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Arroyo Grande city management seeking 7% pay raises

June 9, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The Arroyo Grande City Council is set to approve pay raises of 7% over two years for management staff on Tuesday, according to the consent agenda.

The management raises are slated to cost the city $216,300 in the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $223,100 in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. There are 23 employees in the management group.

In support of the salary increases, the staff report says the raises are needed to “ensure that the city has the ability to attract and retain well-qualified personnel for all job classifications.” The report also discusses the need for salaries to be competitive.

 


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Salaries should be based on producing results period. Using higher salary’s to attract and retain “well qualified people” doesn’t necessarily mean the “well qualified people” can or will produce results for the people of the city. Seems it’s possibly just a way to inflate salaries for a bunch of under performers and political grifters.


25

So you would agree to higher salaries for employees who receive excellent performance reviews?


You also, generally, need to get qualified people before they can demonstrate results, if you’re only paying peanuts compared to the rising cost of living, everyone with half a brain will work somewhere that offers competitive salaries.


0

Depends on who is doing the reviews, a residents/ taxpayer committee, maybe like jury duty, randomly selected individuals?? I wonder why the cost of living is increaseing?, to pay outrageous salaries?, seems like circular reasoning. Several stories already about half brain individuals working here, I’d prefer if those people did go somewhere else, but they seldom do. Cities and such need to live within their means and realize they dont have a revenue problen they have a spending problem.


2

I believe that the city council is a good enough body to review, love them or hate them, as elected representatives they’re the foundation of local democracy. Although a mixed committee chosen by lot is a decent, if maybe complex in execution, idea.


Second, come on, the cost of living is not being driven by the increase in government salaries. It’s driven by macroeconomics factors at the global, national, state, and local level – locally primarily because of the cost of housing tied to a demand that outstrips supply.


The hard fact is that the spending problem is tied to the revenue and compensation issue. In the past (over the last 50 years) taxpayers and their representatives chose to increase deferred compensation (pensions) instead of salaries, kicking the can down the road. We live in a time today where that old bill has come due – we’re paying for past pensions and because new employees since 2009 don’t get the same crazy pensions they need higher salaries if recruitment is going to be competitive. I don’t like it, but it’s the consequences of putting government expenses on the long term credit card, we pay for it.


I’m the least popular guy at the fiscal conservative party because the cold water truth is we need to raise revenue (taxes) and cut spending (most long term benefits and services). Unfortunately this is even more true at the Federal level.


0

The fox guarding the hen house…….


0

Yes! Contribute in a significant way, to improvements in the quality of life for residents of the city, get rewarded with and earned pay raise. Poor performance, crappy raise. Excellent performance, excellent raise.


0

Working for the State of California is a huge scam on taxpayers.


19

The article is about “ City of Arroyo Grande employees “ not State of California employees. Huge difference.


0

Any government job in California, State or municipal is a scam on taxpayers. It’s a never-ending cycle of sales tax, income taxes, fees, charges etc. It’s all based on the collusion between employee unions and the Democratic Party. “One hand washes the other” type thing.


4

CalTrans, CHP, CDRC, public school teachers, all a big waste huh? Would you like to live in a state without a government? Somalia is nice this time of year. Check it out and send us a postcard.


-3

Does Arroyo Grande still have a $42 million deficit?


16

We need to stop the spending ! The staff is already overpaid…Let City Council know how you feel !


16

I always ask this, but, what should the staff get paid?


All their salaries are public information, which positions are making too much money?


If you point to a management position I would counter that an executive that can manage a multi-hundred person workforce would be making a lot more in a private firm. If you point to police/fire, I think the discussion then has to be able the value of public safety and overtime rules. Other than that, most employees make at or lower than area average, which undermines your point.


2

We all knew this was coming once the sales tax increase passed, you really didn’t believe city officials when they said the additional tax money would be used for road maintenance, public safety and infrastructure updates did you?


25

Bingo…oldest trick in the book


10