Statement of Kevin Johnson on Potential Pay Raises for City Charter Officials

Sacramento -- The Mayor has ordered fire stations closed, state workers are being faced with the threat of being paid the minimum wage, and unemployment is reaching record highs. Even though they are doing an excellent job, it’s just not the right economic climate for pay raises for city management.

Sacramento’s budget is being squeezed like never before.  We need to look at our city budget and prioritize our needs, like making public safety first.  Pay raises for management should be way down the list of priorities when we are cutting jobs, closing fire stations, and reducing other city services.

If we give out pay raises for management that means some other city important service is going to have to be cut back. We simply can’t support it, particularly at a time when the Mayor is closing fire stations and reducing a litany of other services.