Mike Martinez

Michael W. Martinez (August 1, 1969) is a former Austin City Council member and former mayoral candidate in Austin, Texas. He served as the Board Chair of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro), the Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise and Small Business Council Subcommittee. Martinez was a member of the Judicial Committee, Public Health and Human Services Subcommittee and was on the CapMetro board of directors.

In April 2014, Martinez launched his campaign for the 2014 Austin mayoral election. That September, Martinez supported Austin City Council member Kathie Tovo's proposal to give Austin homeowners a $5,000 cut through a general homestead exemption.

Martinez advanced to a run-off by placing second in the November 4, 2014 general election after the leading voter getter, Steve Adler, failed to achieve a majority of the vote. In the run-off election held on December 16, 2014, Martinez was defeated by Adler by a total of 52,125 (67%) to 25,610 (33%).

Business In 2015, Martinez joined the affordable housing startup Kasita as head of Government and Community Affairs. Martinez also serves as Diversity Advocate at Kasita.

Electoral history

Personal life Mike Martinez lives in a newly built East Austin home with his wife, Lara Wendler and his two children.

Controversy Council emails In February 2011 it was reported that Martinez had referred to City Manager Marc Ott and an assistant council member as "jokes" in an email exchange with Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell. Martinez apologized for his comments the following day. One day later, the Austin chapter of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People filed ethics complaints against Martinez and Leffingwell. The City of Austin Ethics Review Commission dismissed the NAACP complaints in April 2011.

In an initial response to an early 2011 public information request for email exchanges between Austin City Council members, Mike Martinez's office released fewer than a dozen emails. Later, Martinez acknowledged that his office did not release all emails pursuant to the request and accepted for responsibility for the "oversight."

Open meetings In April 2011, Capital Metro released 3,000 emails pursuant to a request by the Travis County attorney to determine whether or not the Capital Metro board was meeting in small groups to avoid a quorum.

According to the Austin American Statesman, there was "scant" evidence of this.

Martinez in his role as Council Member was under criminal investigation for sending e-mails in violation of the Open Meetings Act. In order to avoid criminal prosecution, Martinez had to enter into a compliance agreement with prosecutors. While under criminal investigation, he was charged $24,657.50 in legal fees which was covered with taxpayer funds.