Printer-friendly version
Proposed Pay Raises Defy all Logic During These Economic Times, Kostrinsky says
February 17, 2012 (San Diego) – When the seven members of the City of San Diego’s Salary Setting Commission unanimously proposed to increase the salaries of Councilmembers from $75,000 annually to $175,000 annually while increasing the Mayor’s salary from about $100,000 to $235,000. City Council candidate for District 7, Mat Kostrinsky has come out against the proposal.
"It defies common sense that elected officials who are expected to serve the public and lead by example would support pay raises while the City continues to struggle financially," says Mat Kostrinsky, City Council Candidate for District 7.
He clarifies that, "It is fine to have a commission gather information to better understand compensation scales so that we can attract top candidates for department manager and key staff positions. But the City Council is a completely different City entity and should not consist of individuals who see their service as career tract, but as a service for their community."
Every two years, the City’s Salary Setting Commission meets to discuss the salaries of elected officials and make recommendations to the City Council on how they should vote. Even though the Council has not seen a pay increase since 2003, the Salary Setting Commission acknowledges that this proposal will most likely be rejected by the Council. Mat Kostrinsky points out that discussions over pay raises are inappropriate during a time when the City is struggling to provide basic services to its residents. "Until the City's basic economic infrastructure is healthy again, it would be irresponsible to waste time even considering a vote on any salary increase for a Councilmember or the Mayor," concludes Kostrinsky.
"I for one am not looking at the salary as a reason to run for City Council. For me, it is about the reward of serving my community, making sure neighborhoods are strengthened for all our children's futures and implementing sorely needed business reforms and technology modernization. The point of running for City Council is to help restore basic functions to government, making necessary cuts, improving customer service and helping our local businesses prosper so they can increase revenue and create good jobs. Proposing a pay increase in our current state of budget gaps defies logic as far as I'm concerned."
Kostrinsky grew up in the San Diego communities of San Carlos and Del Cerro. He attended Pershing Middle School, Patrick Henry High School and graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science. Mat has shown his dedication to our neighborhoods through volunteerism, representing them on numerous community boards, working on numerous projects in the district and improving the district through beautification projects such as Lake Murray Playground Project. Currently, Mat is a Home Health Advocate for UDW, ensuring that our State’s elderly and disabled receive the respect and care they deserve in their own homes.
Recent comments