Sacramento City Council Approves Salary Increase For New City Manager

SACRAMENTO(CBS13) --Sacramento'snew citymanager will become the highest paid employee in the history of the city making more than $300,000 per year.

The Sacramento City Council passed the $300,000 compensation package fornew citymanager John Shirey last night by a vote of 7-2.

Shirey will be making about $35,000 more than the prior city manager.   The pay increase comes as the city is facing a $23M projected deficit leading critics to say the timing for the increase is wrong.

But others support the increase saying it's necessary.

"That's a difficult perception, but we need someone who can come in and help rebuild this city.  Because we've been cutting so long, the pieces don't quite fit together," said Sacramento City Councilmember Jay Schenerir.

Mayor Kevin Johnson and Councilmember Angelique Ashby cast the only no votes on the compensation package.