Cynthia April Guadarrama is a U.S. Navy veteran who had a 30-year career as an insurance agent. She’s also a filmmaker, and previously owned an RV park in Rockport. She will appear on the ballot as April Guadarrama.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I’m self funding my campaign for Mayor. I have lived in San Antonio for 5 years. I was born and raised in Seguin. I grew up in San Antonio. I still remember eating at Shakey’s Pizza on San Pedro Street, and going to Playland Park on Broadway. I still miss Christie’s and Naples restaurants.
I was in the US Navy for 4 years and received my B.A. from SWTSU in San Marcos, TX in 1985. I was a self-employed insurance agent for almost 30 years in Schertz and owned a RV Park in Rockport for 8 years.
I’m retired; however, I started my movie company, Darma Movie Ventures. With my business background, I know budgets and DIY projects. I haven’t ever run for public office.
In a field of 27 mayoral candidates, what differentiates you from the others?
I feel I am qualified to be San Antonio Mayor because I’m a HANDS ON person. I feel my experience in life and as a business person gives me the tools to clean up our city and to be a GREAT mayor! I plan to use half of my first year salary as mayor to jumpstart a few projects.
If elected, you would be taking over at a time when the city has spent more than a year negotiating a massive downtown redevelopment effort in Project Marvel. How would you approach this project?
I’m self funding my campaign for Mayor. I think Project Marvel should be fully funded by the Spurs. I say leave the Spurs arena where it’s at. Problem solved! They have the money. The San Antonio Spurs are a business. They should fund their own projects. They had an arena downtown. Then the Spurs left downtown. Now they want to return to downtown. These Spurs executives need to make up their minds.
At this point, I think if the Spurs want to move downtown, let them pay for it. Our city has bigger problems than this Spurs arena. How about vicious dogs? Affordable housing? CRIME? Power washing downtown to be rid of smelly smells? CCTVs downtown? Feral cats?
In the city’s 2024-2025 budget survey, residents ranked homelessness, streets,
housing and animal care services among their top concerns for the city to address. Which issues do you consider a top concern and how would you work to address them in your first 100 days?
WE ALL ALLOW ANIMAL ABUSE! Sticking an animal in a cage for days, weeks, months, is CRUEL AND INHUMANE! I wish TO REDUCE THE ANIMAL CARE BUDGET to $1 million per year NOT $32 million. We pay 194 employees $15 million a year to babysit dogs and cats. AND we still don’t get any help when we report a stray. These animals go crazy stuck in a cage, so would you. Have compassion for these unwanted traumatized animals, PLS LET THEM GO! NO KILL IS KILLING US!
Every city is drowning in animals. Our society is irresponsible, that’s the problem. Sadly, we need to put down more animals. I would rather have my pet put to sleep than to be stuck in a cage for I don’t know how long and go CRAZY! A BIG chunk of this $32 million needs to be used for affordable housing, CRIME, homelessness, senior citizen centers, repave streets, NOT animals!
How would you approach working with both state leaders in Austin and a new presidential administration in D.C.?
I will work with government officials on the airport and Advanced Rapid Transit. Public transportation is needed for our city. Is safety equipment in place on buses for our drivers’ protection? HOW ABOUT LIGHTING UP THESE BUS STOPS? This is one thing VIA can do NOW, long overdue. Install additional lights, use luminescent paint, and add cameras. These bus stops are so dimly lit!
Read more about April Guadarrama
Inside the expensive, ‘confusing,’ 27-candidate race to be San Antonio’s next mayor
