Democratic candidate for governor Gina Hinojosa rallies with union members on San Antonio’s Northside on Sunday. Credit: Michael Karlis

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa joined the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) on Sunday in San Antonio to make a final appeal to educators ahead of Election Day.

The rally at the AFT’s North Side union hall, also attended by former Mayor and current Bexar County judge candidate Ron Nirenberg and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, aimed to energize union members as they canvassed neighborhoods for Hinojosa’s campaign. Union members were also campaigning in support of Proposition A, an initiative to boost funding for Northside ISD.

“We know that schools are essential to the American dream,” Hinojosa told union members. “I am running to secure the American dream. The American dream that I grew up understanding as a little girl growing up on the border in Brownsville, Texas.”

Prop A would bring $45 million to Northside to bolster daily operations and staff salaries through a 3-cent increase in the district’s maintenance and operations tax rate. For a home in NISD with an average taxable value of $215,210, the increase would cost the owner an estimated $5.98 annually, according to NISD officials.

During Sunday’s rally, Northside AFT President Melina Espiritu-Asocar said it was vital for the organization to fight alongside Hinojosa so she can help secure better wages for teachers.

“Unfortunately, because of the last legislative session and the lack of funding coming into public education, districts’ hands were tied. There is no extra funding or dollars coming in,” Espiritu-Asocar told the Current. “They’re having to be creative with how to spend the money, and so what was important is that we make sure that we’re still taking care of our educators.”

Union officials argue that Texas’ funding for public school districts, including NISD, has suffered under Gov. Greg Abbott’s school voucher program, which allocated $1 billion in taxpayer funds to subsidize private school tuition for qualifying families.

Observers estimate that the scheme will cost public school districts $300 million this year as students depart for private campuses. Texas Comptroller Don Huffines, a Republican Abbott appointee, has already asked to expand the program’s budget to $2 billion.

Espiritu-Asocar said she expects NISD voters to pass Prop. A.

“Gina is a mom with kids in public schools, just like I am,” Espiritu-Asocar said. “She understands that what we need to do is support our teachers and support our programs to make sure that our kids have the education they deserve.”

During her nine years representing the Austin area in the Texas House of Representatives, Hinojosa established a reputation as an advocate for public schools. She entered politics after budget cuts threatened to shutter her son’s school.

Nirenberg also has a history of advocating for improvements to public school systems, including renewing Pre-K 4 SA to provide high-quality early education and launching the AlamoPROMISE initiative to expand post-secondary access for San Antonio public school graduates.

Bexar County residents cast more than 500,000 ballots during the early-voting period that ended Friday, Texas Public Radio reports.

Hinojosa currently trails Abbott by just 2.5 points, according to the most recent RealClearPolitics poll average. Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic candidate who came closest to beating Abbott, lost to Abbott by 11 points in 2022.

“It is hard to knock on a stranger’s door. It is hard to call a stranger and engage,” Hinojosa told AFT members. “But that’s what we are called to do in this moment in history. In a moment we didn’t choose to be in, but it has chosen us.”

Polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. A list of polling locations is available at the Bexar County Election Department website.

Texas politics is a mess. We make it a readable mess.

Sign up for San Antonio Current’s new “Texas Politics This Week” newsletter.

Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

​