SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio City Council members are voicing their opinions about possible pay increase that would put more money in their pockets.
Among the many items the Charter Review Commission is discussing, one of them is regarding the salaries of some city leaders—and whether they should be raised. Members of City Council currently make $45,722 while the mayor makes $61,725.
Those salaries have remained unchanged since 2015.
Former City Council member Ana Sandoval cited pay as one of the reasons she stepped down as in January 2023. On Tuesday, a San Antonio Express-News op-ed written by District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez made clear where he stands on the discussions.
"I don't think anybody should be getting a raise right now, until I think until San Antonio's economic numbers are better," Pelaez said. "As far as you know, (until) everybody in San Antonio is floating at an equitable level, and also everybody in San Antonio (is) positioned to thrive, then maybe there should be a conversation about that."
On March 4, a subcommittee presented initial recommendations to the mayor-appointed 15 members of the Charter Review Commission.
An example being presented took into consideration the median base salary of director-level employees in the City of San Antonio, which is currently $192,582. Based on that number, the subcommittee suggested for council members a new pay of between $75,000 and $125,000, which is 39% to 65% the median base salary of directors.
The proposed salary range for mayors was $90,000 to $140,000, amounting to 47% to 72% the median base salary of directors-level employees.
Divided opinions
Pelaez said the raise shouldn't be considered while San Antonians continue to struggle financially.
"I think it's tone-deaf and really insensitive to the realities faced by, you know, 250,000 people in San Antonio who live at or below the poverty line," the fourth-term councilman said.
The subcommittee also took into consideration pay scales for city council members and the mayor in other cities with a comparable government structure and size to San Antonio. Of the major cities in Texas, San Antonio is on the lower end of the pay scale.
John Courage, the councilman representing District 9 who has already announced a 2025 mayoral run, went the other direction in saying he believes a pay increase should be approved.
"I felt, and I know other council members feel too, that it's time that we update this particular charter issue and provide a little bit better compensation for council members," he said. "Particularly if you expect them to be full-time representatives of their community."
At the same time, the fourth-term councilman said he has suggested salaries lower than $100,000.
"I suggested that we be looking at a salary closer to $60,000 for a council member, and probably for the mayor about 20% more than that, maybe similar to $75,000," Courage said. "The pay that we have now was set over nine years ago and I think almost everybody would say over the last nine years they've experienced a pay raise in their work, but the City Council hasn't. We face a lot of the same challenges everybody else does economically, so it makes sense to me."
What's next?
The Charter Review Commission still has two more phases of discussion and research to go through before presenting their final recommendations to City Council. The targeted date to present to City Council is sometime in June. City Council will then discuss and take a vote to decide what, if anything, will be on the ballot for voters to potentially approve in November.
The Charter Review Commission is still taking public comment. Those who want to comment can call 311, attend a meeting in-person and sign up to speak, or click HERE.