In a move that scales back previous, higher salary hike proposals for San Antonio's City Council, a Charter Review Commission subcommittee is now pushing for lower salary increases — $80,000 for council members and $95,000 for the mayor — down from the six-figure sums that shook up the local community. The revision comes after clear signs of community opposition, clearly signaling that the original six-figure salary proposal was a misfire, as locals blasted the commission for being out of touch.
The commission had previously suggested pay bumps to $125,000 for council members and up to $140,000 for the mayor. However, according to the San Antonio Report, subcommittee chair Luisa Casso admitted they aimed too high, stating, "We heard what the community was saying, and we also knew that making the jump from $45,000 to $120,000 was not feasible, and it was not prudent." Casso's group is to definitely recommend the new salaries after their initial proposal sparked significant community backlash.
The revised proposal, which is scheduled for voter approval on the November 5 ballot, also includes a plan to automatically increase these salaries annually, based on the average percentage raise given to civilian city employees. Under this plan, if city employees do not receive a raise, neither will elected officials. The Commission's full body will finalize proposals in May, which will then go before the City Council for approval.
Adding to the council salary discourse, a San Antonio TPR article reported that District 8 Councilmember Manny Pelaez, who is running for mayor, came out against raises for council and mayor positions in an op-ed, calling such raises "misguided." This reflects a divided council, with some members in opposition and others slowly moving to advocate thoughtful adjustments to their compensation. This split represents a broader debate on the balance between public service remuneration and taxpayer scrutiny.
Aside from council member compensation, the commission is also considering whether to remove the salary cap for the city manager — a move that some community members argue is unwarranted given the current compensation of City Manager Erik Walsh, who earned a base salary of $339,532.80 in Fiscal Year 2022. Pat Frost, chair of the subcommittee on the city manager's role, told the San Antonio Report, "We share the same wish, that people who are paid below the poverty level should — we should figure out as a city — how to have them paid more, but it’s not tied to our city manager’s salary."
The review commission is also handling matters such as council term lengths, with recommendations pointing toward two four-year terms amid various suggestions on how to best structure municipal leadership roles. The city attorney's office implied that an exception might be crafted for members currently serving their first or third term, noting the eight-year maximum term that officials are traditionally accorded.
Noteworthy in the wide-ranging charter revisions are the discussions over city staff ability to participate in political campaigns, igniting debates about workers' involvement in the democratic process. Shelley Potter from the commission indicated she would begin compiling research on the issue, recognizing the national efforts to encourage more civic engagement.
While these adjustments aim to better align with the management responsibilities and median income for professional occupations in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area, the commission's steps have opened a dialogue about how elected officials should be compensated in a city where economic disparities remain a critical issue. Voters will have the final say on these measures come November.
