Calif. report sets stage for possible pay raises for governor, lawmakers

Reporting from Sacramento —  A report by California’s finance director on Friday sets the stage for possible pay raises for Gov. Jerry Brown, state lawmakers and other state elected officials.

California voters in 2009 approved a ballot measure that prohibits pay raises for elected state officials unless there is a sufficient positive balance in the state’s Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties.

Finance Director Michael Cohen wrote to the Citizens Compensation Commission on Friday that the necessary positive balance exists. The pay panel is scheduled to meet June 20 to determine whether to approve salary increases for the legislators, governor and other constitutional officers.

Commissioners have said some modest raises appear justified, based on surveys that show the governor and other statewide officers are paid less than their counterparts in other states as well as government executives in California.

One survey by the commission showed that Gov. Brown’s $173,987 annual salary is smaller than the pay received by the mayors of Los Angeles ($232,426), San Diego ($296,213) and San Francisco ($260,574).

On Friday, Commission Chairman Tom Dalzell said he did not know what, if any, raise might be proposed.

Meanwhile, rank-and-file state workers are scheduled to get raises of up to 2% in July under the governor’s proposed budget.