Sacramento compensation commission freezes mayor and council base pay for 2026–27, approves benefit adjustments
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Summary
The City of Sacramento Compensation Commission voted March 25 to keep the mayor’s $184,464 and council members’ $111,324 base salaries unchanged for fiscal year 2026–27, approved updates to certain benefit contributions and asked staff and the consultant to provide additional life‑insurance and comparator analyses before the next meeting.
The City of Sacramento Compensation Commission voted March 25 to maintain current base pay for the mayor and city council for fiscal year 2026–27 while approving targeted updates to benefit language and ordering additional analysis from staff and the consultant.
Chair Arthur Scotland, who opened the meeting with a summary of the commission’s responsibilities under Article 3, Section 29 of the City Charter, said the panel’s review relies on a list of comparable cities and a market analysis done by a consultant in 2019. He told the commission the charter requires compensation that is “reasonable and consistent with other cities similar in size and structure.”
Ebony Heaven, employment services manager in the city’s human resources department, presented the salary survey and working spreadsheet used by staff. Heaven told the commission the mayor’s base salary is $184,464 and council members’ base salary is $111,324. She explained the staff packet includes salary comparisons both with and without San Francisco and that the Economic Research Institute (ERI) cost‑of‑living adjustments have been applied in alternative calculations to normalize regional differences.
“Heavy cost‑of‑living differences, such as those in San Francisco, can skew the data,” Heaven said when commissioners asked whether to include San Francisco in the primary comparator set. She confirmed that by total compensation Sacramento ranks seventh of 10 comparators (including San Francisco) and sixth of nine when San Francisco is excluded; with ERI adjustments, Sacramento typically ranks higher on the list.
Commissioners discussed whether to consolidate various cash supplements (auto, cell, deferred compensation) into a single salary figure for transparency. Stephen Cohen, a commissioner who formerly served on Sacramento City Council, said consolidating might simplify analysis but could obscure the city’s standard practices for stipends and reimbursements. Samantha Hardy, interim human resources director, said some supplemental programs are voluntary (457(b) deferred compensation) and others are plan‑based (401(a)) and would require changes to plan documents if altered.
Commissioner Elizabeth Frey pressed staff on life insurance amounts for elected officials, noting the draft resolution sets city‑paid basic life insurance at $150,000 for the mayor and $100,000 for council members and asking whether that coverage is adequate in light of national incidents and increased threats to public officials. Heaven and Hardy said the mayor’s employer‑paid life insurance matches the city manager’s current amount and council members’ amounts align with charter officers, and they agreed to request comparator quotes and a consultant analysis on potential cost implications of raising coverage.
After discussion, the commission considered motions to set compensation effective June 13, 2026 (payroll timing would make the first paycheck in July reflect the change). The commission voted to adopt the proposed resolution setting the mayor’s pay and benefits for FY 2026–27 at the current rates, with the motion passing on a 3–1 vote. Commissioners then adopted the council member compensation by motion (also 3–1) and approved keeping the compensation for other city boards and commissions unchanged (unanimous).
Chair Scotland said the commission asked staff and the consultant to provide a set of alternate comparator surveys — one that includes San Francisco, one that excludes San Francisco and a third that excludes Long Beach — and to show optional benefits more clearly as attachments. Heaven agreed to return with life‑insurance comparator data, insurance quotes, and the requested survey variations.
The commission also selected Elizabeth Frey as vice chair for calendar year 2026 by motion and voice vote. The meeting adjourned after brief commissioner comments.
What changed and what’s next: the commission left base pay unchanged for FY 2026–27 but updated benefit language and directed staff to provide a consultant analysis on life insurance costs and sensitivity checks on comparator selection before future action.
