Questions Raised Over Mayor’s Pay, Attendance

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is drawing scrutiny over how he is splitting his time between City Hall and his campaign for governor of California. Bay Area News Group reported on May 21 that Mahan has continued to receive a full-time mayor’s salary and benefits while missing more than a third of City Council meetings and study sessions since entering the statewide race. The reports landed as San Jose works through its next budget cycle and as Mahan remains on the June 2 ballot in California’s top-two gubernatorial primary. City records show Mahan’s current mayoral term runs through Dec. 31, 2028. ### How often has Mahan been absent from council meetings? Bay Area News Group reported that Matt Mahan missed seven of 19 City Council meetings and study sessions over roughly the first 3 1/2 months of his gubernatorial campaign. The newspaper said that amounted to more than a third of the sessions held during that stretch. (mercurynews.com) The May 21 attendance report said more than half of those absences coincided with campaign events or debates. The report framed the attendance record against Mahan’s campaign message about results and accountability. ### What pay and benefits is the mayor receiving? Transparent California lists Matt Mahan’s 2024 regular pay at $220,479.48, with $6,000 in other pay and $23,964.47 in benefits, for total pay and benefits of $250,443.95. (mercurynews.com) GovSalaries lists his 2023 total compensation at $238,048, including $22,457 in benefits. Those figures are consistent with Bay Area News Group’s report that Mahan remains one of the highest-paid mayors in the region while campaigning statewide. The City of San Jose’s budget documents show the mayor’s office is funded through the city’s annual operating budget process, alongside the rest of the Mayor and City Council function. The city’s budget pages for both the adopted 2025-2026 budget and proposed 2026-2027 budget list the mayor and council section among funded departments and appointees. (transparentcalifornia.com) ### What city budget backdrop is this happening against? San Jose is in the middle of its 2026-2027 budget process. The city’s budget office has posted the proposed operating budget, the five-year forecast and budget addenda for council review. City budget pages also show that the administration is working through study sessions and addenda during May as part of the annual deliberations. (sanjoseca.gov) That timing has sharpened attention on Mahan’s attendance because the mayor’s office plays a central role in budget messaging and negotiations, according to the city’s budget structure. (sanjoseca.gov) ### When did Mahan launch his governor campaign? CBS News Bay Area reported that Mahan announced his run for governor on Jan. 29, 2026. Ballotpedia lists him as a Democratic candidate on the ballot for California’s June 2, 2026 primary. Politico reported that Mahan entered the race about four months before the primary in a crowded contest to succeed term-limited Gov. (sanjoseca.gov) Gavin Newsom. Ballotpedia says California uses a top-two primary system, meaning the two highest vote-getters advance to the November general election regardless of party. ### What can voters and residents check next? (cbsnews.com) The City of San Jose posts City Council agendas, minutes and meeting schedules on its clerk’s website, and the city budget office posts study-session materials and budget addenda online. Those pages provide the public record for future attendance and budget decisions. June 2 is the next fixed date in the story. California voters will decide which two gubernatorial candidates advance, while San Jose residents can track the mayor’s official calendar through upcoming council meetings and budget deliberation materials published by the city. (politico.com) (ballotpedia.org) (sanjoseca.gov)