Proposal could double salaries for Desert Hot Springs City Council members

Members of the Desert Hot Springs City Council could see their monthly base salaries more than double soon, the first pay raise for the city's elected officials in almost two decades.

The council on Tuesday will hear the first reading of an ordinance that would increase the mayor's base salary from $650 to $1,429.68, and for council members, from $550 to $1,111.62.

The proposal would cost city coffers more than $36,000 per year.

The selected rates reflect the average for elected officials across the Coachella Valley, city staff say.

"Staff conducted a compensation survey of Coachella Valley cities that included totals of base rates and allowances," according to a city staff report."This survey shows an average total monthly compensation for council members to be $1,783.62 and for mayors to be $2,101.28.''

If approved at a later date, the pay raises would be the first for the council since 2002.

The budgeted $600 auto allowance for council members and $72 phone allowance would be unchanged.