What began as a hearing for Guadalupe’s leaders to consider decreasing the monthly pay for seven elected roles by $300 each ended with more reductions—including a $600 cut for the mayor.
“It’s not because you guys don’t do a lot. You guys have a lot on your plate, obviously,” City Administrator David Trujillo told the council at its Sept. 8 meeting. “This is being presented as a reoccurring cost reduction measure, not anything else.”
To save $2,100 per month, city staff originally pitched that the council drop the mayor’s stipend from $750 to $450, and the city clerk, city treasurer, and each council member’s stipend from $500 to $200.
Mayor Ariston Julian described the proposed cuts as symbolizing “that we’re a player in this,” despite not making “a significant dent” in the city’s $1.2 million general fund deficit.
“This is something that would equate to [saving] about $25,000 a year. It’s not a lot, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Trujillo said. “A way to lead from the top down.”
Councilmember Amelia Villegas was the first to suggest going further with higher stipend cuts. She said she’d support reducing each stipend for elected officials other than the mayor to $150, while decreasing the mayor’s pay to $300.
While Julian and Councilmember Christina Hernandez—whose council term ends in January—are running in November’s election for the mayor’s seat, Villegas is one of two council members whose terms run through 2028.
The other is Councilmember Whitney Furness, the sole dissenter in Villegas’ revised motion to cap all elected officials’—including the mayor’s—stipends at $150 each.
“So, I have a different opinion, and that’s based on a couple things,” Furness said. “To increase the diversity of our council, knowing that there’s three open seats coming up, I would say we push this vote back until at least January, when we know the three seats that could be changing.”
City Attorney Phil Sinco interjected to remind those on the dais that any council decision over stipends that evening wouldn’t take effect until next year’s council is seated. If the council decided to take no action and leave the decision up to next year’s council, current stipend rates would remain unaltered until 2028 under state law, he said.
“I still stand by what I said,” Furness replied. “The people that are running for the council seats that are open may not have run … you’re not going to get the quality of people able to do this if we don’t offer incentive to be here.”
Public speaker and council candidate Robert Diaz begged to differ.
“To be straight-up about it, I think you should move forward with it this year,” Diaz said during public comment. “It’s just such a quick and easy thing to do, just to kind of show that, hey, as leaders we’re stepping up, handling business, doing what needs to be done.
“When we get the city back on track, when it flourishes, then we can look at raising those again,” said Diaz, who’s running unopposed.
Randy L. Altergott is running for the council’s only other vacancy, also unopposed.
Diaz told the council that he believes if the stipend reduction for council members becomes a deal-breaker that prevents a candidate from running, “maybe that’s for the best.”
“Lower the amounts, in my opinion, as low as you can, as you legally can,” Diaz said. “And I’m down to work still. So, just wanted to let you all know that. … I can only speak for myself in that regard.”
Other public speakers included Guadalupe resident and former Mayor Frances Romero, who also addressed Councilmember Furness’ argument.
“I think that the idea that somehow you get a better person because of a couple hundred dollars, I’m not buying that at all,” Romero said. “You’re either here and in it for the haul and know that there’s going to be sacrifice [or not]. If some people choose to not do it over a couple of hundred bucks, then, oh well.”
Following public comment, Furness shifted her stance during council deliberations and motioned to cut all stipends for elected officials—including the mayor’s rate—down to zero. The motion failed after not getting a second.
With a 3-1 vote, the council adopted Villegas’ motion to level all stipends to $150 each. Furness dissented, while Councilmember Eugene Costa Jr. (whose term ends in January) was absent. He’s not running for reelection.
This article appears in September 17 – September 24, 2026.
