Torrance measure asks voters to raise council’s pay by over 2,000%

Tucked into an anti-corruption measure on the Nov. 5 ballot in Torrance is a provision that would vastly increase pay for the city’s mayor and council members, stirring criticism from some residents who say city leaders have misled the public with a self-serving proposal.

Measure TC would amend the City Charter with new conflict-of-interest rules and a requirement for elected officials to take ethics training. But it also calls for “restricting compensation for members of the City Council to no more than the minimum wage of the State of California, which is currently $16 per hour.” If passed, the measure would actually raise the City Council’s pay by 2,673%, to $33,280 a year.

Currently the City Charter says the council, which is made up of council members and the mayor, shall receive a $100 monthly stipend and have any job expenses reimbursed. The position is considered community service work and most council members have other full-time jobs.

With benefits, the total compensation for a Torrance City Council member is currently about $13,000 a year, according to data from California’s state controller’s office.

The City Council drafted Measure TC and placed it on the ballot. Supporters of the measure, most of whom are council members, say compensation has not changed in more than 65 years. They argue that higher pay is needed so the positions aren’t limited to retirees or the wealthy.

Opponents say they understand the argument for increasing the council’s pay but don’t like the way the city is going about it. They accuse council members of not being transparent and argue that the language on the ballot is deceptive. Because the ballot measure sounds like it’s asking voters to cap the council’s salary, critics say the city is manipulating residents into voting yes.

“At a bare minimum, it’s misleading, and I do know that’s what has caused a big stir in the community,” said Torrance resident G. Rick Marshall. “I think most people are saying, ‘Yeah, they need a pay raise.’ It’s just because they don’t like to be manipulated.”

Torrance Mayor George Chen defended the measure in an interview, saying that council members are the lowest-paid city employees but are the highest-ranking officials.

Mayor George Chen opens the floor for public comments before a closed session this week at Torrance City Hall.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

“No one in the city makes less than $16 an hour — only the mayor and the City Council do. So … we are limiting it to the lowest pay,” said Chen, who served as a council member before being elected mayor in 2022.

The language, he said, is “only misleading if you choose it to be misleading.”

He said the higher salary will help Torrance attract more people to public service.

“For those who are considering running for City Council or mayor, who are not retired or independently wealthy, if they’re willing to commit the time and work to serve effectively, they will have a very hard time doing this on a full-time basis without suffering some financial hardship,” Chen said.

The calculation for the proposed annual salary would take California’s minimum wage — which could be raised to $18 an hour if voters pass Proposition 32 on the statewide ballot — and multiply it by 2,080 hours. It would amount to 40 hours every week of the year, including holidays and recess periods.

Chen, who is retired, said he spends about 50 to 60 hours a week in his role as mayor. He said he cannot speak to how many hours a week the other council members work.

Councilmember Asam Sheikh said in an interview that his hours vary depending on his work schedule, priorities and concerns of his constituents. The proposed salary was reasonable to him, he said.

Torrance City Councilmember Asam Sheikh attends public comments before a closed session this week at Torrance City Hall.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

Sheikh, who works in finance at American Honda Motor Co., said he would dedicate a portion of his new salary to student scholarships.

He said he’s spoken to his constituents about Measure TC, noting that they were “very shocked” to learn that the role is considered volunteer work and that council members were paid only a monthly stipend.

“I don’t think any one of us do it for money,” Sheikh said. “This will not make anyone rich. This will have some kind of incentive for others to join.”

A Times review of local government salary data from the California State Controller’s Office placed the Torrance City Council’s salary as the second lowest compared to four Los Angeles County cities with similar populations: Palmdale, Pomona, Pasadena and Downey. If Measure TC passes, Torrance would become the highest-paid city council among those comparable cities.

Torrance City Hall is seen on Oct. 15.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

David Johnston, a Torrance resident, raised concerns about the lack of public input on the measure and was doubtful that council members work 40 hours a week on city business.

He argued that the current City Council has a conflict of interest in the matter, given that the amendment would immediately apply to them.

“Why did they make it apply to themselves before reelection? Why would it apply to people who are already in the position, who ran for that position, when the compensation is what it is today,” Johnston said.

“Why not have it apply to people elected after 2026, for example, and maybe even themselves, if reelected. That would remove the conflict of interest, or at least a majority of the conflict of interest that exists in the way that they did it.”