CAMARILLO : Council Raises Its Stipend for Expenses

Camarillo City Council members have voted to increase their expense stipends from $100 to $250 a month each, with the mayor dissenting.

“My out-of-pocket expenses have not been exceeding $100; they have been averaging $100,” Mayor David Smith said Monday. The ordinance, approved last week, allows the mayor to receive $350 per month, but he said he will accept only $100.

Councilman Ken Gose said the city provided members with $250 per month to cover expenses until 1988, when Camarillo lost more than $25 million in investments.

“There are a lot of expenses involved in being a council member that the average person doesn’t realize,” Gose said. No receipts will be required for council members to obtain the money.