{"id":945331,"date":"2026-07-19T11:37:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T11:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/945331\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T11:37:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T11:37:22","slug":"with-eyes-on-future-races-council-members-reconsider-donor-limits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/945331\/","title":{"rendered":"With eyes on future races, council members reconsider donor limits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fundraising for most of San Antonio\u2019s City Council members has slowed to a trickle, with many donors already maxed out and unable to give again until June 2028.<\/p>\n

That could soon change, however, as the city\u2019s Ethics Review Board faces pressure<\/a> to increase their contribution cycles leading into the next municipal election.<\/p>\n

San Antonio currently holds its candidates to far stricter donor limits than those running for county, state and federal offices, capping the amount City Council hopefuls can collect from a single donor at $500 per election cycle, or $1,000 per cycle for mayoral candidates.<\/p>\n

While there\u2019s long been grumbling<\/a> about whether such limits truly level the playing field, complaints appeared to reach a boiling point when the council and mayor moved to four-year terms last year \u2014 and many donors were suddenly maxed out still years away from the next election.<\/p>\n

Most weeks at City Hall, jockeying for a 2029 mayoral race appears well underway already<\/a>, with constant clashes between progressive Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and her more business-centric colleagues.<\/p>\n

But semi-annual campaign finance reports due this week showed relatively little money raised for such a contest during the first half of 2026, at a time when some council members are eager to start building up their war chests.<\/p>\n

Most of the 10-member council raised less than $15,000 between Jan. 1 and June 30.<\/p>\n

Councilman Marc Whyte (D10), who uses a professional fundraiser to help him raise money, was a major outlier, raising about $68,000<\/a>. But he said the changes have made it tougher for everyone, and caused concern among some members who want to revisit the issue before they\u2019re on the ballot again.<\/p>\n

\"\"Councilman Marc Whyte (D10), right, and councilwoman Misty Spears (D9) listen to comments from the public during a city council special session meeting on Feb. 27, 2026. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\u201cThe contribution cycle, the way it is now, probably has slowed down fundraising,\u201d Whyte said. \u201cI do think there\u2019s some desire from council members to have all these things relooked at and potentially make fundraising easier in those three years before the actual election.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ethics Review Board has now met twice to discuss revisiting the rules<\/a>, including potentially raising the maximum contribution limits and allowing donors to max out multiple times per year instead of once per election cycle.<\/p>\n

Critics say it would dramatically increase the power of incumbency \u2014 allowing council members and the mayor to stockpile lobbyists\u2019 cash years before other candidates have even started assembling their campaigns.<\/p>\n

But the Ethics Review Board\u2019s members are appointed by the council members, some of whom consider the changes critical to avoiding a repeat of 2025. <\/p>\n

San Antonio\u2019s last mayoral race saw millions in PAC spending for Jones<\/a> and former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, who leapfrogged into a runoff while four sitting council members struggled to gain traction.<\/p>\n

\u2018Dawn of a new era\u2019: 2025 mayor\u2019s race among the most expensive in history<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI know that there\u2019s concern on council, and I know that there\u2019s concern in the business community,\u201d Whyte said of the shifting dynamics in San Antonio\u2019s most recent mayoral race. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have one candidate who is going to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars from outside of San Antonio and outside of Texas, how can a local candidate who has a lot of support here in our region compete with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

While some council members were still collecting checks from lobbyists and other donors in the first half of 2026, Jones raised just $2,700<\/a> and reported about $25,000 on hand as of June 30. <\/p>\n

\"\"San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones addresses the council during a meeting on May 7, 2026. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

But she remains close with powerful political allies from her two congressional bids before this, many of whom came in big to help her mayoral race last year.<\/p>\n

Jones did not respond to a request for comment about her fundraising or the Ethics Review Board\u2019s potential changes.<\/p>\n

Reading the tea leaves on fundraising<\/p>\n

By 2029, three council members will be term-limited from seeking reelection to their current positions: Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (D2), Phyllis Viagran (D3) and Teri Castillo (D5). <\/p>\n

They were first elected in 2021, and by the end of this term will have reached the maximum of eight years on council. They could run for mayor instead, but none appeared to be raising much money on their latest reports.<\/p>\n