Phil Hardberger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Hardberger
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|---|---|
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| Mayor of San Antonio | |
| In office June 7, 2005 – June 1, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Garza |
| Succeeded by | Julian Castro |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Phillip Duane Hardberger
July 27, 1934 Morton, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Linda Morgan
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education |
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| Profession | Judge Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1955–1958 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Cold War |
Phillip Duane Hardberger (born July 27, 1934) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, starting in June 2005. He was elected as a Democrat, but the mayoral election was non-partisan.
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Phil Hardberger: San Antonio's Former Mayor
Early Life and Military Service
Phil Hardberger was born on July 27, 1934. He studied at Baylor University. After college, he joined the United States Air Force. He became a captain and flew B-47 bomber planes.
Later, he worked in government. He was an executive secretary for the Peace Corps during President John F. Kennedy's time. He also helped the director of the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
In 1968, he married Linda Morgan. They had two daughters, Amy and Kimberlea. Before becoming mayor, Hardberger was a judge. He served as an Associate Justice and then Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals.
Becoming Mayor of San Antonio
In 2004, Phil Hardberger decided to run for mayor of San Antonio. This was a surprise to many. Usually, people who became mayor had first served on the city council.
He won the election on June 7, 2005. He defeated Julian Castro, who later became mayor himself. Hardberger took over from Ed Garza, who could not run again due to city rules.
Key Events as Mayor
Hardberger was mayor when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. The New Orleans Saints football team had to leave their city. They set up operations in San Antonio.
The Saints played some games at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Mayor Hardberger worked hard to try and keep the team in San Antonio permanently. Other leaders, like Texas Governor Rick Perry, also supported this idea. They even talked about upgrading the Alamodome.
The Saints eventually returned to New Orleans. But Hardberger remained hopeful about bringing another professional sports team to San Antonio. He believed an NFL team would come to the city in the future. He also ended talks about bringing a Major League Soccer team to San Antonio. He felt the deal was not good for the city financially.
Achievements and Legacy
Phil Hardberger was re-elected as mayor in May 2007. He finished his term in May 2009. Near the end of his time, he helped change the city's rules for mayoral terms. This allowed future mayors to serve longer. He left office with a very high approval rating.
During his time as mayor, he achieved many things. He led San Antonio's help for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He helped expand San Antonio's park space. This included getting land for what is now Phil Hardberger Park.
He also started Haven for Hope, a new facility for people experiencing homelessness. Hardberger worked to make San Antonio a "green city" with the Mission Verde plan. He also helped redevelop Main Plaza, restoring the city's historic downtown area.
After Being Mayor
In December 2009, the City of San Antonio honored Hardberger. They renamed Voelcker Park to Phil Hardberger Park. This was to recognize his efforts in improving the city's quality of life.
After his mayorship, Hardberger continued his law career. He joined Cox Smith, a large law firm in San Antonio. He helps the firm with legal cases and community work. He also stayed involved in city projects. These included the San Antonio River Walk expansion and the Phil Hardberger Park.
In 2017, Hardberger helped a company called Lake Assault Boats. They won a contract to build sightseeing boats for the San Antonio River Walk. This caused some disagreement with then-Mayor Ivy Taylor. However, Hardberger continued to advocate for the company.
