City of San Antonio Council and Mayor Salaries, Amendment 2 (May 2015)
| Voting on Salaries of Government Officials |
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| Ballot Measures |
| By state |
| By year |
| Not on ballot |
A Council and Mayor Salaries Amendment was on the ballot for San Antonio voters in Bexar County, Texas, on May 9, 2015. It was approved.
Charter Amendment 2 increased the salary of city council members from $20 per meeting, amounting to $1,040 per year, to $45,722 per year. Amendment 2 was also designed to increase the salary of the mayor from $4,040 per year to $61,725 per year.[1]
Councilman Ron Nirenberg explained that, as things were, the council member and mayoral offices were basically full-time volunteer positions. He said, “I think it goes without saying that everyone up here takes on this job willingly, knowing exactly what we’re getting into. And the beauty of this job is you never have to wake up in the morning thinking that you’re going to work for the money.” Nirenburg agreed, however, that it was time to let voters decide if they wanted to open up the city council and mayoral office to candidates from a wider range of economic classes.[2]
Amendment 2 was designed to allow the salary increases to take effect immediately, applying for the mayor and council members elected on May 9, 2015.[1]
Election results
| San Antonio, Charter Amendment 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 45,227 | 54.79% | ||
| No | 37,323 | 45.21% | ||
- Election results from Bexar County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The question on the ballot:[3]
| “ |
Shall the City Charter be amended to pay an annual salary of $45,722 to the members of the City Council (equal to the San Antonio Area Median Household Income), and pay a salary of $61,725 to the mayor (equal to the San Antonio Area Median Household Income +35%), and permit the Mayor and members of the City Council elected at the May 9, 2015 general election to be eligible to receive the salary?[4] |
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Support
Supporters of this amendment argue that the lack of compensation for city council members restricts the candidates that can seek office to only those who are financially independent, preventing lots of great candidates from seeking office, inhibiting proper representation for lower economic classes, and creating a lack of low and middle-class perspective in city leadership.[2]
Opposition
The basic argument against the amendment amounted to an explanation of the value of public officials that are not motivated by money. Some argued that great leaders are not motivated by profit, but by the desire to serve.
Reports and analysis
Voter information guide
The following summary of this measure was provided on the city's voter information guide:[1]
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Charter Amendment No. 2 would allow City Council members to be paid an annual salary of $45,722 – equal to the San Antonio area median household income – and the Mayor to be paid an annual salary of $61,725. City Council members are currently paid $20 per meeting for a total of $1,040 per year, and the Mayor is currently paid up to a total of $4,040 per year. If approved, those individuals elected to the Mayor and City Council at the May 9, 2015 election would be eligible for the salary.[4] |
” |
| —San Antonio City[1] | ||
Path to the ballot
Charter Amendment 2 was one of three amendments on the May 9 election ballot that were recommended by the San Antonio Charter Review Commission. The city council voted to create the charter review commission on August 7, 2014. Once the recommendations were made by the commission, the city council voted on February 26, 2015, to put the three recommended changes before voters.[3]
Other elections
See also
- May 9, 2015 ballot measures in Texas
- Bexar County, Texas ballot measures
- Local charter amendments on the ballot
- Salaries of local officials on the ballot
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 San Antonio City Government website, "Voter Information Guide for Election on May 9, 2015," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 San Antonio Express-News, "Voters to decide on council pay, other charter amendments," February 26, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 San Antonio City Government website, "City Ordinance calling for Charter Amendments 1-4," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
