Ep 55. Melissa Cabello Havrda On Her Mayoral Campaign and San Antonio's Future

The odds of her succeeding in life have never really been in her favor, but through hard work and determination, Melissa Cabello Havrda overcame the odds, graduated from college, graduated from law school, began her own law firm and got elected to the City Council. Now, she wants to be San Antonio’s next mayor.

She’s running a grassroots campaign in a very crowded field. Cabello Havrda shares her journey from launching her campaign in December to navigating a field of 26 opponents, emphasizing her commitment to community engagement and grassroots organizing. She explores the dynamics of mayoral forums and the importance of understanding constituents' needs, as well as reflecting on the camaraderie and challenges faced alongside other candidates.

Councilwoman Cabello Havrda delves into current issues impacting San Antonio, highlighting her leadership in advocating for the controversial Reproductive Justice Fund. She dove into this issue from a sense of purpose and mission and touches on some of the complexities surrounding council positions on this issue. Additionally, the Councilwoman shares her active efforts on construction impacts on small businesses, emphasizing initiatives like the Responsible Bidder Ordinance and liaison roles to enhance city outreach and support for local businesses.

Throughout the episode, Cabello Havrda talked about dressing for the job you want. Unlike other candidates, she doesn’t have a 100-day plan, because she says as a current member of the City Council, she has already been working on her priorities and leading the way on them. Issue like helping to pass a capital reserve fund for CPS Energy as a home for surplus funds to help CPS tackle capital equipment costs and to apply as a down payment on any future rate hikes. She concludes the episode by emphasizing her vision of transforming city government into a highly efficient and community-centered entity, aiming to focus on zero-based and performance-based budgeting to better meet San Antonio’s diverse needs.

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