Ahead of the May 1 municipal election, we asked all candidates running for the District 1 City Council seat how they feel about some of downtown and the inner city’s most pressing issues, and specific items on the ballot.
Multi-term incumbent Roberto Treviño is being challenged by Mario Bravo, Raymond Zavala, Matthew J. Gauna, Lauro A. Bustamante and Cyndi Dominguez.
As a reminder, early voting begins April 19, Monday, and ends April 27, Tuesday. Voting on election day—May 1, Saturday—takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit the city’s election page for more info.
» Mario Bravo
» Roberto C. Treviño
» Raymond Zavala
» Matthew J. Gauna
» Lauro A. Bustamante
[ Note: The order of the candidate responses was chosen randomly. ]
The answers have been edited for punctuation, style, egregious grammatical errors, and brevity.
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Mario Bravo
What is your job, or how do you earn a living?
Project manager, Energy Team, Environmental Defense Fund. I work at the intersection of air quality, climate change, and public health.
What is your age?
45
Where were you born?
I was born in Missouri. My family moved back to Texas when I was two years old. I moved from Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio, Texas, when I was in the third grade and I grew up in San Antonio.
Do you live in the district? If so, what neighborhood?
I live in District 1 in the Jefferson neighborhood near Oak Farms Dairy and Cool Crest Golf.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I see the community as our best partner in solving our city’s problems. I won’t treat them as adversaries. I won’t put together advisory committees and then turn around and ignore them to implement my ideas. I’ve worked with and built coalitions to get buy-in from the community and take the community’s best ideas forward.
If given the opportunity to serve, I’ll work with my colleagues at City Hall to build consensus. I won’t stand outside of City Hall and throw rocks at city leadership after having been given a seat at the table.
I have been engaged on San Antonio city issues for years, with a focus on shifting the balance of power at City Hall and our utilities back toward the community. I successfully opposed recent efforts by Roberto Treviño and other council members to increase campaign contribution limits. In a city with our high-level of poverty and economic segregation, the last thing we need is to further tilt the table against the citizens by allowing wealthy donors with a financial interest in decisions made at City Hall to have more access and more influence.
I studied a wide range of public policy issues while earning a master’s degree in public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. I believe this educational background can help me deemphasize the role that politics plays in our policy making process and elevate the role that data and national best practices can play.
What is your background in politics?
I started volunteering on political campaigns while I was a student in college. I have worked on and managed political campaigns throughout Texas as well as in New Hampshire, Nevada, and Colorado. In San Antonio, I helped elect council members Ana Sandoval, Melissa Cabello-Havrda, and Dr. Adrian Rocha Garcia.
During the 2020 election I helped lead efforts to develop and distribute the MOVE The Line app to help voters find voting locations with short wait times to vote.
What is the biggest issue facing San Antonio, and how do you plan to address it? What’s one issue you feel San Antonio City Council isn’t paying attention to?
I think our biggest issue the city is facing today is how we pivot as we recover from the pandemic, and whether we build a more resilient city with prosperity that reaches further into low-income neighborhoods.
We do this by starting out with direct aid for those who have been with us all along, and then pivoting to prioritizing jobs that help diversify our economy and make us competitive in the new global economy. And we do this while being sincere in how we apply our equity lens in how we distribute resources and invest tax dollars. Our equity lens is not just for nonbinding resolutions and proclamations.
The one issue that City Council is not paying attention to is our property tax burden. We keep pretending that we haven’t increased property taxes while assessed property values are skyrocketing. We can’t keep taxing people out of their homes. Councilman Treviño has served on our Bexar County property tax appraisal board for the entire time he has served in council, and he is now the board chair, but we have seen no meaningful reforms. We can’t just keep blaming this entirely on the state.
What do you think of the proposed charter amendment that would broaden how voter-approved bond dollars can be spent? Do you support or oppose the amendment? Explain your position.
We simultaneously have both an affordable housing crisis and a poverty crisis in San Antonio. The San Antonio Housing Authority has over 50,000 people on a waiting list for affordable housing. I absolutely support changing our city charter language so that we can pass affordable housing projects in future bonds just like other major cities in Texas.
How do you think the Alamo master planning process should proceed?
The Alamo Master Plan is an enormous endeavor, and I don’t believe that any council member can both lead that effort and successfully attend to all the other needs of District 1. Your council member should be involved with The Alamo master plan as a champion for the community’s voice, but too many district priorities get neglected if they are in charge of the plan. It should be led by someone who is not serving in City Council.
The Alamo is a cultural center of Texas and an important site for human rights. The Alamo must have an active history education program and remain open to the public to enjoy. This is how it was created as a mission over 300 years ago—it should continue to belong to the public, and not get blocked off with gates.
For many people, the Alamo is the first place they go when they visit San Antonio, but in some ways the Alamo is still offering a 1970s museum experience, and we have the potential to offer so much more. It is time to create a modern museum experience while preserving the historic fabric of the Alamo.
If done right, the Alamo can serve as a springboard, inspiring visitors to learn about all the other beautiful parts of San Antonio’s history and culture. It also serves as a significant economic driver for downtown businesses. We must improve the Alamo experience and build a museum so that our city can benefit from the economic development and increased jobs it would create for our city.
Do you support or oppose Proposition B, the measure that would repeal police officers’ collective bargaining power and thus the right to negotiate contracts with the city? Explain your position.
I will respect the will of the voters on Proposition B. Whether it passes or not, I wholeheartedly believe that in order to create a truly safe community we need to support our model police officers and do much more to hold bad actors accountable.
I will not support a police contract that includes any of the following that are in our current contract that Treviño voted for:
» Police disciplinary records written in disappearing ink that goes away after two years.
» An arbitrary 180 day statute of limitations for processing violations.
» Allows accused officers 48 hours to review evidence used against them before they can be questioned by investigators.
I believe that the City of San Antonio should create an independent oversight and accountability department similar to the Office of The Independent Monitor that the City of Denver, Colorado, has. However, I would like this independent office to do more than investigate use of force incidents committed by law enforcement. I would like to see such an office also do the following:
» Monitor and make recommendations on the city’s implementation of meaningful public participation and transparency.
» Conduct ethics investigations including alleged conflicts of interest. (our current Ethics Review Board is very limited in its jurisdiction.)
What is your opinion of the city’s role in incentivizing large-scale apartment developments in the downtown area and in the regional centers identified in the SA Tomorrow plan? What role do you believe San Antonio should play in incentivizing affordable housing?
I don’t think we need to wait until after the next election to have this conversation, as Councilman Treviño has stated on the record. We should incentivize affordable housing and downtown development, but there has to be a compromise. We can’t continue to subsidize unlimited downtown development with no increases in the tax base other than raising neighboring property owners’ property values.
If you want to use taxpayers’ dollars to build a project, we need complete transparency in the deal. Right now pro forma business documents are being hidden from the public. We are asked to just trust that these deals make business sense. That is a no-go for me. I’m going to guard out citizens’ tax dollars and only invest them in ways that allow us to prove out that they are creating a positive benefit to our community.
I don’t think any elected official who wins a two-year term should be allowed to take our city’s most prime pieces of property off the tax rolls for 75 years as Councilman Treviño has done repeatedly. If a deal does make financial sense for our taxpayers, it has to be done over a shorter timescale. You can’t stick future generations with financial problems from current day political wheeling and dealing.
We have a lot of work to do to make our downtown a more livable, walkable, vibrant downtown, and it will take responsible public investment. Right now we have a problem with not enough financial support for our public schools in downtown, and that prevents families from wanting to live downtown.
What is one thing the city can do to increase transparency in local government or to better engage its citizens?
Our San Antonio city government has a long way to go when it comes to meeting best practices in transparency.
When we assemble a public advisory committee and they reach consensus and make recommendations, we can’t ignore them and move forward in our own direction. I will make sure that our public input processes are more robust and that the citizens’ priorities are carried out by our city government.
It shouldn’t fall on the average citizen or reporter to do a major research project to determine how campaign contributions are influencing decisions made at City Hall. We should create a website dashboard that lists every high dollar contract that City Council votes on. Under each contract we should list every campaign contribution from lobbyists hired to work on that contract and from contractors bidding for that contract. These should be listed by council member along with how that council member voted on the contract.
We need to update information about City Council meetings on the city’s website more frequently. The last time I checked, records of meeting minutes had not been uploaded for the last six months, which means that you couldn’t see how council members had voted in the last six months. This is unacceptable.
Not everyone has internet access, but most residents have telephones. I will engage in telephone town halls regularly to bring more citizens into the conversation on how we move forward as a community.
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Roberto C. Treviño
What is your job, or how do you earn a living?
City Council member for District 1
What is your age?
50
Where were you born?
McAllen, Texas
Do you live in the district? If so, what neighborhood?
Yes, Shearer Hills/Ridgeview
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I have lived in District 1 for over 20 years. Since 2014, we have introduced the most policies on the City Council to date. And that is only possible by working with each of my colleagues to get things done. So far, we have put forth 35 Council Consideration Requests with 140 signatures of support from every council member at City Hall. My track record emphasizes giving opportunity and a voice to our vulnerable communities.
As an architect, my experience is in problem-solving. That knowledge has helped me seek areas that are ripe for improvement within our municipal government.
What is your background in politics?
I was unanimously appointed to City Council in 2014 on the heels of Diego Bernal, and have been re-elected in 2015, 2017, and 2019 by the residents of District 1.
What is the biggest issue facing San Antonio, and how do you plan to address it? What’s one issue you feel San Antonio City Council isn’t paying attention to?
Right now, the biggest issue in San Antonio is Covid-19 recovery. The impacts of the pandemic span across many core issues that our city is facing. There is a looming eviction crisis that is a continuation from 2019 where 33 families a day lost their homes. Small businesses are struggling to regain their footing. Arts and infrastructure received cuts in our budget due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. I have made a concerted effort to protect our community from the negative impact which includes calling for the original eviction moratorium, pausing disconnections for non-payment by SAWS and CPS, passing a Right to Counsel policy, pushing for Right to Cure, and creating a food and beverage worker relief fund. There is more to do, but we have made great headway in protecting our community.
One issue that is being overlooked is a housing-first approach to homelessness. Homelessness has been a pressing issue in District 1 of San Antonio. From the beginning of my time in office, our team has focused our efforts on increasing access to housing and providing for the basic needs of San Antonians. As we know, chronic and temporary homelessness are affected by many factors: poverty, climate change, substance abuse, untreated or unaffordable mental health care, and domestic abuse.
Here in D1, we believe homelessness is not a crime—so much so that instead of running a traditional campaign, my team and I have built and run a Community Care Relief Plan for the constituents of San Antonio’s District 1, including our homeless population. We’ve implemented a city-wide program that moves the responsibility of outreach away from SAPD and into the hands of social workers. Our residents facing homelessness are people in crisis—not criminals. Criminalizing homelessness does nothing to solve the problem. In fact, it only makes things worse.
But that doesn’t mean crime and littering should be tolerated.
We have partnered with Solid Waste Management to keep our neighborhoods free of debris. Our ID recovery program is removing barriers for those seeking support and jobs. Our outreach has helped dozens of people facing homelessness locate and accept services, and they are on their way to permanent housing and employment.
But to increase those numbers exponentially, we will need to implement a housing-first policy. Many of our homeless are dealing with trauma, mental illness, and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. In order to accept support services, they need detox.
But the shocking truth is that the City of San Antonio only has 28 detox beds for our entire city. This creates a barrier that is too difficult for many to overcome.
By moving to a housing-first model, we are able to meet our homeless where they are and begin providing support without these barriers in place.
What do you think of the proposed charter amendment that would broaden how voter-approved bond dollars can be spent? Do you support or oppose the amendment? Explain your position.
I support Proposition A, but I feel we require significant oversight to ensure the premise isn’t abused. The intention of utilizing bond dollars for affordable housing is the right choice. But the proposition language leaves the door open for dollars to be used for other purposes as well. We have a desperate need for more affordable housing in San Antonio. I am willing to support ideas to increase our capacity. My only request is that our community’s benefit is the guiding principle.
How do you think the Alamo master planning process should proceed?
I have no issue with the updated design plans for the Alamo grounds. But I do have concerns regarding our updated lease agreement. There are some clauses that place the city in a difficult position if other entities do not hold up their end of the bargain.
I also stand firmly against the city funding any work that will be spent on state-controlled property. Our city is in the midst of a Covid-19 recovery, and the dollars being allocated to state-controlled land would be better utilized supporting our residents.
We must abide by the guiding principles and the Alamo grounds should honor all the stories of the site, not just the battle of 1836.
Do you support or oppose Proposition B, the measure that would repeal police officers’ collective bargaining power and thus the right to negotiate contracts with the city? Explain your position.
I support Proposition B because accountability is non-negotiable. Chapter 174 removes local power when it comes to holding officers accountable. This effort has nothing to do with “defunding the police,” and everything to do with taking the steps necessary to ensure our community and police force are safe from bad apples. San Antonio currently has the highest rate of rehiring fired officers in the country—70%. This is unacceptable.
All the other major cities in Texas already opted out of Chapter 174 and have equal or better pay for their officers and more officers per capita. I am pro-labor and endorsed by the AFL-CIO. I support collective bargaining for workers, but an agent of the state with the authority to take life requires a set of disciplinary standards. I support the vast majority of our SAPD officers which do a great job of protecting our community. We must ensure that misconduct is not tolerated—especially within our police force.
What is your opinion of the city’s role in incentivizing large-scale apartment developments in the downtown area and in the regional centers identified in the SA Tomorrow plan? What role do you believe San Antonio should play in incentivizing affordable housing?
The city should place a major emphasis on building affordable housing throughout our communities. Currently, the PFC is among our only mechanisms to build affordable housing and we require more options. But we must also look to land that is more affordable to ensure we achieve truly attainable housing. Building homes within the center city is going to accrue higher land costs due to intrinsic market value.
I strongly believe we should be focused on building more housing options in order to drive down the costs. But our focus should also remain on building homes that are attainable for our community.
What is one thing the city can do to increase transparency in local government or to better engage its citizens?
The city must decide to meet the community where they are instead of placing the onus on our residents.
For example, the Covid-19 vaccine rollout heavily emphasized online registrations, but the digital divide in San Antonio is a significant barrier. 1 in 4 families lacks broadband access.
Individuals who had time available had an advantage as phone lines filled. Our vulnerable and impoverished residents were therefore facing a new barrier of entry.
The city focused on a centralized approach to vaccine distribution instead of bringing them into the community. There was an opportunity to utilize organizations such as our fire department to distribute vaccines into neighborhoods and communities that needed them most.
I was the first council member to create a policy for meaningful Spanish translation for city services in 2016. These issues are symptomatic of our city’s overall approach to communication with the public, and I believe change needs to begin with a mindset switch.
It is our responsibility to visit our community directly. We can’t rely on the idea that holding meetings is enough. We have to make the effort to actually reach our residents in a way that creates dialogue.
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Raymond Zavala
What is your job, or how do you earn a living?
Twice retired
What is your age?
69
Where were you born?
San Antonio, Texas
Do you live in the district? If so, what neighborhood?
I reside in District 1. In the neighbor of Delgado to West Martin.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I have been an advocate for the senior citizens, the youth, the disabled, and the veterans. I’ve been a lifelong district and community activist. I’ve also been a board member or director in various organizations.
What is your background in politics?
I have been involved community and city politics for over 43 years.
What is the biggest issue facing San Antonio, and how do you plan to address it? What’s one issue you feel San Antonio City Council isn’t paying attention to?
The biggest issue that San Antonio is facing is the lack of conservative and attentive leadership. Too many decisions that impact the greater population of San Antonio are causing bitter and divisive results.
How do you think the Alamo master planning process should proceed?
The Alamo master plan should be halted. The plan should have been put to a public vote and not left to 11 persons to approve an expensive, unwanted, and ill-conceived plan.
What do you think of the proposed charter amendment that would broaden how voter-approved bond dollars can be spent? Do you support or oppose the amendment? Explain your position.
I support the proposed charter amendment that would give the taxpayer more control or say so, where their tax dollars are being spent. In the past too many pet projects have been funded without taxpayer approval, resulting in cost overruns, misappropriations, and no accountability.
Do you support or oppose Proposition B, the measure that would repeal police officers’ collective bargaining power and thus the right to negotiate contracts with the city? Explain your position.
I oppose the charter amendment Proposition B, because it would lead to irreparable harm to the morale, welfare, and safety of the first responders. Every first responder has an obligation to protect and to serve so that others may live. The city has the obligation to ensure that all the city first responder employees are treated fair and just in their negotiations.
What is your opinion of the city’s role in incentivizing large-scale apartment developments in the downtown area and in the regional centers identified in the SA Tomorrow plan? What role do you believe San Antonio should play in incentivizing affordable housing?
I oppose incentivizing large-scale apartment developments, because San Antonio is a unique city and shouldn’t become a city like Houston, Dallas, or Austin. High rises will change our skyline and it will have an impact on the temperature. If a large-scale apartment development should occur, then the developer or builder should put up a $1 million nonrefundable fee to cover part of the incentive.
What is one thing the city can do to increase transparency in local government or to better engage its citizens?
The one thing that the city can do increase transparency is to demand that all meetings be open and transparent to the residents and voters. The council must regain the trust of the people. The integrity of the council must never be in question.
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Matthew J. Gauna
What is your job, or how do you earn a living?
I am an environmental consultant.
What is your age?
23
Where were you born?
San Antonio, Texas
Do you live in the district? If so, what neighborhood?
Yes, it is required by law that we live in the district in which we wish to represent. I live in the North Central neighborhood near Castle Hills. I have lived here all 23 years and I have lived in my current neighborhood for over a decade.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
What we need now is a youthful member of our community to fully represent everyone. Someone with the skills and knowledge to implement practical solutions expeditiously and effectively to San Antonio’s transportation, environmental, and infrastructure issues. Someone who understands the history of institutional racism in our city government and how to solve the problems it created. A council member who will fully support and pass legislation that will keep the people’s health and well-being top priority. To accomplish that task expeditiously our future council member needs a foundation in science and technology. As a student of environmental science and biology I understand the actions needed to ensure San Antonio is prepared for the extreme weather events that climate change brings. I studied environmental law under former D6 council member Bob Thompson. Mr. Thompson explained to us his perspective during his council terms and the environmentally friendly actions he wished he had taken during that time. I understand the responsibilities taken on as council member and the duty we owe to our constituents. As a lifelong resident I fully understand the issues that face our city, I will provide the peoples’ perspective unlike any other candidate.
What is your background in politics?
As a first-year student in high school, I reached the UIL regional finals for the “current events” category which required the up-to-date knowledge of current political happenings. Since then, I was always well versed in government and politics, gaining AP credit for U.S. government. This continued in university where for the first time in 2016 I voted in the primary and presidential election. I learned about the processes that govern our city and developed solutions for the issues we experience as citizens of San Antonio. In 2019, I met with Roberto Treviño to discuss how the San Antonio climate adaptation plan did not go far enough in reaching a goal of carbon negative status. The City Council instead settled for carbon neutral status due to lobbying from the fossil fuel industry.
What is the biggest issue facing San Antonio, and how do you plan to address it? What is one issue you feel San Antonio City Council isn’t paying attention to?
The biggest issue facing San Antonio is climate change. This is the same issue City Council has failed to address. We saw the evidence for this when San Antonio homes plunged into the cold and darkness this February. Our City Council failed to set aside funds for the renewable energy that could have kept San Antonio warm and energy bill prices down. City Council has allowed CPS Energy to have meetings in secret. As City Council member we will not only push CPS to invest in renewable energy but make sure every city department is prepared for all extreme weather and natural disasters. We will ensure CPS livestreams all meetings and uploads them for later viewing on YouTube. The City of San Antonio is not prepared for the extreme heat of future summers and our City Council and mayor must do more than the current bare minimum.
How do you think the Alamo master planning process should proceed?
The Alamo planning process should ensure plans allow for the movement of vehicles and pedestrians along Alamo Plaza and East Houston Street. Closing the plaza will only increase confusion for visitors and residents alike. I believe we should look at the 1953 street map for guidance on new plans, the erasure of Bonham Street and Blum Street increased congestion on Commerce Street. While the Losoya Street intersection on Market Street being re-routed into the semi traffic circle forced drivers onto other streets, creating the heavy congestion that currently plagues our downtown. The current process now only serves a small minority of special interests that do not represent the people of the city. As your council member I will ensure that residents of San Antonio will have a larger voice in this process.
What do you think of the proposed charter amendment that would broaden how voter-approved bond dollars can be spent? Do you support or oppose the amendment? Explain your position.
I oppose the amendment. At a time when people need financial help the most the city has gone after money that is supposed to be for infrastructure improvements, instead of proposing brand new legislation. Our city streets are in degrading conditions and we must use that bond money to repair them. I see this amendment transferring wealth from the taxpayers to a few wealthy developers; we must not allow that. I urge everyone to vote no.
Do you support or oppose Proposition B, the measure that would repeal police officers’ collective bargaining power and thus the right to negotiate contracts with the city? Explain your position.
I support the proposition. There are false claims about this proposition, that it is “defunding the police.” As much as I wish that were the case, this proposition is not defunding the police. It is simply tipping the balance of power back towards the citizens of San Antonio. Fired officers have enjoyed the great chance of winning their appeal so the passing of this proposition will be one step towards balancing power. If this passes our work will not be done. We must do more to curb the militarization of SAPD. We saw how they brazenly attacked protestors and press during the protests last May and June. Journalist Delaine Mathieu, a camera operator, and I were aggressively asked by riot gear clad officers to leave the intersection of North Alamo and East Travis, even though we posed no threat. We see that no one is safe under this militarization, and only property is to be protected at all costs.
What is your opinion of the city’s role in incentivizing large-scale apartment developments in the downtown area and in the regional centers identified in the SA Tomorrow plan? What role do you believe San Antonio should play in incentivizing affordable housing?
There is currently plenty of incentives to build downtown. We have granted real estate development such favorable tax treatment that it is nearly immune from taxation. New residences are built using subsidies from the city, CPS Energy, SAWS, and the federal government. “The real estate industry has enjoyed the most lucrative tax breaks for decades,” says Victor Fleischer, a tax law professor at the University of California, Irvine, and former chief tax counsel for the Senate Finance Committee. The real estate industry “thinks of the tax code as a basket of goodies to feast on rather than a financial obligation of doing business.” If elected, we will ensure the city’s role will be placing the citizens of San Antonio as the priority when zoning areas as well as curbing the incentives for luxury developments. This will be done by ensuring accessibility and walkability, a pedestrian friendly downtown, and prioritizing environmentally sustainable developments. We will introduce a requirement for developers to provide an equal amount of public greenspace for new developments so that the public can benefit from new projects and lowering the heat island effect of the city. We will work to increase the amount and accessibility of community gardens, like the Beacon Hill, Alta Vista, and River Road community gardens. This urban agriculture connects communities and provides food for the neighborhood. Changing building codes and the city charter to prioritize underground parking, to remove unsightly parking garages, which dominate our city’s downtown and negatively impact our health. If elected, my team and I will further incentivize development downtown by working with VIA and developers to build along transportation corridors. Our plan includes a rapid transit rail system with accessibility and affordable housing built above and near new train stations, prioritizing affordable rent, public transit, and sustainability.
What is one thing the city can do to increase transparency in local government or to better engage its citizens?
Those who govern our city have not done all they can to accomplish these changes to increase transparency. If elected, we will have public utilities live stream all SAWS and CPS Energy meetings for the public, which they claim to do currently but are conveniently leaving out a few key meetings that directly affect every customer and our city’s energy security. We should allow all city meetings to be streamed to YouTube and/or Zoom, allowing live commenting as well. As council member we will listen to our citizenry. People produce great, practical ideas and we should be encouraging these types of community-assisted solutions, allowing people to take pride in their neighborhood.
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Lauro A. Bustamante
What is your job, or how do you earn a living?
Attorney and counselor at law
What is your age?
70
Where were you born?
Asherton, Texas
Do you live in the district? If so, what neighborhood?
Yes, District 1
What qualifies you to hold this position?
» I can provide my 37 years of legal experience
» I was elected to the Board of the Edwards Aquifer served four years.
» I can devote 100% of my time and energy to the duties of City Council member
What is your background in politics?
I was legal counsel for a political party. I have been a candidate for Justice of Peace, U.S. Representative, District Judge, 4th Court of Appeals Judge, and County Judge. I was elected to the Board of the Edwards Aquifer and served four yrs. I served on various committees and was privy to legal and legislative information and procedures.
What is the biggest issue facing San Antonio, and how do you plan to address it? What’s one issue you feel San Antonio City Council isn’t paying attention to?
Health is and will continue to be the biggest issue we need affordable medical care for all. Air pollution is a problem the city is not paying attention to.
How do you think the Alamo master planning process should proceed?
First they need to maintain was is left and keep is from deteriorating. I would like to see the Alamo connected to the river and extending to the mission with easy access to and from the Alamo, the river, and the missions.
What do you think of the proposed charter amendment that would broaden how voter-approved bond dollars can be spent? Do you support or oppose the amendment? Explain your position.
Voter approved bond dollar spending is good. I support it. Voters need to be involved it is a basic due process constitutional right.
Do you support or oppose Proposition B, the measure that would repeal police officers’ collective bargaining power and thus the right to negotiate contracts with the city? Explain your position.
I believe the contracts are not in line with due process and constitutional and human rights.
What is your opinion of the city’s role in incentivizing large-scale apartment developments in the downtown area and in the regional centers identified in the SA Tomorrow plan? What role do you believe San Antonio should play in incentivizing affordable housing?
I believe it is a good plan. I would advocate for solar energy incentives.
What is one thing the city can do to increase transparency in local government or to better engage its citizens?
Free services and incentives to become energy independent, provide public defenders and free representation on an individual level.
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Cyndi Dominguez did not respond to our questionnaire.
Compiled by Jolie Francis, a Heron intern this spring; and Ben Olivo, Heron editor.
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