San Antonio City Council members Alderete Gavito and Castillo, along with councilmember Whyte, have voiced strong opposition too proposed changes to the Council Consideration Request (CCR) process, spearheaded by Councilmember Jones. the alterations would mandate that councilmembers secure signatures from the city manager and city attorney, and consult with the mayorS chief of staff, before seeking support from their colleagues.
Currently, a CCR requires five signatures to advance to the council’s Governance Committee, including the signature of the council member initiating the request. Alderete Gavito and her colleagues argue that Jones’ proposed changes represent an overreach, potentially empowering unelected city officials to obstruct policy proposals before they are presented to the full council.
castillo articulated this concern,stating,”With a couple of these prerequisites,what it essentially is is allowing unelected officials to stifle and or kill policy before the general public has an understanding of why something can’t move forward.” The three council members, representing diverse ideological viewpoints, co-authored an opinion piece in the San Antonio Express-News detailing their objections. Whyte also discussed these concerns on TPR’s The Source.
Following a town hall in District 4 on Monday, Jones dismissed the issue as “petty,” asserting that the city attorney has confirmed her authority to implement such changes to enhance process efficiency. She emphasized her focus on pressing matters like the budget and Spurs discussions, stating, “We’ve got real business to do, right? And that is what I’m focused on.”
Alderete Gavito countered Jones’ characterization, asserting the significance of the CCR process for constituents. “These concerns are not petty, and it’s disappointing she describes it as that. We use the CCR to resolve resident concerns, and so taking their voice away from that process is extremely concerning,” she said.
Jones declined to comment on her colleagues’ three-signature memo when approached by TPR.
