Editorial: San Antonio’s Future Is on the Ballot — A Vote to End Generational Poverty

Today, May 27, marks the first day of early voting for San Antonio’s critical 2025 municipal runoff elections.

With pivotal decisions ahead — the selection of our next mayor and four key City Council members — we at River Walk Magazine believe every voter must engage with one central question: Which candidates have the clearest, most effective plans to break the chains of generational poverty and create opportunity for every San Antonian?

Early voting runs now through June 3. Election Day is Saturday, June 7.

🏛 Mayoral Runoff: Gina Ortiz Jones vs. Rolando Pablos

This mayoral race is not just a contest of résumés; it’s a contest of visions for how we lift up San Antonio’s working families, underserved neighborhoods, and struggling youth.

✅ Gina Ortiz Jones brings a background as a former Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force and a first-generation American who understands systemic barriers. Her focus is on early childhood education, affordable housing, and transparency — particularly ensuring that large-scale city projects like the proposed Spurs arena or Project Marvel return benefits directly to local communities. Her supporters point to her detailed plans for expanding access to education and creating accountability in city spending to ensure resources reach those most in need.

✅ Rolando Pablos, a former Texas Secretary of State, frames his platform around economic development and job creation. He champions public-private partnerships, airport expansion, and attracting new businesses as engines of opportunity — arguing that lifting all boats requires building a bigger economic pie. His endorsements from the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board and the Police Officers Association reflect a confidence in his pro-business, pro-growth approach.

Key Question for Voters: Will the next mayor focus on investing directly in people and neighborhoods most affected by poverty — or rely on broader market-driven strategies to raise overall economic conditions?

🗳️ City Council Runoff Races — Neighborhood Impact at Stake

While mayoral headlines dominate, City Council members shape local budgets, neighborhood investments, housing policies, and small business supports. These council runoffs will determine how aggressively San Antonio tackles poverty at the district level.

District 1

• Sukh Kaur (Incumbent): An educator focused on affordable housing, education, and community development, Kaur has prioritized policies benefiting renters, students, and working families.
• Patty Gibbons: With deep experience in zoning and housing trust governance, Gibbons emphasizes balanced growth and neighborhood input but has been less explicit about targeting poverty-driven inequities.

District 6

• Kelly Ann Gonzalez: A labor organizer passionate about zero-based budgeting, affordable housing expansion, and support for seniors — aligning her agenda closely with tackling economic inequities.
• Ric Galvan: A council aide focused on keeping utility rates fair, improving mental health crisis response, and enforcing housing inspections — also relevant to reducing poverty’s burdens, especially in working-class neighborhoods.

District 8

• Ivalis Meza Gonzalez: With City Hall experience, she promises attention to infrastructure and public safety but must be pressed on how those translate to meaningful gains for underserved residents.
• Paula McGee: Positions herself as an “outsider” promising transparency and community engagement — voters should ask how her platform will address structural economic disparities.

District 9

• Misty Spears: Runs on community engagement and equitable development, aiming to ensure historically neglected parts of the district get their share of investment.
• Angi Taylor Aramburu: Emphasizes fiscal responsibility and neighborhood preservation, but details on addressing poverty or inequality are limited in her platform.

📍 Where and When to Vote

• Early Voting: May 27 – June 3
• Election Day: Saturday, June 7

Registered Bexar County voters can vote at any polling site — schools, libraries, churches, and community centers.
Check locations and hours: Bexar County Elections Department website.

📣 Why This Election Matters for Ending Generational Poverty

San Antonio is at a crossroads: Will the next generation inherit the same inequalities, or will we finally confront the root causes — underfunded schools, unaffordable housing, lack of access to good-paying jobs, and insufficient health care?

It’s not just about economic growth; it’s about who that growth reaches.

The leaders we elect this week will set the tone for San Antonio’s policies for the next decade. Let’s choose leaders committed to ensuring that no zip code, no neighborhood, no family is left behind.

Let’s vote to end generational poverty.

— River Walk Magazine Editorial Board
Empowering San Antonio through informed civic engagement and the pursuit of equitable progress.