Walnut Creek City Council to Talk Pay Raise

by CC News 08/31/2026

written by CC News 08/31/2026

On Tuesday, the Walnut Creek City Council are set to talk pay increases that would take their pay from $650 per month to $1,600 per month.

This is a similar action most cities around the state have taken under SB 329, which was signed in 2023. The law also allows for modest increases to the salary beyond the set amounts based on inflation and the number of calendar years since the last adjustment.

According to the staff report, over the last 40 years, the city council has only two ordinances to adjust compensation:

1985 – Increase salary from $263 to $500 per month.
2002 – increases salary from $500 to $650 per month

As the compensation had not been increased in almost twenty years, the increase in 2002 was made beyond the then-salary limit of $500 per month using the option under state law to increase the salary up to five percent (5%) per year since the last adjustment.

If approved, the raises would not occur until after the next municipal election and councilmembers are seated—December 2026.
The Council may choose to do the following:

Introduce the draft ordinance tonight to increase the salary from $650 to $1,600 per month;
Modify the draft ordinance and adjust the salary to a different amount under $1,600 per month, for introduction at a future meeting;
Modify the draft ordinance to an effective date further in the future, for introduction at a future meeting;
Not introduce the draft ordinance and retain the existing salary rate of $650 per month;
. Provide alternative direction to staff.

Additionally, the Council could choose to submit to the electors at a municipal election the question of whether City Councilmembers shall receive a salary for services and the amount of that salary.

Under SB 329, here is what other cities pay increases looked like: