Arredondo announces mayoral candidacy, joins packed race

Juan Miguel Arredondo, a current San Marcos Consolidated ISD School Board Trustee, announced his candidacy for San Marcos Mayor. 

Arredondo said in a press release Monday that his priorities and motivation to run for mayor center around the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic shutdown and housing unaffordability. 

“Now, more than ever, our community deserves new ideas and bold leadership at City Hall,” Arredondo said. “As mayor, I’ll fight to protect the things that make San Marcos a special place to live while advancing new policies to help residents and businesses recover from the economic shutdown, solve our housing affordability crisis, reduce homelessness, combat climate change, increase citizen engagement at City Hall, and implement systems to create a more resilient community able to withstand catastrophic events — both natural and manmade."

Arredondo, who is a fifth-generation San Marcos native, graduated from San Marcos High School and Texas State University. He has been on the SMCISD Board of Trustees since May 2015 and was reelected in 2017. He had announced his reelection bid for his current position on the board of trustees prior to the May election being rescheduled to November. He also serves on the United Way of Hays and Caldwell Counties board and is a volunteer with the San Marcos Education Foundation.   

Arredondo, 28, said San Marcos will thrive if his three priorities are addressed.  

“San Marcos needs a stronger response to the pandemic to reduce spread, support citizens who have been impacted and ensure testing and medical care is available to everyone,” he said. “I will work to develop a plan, alongside economic development professionals, businesses and other stakeholders to ensure our local economy is strong and our residents can finally earn a living wage. Housing affordability has been an issue in San Marcos since before I was born. It’s past time for the city to adopt policies that create opportunities for affordable housing,” he said.

Arredondo also pledged that he would not accept the City of San Marcos’s mayoral monthly stipend of $2,200 and would use those funds to help San Marcans recover from the current public health and economic crises.  

Arredondo joins a packed field for mayor, including incumbent Jane Hughson and challengers Randy Dethrow, Michael Hathaway and Justin Harris. Filing for mayor closed at 5 p.m. on Monday. 

Early voting for San Marcos elections begins on Oct. 13 with election day on Nov. 3.