Rocha Garcia, 43, is seeking reelection to her third term on City Council. A native San Antonian, she earned a doctoral degree in Advertising from the University of Texas’ Moody College of Communication. She chairs City Council’s Planning and Community Development Committee and the Community, Health, Equity and Culture Committee and sits on the Economic and Workforce Development, Governance, Intergovernmental Relations and Municipal Utilities committees.
Hear from the candidate
The following questions were asked of all City Council candidates.
Please tell voters about yourself.
I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Incarnate Word. Upon graduation, I was offered a job in the University’s Office of Public Relations and completed my master’s degree from the University of the Incarnate Word one year later. In 2004, I was accepted into the University of Texas at Austin’s doctoral Advertising program, where I became one of the first Hispanics to earn a Ph.D. in advertising from UT’s prestigious Moody College of Communication.
I’ve held various administrative and consulting communications and marketing positions in organizations like SAMMinistries Furniture for A Cause, the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the City of San Antonio, Southwest ISD, and Project QUEST. Today, I am an assistant marketing professor at Our Lady of the Lake University and a past recipient of the 1895 Commencement Award for Faculty Excellence.
Do you have any previous experience in government or participation on local boards, commissions or neighborhood associations? Have you run for elected office before?
My current council committee assignments are Economic and Workforce Development, Governance, Intergovernmental Relations, and Municipal Utilities, and I am the chair of the Planning and Community Development Committee and the Community, Health, Equity and Culture Committee.
I serve on the Committee on Emergency Preparedness, SA Ready to Work Advisory Board, Visit San Antonio Board of Directors, and Port San Antonio Board of Directors. I am chair of the Committee of Six and a board member of the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG). I am the chair of the City of San Antonio Council Aides Local Government Corporation. Furthermore, I represent the City of San Antonio in the Bexar County Appraisal District.
All other boards and committees I have served on can be found on my website, adrianagarcia.org.
I have been City Councilwoman for District 4 since 2019.
What three issues do you consider to be most pressing for your district and how would you address them?
The most pressing issues for District 4 are creating reinvestment opportunities for the South Side; ensuring there is health equity across our city — specifically in District 4; increasing public safety so that residents and businesses feel safe and secure; bolstering support for seniors, veterans, and the disabled; and focusing on the needs of neighborhoods through a long-term approach that I am calling the “Decade of Neighborhoods.” I plan on continuing to address all of these issues by meeting with stakeholders and constituents, fighting for an equitable budget, and crafting creative policies.
Do you support the proposed city charter amendment, known as Proposition A or the Justice Charter, that would bar certain policing tactics, decriminalize abortion and low-level marijuana possession and create a city justice director to oversee criminal justice policy? Why or why not?
No, I do not support Proposition A. The city attorney has stated that five of the six items that will be voted on are not enforceable.
How do you feel the city has done at balancing the needs of downtown and the neighborhoods, from bond projects to budget priorities?
I think we as City Council have done a good job at listening to neighborhoods and utilizing their input to adopt effective budgets and bond projects that benefit downtown development. I believe investments in public safety through our budget, and in infrastructure from our bond projects, strike the right balance of priorities for both residents and downtown. Furthermore, I have been pushing for the “Decade of Neighborhoods,” and I am considering the budget for decades of underinvestment and disinvestment in the South Side. I will continue to represent the best interests of District 4 with input from the community and fight for an equitable budget that addresses the needs of both downtown and District 4 neighborhoods.
If elected, how do you plan to solicit input and feedback from residents in your district?
To solicit input and feedback from residents, I will continue hosting neighborhood meetings because they are key ways of communication. I will also invite residents to participate through electronic surveys, and surveys at events with partnering organizations. My team will also be active on social media where we enjoy communicating with constituents, and receiving feedback and input through the use of those platforms.
