Ordinance adjusts City Council salaries effective December 16, 2026.

CITY OF OCEANSIDE ORDINANCE ADOPTEDORDINANCE NO. 26-OR0166-1
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE AMENDING SECTION 2.1.70 OF THE OCEANSIDE CITY CODE TO ADJUST THE SALARY FOR THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 36516 AND 36516.5 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE
WHEREAS, Oceanside City Code (OCC) section 2.1.70 establishes the salary of the members of the City Council; andWHEREAS, Government Code section 36516 establishes a formula for making adjustments to the salary paid to members of a city council and Government Code section 36516.1 authorizes additional compensation for an elected mayor serving as a member of the City Council; andWHEREAS, Government Code section 36516(a)(2)(E) was amended in 2023 to increase the allowable compensation for members of a council in cities with a population of over 150,000 up to and including 250,000, up to and including two thousand five hundred fifty dollars ($2,550) per month; andWHEREAS, Government Code section 36516(a)(4) further provides that the salary of council members may be increased beyond the amount provided above, but the amount of the increase shall not exceed the greater of either of the following:(A) An amount equal to 5 percent for each calendar year from the operative date of the last adjustment of the salary in effect when the ordinance or amendment is enacted.(B) An amount equal to inflation since January 1, 2024, based upon the California Consumer Price Index, which shall not exceed 10 percent for each calendar year.WHEREAS, pursuant to the 2020 federal census, the estimated population of the City of Oceanside was 174,068;WHEREAS, in 2015 the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 15-OR0506-1 amending OCC section 2.1.70 setting the salary of the members of the City Council at the current amount of $1,932.75 and compensation for the Mayor of $2,107.91, effective December 16, 2016 ; andWHEREAS, the City Council and Mayor have not received any increase in compensation since December 16, 2016, totaling 9 calendar years, allows for up to a 45% increase pursuant to Government Code section 36516(a)(4)(A); andWHEREAS, the City Council desires to adjust the salary paid to members of the Oceanside City Council as authorized by the Government Code; andWHEREAS, the City of Oceanside is the third-largest city in the County of San Diego and the largest city in the North County area, and provides a full slate of municipal services; andWHEREAS, the time, commitment, and expense of serving on the City Council have continued to increase since 2016, including in relation to costs-of-living and other economic factors; andWHEREAS, increasing councilmember compensation has the ancillary benefit of potentially increasing the pool of candidates who may be able to serve by providing a salary that is more closely reflective of the current costs and economic conditions; andWHEREAS, the City Council now wishes to repeal Ordinance No. 15-OR0506-1 and replace it with this proposed ordinance, setting the salary of the members of the City Council at the amount of $2,802.49 per month and compensation for the Mayor at $3,056.47 per month, with said adjustment to be implemented on December 16, 2026; andWHEREAS, this ordinance makes no changes to the additional board and commission pay for serving as the Community Development Commission and the Small Craft Harbor District Board of Directors, benefits, or expense reimbursements which the Mayor and Councilmembers otherwise receive consistent with Government Code section 36516; andWHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 36516.5, changes to city councilmember salaries may not take effect until a new city council term begins and, in the case of councilmembers serving staggered terms, all councilmembers may receive the salary increase once one or more councilmembers begin a new term in office; andWHEREAS, the next General Municipal Election for the City of Oceanside is to be held on November 3, 2026, and the proposed salary increase set forth in this Ordinance shall not take effect until the start of a new city council term following the November 2026 election;NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:SECTION 1 . Section 2.1.70(a) of the Oceanside City Code is amended to read as follows:(a) Salary . From and after the commencement of the first regular pay period following the date established pursuant to subsection (b) the members of the city council shall receive a salary of two thousand eight hundred and two dollars and forty-nine cents ($2,802.49) per month, and the mayor shall receive a salary of three thousand fifty-six dollars and forty-seven cents ($3,056.47) per month in accordance with the provisions of Section 36516 of the California Government Code.(b) The city council may by ordinance adjust the salary of its members pursuant to Government Code Section 36516 provided however that any adjustment to increase the salary shall become payable only on and after the date upon which one or more members of the council becomes eligible therefore by virtue of beginning a new term of the office following the next succeeding general municipal election held in the city, and then all members of the council shall be entitled to the adjustment. This adjustment shall be effective December 16, 2026, at which time Ordinance No. 15-OR0506-1 shall be repealed.(c) Reimbursements. The salaries prescribed herein are and shall be exclusive of any amounts payable to each member of the council as reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred by that member in the performance of official duties for the city.(d) Waiver. Any member of the council may waive all or any part of their salary by filing a written notification of waiver with the city treasurer. The waiver may be rescinded at any time, but such rescission shall operate prospectively only. Any salary waived by a council member shall be placed into the general fund.SECTION 2 . The City Clerk of the City of Oceanside is hereby directed to publish this ordinance, or the title hereof, as a summary, pursuant to state statute, once within fifteen (15) days after its passage in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Oceanside.SECTION 3. If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and adopted this Ordinance and each section, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more section, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.SECTION 4 . This ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the thirtieth (30 th dayfrom and after its final passage.
INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Oceanside, California, held on the 8th day of April, 2026, and, thereafter,PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Oceanside California, held on the 22nd day of April, 2026, by the following vote:AYES: Sanchez, Joyce, Figueroa, Robinson, WeissNAYS: NoneABSENT: NoneABSTAIN: None
/s/ Esther C. SanchezMAYOR OF THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE
ATTEST:/s/ Zeb Navarro CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:/s/ T. Steve BurkeCITY ATTORNEYSan Diego Union-TribunePublished: 5/2/26