After only nine months in the role, the Stockton City Council approved a 20% salary increase for City Manager Johnny Ford, bringing his annual base salary to $390,277.
The council unanimously approved the city manager’s first amended employment agreement without discussion on Aug. 18. The changes took effect on Aug. 20, according to the resolution.
Ford’s annual base salary increased from $325,000 to $390,277, retroactive to July 1, according to city documents.
The agreement also provides for the city to pay 100% of Ford’s medical, dental and vision insurance. His monthly automobile allowance increased from $500 to $750, while the city’s contribution to his 401(a) deferred compensation plan increased from 9% to 18% of his base salary.
The agreement
increased Ford’s vacation accrual rate to 12 hours per pay period and allows him to sell back up to 160 hours of vacation per year. He also receives 120 hours of executive management leave annually.
Ford’s severance increased from nine months to 12 months. Under the agreement, he would receive 12 months of base salary if the council terminates him without cause on or after Nov. 20.
The agreement identifies Ford as an at-will employee who serves at the pleasure of the city council. It runs through June 30, 2029, unless terminated earlier or extended by mutual agreement.
City staff said the fiscal 2026-27 budget has sufficient funding for the agreement and that its terms are similar to those of city managers in comparable jurisdictions.
The Stockton city manager’s total wages ranked sixth highest among city managers statewide in 2025, the most recent year available, according to the California State Controller’s Office. Stockton’s city manager received $521,591 in total wages, including $21,538 in retirement and health contributions. Stockton had a population of 322,436.
Five California city managers earned more than Stockton’s in 2025. Redding’s city manager received $635,561 in total wages, while the city had a population of 94,294. Rancho Cucamonga’s city manager received $606,169, with a population of 176,418; Coachella’s received $582,258, with a population of 45,300; Pasadena’s received $556,026, with a population of 141,145; and Cathedral City’s received $524,749, with a population of 51,458.
Two other San Joaquin County cities ranked among the top 50 statewide for city manager pay in 2025. Lodi ranked 25th, with total wages of $437,425 and a population of 68,513, while Tracy ranked 41st, with total wages of $414,351 and a population of 99,705.
The Stockton city manager’s total wages in 2025 were more than twice the salary of California’s governor and higher than the salaries of several other statewide elected officials, according to the California Department of Human Resources. The governor’s salary was $245,929, compared with $213,617 for the attorney general and superintendent of public instruction and $196,743 for the controller and treasurer.
Ford’s current total wages also exceed the salary of former City Manager Harry Black, whose salary increased 8% from $322,285 to $348,068 in August 2024. Black had served as Stockton’s city manager for four years at the time of the raise.
District 1 Councilmember Michele Padilla was the lone dissenting vote on Black’s 8% raise. While praising Black’s leadership, Padilla said she could not support the increase because of the economic hardships facing residents. Padilla later voted to approve Ford’s 20% salary increase and did not raise the same concerns during that discussion.
Ford was appointed city manager on Nov. 19, 2025, following a nationwide search, months of council infighting and nearly a year without a permanent city manager. He succeeded Will Crew, who had been serving as acting city manager and has since returned to his role as deputy city manager. Crew assumed the acting role after the departure of Steve Colangelo, who served as Stockton’s interim city manager from February through August 2025.
Ford took office amid an exodus of city employees that began under Mayor Christina Fugazi’s administration. During his first month as city manager, he moved to fill several key vacancies at Stockton City Hall, including three top leadership positions. He hired Gilbert Garcia as chief financial officer, filling a position that had been vacant for more than a year. He also hired Peni Basalusalu as public works director and Audree V. Jones-Taylor as interim community services director. Jones-Taylor has since become community services director and interim deputy city manager.
But employee departures continued after Ford took office. Two months after his appointment, Chad Reed and Christy Courtney, both deputy city managers, left their positions in January. Human Resources Director Rosemary Rivas also left Stockton in May to take the same position in Elk Grove.
Other high-ranking city officials who did not report directly to Ford also departed. They included former City Attorney Lori Asuncion in January, former City Attorney Marci Arredondo in August and Assistant City Attorney Taryn Jones, who was recently selected to become Lodi’s city attorney.
The turnover at city hall has drawn scrutiny from the San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury. In its 2025-26 report, “Governance in Turmoil,” the grand jury said the circumvention of City Charter Section 408, which generally requires councilmembers to direct city business through the city manager, weakened staff confidence in city leadership and contributed to low morale and turnover in key administrative positions.
The grand jury also said difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified employees contributed to what it described as a toxic work environment and unreliable governance.
Ford also inherited several unresolved labor agreements with city employees, including the Stockton Police Officers Association. The union worked for more than a year without a new contract before the city and union reached an agreement in July during Ford's tenure. The union warned last fall that it was prepared to take the dispute to arbitration.
The Record reached out to all seven councilmembers for comment on Ford’s salary increase and their votes. The story will be updated if comments are received.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton city manager's base salary rises to $390K after 20% raise
