San Antonio City Council Considers Censure of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones

UT San Antonio political expert warns of potential impacts on future mayoral-council relations

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The San Antonio City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss the potential censure of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, citing alleged unprofessional conduct in her dealings with fellow council members, city staff, and residents. Five council members have submitted a memo outlining 'repeated instances of unprofessional conduct' by the mayor. While a censure would not carry any legal penalties, UT San Antonio political science professor Jon Taylor warns it could impact the mayor's political capital and future relations with the city council.

Why it matters

The potential censure of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones highlights the ongoing tensions and power dynamics within San Antonio's local government. A successful censure vote, though largely symbolic, could strain the mayor's relationship with the city council and impact her ability to effectively govern going forward.

The details

Five San Antonio City Council members - Phyllis Viagran (D3), Teri Castillo (D5), Marina Alderete Gavito (D7), Ivalis Meza Gonzalez (D8) and Misty Spears (D9) - have submitted a memo citing 'repeated instances of unprofessional conduct' by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones. This includes a formal complaint filed by District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur following a confrontation earlier this month, which has triggered a code of conduct investigation. Mayor Jones has acknowledged disagreements with her colleagues but described her leadership style as grounded in her lived experience, expressing a desire to continue working collaboratively.

  • The San Antonio City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday, February 21, 2026 to discuss the potential censure of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.
  • The memo citing the mayor's alleged unprofessional conduct was submitted by the five council members on February 9, 2026.

The players

Gina Ortiz Jones

The current mayor of San Antonio who is facing potential censure by the city council.

Phyllis Viagran

A San Antonio City Council member who is one of the five council members who submitted the memo citing the mayor's alleged unprofessional conduct.

Teri Castillo

A San Antonio City Council member who is one of the five council members who submitted the memo citing the mayor's alleged unprofessional conduct.

Marina Alderete Gavito

A San Antonio City Council member who is one of the five council members who submitted the memo citing the mayor's alleged unprofessional conduct.

Ivalis Meza Gonzalez

A San Antonio City Council member who is one of the five council members who submitted the memo citing the mayor's alleged unprofessional conduct.

Misty Spears

A San Antonio City Council member who is one of the five council members who submitted the memo citing the mayor's alleged unprofessional conduct.

Sukh Kaur

A San Antonio City Council member who filed a formal complaint against the mayor following a confrontation, triggering a code of conduct investigation.

Jon Taylor

A political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio who provided expert analysis on the potential impacts of a mayoral censure.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's not like the mayor is going to face some sort of legal penalty because of censure, it's more of a case of a sentiment.”

— Jon Taylor, UT San Antonio political science professor (kens5.com)

“The real issue is what it means in terms of political capital, what it means in terms of her relationship with the city council going forward. Those are the things where a censure vote, in particular if it's a successful censure vote, how that could impact mayoral-council relations in the future.”

— Jon Taylor, UT San Antonio political science professor (kens5.com)

“Disagreements have occurred with colleagues. My leadership style is grounded in my lived experience, and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to improve our city.”

— Gina Ortiz Jones (kens5.com)

What’s next

The San Antonio City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday, February 21, 2026 to vote on whether to censure Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.

The takeaway

The potential censure of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones highlights the ongoing tensions and power dynamics within San Antonio's local government. While a censure would be largely symbolic, it could still impact the mayor's political capital and her future relationship with the city council, potentially complicating her ability to effectively govern going forward.