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STRATEGIC OUTCOMES |
ACTION |
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Department: |
☐ Safe & Prosperous |
☐ Motion |
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Municipal Court |
☐ Active & Appealing |
☐ Resolution |
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☒ Respected & Responsible |
☐ Ordinance - Introduction |
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Division: |
☐ Connected & Engaged |
☒ Ordinance - Adoption |
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Administration |
☐ Unique & Creative |
☐ Public Hearing |
TITLE:
title
Compensation and Benefits for Presiding Municipal Judge
end
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION:
Summary Recommendation
Establish compensation and benefits for the office of Presiding Municipal Judge from and after January 1, 2027. (Municipal Court) (Del Miller)
end
STRATEGIC OUTCOME:
The action supports City Council’s Respected and Responsible strategic outcome by aligning the Presiding Municipal Judge’s salary with compensation of other City employees and Judicial Officers in the state.
REPORT:
Article XI, Section 3(a) of the Yuma City Charter authorizes the Yuma City Council to establish, by ordinance, the compensation to be paid to the Presiding Municipal Judge position.
The current Municipal Judge’s term will expire December 31, 2026; therefore, the ordinance will establish the level of compensation for the Municipal Judge elected at the 2026 City Election for the term of office that begins January 1, 2027.
The current salary for Presiding Municipal Judge is $138,908.00 established in 2022 through Ordinance O2022-030. Since that salary was set, the State of Arizona has set Superior Court judge salaries at $200,000.00 per year and Justice Court judges, who do not require a law degree or admission to the state bar, earn up to a maximum of 70% of a Superior Court judge, depending on the number of cases and workload completed.
As another benchmark, the reported salaries of presiding municipal judges in Arizona cities range from $170,995.20 in Tucson to $232,336.00 in Phoenix. Like City Council members, Municipal Court Judge salaries cannot be increased or decreased during their term in office due to an Arizona Constitutional and City Charter provision prohibiting either an increase or decrease in compensation during the term of office.
This proposed increase for the Presiding Municipal Judge salary sets the salary at $170,000.00 or 85% of a state Superior Court judge’s salary. The change takes effect January 1, 2027, when the new Presiding Municipal Judge takes Office and recognizes that the salary cannot change for the next four years.
FISCAL REQUIREMENTS:
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CITY FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
BUDGETED: |
$ 0.00 |
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STATE FUNDS: |
$170,000.00 |
AVAILABLE TO TRANSFER: |
$ 170,000.00 |
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FEDERAL FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
IN CONTINGENCY: |
$ 0.00 |
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OTHER SOURCES: |
$ 0.00 |
FUNDING ACCOUNT/FUND #/CIP: |
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TOTAL |
$170,000.00 |
- |
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT:
This amount is in the City Council approved budget.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ACTION FORM THAT ARE ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK:
NONE
IF CITY COUNCIL ACTION INCLUDES A CONTRACT, LEASE OR AGREEMENT, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTING THE DOCUMENT FOR SIGNATURE AFTER CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL?
☐ Department
☐ City Clerk’s Office
☐ Document to be recorded
☐ Document to be codified
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Acting City Administrator: |
Date: |
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John D. Simonton |
06/23/2026 |
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Reviewed by City Attorney: |
Date: |
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Richard W. Files |
06/22/2026 |