. 

Santa Barbara City Council members receive $5,281, while the mayor gets $6,609. In San Luis Obispo, the mayor receives $2,923, with $2,319 going to council members. In Lompoc, the mayor is paid $1,400, while the council receives $1,200.

However, the staff report didn’t include Ventura County cities. The Ventura City Council members receive $600 a month, with $700 for the mayor. The Oxnard City Council members receive $785 every two weeks, or $20,400 annually.

Santa Maria’s council stipend has been increased five times in the past four decades, Rowlands said.

The rate remained at $500 per month between 1986 and 2001, although it dipped below when a prior council took a 4% pay cut over four years because of tight budget times in the 1990s. The pay, or stipend, increased again in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2016 and 2022.