San Jose Mayor's Pay, Attendance Under Scrutiny

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is facing new scrutiny over how he is balancing City Hall duties with his campaign for California governor. Mercury News reported on May 21 that Mahan has continued to collect a full-time mayoral salary and benefits while missing more than one-third of City Council meetings during roughly the first 3 1/2 months of his statewide campaign. San Jose is also working through a budget season shaped by a projected deficit, according to city budget documents. Mahan entered the governor’s race on Jan. 29, joining a crowded field to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. ### How much is the mayor paid while this is happening? Mercury News reported that Mahan is drawing one of the Bay Area’s highest local elected-official salaries while serving as San Jose mayor. The paper’s May 21 report said the compensation package under review includes salary, benefits and the mayor’s office budget, putting a sharper focus on the cost of the office as Mahan spends time on the campaign trail. (mercurynews.com) City of San Jose records show the mayor’s office is a formal part of the city budget, and the city publishes compensation information that defines total compensation as salary plus benefits such as health insurance and retirement. The city’s governance page says the mayor is the at-large chair of the 11-member council and is responsible for recommending policy, program and budget priorities, while the council approves policy direction and budgets. (mercurynews.com) ### What did the attendance review find? Mercury News reported that Mahan missed more than a third of City Council meetings while running for governor. The paper said its analysis covered the 3 1/2 months since the launch of his campaign and measured his attendance against the council’s meeting schedule. (sanjoseca.gov) San Jose’s governance page says council meetings begin at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, with evening meetings on the first and third Tuesdays. The city clerk’s office publishes agendas and minutes for those meetings online. ### Why is this landing during budget season? San Jose budget documents show the city is handling a projected shortfall as officials prepare the 2026-27 spending plan. (mercurynews.com) San Jose Spotlight reported in March that Mahan’s annual budget message directed administrators to maintain core service areas while balancing a projected $56 million deficit. (sanjoseca.gov) A separate San Jose Spotlight report on the current fiscal year said the city approved a $5.5 billion proposed operating budget for 2025-26 and was already facing a $35.6 million shortfall that was expected to rise to $52.9 million in 2026-27. Those figures have made the mayor’s compensation and attendance a more pointed political issue because the budget process is one of the mayor’s central formal responsibilities under the city’s council-manager system. (sanjosespotlight.com) ### When did Mahan start running for governor? CBS News Bay Area reported that Mahan announced his gubernatorial campaign on Jan. 29. CalMatters described him as a moderate Democrat joining a crowded primary field, and KQED reported that changes to San Jose’s election calendar allow him to run for governor without giving up the mayor’s office. (sanjosespotlight.com) Mercury News tied the attendance review directly to that campaign period. The paper said the missed-meeting share accumulated as Mahan campaigned statewide on a message centered on results and accountability. ### What happens next at City Hall? San Jose budget documents say the current budget process for fiscal 2026-27 will culminate in a final City Council vote on June 16. (cbsnews.com) Before that vote, the mayor’s budget message and the city manager’s proposals move through study sessions and council deliberations. June 16 is the next concrete test of Mahan’s local governing role as his statewide campaign continues. (mercurynews.com) The city’s budget pages and council agenda portal are where San Jose posts the meeting materials, addenda and final actions tied to that vote. (sanjoseca.gov) (sanjosespotlight.com)