Fountain Valley City Council members just got a pay raise this January — seeing their monthly stipend more than double from $500 to $1,200.
It marks the first time in nearly 30 years the pay has been increased.
The raise, which went into effect Jan. 1, comes after a series of meetings over the fall — which saw votes on the issue flip and public questions over how much local elected officials should be paid.
Editors’ Note: This dispatch is part of the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service, working with student journalists to cover public policy issues across Orange County. If you would like to submit your own student media project related to Orange County civics or if you have any response to this work, contact admin@voiceofoc.org.
Fountain Valley wasn’t the only city to consider pay raises for elected officials.
In neighboring Santa Ana, voters overwhelmingly rejected a charter amendment that would’ve bumped city council pay from $12,000 a year to roughly $78,000.
It came after the city council — in a split vote — decided to ask voters if the city should move from part-time to full-time politicians.
[Read: Is it Really Time For Full-Time Politicians in Santa Ana?]
How Much to Pay Local Elected Officials?
While Fountain Valley wasn’t looking to change from part-time to full-time, City Attorney Colin Burns said the increase reflects inflation.
“As a council member, you took the job to serve the public, and while nobody takes this position to make money, it shouldn’t be a position that actually drains money,” Burns said during the meeting on Oct 15.
He estimated that each week, council members give about 30 hours of “volunteer time” to serve on the council.
During that meeting, the council voted 4-1 to raise the council’s monthly stipend from $500 to $1,200.
However, it took a while to get there.
The council initially discussed an increase during its meeting on Sept. 3 and voted on an initial reading of the item.
However, during a discussion on Oct. 1, Mayor Glenn Grandis and Councilmember Ted Bui flipped their votes and voted down the increase during its second reading.
Then, during the next meeting on Oct. 15, the council voted 4-1 to renew the motion for the increase and officially raised the Fountain Valley City Council stipend for the first time since 1997. Councilmember Jim Cunneen voted no.
Councilmember Kim Constantine said she thought the stipend increase was “warranted” and “makes sense.”
During the Sept. 3 meeting, Cunneen spoke against an increase, comparing their positions of council members to that of minimum wage workers.
“To me, this is a volunteer position,” he said. “I’ve always felt that way. But we do have to be paid something, and so I’m still good with the $500.”
The council originally discussed increasing the stipend to $1,600 before lowering it down to $1,200.
Bui said he doesn’t believe the council should raise the stipend to $1,600, instead opting for an amount closer to the county average of $1450.
“Income is our day job,” Bui said. “This is not personal enrichment by any means.”
Grandis consistently emphasized that he donates all of the money he makes to charity regardless of the number.
However, he said he was voting “yes” in order to influence more young people to serve on the council. He said he doesn’t believe $500 will be enough to persuade younger residents to join the council in the future.
“I will not accept a penny for being on council, I donate 100% of what I make,” Grandis said. “There’s gonna be young people coming up in the future, and maybe this does make a difference for them.”
Bui also said he plans to donate his stipend moving forward.
Residents Weigh In
During the Oct. 15 meeting, many residents of Fountain Valley said they were struggling to understand why the council feels the need for such a large raise.
“I do not have a problem with an increase of $100 or $200 a month, but I do not agree with an increase of $700, or 140% increase,” said Anna Katsuki, a Fountain Valley resident.
More residents weighed in, voicing their opinions on the council’s repeated attempts to increase their salaries.
“The role of the council is public service,” said Fountain Valley resident Rudy Huebner. “You’re here to serve the community, and you’re not here to make money.”
Other members of the community said they felt a bit more positive about the increase.
“My consistent take on it is that you deserve the raise,” said Fountain Valley resident Katy Wright. “I think it’s long overdue.”
This is not the first time Fountain Valley has debated its council members’ stipends.
The council previously discussed increasing their stipend in June 2023, narrowly voting down the issue in a 3-2 vote.
[Read: How Much Should the Public Pay Local Politicians?]
Cunneen is the only dissenting member of the council who kept his vote the same since then — voting “no” against the increase every time.
“What would I read in the paper tomorrow about this?” Cunneen said at that June 2023 meeting. “What would it say? ‘Fountain Valley City Council votes to more than double their pay’ — it doesn’t feel good.”
Bui and Grandis both voted against raises in 2023 but flipped their votes this time around.
Constantine and Councilmember Patrick Harper supported the item in both years, emphasizing the importance of matching neighboring Orange County cities.
Pay for Other City Councils
Stipends for OC city council members have a wide range.
Fountain Valley’s increase makes it greater than the city of Santa Ana, which pays council members $1000 per month.
Anaheim City Council members earn around $1,500 a month. In Newport Beach, their stipend sits a bit higher — about $1,600 each month.
Meanwhile, La Habra — an Orange County city with a population similar to that of Fountain Valley — remains at a $500 monthly base stipend.
On the lower end, Placentia gives out $150 in base pay each month. Villa Park is the only city in the county that doesn’t pay council members at all.