To the editor:

Recently you have printed several letters accusing the City of Alexandria of overpaying its top professional staff. Comparisons have been made with the pay of federal cabinet officers and indeed the president’s salary, which is about $400,000 per year.

But another comparison is useful. At least 40 university presidents make more than double the president’s salary. Seventeen public university presidents are paid more than $1 million a year and some almost $2 million.

Football coaches, who it is argued attract donations to their schools, often make more than university presidents. The top earner is the football coach at the University of Alabama, Nick Saban, whose pay is more than $8 million in 2020, according to Sports Illustrated.

I do not believe we are overpaying our city manager.

There is a problem though. Alexandria is supposed to have a strong city manager system with a city council to legislate and provide oversight. But during the 40 years that I have lived in Old Town, I have noted council is increasingly micro-managing.

-H.J. Rosenbaum, Alexandria