Early Voting continues in San Antonio's municipal elections. In addition to 10 council jobs and a Mayor's chair, a charter amendment was proposed to raise the pay for those elected city officials to a salary level.
San Antonio is the only large city in Texas to not pay a full-time salary to its elected city leaders. Under the current system Council Members are paid $20 per meeting and the Mayor is paid a stipend of $4,040.
The charter amendment would change that to $45,722 would be the pay for a City Council Member, and $61, 725 would go to the Mayor annually.
Among the many reasons advocates want change are that it would raise the caliber of those seeking election. It would open the field to more citizens to run. And it would adequately reimburse members who are already working more than full-time to represent their districts.
Those opposed say elected city leaders were never intended to be full-time positions. They worry that salaries will attract the wrong kind of candidates, those more self-interested than interested in public service.
Guests:
- Lila Cockrell, former Mayor of San Antonio
- Ramiro Cavazos, President of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- George Rodriguez, former President of the San Antonio Tea Party
