City Pay Hikes and the Rising Tax Burden

San Diego residents already shoulder extra costs from city‑imposed fees, yet officials claim that further charges are unavoidable because of a “decades‑old structural budget deficit. ” The reality is that the deficit grows from choices made by those in power, not from unseen forces. City leaders have been chasing new revenue streams while their own salaries keep climbing, widening the fiscal gap. An actuary warned that pay raises beyond projected assumptions have become a recurring problem for pension finances, since higher salaries automatically increase long‑term liabilities. In a recent fiscal outlook review, compensation and pension payments were identified as the biggest drivers of projected deficits that could reach $200 million each year. The report urged the city to find a major new revenue source or cut spending, yet City Hall has repeatedly turned to residents for money through additional fees and a proposed sales‑tax increase.The root of the issue lies in a law that ties elected officials’ salaries to those of California Superior Court judges. Since 2020, the mayor’s pay has more than doubled, and council salaries have nearly doubled as well. These automatic escalators ignore city finances, service levels, or performance, treating political roles as interchangeable with judicial ones. Reforming this pay formula would not instantly fix the budget, but it would restore accountability. Elected officials cannot justify near‑doubling their compensation while residents face cuts to libraries, infrastructure, and neighborhood services. Good governance demands that salaries reflect the city’s fiscal health and public needs.