Should City Council Get a Paycheck?
It’s an interesting argument. Only if you pay city councilors a decent salary can a city or town expect regular working class people to take on the job.
In San Antonio, city council members are only paid $20 for each meeting they show up at. Many people charge that no pay means only wealthy people can afford to sit run for council, and the group makes decisions that favor the rich over middle class and poor people. The result of the debate was a measure passed by the council that will give them a big pay increase.
“I think it’s absolutely essential that citizens in San Antonio have a right to vote on these issues,” said councilman Mike Gallagher.
Gallagher believes the proposed salary for council members will do a lot for diversifying the kind of person who can become a council member.
“We need that diversification to make sure everyone’s voice is represented on the council,” he said. “You can’t do that if you’re not paying some kind of salary.”
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