All Bets Are On That Mayor Tubbs Will Be Getting A Big Pay Raise After Two Months On The Job

March 1, 2017

Stockton, CA – Remember around 2009 when Wells Fargo made public your outstanding debt obligations? Remember when you lost your office and were forced to conduct business in a nearly condemned building down the street? Remember when you couldn’t afford books or libraries for the free lunch kids in Stockton’s poorest neighborhoods? Laid off loyal employees who suffered through stagnant wages, just to make sure you were ok? What about the promised health care you canceled for aging pension holders, around the same time?  No? It was called pre-bankruptcy. That’s what happened, here, before things got even worse. Sure, it may have not been your fault, but the same endogenous behavior is again happening present day. The City Council is co-signing bad investments on your behalf.

In November voters passed Measure O, pushed by former mayor Silva, which created two new positions to handle some small operations for the mayor position. Such small things like clerical duties, returning phone calls, and an alternate position should anyone be absent. However, Mayor Tubbs speculated each position to be worth a combined $300,000! Mind you, he’s never written a pay stub with his name on it or run a business. This has appeared to be the first order of priority for his vision of “Reinvent Stockton”, since the item made its way to the council’s first meeting and order of business.
If you thought that was bad enough, Tubbs is now seeking to increase his salary to match mayors of Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, and even San Diego County cities. For example, Oakland’s Mayor salary is highlighted in the Commission’s documents to grab the attention of readers. Is the Salary Setting Commission suggesting Mayor Tubbs is due over $203,000 in salary? If so that would make Tubbs the 3rd highest paid Mayor in California.

Keep in mind Tubbs has no real authority or purpose in a city manager run city, which Stockton is. Perhaps he is trying to set the bar high for Stanford graduates. Even MBA grads, with field experience, expect $212,000. Tubbs graduated with his Master’s in Organizational Science, and has an expectant annual income of $53,000, with a Bachelor’s alone.

His ace in the hole? Whose assistants make more than their boss? Or will that prove to be a joker for the community?

Will the joke be on Stockton once again?

With this sharp increase of salaries, an estimated $2 million, over 4 years and CalPERS’ recent statement of contributions. Is it too early to suggest we are re-entering pre-bankruptcy? After all, the Long Term Financial Plan didn’t account for such spending which is why Stockton has had a slowdown in its hiring. Seems like Stockton’s in for a big gamble.

For anyone seeking to attend or give their input during public comments, the Salary Setting Commission will meet tomorrow March 2, at 3PM in City Hall Council Chambers.