Council Approves Pay Hikes, New Childcare and Security Allowances for Mayor, Councilmembers

[Editor’s note: The original version of this article stated that Councilmember Gene Masuda cast the dissenting vote, but that was incorrect. In fact, the ‘no’ vote was cast by Councilmember Steve Madison.]

Pasadena City Council members voted 7-1 Monday night to nearly double their monthly stipends and create new allowances for childcare and security, approving compensation increases that will cost taxpayers up to $314,000 annually when they take effect in 2026 and 2027.

The recommendations were developed by the Committee on City Councilmembers’ Compensation, which was convened in June following voter approval of Measure PA in 2024. It was the first such committee formed since 2001. The group held seven public meetings and interviewed former councilmembers and city managers to assess the demands of office and barriers to participation.

“This is about equity and access to public service,” the committee wrote in its final report. “We want to ensure that people from all walks of life can afford to serve their community without sacrificing their family’s well-being.”

The committee emphasized that Pasadena’s part-time council structure relies on volunteer governance, but acknowledged that the demands of office—especially for working parents and those without flexible jobs—can be prohibitive. “The goal of this committee’s work should be to attract a diverse body of voices to the City Council who can articulate the needs of the community,” Vice Chair Lena Louise Kennedy said during deliberations, according to the report.

Safety was also a central concern. The committee unanimously supported bundling home security costs into the new office allowance, citing the polarized political climate and the need to protect councilmembers and their families. “Some individuals would be dissuaded from running for office out of concern for their personal, home and family safety,” Committee Member Renee Morgan-Hampton said in the report.

The committee’s final recommendations were unanimously received by the council on Sept. 29, but substantive discussion was deferred until Monday’s meeting due to time constraints.

The increases—which raise council member pay from $1,941 to $3,000 per month and add an $18,000 annual family care allowance—will not take effect until after the next election cycle. Under the adopted framework, the changes will take effect July 1, 2026, for newly elected councilmembers and July 1, 2027, for the mayor and remaining members.

The new compensation package also includes a $20,000 per-term Office Setup, Operations and Security Reimbursable Allowance, replacing outdated reimbursements for computer equipment, cell phones and telecommunications. Councilmembers will be able to use the funds for home office furniture, internet plans, cellular phones and residential security systems. The general expense allowance will increase from $3,600 to $6,000 for councilmembers and from $6,000 to $11,000 for the mayor.

The ordinance implementing the changes must be drafted by the city attorney within 60 days and approved by a two-thirds majority of the council. Any compensation increase beyond the committee’s recommendations would require voter approval.

The committee’s final recommendations were unanimously received by the council on Sept. 29, but substantive discussion was deferred until Monday’s meeting due to time constraints. Councilmember Steve Madison cast the lone dissenting vote. The rest of the council supported the proposal, which updates a compensation structure that had remained largely unchanged since 1999.