STOCKTON, Calif. — During a Tuesday night city council meeting, Stockton city council members voted 5-2 to make changes to the employment contract between the city of Stockton and City Manager Harry Black.
This was the first amendment to Black's employment contract since he was hired and unanimously voted in by the Stockton City Council on Jan. 14, 2020.
The changes proposed to the contract included adding on 30 vacation days, changing Black's base salary from $270,000.00 to $294,953.00, allowing him to sell back up to three weeks of vacation time per year, offering a $7,000 annual allowance for an executive coach and increasing the amount the City contributes to Black's 401(a) from 10% of his salary to 12.5%.
After 12 minutes of discussions, Stockton City Council members voted to approve the contract changes. Mayor Kevin Lincoln and Vice Mayor Christina Fugazi voted against the changes.
THE QUESTION
Is the salary for Stockton's City Manager greater than the salary for California's governor?
THE SOURCES
- The newly amended contract between the City of Stockton and City Manager Harry Black
- The city of Stockton's previous employment contract with City Manager Harry Black
- The California Citizens Compensation Commission
THE ANSWER
Under the city of Stockton's new contract with City Manager Harry Black, the City Manager's base salary is $76,397 more than the salary for California Governor Gavin Newsom. Black will now make $294,953 while Governor Newsom's salary is at $218,556.
WHAT WE FOUND
While the new contract changes put Stockton City Manager Harry Black's base salary tens of thousands of dollars higher than Governor Newsom's salary, the City Manager of Stockton already had a higher base salary than the governor, before the contract changes were proposed.
According to the California Citizens Compensation Commission, Governor Newsom's salary was at $209,747 at the time that Black was hired by the city of Stockton.
When hired, Black's base salary was $270,000, which was already $60,253 higher than the governor's salary.
