California Citizens Compensation Commission

This area highlights California state campaign banners. It works best if you enable JavaScript in your browser. If you choose to keep JavaScript disabled, you can access the highlighted items from the following text links. Save money, energy, and the environment - FlexYourPower.org |

Quick Links

Government Links

Commission History, 1990

Establishment

The California Citizens Compensation Commission was established in June 1990 through the voters' passage of Proposition 112. The Proposition gave it independent responsibility for determining the salaries and benefits for California's elected officers, including the Governor and members of the Legislature. Prior to 1990, the Legislature determined elected officer salary levels.

Initial meetings - Fall 1990

The Commission held five meetings in the Fall of 1990, leading to its first salary determinations, which took effect on December 3, 1990. These were based on the following:

After a review of salaries paid to Governors in other large states and to top executives in public jurisdictions within California, the salary for Governor was set at $120,000 per year. (From $85,000).

After reviewing elected officer salary structures in other large States and studying the roles and relative levels of responsibility for California's elected officers, the Commission determined that the Attorney General and Superintendent of Public Instruction should be paid at 85 percent of the Governor's salary ($102,000) and that the other "Constitutional" officers (Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, and Treasurer) should receive 75 percent of the Governor's salary ($90,000).

The Commission also determined that the four elected members of the Board of Equalization and the Insurance Commissioner should be paid at the 75 percent level. However, since their annual salaries were already $95,052, the Commission decided to freeze their pay until future structure increases absorbed the difference.

The salary for legislators was set at $52,500, 43.75 percent of the Governor's salary, with an agreement to give future consideration to whether this should be raised to 55 or 60 percent. The Commission also established new pay rates for Assembly Speaker/Senate President Pro Tem (20 percent above the basic member rate) and majority/minority floor leader (10 percent above the member rate).

Finally, the Commission found that elected officer benefits (health and dental insurance, etc.) were at appropriate levels and decided to continue them without change.

Commission History

Updated June 30, 2009 at 1:28 PM.