The following is a list of mayors of
San Antonio, Texas
("Cradle of Freedom")
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.
San Antonio operates under a
council–manager form of government.
[Kriston Capps]
Why Julián Castro's Record as Mayor of San Antonio Doesn't Necessarily Tell Us Much About His Future at HUD
''CityLab'' (May 19, 2014).[Sharon Navarro]
The Latino Mayors: San Antonio Politics and Policies
Research Report No. 52, April 2015, Julian Samora Research Institute, Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, p. 2. While the mayor presides over meetings of the City Council and is paid $3,000 more than other members of the Council, the mayor does not wield executive authority or
veto
A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
power. Rather, the mayor has one vote (of 11) on the city council, and the
city manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a "Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief execu ...
, appointed by the City Council, has executive power (the city charter gives the manager the responsibility to "execute the laws and administer the government of the city").
However, the mayor does have additional ceremonial responsibilities, such as issuing proclamations. Additionally, the mayor is the only city-wide elected official, and "a high-profile mayor can wield considerable political influence" in the city.
For example, the ''
San Antonio Express-News'' editorial board wrote that Mayor
Julian Castro
Julián Castro ( , ; born September 16, 1974) is an American lawyer and politician from San Antonio. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the youngest member of President Obama's cabinet, serving as the 16th United States Secretary of Ho ...
has "a mastery of political skill that made him a strong force in a weak mayor structure" during his term (2009–14).
Under Texas law, the mayor, like the city council, is selected in a non-partisan election.
When a vacancy occurs, the city council appoints an interim mayor. The mayor, like the other members of the city council, serves a two-year term, with a four-term
limit
Limit or Limits may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Limit'' (manga), a manga by Keiko Suenobu
* ''Limit'' (film), a South Korean film
* Limit (music), a way to characterize harmony
* "Limit" (song), a 2016 single by Luna Sea
* "Limits", a 2019 ...
. Since 1975, every mayor of San Antonio has previously served on the city council.
Colonial (1731-1821) and Mexican (1821-1836) San Antonio
The mayors of colonial San Antonio served one-year terms, although there were exceptions: some mayors, such as José Curbelo, Ignacio Lopez de Armas and Jose Felix Menchaca, held office several times.
Juan Leal Goraz
Juan Leal Goraz (1676–1742 or 1743), also called Juan Leal Gonzal, was a Spanish settler and politician who served as the first '' alcalde'' (a municipal magistrate with both judicial and administrative functions) of La Villa de San Fernando, ...
became the first mayor of La Villa de San Fernando, the settlement which would later become known as the city of San Antonio, after its founding on March 9, 1731.
San Antonio in the Republic of Texas (1836-1844) and U.S. State of Texas (1844-present)
See also
*
Timeline of San Antonio
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of San Antonio, Texas, United States.
18th century
* 1718 – San Antonio founded by Martín de Alarcón.
* 1718 – Mission San Antonio de Valero founded.
* 1720 – Mission San Jose f ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
List of Mayors and Alcaldes of San Antonio 1836–present, from the
City of San Antonio Municipal Archives
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
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San Antonio
Mayors