Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Opinion: Council Salaries Should Attract Fresno's Best & Brightest
By admin
Published 6 years ago on
December 4, 2018

Share


Opinion
by Darius Assemi
Fresno is California’s fifth-largest city. Its budget this year is $1.15 billion. But despite all of our hard work and steady population growth, we remain a city with serious challenges — and a huge reservoir of untapped potential.
To move Fresno ahead and make it the city we all want it to be, we need to break out of our conservative mindset on Fresno City Council salaries.
On Thursday, the council members will take up the thorny issue of whether to raise salaries for the first time since 2006. Inflation alone would justify a significant increase.

Pay Council Members Same as County Supervisors

However, Oliver Baines’ proposal to hike council salaries from $65,000 a year to $80,000 will not entice seasoned professionals to run for the council.
My recommendation: We pay Fresno City Council members exactly what our representatives on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors make: $124,454. And we pay the council president the same salary as the county board chair: $140,011.
I recognize that people on both sides of the political aisle will wonder if I’ve lost my mind. Conservatives will say such a salary is too high. Liberals will say that we should put the extra money into social programs.

Need Council That Can Team With Mayor to Grow Economy

But, as Mayor Lee Brand has said many times, Fresno’s No. 1 goal should be growing the local economy. As businesses expand and prosper, our General Fund expands. And it is the General Fund that pays for public safety, parks, and the other things that support our quality of life.

Equalize the pay with the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, and you will see competitive City Council races involving our best and brightest. And, while my proposed salaries might appear high, they will cost each taxpayer just a few extra pennies a year. That’s a bargain in my book.
Though Fresno utilizes the strong-mayor form of government and places great responsibility on the mayor and his team, our city still needs a strong city council to advocate for citizens, service constituent needs, and ensure that the General Plan delivers the biggest bang for the buck.
In addition, we need a city council team that will collaborate with the mayor to grow our economy and create new opportunities while reviving neglected industries and neighborhoods in our community.
We also need a city council composed of wise hands who understand how to remain focused on long-term goals while solving short-term problems.

We Can Do Better

Paying someone $65,000, $80,000 or even $90,000 a year will not inspire bright, seasoned people to run for the Fresno City Council.
Who would you want managing a $1.15 billion budget? At $65,000 or $80,000, you attract folks who feel the civic duty to serve their city. Some of these folks sacrifice their careers and businesses to do this work. They often are leaving jobs with better pay.
If we expect them to take a council job seriously and devote their full-time attention to it, they should get paid appropriately!
Equalize the pay with the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, and you will see competitive city council races involving our best and brightest. And, while my proposed salaries might appear high, they will cost each taxpayer just a few extra pennies a year. That’s a bargain in my book.
When you look around Fresno, you see the ugly results of our tight-fisted approach to paying council members.
It’s time to adopt the mantra embraced by business. It’s one I learned long ago: You get what you pay for.
 

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Musk, Vivek Will Form Outside Group to Advise White House on Government Efficiency

DON'T MISS

Fate of Clovis Trustee Race Still Up in the Air. So Are Clovis, Sanger School Bond Measures.

DON'T MISS

Richardson Widens Lead Over Bonakdar in Nail-Biting Race for Fresno City Council

DON'T MISS

What to Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick for CIA Director

DON'T MISS

Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far

DON'T MISS

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

DON'T MISS

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

DON'T MISS

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

DON'T MISS

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

UP NEXT

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

UP NEXT

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

UP NEXT

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

UP NEXT

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

UP NEXT

If You Thought Trump Wasn’t Serious About Deportations, Look at His First Appointments

UP NEXT

Trump Picks Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to Be Ambassador to Israel

UP NEXT

Last GOP Congressman Anchored in Democratic LA County Concedes in Race Against Former NASA Exec

UP NEXT

Speaker Mike Johnson Says Republicans Are ‘Ready to Deliver’ on Trump’s Agenda

UP NEXT

Trump’s Tariffs Could Deal a Blow to Mexico’s Car Factories

UP NEXT

Voters in California City Reject Measure Allowing Noncitizens to Vote in Local Races

What to Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick for CIA Director

11 hours ago

Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far

11 hours ago

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

12 hours ago

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

12 hours ago

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

12 hours ago

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

12 hours ago

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

12 hours ago

US Says It Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers After Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza

12 hours ago

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

13 hours ago

Tulare Gang Member Gets Life Without Parole for 2022 Murders

15 hours ago

Trump Says Musk, Vivek Will Form Outside Group to Advise White House on Government Efficiency

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday said Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “D...

11 hours ago

11 hours ago

Trump Says Musk, Vivek Will Form Outside Group to Advise White House on Government Efficiency

11 hours ago

Fate of Clovis Trustee Race Still Up in the Air. So Are Clovis, Sanger School Bond Measures.

11 hours ago

Richardson Widens Lead Over Bonakdar in Nail-Biting Race for Fresno City Council

11 hours ago

What to Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick for CIA Director

11 hours ago

Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far

12 hours ago

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

A Fresno County man has been indicted on mail fraud charges for allegedly submitting over $300,000 in falsified disability claims using stolen identities. (GV Wire File)
12 hours ago

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

Pete Hegseth walks to an elevator for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 15, 2016. (AP File)
12 hours ago

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

Search

Send this to a friend