In San Antonio, the issue of public officials' allowances has reached a critical juncture as Bexar County's top prosecutor continues to pocket a yearly car allowance, despite often traveling via his security team's vehicles. District Attorney Joe Gonzales, who took the helm in 2019, has been scrutinized for receiving roughly $50,000 in allowances over his tenure, despite documented instances where he was driven by his security detail, an investigation by KSAT Investigates has revealed.
The practice of Gonzales receiving an annual sum of $9,000, around $750 per month, continues to raise eyebrows, with records showing no pause in payments even when his personal vehicle remained unused. In a tense exchange with KSAT, Gonzales defended his right to the allowance, arguing that it does not violate any county regulations. The public records and footage, accumulated since March 4, featured Gonzales arriving at the Bexar County Justice Center without once being seen behind the wheel – until KSAT reached out for comments.
Spokespersons and lawyers connected to Gonzales have stated that due to credible death threats, it has become customary for him to be driven by executive security. However, they have not clearly addressed why the DA continues to receive the car allowance during these periods of heightened threats. In a statement to KSAT, a spokesperson for Gonzales explained, "DA Joe Gonzales receives an auto allowance because he uses his personal vehicle for work, and during periods of heightened security threats he is required to be driven by a member of the DA’s armed security detail."
The allowance issue extends beyond Gonzales, with Ground News reporting that he is among 39 employees of the Bexar County DA's Office eligible for a car allowance. Notably, Gonzales stands out as the only one on this list with an annual salary exceeding $100,000. This financial dynamic plays out while many county residents grapple with essentials like fuel and groceries amid property tax increases that have outpaced population and inflation growth by nearly eight percent in the area, a fact highlighted by policy director James Quintero of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Moreover, Gonzales has rebuffed multiple requests for sit-down interviews regarding the allowance. Instead, he has relied on written statements and a subsequent dialogue with KSAT to emphasize his job’s demands and the nature of the threats he faces. Gonzales told KSAT, "I think the public would understand that I'm the only county official that makes decisions that are literally life and death. We send people to prison. What happens every day at this courthouse doesn't make a lot of people happy and because of that, I have been targets of multiple death threats." Despite the back-and-forth and the DA’s criticisms of media coverage, the debate over the justifications for his car allowance persists in the public forum.
