Councilmember Carl DeMaio issued the following statement in reaction to the recommendation to raise Mayor and City Councilmember salaries from the City’s Salary Setting Commission: “I urge the Mayor and City Council to reject these salary increases. The city faces a severe fiscal crisis – and our taxpayers are feeling the pinch of a rough economy. ”
“Furthermore, I call on the salary setting commission to examine reform to elected official pensions – which are the costliest and richest benefit packages of any city employee group. I would like to see reform of pensions for all city elected officials so we can lead by example.”
On his first day in office, Councilmember DeMaio gave up his elected official pension and issued a memorandum to the City Comptroller and Pension Administrator refusing to enroll in the city pension system. That move saved taxpayers $38,000 per year.