Mysterious mailer ridiculing first-term councilwoman arrives in San Antonio mailboxes

A mailer drawing attention to Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez’s DWI charge showed up in North Side mailboxes this week. Credit: Courtesy

A mysterious mailer lambasting first-term San Antonio Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez for a drunk-driving charge she picked up nearly a year ago showed up this week in mailboxes across District 8, which she serves.

The ad, which presents itself as a “Urgent Community Notice,” includes a mugshot from Meza Gonzalez’s July 24 arrest, a link to an article about the incident and a scannable QR code to the body-cam footage from the bust.

“NOTICE SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR? REPORT IT — NEVER APPROACH AN IMPAIRED ELECTED OFFICIAL BY YOURSELF,” the mailer states in bold type.

Although mailers targeting candidates for their past behavior are common during election cycles, Meza Gonzalez isn’t up for reelection until 2029. After a 2024 city code revision, council members serve now terms of four years rather than two.

Another unusual aspect is that the mailer doesn’t identify the sender.

Viva Politics’ Laura Barberena, who serves as Meza Gonzalez’s political consultant, told the Current the ad likely violates Texas Ethics Commission standards.

Texas requires campaign circulars or flyers that cost an aggregate $500 or more to be reported to the Texas Ethics Commission, according to Barberena. Based on the number of North Side homes that received the flyer, the total cost of the stunt likely exceeded that amount, the consultant added.

Meza Gonzalez’s office had no comment on the mailers as of press time.

Meza Gonzalez was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated less than a month after being elected to replace District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, who couldn’t run again due to term limits.

Despite the councilwoman having a blood alcohol content nearly twice the legal limit, Meza Gonzalez was offered a plea deal. The charges were lowered to obstruction of a highway, and she was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and sentenced to 9 months’ probation.

She’s the third sitting member of council to be charged with a DWI-related offense in as many years. Not one was ultimately convicted of their original charge, however.

The mailer further ridicules Meza Gonzalez for voting in favor of using public dollars to finance Project Marvel — the proposed $4 billion sports and entertainment district at Hemisfair — and for voting against Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ proposal to move elections during odd years from May to November in an effort to boost civic participation.

Meza Gozalez voted against Jones’ proposal, even though experts said the move, which passed in December along a contentious 6-5 vote, would increase voter turnout while saving the city money.

“Taken together, these controversies represent one of the most troubled starts to a council tenure in recent memory,” the mailer states. “District 8 deserves better than Councilwoman Meza Gonzalez — it would be difficult to do worse.”

Whatever voters’ feelings about Meza Gonzalez, it will be interesting to see how many remember accusations about her track record from a circular distributed three year before she faces reelection.

Mysterious mailer ridiculing first-term councilwoman arrives in San Antonio mailboxes

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