San Antonio City Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda's advocacy for the non-profit Latino Texas Policy Center is raising eyebrows among her colleagues and constituents due to the organization's connection to her own staff policy director, Natalie Sánchez-Lopez. As reported by the San Antonio Report, Cabello Havrda pushed for $300,000 in funding for the non-profit without disclosing Sánchez-Lopez's role as the head of the entity, potentially breaching the city's Code of Ethics. Concerns of conflict of interest have surfaced, with Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia stating, "You're not supposed to do that."
While some council members wonder if there has been an ethical line crossed, others are not fully convinced that any rules have been technically broken. Councilman Manny Pelaez suggested council members should still err on the side of caution, even though the situation "might look and smell like a conflict but not technically" be a violation. Meanwhile, the City Attorney’s Office has declined to comment on the matter. Cabello Havrda defended her actions, claiming that her belief in the organization's mission justifies her support, however, is ready to recuse herself if necessary. "I guess I didn’t see it like that," she told the San Antonio Report.
Another contentious issue at City Hall is the discussion around charter amendments regarding City Council compensation and employee participation in political campaigns. The Charter Review Commission, which was asked to revisit the city's charter, is fielding suggestions from various council members. Proposed salary adjustments and term changes for council members and the mayor have notably divided the group. There are differing opinions on whether to align salaries with the Bureau of Labor Statistics median estimates or to utilize other measures such as San Antonio's median income. “I don’t see an immediate path for starting a family while I’m on council, and that’s a sacrifice that we would be asking many members of our community to weigh against the opportunity to serve the community in this capacity,” Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez contemplated in an Express-News interview.
Further debate surrounds the extent of city employees' political engagement. Majority of the council members advocate for allowing city workers to donate or campaign for council and mayoral candidates, except for Councilman John Courage who fears the possibility of "undue influence" from either colleagues or external entities. Mayor Ron Nirenberg weighed in, stating, "If other cities can figure this out, so can we," according to the Express-News. The City Council is expected to make a final decision on the charter amendments to be presented to voters in November on the 8th of August.
