San Diego County supervisors unanimously approve compensation ordinance changes for bargaining units

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously June 9 to approve ordinances amending the county's compensation ordinance and to establish pay changes tied to tentative agreements with county employee bargaining units.

The action, taken during the board's June 9 general legislative session, follows public comment from deputies in county counsel, rank-and-file county employees and union representatives and a brief floor discussion about the structure of one-time payments included in the package. Two errata notices correcting attachments to the board letter were posted and made available online and in the chamber before the vote.

Why it matters: The ordinances set compensation changes that apply across multiple represented employee groups. Speakers at the meeting said the changes aim to improve recruitment and retention and reflect cost-of-living adjustments; some callers raised concerns about the package's size and about whether county staff time and taxpayer resources were being allocated appropriately.

County counsel deputies who are members of the Deputy County Counsel Association urged the board to revisit pay for in‑house attorneys. Heidi Gabriel Pack, identifying herself as with the Deputy County Counsel Association, told the board, "I want to speak to the reason why you are not updating county council pay in the compensation ordinance today." Kate Jones, identifying herself as a senior deputy county counsel, said, "I am here to ask you, as Heidi did, and urge you to reconsider the current compensation package that's currently being offered to the county council attorneys," adding that in-house counsel saves the county money compared with outside firms.

Several rank-and-file employees and union-affiliated speakers thanked the board and bargaining team while urging further work on retention. Robert Pitt, a child support officer of 23 years, told supervisors, "So thank you for everything you did for us, because you did something fantastic to help the employees of the county of San Diego." A county employee who identified herself as a member of SEIU said she was "looking forward to see change." A speaker representing union leadership acknowledged the "recognition of the cost of living, the opportunity for a wage reopener, and to have a critical conversation around Tier D." The union speaker also called the agreement "not the beginning [and] not the end but the beginning."

At least one public commenter questioned the scale of the package and how staff time has been used. Becky Rapp said county staff time and taxpayer resources were being devoted to marijuana-related ordinances rather than public-health priorities and cited a figure she described as a projected "$140,000,000 in compensation increases this year alone." The board did not produce a competing dollar estimate on the record during the meeting.

On the dais, Supervisor Jim Desmond registered a specific objection to portions of the agreement tied to one-time payments. "The only thing that I have in opposition to are these one-time payments that are contingent upon change to the county's reserve policy," Desmond said, and said he does not support using reserves for ongoing salary costs. Other supervisors expressed appreciation for staff and negotiators and emphasized the multi-year work behind the contract and equity study that informed the bargaining.

After the public comment period and brief board remarks, a motion to approve the ordinances was made and seconded. Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer announced the motion "passes unanimously, with all supervisors being present and voting aye." The board record shows the motion passed with all members present.

The ordinances implement the negotiated terms pending ratification by the represented units and include a mix of across-the-board adjustments, market/buyer adjustments, and targeted provisions referenced in the board letter and attachments. Two errata notices correcting attachments to the board letter were posted before the vote and were available online.

Looking ahead: The board's action authorizes the compensation changes to take effect according to the timelines and administrative procedures set out in the board letter and attachments; the clerk's record and the posted board letter contain the specific implementation steps and timelines. The next regular meeting of the board is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 9 a.m.