City reps asked again about City Manager pay increase

City Council voted this week to give City Manager Tommy Gonzalez a $61,000 pay raise, meaning he’ll make $300,000 a year.

That on top of the five-percent increase tied to his evaluation, according to his contract.

Some City representatives say Gonzalez deserves it based on how much money he’s saved the city — and how much other city managers get paid.

On Wednesday ABC-7 asked city leaders once again about Gonzalez’s raise, speaking with one on one with City Rep. Lily Limon and Mayor Oscar Leeser, who are against the raise, and catching up with City Rep. Larry Romero, who was behind the idea to increase the city manager’s salary.

“You break it down, the increase could be the salary of two families in the city of El Paso,” said Limon, one of just two city representatives, along with Carl Robinson, to vote against raising Gonzalez’s salary. “This is a big, big item and there was no public input. There was no opportunity for the public to discuss it or to weigh in on it.”

Limon is looking into undoing council’s 6-2 vote.

“I don’t know all the mechanics of a potential veto or how that could even come about, but our phones have been ringing and we’ve gotten a lot of messages,” Limon said. “It just came up by two of my colleagues, who decided that was appropriate for him.”

One of those colleagues was City Rep. Dr. Michiel Noe. The other was Romero, who admits he suggested it.

“First of all let me state emphatically that (Gonzalez) did not approach me or any of the other council members to my knowledge,” Romero said, pointing out he does not consider it a raise. “This is not a raise. To me this is just getting in the ballpark where other city managers our size, the salaries that they’re making.”

ABC-7 asked Romero whether Gonzalez’s family, especially his wife, are happy here.

“I’m sure she has days where her husband gets attacked and criticized and she probably does tell him lets get out of here,” Romero said.

Mayor Oscar Leeser said there was no need for a new deal.

“I am not in support,” Leeser said. “We have an agreement and I believe we need to continue that.”

ABC-7 also asked Leeser whether Gonzalez is happy here.

“I deal with Mr. Gonzalez on a daily basis,” Leeser replied, “he works very hard every day and he is very happy every day as we work.”