San Antonio’s city officials might soon be getting a hefty pay raise—if local residents give their nod of approval. The city's Charter Review Commission is floating the idea of increasing City Council salaries from the current $45,722 to potentially $125,000, and bumping the mayor's annual pay up to $140,000 from the current $61,725. With the proposal on the table, city dwellers could have the final say on the November 5 ballot.
Laying the groundwork for this significant salary surge, the commission members are in the throes of finalizing their recommendations. Voters however, are to have the ultimate say, as was the case in Fort Worth, where a similar salary upgrade was knocked back by voters twice in recent years—a stark reminder that public backing is not a given. According to a statement obtained by the San Antonio Report, the commission's co-chair Bonnie Prosser Elder said that they "picked up a lot of buzz" regarding council pay and that they are working on a messaging campaign to rally support for the recommendation.
As part of the rationale behind these proposed raises, commission officials argue that a higher salary corresponds to the demand and complexity of the elected officials' roles. In an interview with bigcitysmalltown, commission co-chair David Zammiello stressed the necessity to “articulate and look at the council role a little differently, with a little more insight to the roles, duties, responsibilities and the skills required." Moreover, assisting in the crafting of these preliminary pay recommendations are various city subcommittee members, including Trinity University's chief of staff Casso, and VIA Metropolitan Transit's communications director Josh Baugh.
The review commission has been tasked by Mayor Ron Nirenberg to ensure that elected officials' pay keeps in step with the escalating cost of living. The snazzy new salaries would range from 39% to 65% of director-level city employees' median base pay, and are to be periodically reviewed to stay in sync with staff raises. This notion however, has met with mixed feelings from current council members. District 9's John Courage, a 2025 mayoral hopeful, suggested that council pay should mirror the average family income, currently around $60,000. District 2's Jalen McKee-Rodriguez proposed mayoral pay to be 120% of the median household income, which would land around $106,300, as reported by the Express-News.
Amidst these discussions, the length of terms served by City Council members and the mayor have also been put under scrutiny. Suggestions imply a shift from two-year to four-year terms, though term limits will remain at eight years. The commission must finalize its recommendations by late May, thus leaving it to the City Council and the mayor to determine which charter amendments will make it onto the ballot for San Antonians to decide come election day.
