San Antonio City Council on Thursday will vote on whether to change the name of downtown thoroughfare César E. Chávez Boulevard back to Durango Boulevard, the city’s agenda shows.
The vote comes roughly six months after the New York Times, in a bombshell investigation, reported allegations that Chávez, the late Latino labor leader and civil rights activist, engaged in decades of sexual abuse, rape and misconduct involving women and girls.
City officials estimate the name change to Durango, which is what the boulevard was called before council changed its name in 2011 to honor Chávez, will cost taxpayers $373,700. That sum will cover replacing 58 ground-mounted pole signs, 15 highway signs, 31 streetlight-mounted overhead signs and one overhead frontage sign, according to the agenda item.
That cost comes as the city is trying to tackle a $158 million budget deficit by raising more than 140 city fees while also cutting staff positions. A 3.9% property tax increase is also on the table.
District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo led the charge to rename César E. Chávez Boulevard in the wake of the Times report. She held several town hall meetings on the West Side to hear from residents.
In April, city staff also conducted two community meetings with residents living and operating businesses along the thoroughfare.
San Antonio isn’t the only city grappling with the fallout of Chavez’s alleged predatory behavior.
In late May, Houston City Council unanimously voted to rename its street named after the disgraced activist. Austin officials are weighing a similar name change.
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