Few would deny that former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro was a charismatic and dynamic leader. It was those attributes that allowed him to turn a nearly-unpaid city mayor job, at $3,000 a year, into the cabinet of the most powerful man on the planet, as U.S. Secretary of housing and urban development.
But as San Antonio reevaluates everything from transportation and public safety, to conservation and urban transformation, has the city seen a slow down or even an outright reversal of the vision for the city?
Former San Antonio Express-News Executive Editor--and now director of the Rivard Report--Robert Rivard minced no words when he argued San Antonio has suffered as a result of Castro's departure.
The most obvious set back is the musical chairs of City Council appointments and special elections that have engrossed the city. District 1, the most recently vacated seat, came shortly after District 2 was left empty by Ivy Taylor, who took the reigns as San Antonio Mayor. The San Antonio legislative delegation has lost two veteran lawmakers--Mike Villareal from House District 123 and Leticia Van de Putte from Senate district 26--as they pursue Castro's old chair as mayor.
Negotiations with public safety officials drag on in the conference room as well as the courts. The streetcar project went down the drain faster than you can say urban density three times fast.
Where is San Antonio heading in 2015? Do we know?
Guest:
- Bob Rivard, director of therivardreport.com, an online news site dedicated to urban San Antonio
