Gustavo L. Martinez, a veteran municipal lawyer who has been in the Sacramento City Attorney’s Office since 1997, is officially taking over as City Attorney. After years in supervisory roles, he will now lead the team that advises the mayor, City Council and city departments, and represents the city in civil matters. The decision locks in what had already been an internal promotion, following his stint as interim City Attorney during the city’s search process.
Council Action And Timeline
The City Council finalized Martinez’s appointment and signed off on his employment contract at its Feb. 10 meeting, according to the council report posted on Granicus. Those materials note that the council selected Martinez on Jan. 27 and adopted a resolution that updates the salary schedule and lays out the terms of his employment. The public packet includes the full resolution, the salary attachments and the contract approved at the Feb. 10 meeting.
A Career Inside The City Attorney’s Office
Martinez joined the City Attorney’s Office in 1997 and worked his way up from deputy to supervising deputy and ultimately chief assistant, according to the City Attorney’s management page on the city website. That biography describes his experience overseeing litigation, advising city leaders on public safety and community development, and supervising multiple divisions within the office. The State Bar of California profile shows he was admitted in 1994, marking decades of experience in municipal law.
What He Will Oversee And His Pay
As City Attorney, Martinez will manage the office’s daily operations, provide legal advice to elected officials and represent Sacramento in civil cases, responsibilities outlined in the council documents and the city’s announcement. The council’s resolution revises the citywide salary schedule and sets Martinez’s annual pay at $355,000, a figure listed in the public packet. “We are incredibly fortunate to have Gustavo as our City Attorney,” Mayor Kevin McCarty said in the city’s announcement, pointing to Martinez’s long service and institutional knowledge as key reasons he rose to the top job.
Why This Matters Now
Martinez steps into the role as city leaders kick off a budget process that officials say faces a roughly $66.2 million shortfall for fiscal 2026–27, a gap that will influence labor negotiations, contract decisions and policy moves that all require legal review, according to reporting republishing the city’s notice. Those financial pressures heighten the importance of the City Attorney’s Office in reviewing contracts, advising on labor talks and helping prevent or manage litigation tied to budget changes. With Martinez already steeped in the city’s internal workings, councilmembers and departments will have a City Attorney familiar with the playbook as they work through the next budget cycle.
The council’s vote wraps up the formal steps needed to make Martinez the city’s chief legal officer, and staff will now implement the contract and salary changes contained in the packet. Residents can expect to see Martinez regularly at the council dais in the months ahead as Sacramento moves through budget hearings and potential labor negotiations.
