The President of CPS Energy will make more this year than the President of the United States and the Chief Justice of the United States combined, and some at City Hall have a problem with that, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
A proposal by Councilman Greg Brockhouse to give the elected members of City Council a say over the compensation packages passed out to the CEOs and other top executives of CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System, on the grounds that they are units of the city, will be discussed later today by Council's Governance Committee.
"These are municipally owned utilities, and as such, the elected body of the City Council is an integral part of the fiduciary activities of both utilities," Brockhouse said. "Every Council Member represents the ratepayers and full transparency is required and expected from the public."
Both the CPS Energy and the SAWS CEO received hefty pay increase this year, and a $99,000 bonus on top of it. Questions about whether the SAWS board exercised responsible management of ratepayer money have been raised in the debate over the 'ten percent over two years' rate increase proposed by SAWS.
City staffers say the Mayor is already a member of the SAWS and CPS Energy boards, and Council can currently provide the Mayor with guidance on issues like executive pay. The City staff says giving City Council veto power over CPS Energy and SAWS executive pay would threaten the ownership/management structure of the utilities.
CPS Energy CEO Paula Gold-Williams now makes a salary, including a 'bonus,' of $735,000, after receiving a 10.5% pay raise in August.
SAWS CEO Robert Puente is paid a salary of $468,000, and was given a $99,000 a year bonus, to boost his total compensation $567,000.
100% of these salaries are paid by ratepayers, who are currently being asked to may substantially higher water bills, and are expected to be hit with a proposal for higher power bills next year.
By comparison, the average San Antonian makes an annual salary of about $46,000, and, unlike Gold-Williams' gravy train, will be lucky to get a 1.5% pay raise.