San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan wants to withhold up to 5% of his colleagues’ salaries if they fail to meet citywide goals — a policy numerous councilmembers said would come at the expense of already underserved residents.
The “Pay for Performance” policy was introduced as part of Mahan’s March budget message after he said City Hall needed to show more accountability in addressing issues such as homelessness and public safety. Councilmembers including Pamela Campos, Domingo Candelas, David Cohen, Rosemary Kamei and Peter Ortiz responded by raising concerns during last month’s budget discussions on how the policy could have city leaders chasing popular priorities over communities with specific needs.
The proposal is set for a final City Council discussion on June 10 as part of the 2025-26 budget approval process…