19 Sep San Pablo City Council Gives Elected Officials a Raise, Renames Columbus Day

San Pablo City Council voted 4-1 Monday to give elected city officials — its members included — pay raises and unanimously to rename the controversial holiday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

The San Pablo City Council passed an ordinance Monday raising the salaries of the town’s elected officials, including council members, making them some of the highest-paid city officials in Contra Costa County. 

Council members voted 4-1, with Mayor Patricia Ponce voting against, to approve the first reading of the ordinance. The increase means council members, including the mayor, who is appointed by the council, will be paid a monthly salary of $1,422 by the end of the year. 

The change is a 30% increase to the current council member salaries and accounts for a 5% increase per year, which is the maximum allowed under state law, since the last pay adjustment in 2018. 

Salaries also change for the city clerk and city treasurer under the ordinance, increasing them both to a monthly salary of $312. 

With the increase, San Pablo council members are only paid less than council members in the cities of Antioch and Concord, according to data obtained by the city. 

The ordinance, which still needs to undergo a second reading on the council’s consent calendar at a later meeting, would go into effect in December. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day renaming

The San Pablo City Council unanimously voted to rename Columbus Day, a city-recognized holiday falling on the second Monday of every October, Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day following a recommendation from the city’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Officers. 

The renaming aligns with “the City’s values of inclusivity and respect for all cultures,” according to the resolution. “It would provide a platform for Indigenous communities to be recognized and celebrated, fostering greater cultural understanding and engagement within the City.” 

The move will also further change the name of the holiday in a few agreements between San Pablo and various employees, referring to the holiday in those agreements only as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 

“In recent years, there has been a growing movement to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” an agreement between San Pablo and the Association of Intermediate Employees reads, “to honor and acknowledge the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous communities, while also recognizing the impact of colonization.” 

The next San Pablo City Council meeting is Oct. 7.