Who do you want to be the next mayor of San Antonio? On April 14, two days before the start of Fiesta, the Rivard Report will host what could be the campaign’s last major forum with the four leading mayoral candidates at the historic Pearl Stable.
We are proud to host the event with the Pearl Brewery, Overland Partners Architects and Southerleigh Brewery. Tickets for our second Pints & Politics event are going fast. Seats are still available, and are $10 and are available here.
Pints & Politics is our unique approach to civic engagement. The events we stage aim to bring important and interesting public policy issues to our audience of young professionals in ways that make the experience both educational and entertaining. We hope you will take the opportunity to hear the candidates on the major issues of the day and take time to meet them in an informal setting while enjoying a craft beer.
With the campaign in the home stretch, we won’t spend much time letting the candidates introduce themselves. Most of the time will be devoted to audience questions and candidate responses. We are asking readers to share topics of importance. Click here to share our views. So far, people want us to ask about reducing suburban sprawl, developing alternative transportation options, and making the city safe for cyclists.
Is the ‘Decade of Downtown’ dead with the departure of former Mayor Julián Castro? Do any of the leading candidates have a plan to maintain the momentum? Don’t miss the opportunity to ask your question to make your point before the voting begins.
The Pearl’s newest star, Southerleigh Brewery, will be on hand to provide their local craft beer. Remember to reserve your spot at the table by purchasing your tickets here.
Other upcoming mayoral candidate events:
- April 15, 7:30-9 a.m.: (members only) ULI San Antonio Breakfast, the Aztec Theatre
- April 27, 7:30 p.m.: Theatre for Change at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
More forums are in the planning stage, details will be added as they become available.
The Candidates
Mayor Ivy Taylor formally declared her candidacy on Monday, Feb. 16. Taylor is the first African-American mayor of San Antonio and only the second woman. The former District 2 City Council representative has served seven months of an interim appointment to the position following the departure last July of former Mayor Julián Castro, who resigned to become Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration. Taylor has a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Yale University. Website: www.sanantonio.gov/mayor
Leticia Van de Putte, a San Antonio native who grew up on the city’s Westside, has represented state Senate District 26 since 1999. State Rep. José Menéndez was recently elected as her replacement in a special election runoff against state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer. Van de Putte delivered her farewell speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday, where she chaired the Texas Senate Veterans Affairs and Military Installations Committee. Van de Putte is a pharmacist, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. Her husband, Pete, is the CEO of Dixie Flag Manufacturing Company, a family business opened in 1958. Website: www.leticiaformayor.com.
Mike Villarreal, a San Antonio native, represented state House District 123 for 15 years from 2000-14. During his legislative tenure he served as the Chair of the House Committee on Investments and Financial Service. Villarreal stepped down in late 2014 to become the first declared candidate for mayor. Mike received an undergraduate economics degree at Texas A&M University and later earned a master’s in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Website: www.mikevillarreal.com.
Tommy Adkisson, a San Antonio native, served as Bexar County commissioner for Precinct 4 for 16 years. Adkisson has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the South Texas College of Law. He served in the state House of Representatives for four years from 1981-85. He is a principal at Alamo Title. Website: www.tommyadkisson.com.
Related Stories:
The Pearl & Overland Partners Join The Rivard Report For Pints & Politics II
Video: Pints & Politics Mayoral Forum
