Jade Estaban Estrada
Surprising almost no one, Mayor Ivy Taylor has announced she will seek a full term in office.
Ivy Taylor will officially seek a full mayoral term in office. Cary Clack, director of communications for the mayor's office, confirmed the news of her candidacy with the Current this morning.
Taylor, who previously held the District 2 City Council seat, was voted into the city's top office in the interim by fellow council members last July, following Julián Castro's appointment to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
She informed her colleagues at the time that she did not intend to seek a full term. However, speculation regarding her candidacy in the May 9 mayoral election continued to grow during her subsequent months in office, so much so that today's confirmation seemed like an inevitability.
Taylor joins a crowded field of candidates that includes State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, former State Rep. Mike Villarreal, Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson and nine other candidates.
In an interview with the San Antonio Express-News today, Taylor remarked on her change of heart regarding seeking a full term.
“I’ve learned in these last few months this job is very dynamic, and I’ve learned that I’ve got to be flexible. My main goal, originally, was to ensure that the person in the mayor’s seat would be focused on the job and not using the job as an opportunity to campaign and be a lightning rod for the other council members, and I believe I’ve brought that to the table.
“I’ve brought focus on the issues and actually some of my colleagues have actually urged me to consider running. And so I think that they will understand the nature of the decision.”
During her brief time in office, Taylor has made the position her own, despite only being appointed to an interim term. Last August, she scrapped the controversial plans for a downtown streetcar, a project heralded by her predecessor. She's also worked on improving the complaint process and enforcement of the amended non-discrimination ordinance, despite voting against municipal LGBT discrimination protections the year prior. Her NDO efforts saw the establishment of a LGBT community advisory council in order to seek input regarding NDO complaint intake.
Taylor also hit the reset button on the protracted contract negotiations between the city and the police and fire unions, which had been at a stalemate for months. However all parties still have yet to reach an agreement. Under Taylor's direction, the council also amended the transportation ordinance to accommodate ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft. The new regulations go into full effect on March 1, but Uber has indicated it will vacate the San Antonio market because of strict insurance requirements tied to the new ordinance.
Taylor told the Express-News that she plans to run on her years of experience in city government, both as a councilwoman and as mayor.
“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to be able to make an impact here,” she said. “And just, after really thinking about it further, I realize how important that experience is that I have to bring to the table, that municipal-level experience.”
