Benicia city manager receives 2.5% cost of living increase

by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | October 22, 2025

BENICIA – City Manager Mario Giuliani will soon have more in his pocket, as the Benicia City Council voted Tuesday, October 21, to give him a 2.5 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) retroactive to the end of June 2025.

Giuliani’s new monthly salary will be $20,211.13, for an annual base salary of $242,533, according to the newly approved second amendment to Giuliani’s employment agreement.

Additional terms include a June 21, 2026, raise which will allow the city manager salary to match the salary of the public works director. Currently, the highest step on the public works director salary scale states that the position is eligible for $20,589.31 per month.

Giuliani will receive a third raise, this time on June 21, 2027, in which he will earn three percent over the highest salary schedule rate, currently held by the police chief position. That rate is currently set at $22,029 per month.

Terms approved Tuesday also include an increase in the city’s contribution to deferred compensation from 5.5% to 6% and an increase the city’s contribution to Vantage Care Retiree Health Savings Account from 5% to 6.5%.

Serving as deputy city manager, Giuliani was initially named interim city manager in early 2023, following the retirement of City Manager Erik Upson. Months later, in August 2023, the city council removed the interim tag making Giuliani the permanent city manager.

Giuliani is Benicia’s third city manager since 2018. Upson, who was hired as the city’s police chief in 2015, was picked as interim city manager following Lorie Tinfow’s departure from the city in early September 2020 following a three-year stay in Benicia.

The five-person council agreed to give Tinfow more than $300,000 in severance pay.

Meeting notes:

Councilwoman Kari Birdseye was absent from the meeting.