COUNCIL TO GET RAISE IN 2004 MONTHLY SALARY TO BE $121 MORE.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - City Council members have decided to raise their own salaries by $121 a month starting next July.

The monthly stipend will rise from $1,172 to $1,293 to cover the costs of attending weekly council meetings, committee meetings and other public events, said Ken Striplin, assistant to the city manager.

The council approved the raise this week. The previous time council members voted to give themselves a raise was in 2002.

``Serving on the council is set up to be somewhat of a part-time job, but the council members spend a lot of time working in the community,'' Striplin said. ``They definitely put in more hours than in a part-time job.''

About five years ago, city officials determined that the monthly stipend for council members had not kept up with cost-of-living increases in Santa Clarita, Striplin said.

``I don't think (the pay) is out of the ballpark for a city our size,'' Striplin said. ``The adjustments are regulated through the government.''

Burbank council members earn about $881 a month and some city benefits. Burbank's population is roughly 104,000, about two-thirds of Santa Clarita's 160,000.

In Glendale, a city of more than 200,000, council members earn a basic salary of $880 a month, but each can also get $350 a week for redevelopment agency meetings and $50 a week for housing authority meetings - for a total of $2,400 a month.

In Palmdale, with about 127,000 inhabitants, council members get $660 a month and the mayor $1,100.

In Lancaster, with about 126,000 residents, council members and the mayor get $600 a month, plus up to $60 a month for attending redevelopment meetings.

The California Government Code allows council members' compensation to increase 5 percent each year to cover the annual rise in the cost of living.

The raise is not expected to have any significant effect on the city's budget, Striplin said.

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com