For City Council Meeting September 9, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Tanya Williams, City Manager
FROM: Eric S. Vail, City Attorney
Title
Request That the City Council Introduce for First Reading Ordinance No. 1704, Amending Sections 2.12.030, 2.12.040, 2.12.050 and 2.12.060 of Chapter 2.12 of the Rialto Municipal Code to Adjust the Salary of the Mayor, City Councilmembers, City Clerk and City Treasurer of the City of Rialto as Authorized by California Law.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council Introduce for First Reading an Ordinance entitled: "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIALTO, CALIFORNIA AMENDING SECTION 2.12.030, SECTION 2.12.040, SECTION 2.12.050 AND 2.12.060 OF CHAPTER 2.12 OF THE RIALTO MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADJUST THE SALARIES OF THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, CITY CLERK AND CITY TREASURER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CALIFORNIA LAW."
BACKGROUND
The City of Rialto is a general law city that may, pursuant to Government Code section 35616, adopt an ordinance providing a salary for the members of the City Council. Government Code section 36516.5 provides that any change in the salary of a member of the council only becomes effective whenever one or more Councilmembers begin a new term of office. This typically happens by December 15th of each even-numbered year.
The authorized salary amount is governed pursuant to Government Code section 36516(a)(4) and provides for increments of five percent (5%) for each calendar year from when the last salary adjustment was adopted by ordinance. The California Attorney General's Office has opined that this calculation is on a simple, non-compounded basis (California Attorney General Opinion No. 06-504).
When a city provides any type of compensation or payment of expenses to Councilmembers, then all councilmembers are required to have two hours of ethics training pursuant to California Government Code sections 53234 - 53235. The City is compliant wi...
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