San Antonio City Council approved a consent agenda that included an item to provide VIA transit fare benefits to city employees, with council members saying the program supports climate goals and one public commenter saying it amounts to a taxpayer-funded giveaway.

The program appeared on the consent calendar as item 16. During public comment, resident Jack M. Finger urged the council to reconsider, saying backup documents show different tiers of subsidy and that some VIA employees would receive free rides at taxpayer expense. “We are going to give VIA employees a free ride,” Finger said, adding that the backup materials he reviewed show varying thresholds and monthly rates for employees at different pay levels.

Council discussion during the consent item included support for the measure as an employee benefit that aligns with the city’s climate action goals and a request to monitor ridership and service access. A council member said the city should track whether employees have routes near their homes and return to committee or b session if problems arise.

The consent agenda — items 4 through 23, with item 13 withdrawn and item 14 pulled for separate consideration — passed. The clerk recorded the result as “motion carries” for the consent approval.

The VIA fare benefit passed as part of that consent action; the council did not state a detailed vote tally on the record during the open session. The council did not take further immediate action on monitoring; the supportive council member requested follow-up in committee or a future session.