Martinez seeks reelection, touts water, infrastructure and economic growth vision

Ernestina “Tina” Martinez used her reelection pitch to frame the Del Rio City Council seat as a test of whether city hall can deliver on water, infrastructure and economic growth at the same time. With the May 2 municipal election approaching, Martinez is running for At-Large Place C against LeRoy Briones and Alexandra Falcon Calderon in a race that will help determine who steers the city’s next round of decisions on bills, streets and development.

Martinez, who was elected to the Place C seat in May 2022, rooted her case in long ties to Del Rio. She said she was born and raised here, has family roots in San Felipe and helped rebuild historic Brown Plaza. Her background spans business, civic work and the military community: she owned Frances Florist for 15 years, worked in jewelry merchandising and management at J.C. Penney, completed coursework at the Gemological Institute of America and built 25 years of sales and marketing experience. She is the widow of a 24-year Air Force veteran and the mother of two Air Force veterans.

Her profile also emphasized years inside local government. Martinez said she has 15 years of city government experience, including service as mayor pro tem under former Mayor Dora Alcala, work under four mayors, a term in the At-Large Place C seat and participation on the HOT Committee and Main Street Program. City records show she graduated from San Felipe High School in 1965 before attending the Gemological Institute of America.

The core of Martinez’s platform centered on water, and that issue has been front and center in Del Rio for months. The Texas Water Development Board approved $16.15 million for Del Rio water projects on July 24, 2025, with $12.695 million assigned to a water system project and $3.455 million for a water treatment plant expansion. City council had already approved water and wastewater rate ordinances on June 24, 2025, and the city’s rate study projected an average residential water bill increase of 21.8 percent and an average sewer bill increase of 68 percent in the first year. Residents later protested the increase at a Dec. 15, 2025 public hearing.

Martinez said the city’s biggest concern remains water supply. She wants continued work on wells and treatment plants and said rates need to stay affordable. She also stressed streets and infrastructure, saying the city should keep pursuing grant revenue to pave roads, and she tied economic development to daily life by calling for closer work with the Economic Development Corporation to attract businesses and tourists. Del Rio’s Economic Development Department says its mission includes balanced job opportunities, economic development and tourism.

Brown Plaza, the downtown landmark Martinez pointed to as part of her civic identity, reflects the same long-running local themes now driving the campaign: water, community history and the future of the city built around them.