Learning About Our Potential Leaders: Meet the Mayoral Candidates of San Antonio

Early voting in the San Antonio mayoral election begins today, Monday, April 22, and runs through Tuesday, April 30. All polling locations are closed this Friday, April 26, in honor of the Battle of the Flowers. The general election will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2019. Click here to make sure you are registered to vote and to find a list of polling locations.

The San Antonio mayoral election kicks off today with early voting, and we appreciate that our readers want more information about the candidates vying for the office. ACMB emailed all parties who filed as candidates for mayor and offered the opportunity to run a short piece speaking directly to our readers based on the following prompt:

Many of our readers have asked for more information from the mayoral candidates, specifically pertaining to parent-centric issues in San Antonio (e.g., schools, bullying, family-friendly outdoor spaces, general safety, city economics, preschool expansion, early childhood enrichment opportunities, affordable family-friendly attractions, etc). We invite the candidate to speak directly to our readership, concentrating on parent-centric topics and how their term(s) will affect parenting in San Antonio in an editorial style piece or addressing some of the questions below (which are also a great starting point, if needed). 

Ten questions based on a day in the life of a San Antonio mom:

  1. My kids and I get up in the morning and drink glasses of water, shower, use the toilet, etc. How can the City of San Antonio make sure there is an adequate supply of clean water in the future?
  2. I drive my kids to school, and I might go to work or go home to work. Sometimes traffic slows us down. How will the City meet the transportation needs of a growing population?
  3. While my kids are at school, I want them to learn and be prepared for careers of the future. What policies can the City implement to support early childhood education, K–12 education, college, and career preparation?
  4. After school, I fix my kids a healthy snack. How can the City make San Antonio’s food supply more sustainable and minimize food insecurity?
  5. Speaking of snacks, how can the City promote healthy food choices and an outdoor lifestyle among San Antonio families?
  6. After homework is done, my kids and I walk to our neighborhood playground. What is your vision for supporting and improving our city’s system of parks and trails?
  7. We are planning our summer vacation and trying to find affordable, direct flights. How will you improve the San Antonio Airport?
  8. We are also planning to host visiting family this summer. What is your plan for preserving and improving San Antonio landmarks such as the Alamo and the San Antonio Missions, the River Walk, Hemisfair, and our museums?
  9. Before bed, my kids improve their reading skills by spending time with library books each night. How can the City further support the work of the San Antonio Public Library?
  10. At night, I want my kids to sleep soundly and not worry about property theft (such as a bike stolen off of a porch) or gun violence. How do we make our city safer in the future?

The pieces below were submitted by the respective candidates and not edited by ACMB. They are listed in order of filing date. 

Antonio “Tony” Diaz: No reply

John Velasquez: No reply

Matt Piña: No reply

Ron Nirenberg:

Being a parent today is tougher, I think, than ever.  

I find myself having to answer questions from Jonah that my ten-year-old self would never had contemplated. These include quandaries about the safety of our water supply, of our schools, and of our neighborhoods. They also include some uncomfortable discussions about Internet safety, bullying and unhealthy relationships. Sometimes, my heart flutters with pride if I think I did a good job, other times it races with concern when he still looks puzzled. And often, time seems to stop altogether when my mind gets lost in self-reflection.  

I suppose that is our burden to bear today, during a time when our children will get answers to their questions regardless of our willingness to share them. It is, after all, the information age – hours upon hours of answers to anything.

This makes it hard for parents, I think, to put off these conversations for too long, since ultimately, our kids will get someone to answer them. In many ways, this has been my experience in governing our city these last two years as your Mayor. I have found that our community also needs to have some crucial conversations, and I’m not willing to put them off either.  

No doubt you’ve heard that we are a highly income segregated city. Historical research shows us that this is due in large part to historical, systematic underinvestment in certain parts of our community. That was a conversation I was willing to have openly and, as a result, we are the first major American city to use equity as a basis for budgeting our limited public resources. Now, other cities are starting to think this way, too, noting that San Antonio was the catalyst. It started with fixing streets and roads and is now a way in which we can also address housing, social services and even educational inequities.  

I will continue to push forward with this ideal of all people deserving a quality life in San Antonio, no matter which part of town, which is why I am excited to bring the Alamo Promise to our city. The Alamo Promise is simple: every student — no matter their circumstances— should be free to pursue their full potential and we all benefit when they do. And in the 21st century, this promise requires an advanced degree or skills training. It’s time to remove barriers to a higher education with tuition-free community college for qualifying students in Bexar County.  This investment—minimal in comparison to so many other things we do as a community—will leverage federal funding, public-private partnership and a last dollar scholarship to cover the cost of tuition at the Alamo Community Colleges District, recently named the top community college district nationwide. The Alamo Promise is not only a smart investment in San Antonio’s economy and our future, but is the moonshot to reduce generational poverty and boost social mobility.

And, because I am married to a self described “Latina mother,” I’m also having conversations about what kind of jobs we want to attract and develop since that could mean our son “comes back home” to mama. Though a well-meaning demand from my wife, this is also one of those topics that warrant constant dialogue. It is not enough to create jobs if they are only going to be minimally impactful to our families’ success. We must be thoughtful and plan around sectors that will bring us an edge in building industries of the future: cybersecurity, information technology, bioscience and healthcare, aerospace and advanced manufacturing.

Today I’m proud to report that San Antonio is stronger than ever. We have created more than 40,000 new jobs in the last two years, our unemployment is below the Texas and the national average, we’re ranked 4th out of the top 100 metros for economic growth and considered as a top destination for Millennials and the workforce of the future.

We are also one the most attractive places to raise a family and start a business and reported to be the best community for veterans and Boomers to work and retire. 

No one would argue that San Antonio is perfect, but everyone would agree that working together on a single mission to create high-paying jobs and the strongest, most equitable economy in the country is a conversation we are having today and one I will continue to champion in the future.

There are countless other conversations that I know we still need to have. That is why I continue to hold Ask Ron sessions every Wednesday for anyone to ask me questions and that is why I show up at schools with Kid Town Halls every month.  

Most recently, my office, along with our female council members, finally had a conversation about what we owe women. We crafted and passed the SA Women’s Equity Resolution aimed at creating policy and support plans around women’s health, women’s safety and women’s economic mobility. Women represent over half of our city’s labor force, and insuring that they feel safe from domestic violence, have access to crucial health resources and are encouraged to grow their businesses, is something I feel needs to be a the forefront of many of our discussions. Research shows us over and over that when the female head of a household is empowered, they also empower their families. In many ways, the answer to some of our questions is dependent on the well-being of San Antonio women.

This is our common purpose, as neighbors and parents, but it is also my mission as your mayor: to ensure that the children of our community – yours and mine – inherit a San Antonio that is better than the one we found. How we do that is the question, and I’m glad they will hold us accountable for answering it. 

Carlos Castanuela: No reply

Tim Atwood:

Dear ACMB:
Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself. I believe that it is my destiny to be the next mayor of San Antonio. It, of course, will be up to you and the good people of San Antonio to affirm that conviction.

Priority #1 will be to slow down what has become a run-away train of excessive borrowing and spending that’s putting us deeper and deeper in debt.
It’s imperative to not allow the AAA rating to mesmerize us into thinking that it is some kind of panacea of fiscal soundness. It essentially means that we have good credit with respect to our ability to pay back the bond, and are eligible for lower interest rates.

The AAA rating can actually work against us if we allow it to incentivize us to borrow excessively. This affects public safety, because the bond holders get paid first. What’s left goes to city services, everything from police and fire protection, parks and recreation, and family oriented nonprofit organizations. In the 2019 budget, the projected 5 year surplus is at zero. That means that it is projected that we can pay our bills, but there is nothing left over. Presently, 24% of our budget goes to paying off bonds, and it is rising. This is a very serious situation that could lead to possible layoffs of city employees.

It’s like using 7 or 8 credit cards during the entire month of April. You think that you are OK because you have available credit. You think that you are OK until the bills start rolling in. Then you realize that you are in trouble. It’s time to slow this train down. Sometimes, to slow a train down, it is necessary to change conductors. I’m applying for the job.

Let’s set a record for voter turn-out this year. God bless you, and God bless the city of San Antonio.

Bert Cecconi: Contacted ACMB via phone and offered to list Mr. Cecconi’s personal cell phone number in lieu of sending an editorial. ACMB declines to list Mr. Cecconi’s phone number. 

Greg Brockhouse: No reply

Michael Idrogo:

FROM MICHAEL IDROGO, CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF SAN ANTONIO
(NAVY COMMANDER VETERAN OF FOREIGN WARS; ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL; DEPUTIZED BY U.S. FEDERAL JUDGE & WORKED AT U.S. FEDERAL COURTS; ALSO WORKED AS TOP MANAGEMENT WITH CHAIRMEN & CEO AT 3 MAJOR AIRLINES; ALSO WITH CARABINIERI IN ITALY [ITALIAN VERSION OF F.B.I.].)  

1. My kids and I get up in the morning and drink glasses of water, shower, use the toilet, etc. How can the City of San Antonio make sure there is an adequate supply of clean water in the future? VOTE MICHAEL FOR MAYOR IN ORDER TO ASSURE THAT THERE IS AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF CLEAN WATER AT ALL TIMES. THE CURRENT MAYOR & COUNCIL & OTHER CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR ARE TOO CORRUPT AND WILL SELL THEMSELVES OUT; AND SELL YOUR WATER FOR POLITICAL GAIN.

2. I drive my kids to school, and I might go to work or home to work. Sometimes traffic slows us down. How will the City meet the transportation needs of a growing population? MICHAEL IDROGO PROPOSES SYNCHRONIZED TRAFFIC LIGHTS;  IMPROVED INTERSECTIONS; STREETS; ETC. TO HELP PREVENT TRAFFIC CONGESTION. MICHAEL ALSO PROPOSES MONORAIL — A NEW LEVEL OF TRANSPORTATION.. WHERE LARGE NUMBERS OF PASSENGERS CAN TRAVEL AT SPEEDS UP TO 80 MPH WITHOUT NEED FOR THE MONORAIL TO STOP FOR ANY STREET TRAFFIC LIGHT OR GET STUCK IN STREET TRAFFIC. I’VE LIVED AROUND THE WORLD.. INCLUDING TOKYO (POPULATION 39 MILLION); PARIS; VENICE; ETC. AND WILL BRING THE BEST FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO SAN ANTONIO IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. (I PREVIOUSLY SUGGESTED: MECHANICAL ARM GARBAGE TRUCKS — AS I SAW IN PARIS;  HIGH TECH PARKING METERS DOWNTOWN — AS I SAW IN ITALY.. THAT ALLOW USE OF CREDIT CARDS;  NO NEED TO CARRY AROUND LARGE AMOUNTS OF COINS TO FEED INTO PARKING METERS; ETC.) 

3. While my kids are at school, I want them to learn and be prepared for the careers of the future. What policies can the City implement to support early childhood education, K-12 education, college, and career preparation?
I, MICHAEL IDROGO, FULLY AGREE WITH THIS!! I WILL DIRECT THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION TO “ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT”; HIGH TECH; INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES; ETC. IN ORDER TO PUT MONEY IN SAN ANTONIANS POCKETS.. NOT MERELY BE SEEKING TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE CITIZENS ALL THE TIME. WILL ALSO SEEK TO  BRING MORE MONEY INTO SAN ANTONIO;  FOR EXAMPLE:  OUR AIRPORT HAS VERY HAZARDOUS 1940s RUNWAY DESIGN (FROM BACK WHEN PROPELLER AIRLINERS RULED THE SKY);  I KNOW HOW TO INCREASE AIRPORT BOARDINGS FROM 8 MILLION TO 29 MILLION;  MORE TOURISTS = MORE MONEY IN SAN ANTONIANS POCKETS!! ETC. 

4. After school, I fix my kids a healthy snack. How can the city make San Antonio’s food supply more sustainable and minimize food insecurity? Speaking of snacks, how can the City promote healthy food choices and an outdoor lifestyle among San Antonio families?
I CULTIVATE FRUIT TREES (PROVIDES IN PART; MY OWN FOOD SECURITY); SUGGEST CITIZENS MAY ALSO WISH TO CONSIDER SAME. VOTE MICHAEL FOR SUCH PROMOTION OF HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES. 

5. After homework is done, my kids and I walk to our neighborhood playground. What is your vision for supporting and improving our city’s system of parks and trails? 100% SAFETY.  I LIVED IN TOKYO, JAPAN, AND GREECE WHERE NO ONE LOCKS THEIR DOORS. WE USED TO FIND A SUBMARINE UTILIZING HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN (THE PACIFIC IS LARGER THAN ALL THE LAND MASS AREA OF THE WORLD).  I KNOW HOW WE CAN USE HIGH TECH TO PROVIDE ALMOST 0% CRIME.  WE NEED MUCH IMPROVEMENT IN OUR CITY’S PARKS & TRAILS!!  

6. We are planning our summer vacation and trying to find affordable, direct flights. How will you improve the San Antonio Airport? British Airways in Austin — NOT SO in San Antonio!!  Michael Idrogo, candidate for mayor of San Antonio: “I can do so in San Antonio!  I’ve worked in top management at 3 major airlines.” Austin Celebrates Five Years of British Airways Flights  British Airways Flys 747s To Austin!
 
“The current Mayor, city council, and any other office holder in the San Antonio have no clue how to much better utilize 
San Antonio’s airport neither how airlines operate nor how to attract major airlines to San Antonio.”
 
7. We are also planning to host visiting family this summer. What is your plan for preserving and improving San Antonio landmarks such as the Alamo and the San Antonio Missions, the River Walk, Hemisfair, and our museums? I NEED YOUR HELP;  TELL EVERYONE TO VOTE MICHAEL FOR MAYOR.. IN ORDER TO PRESERVE AND IMPROVE SAN ANTONIO LANDMARKS.. I’M A VERY BIG ADVOCATE OF HISTORY & PRESERVATION (HAVING LIVED IN ITALY.. WHERE EVERYTHING IS PRESERVED!!). 

8. Before bed, my kids improve their reading skills by spending time with library books each night. How can the City further support the work of the San Antonio Public Library? THE LIBRARY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES!  I WORKED AS A LIBRARIAN IN COLLEGE. I KNOW HOW THE LIBRARY CAN BE GREATLY IMPROVED;  HIGH TECH; INNOVATIONS;  DEVELOPMENTAL FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES FOR CITIZENS (WRITE YOUR OWN BOOKS; WRITE YOUR OWN SONGS; ETC.; ETC.); INTERNET DEVELOPMENTS; ETC.  [I’VE ALSO COMPUTER PROGRAMMED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE — USED 10 INTERCONNECTED PERSONAL COMPUTERS WITH THE AIRLINE RESERVATIONS MAINFRAME TO MOVE MILLIONS OF AIRLINE RESERVATIONS FROM ONE AIRLINE TO ANOTHER IN 10 DAYS IN MY PREVIOUS AIRLINE WORK.] 

9. At night, I want my kids to sleep soundly and not worry about property theft (such as a bike stolen off of a porch) or gun violence. How do we make our city safer in the future? 100% SAFETY.  I LIVED IN TOKYO, JAPAN, AND GREECE WHERE NO ONE LOCKS THEIR DOORS. WE USED TO FIND A SUBMARINE UTILIZING HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN (THE PACIFIC IS LARGER THAN ALL THE LAND MASS AREA OF THE WORLD).  I KNOW HOW WE CAN USE HIGH TECH TO PROVIDE ALMOST 0% CRIME. 

Special thanks to Inga Cotton for the list of parent-centric questions. Alamo City Moms Blog does not endorse a specific candidate. For more information on each candidate visit The Rivard Report.

Amanda
A fifth-generation San Antonionian - who happened to spend her formative years in Austin - Amanda loves the SAT from the confetti in her hair to the bluebonnets under her feet. Never one to miss a reason to host a party or decorate for a theme, Amanda revels in the 'mas Fiesta' attitude of the city. She's mom to Vivi (2012) aka #HurricaneVivi, Mac (2020) and wife to Francois, whom she met at Texas A&M (FTAC '05). She has a Masters in Early Childhood Education and a Doctorate in Making it Up As She Goes - which means she's a sometimes-fun-mom. You can find her on Instagram . She loves confetti, croissants, and a cold Ranch Water. Favorite Restaurant: Piatti's Favorite Landmark: Johnson Street footbridge in King William Favorite San Antonio Tradition: Fiesta Medals