LYNWOOD — City Manager Roger Haley surprised the City Council Tuesday night when he declined a 3 to 5 percent salary increase he was entitled to receive after his yearly mid-year performance evaluation.

“Being a city manager is not an easy job, but at the same time I joke with the city attorney, that it’s a tough job, but it’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s difficult for me to talk about this, but while I appreciate the council’s confidence in me, I appreciate the increase, but I am sensitive to the fact that we have laid off employees and we are trying to balance our budget, so that being said, I would like to respectfully decline the rate increase.”

Haley also declined the retroactive pay increase he was supposed to receive since last August, when his yearly evaluation is supposed to take place.

“I don’t want to offend the council at all, I appreciate the confidence you have in me, but at the same time, I am sensitive to the needs of our city budget,” he said. “And I am sensitive to the fact that we’ve had to lay off some people, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”

Aside from the applause Haley received from audience members, Mayor Maria Santillan commended Haley for his actions and told the audience that he is an example of people “stepping up to the plate.”

“The city manager was evaluated by the council and got a really good evaluation, so he is entitled to a 3 to 5 percent salary increase, that should have been effective August 1, 2008,” she said. “This is a person who is stepping up to the plate. … saying thank you but ‘I’m not going to take the increase’ and we appreciate that, we really do.”

Mayor Pro Tem Aide Castro said she was surprised no one from the public “spoke against” giving the city manager a raise when the city is in a financial crisis of its own, parking fines are being mandated by the state to go up $5, and when employees have had to be laid off in the last few weeks.

“His gesture is commendable,” Castro said. “Now people can understand why [the council is] so happy with him. In declining the raise, he is leading by example, and it shows what type of individual he is.”

The councilwoman wholeheartedly thanked Haley for his gesture and told him that it is appreciated. Councilmen Ramon Rodriguez, Jim Morton and Alfredo Flores agreed.

City Attorney Fred Galante then reminded the council that it had to file and receive Haley’s employment agreement amendment, stating that he declined the rate increase, along with the retroactive pay.