The council directed staff to bring back an ordinance on Sep. 3 to formally repeal Ordinance No. 25-007, which raised council stipends from $420 to $966 per month and the mayor’s from $700 to $1,610. The May ordinance was automatically suspended after a referendum petition qualified in July.
Following the repeal, staff will later return with an agenda report outlining potential dates for a public vote on council pay. The measure could appear on the ballot in June or November 2026, or during a standalone special election.
And Councilman Paul Walkingstick turns it into a kooky DEI subject,
Councilman Paul Walkingstick noted that Pacific Grove recently voted to move to a by-district election system, and the city already struggles with gathering a diverse group of candidates to run, either from different classes or different neighborhoods
