The Sebastopol City Council has voted 4-0 to move forward with a proposal that would more than triple their monthly stipends from $300 to $950.
According to the Press Democrat, while the hike aligns with a 2024 state law designed to attract more diverse candidates to public service, it comes as the city grapples with an impending $1.67 million budget deficit that threatens to deplete general fund reserves.
Residents strongly criticized the timing of the self-assigned raise, pointing out that the city has already been forced to cut local nonprofit funding and lean out public works and emergency services. Council members defended the decision by noting their compensation hasn’t been updated since 1984 despite a massive increase in modern workloads.
If formally approved via a future ordinance, the pay raise would not take effect until after the November 2026 election.
