Former Coachella Mayor Set to Receive $225K Payout From County Employment

Former Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez is set to receive nearly $225,000 from Riverside County following his resignation, county officials confirmed. The payout breaks down to $178,846 in unused vacation leave and a $45,591 severance payment, totaling $224,437.

Hernandez resigned as mayor and was removed from his role as chief of staff to County Supervisor Manuel Perez after pleading guilty last month to a felony conflict-of-interest charge. A Superior Court judge sentenced him to two years' probation and 200 hours of community service. He is now barred from holding elected office in California.

The county says the payments follow standard employment resolutions approved by the board, though officials did not confirm which account the money will come from or how the amounts compare to other separation payouts. Hernandez had been on the county payroll since 2004, earning a gross annual salary of $180,580 in 2025.

His felony conviction stems from a series of votes between 2021 and 2023 in which investigators say he approved city contracts while holding a financial interest in the outcomes, including votes tied to downtown development projects and federal relief funds. He was first elected to the Coachella City Council in 2006 and became mayor in 2014.

The four remaining Coachella City Council members are now working to fill the vacancy left by his resignation until residents can vote for a replacement. Councilman Frank Figueroa said the council's "focus is on a smooth transition and continuing to serve our community."