Donovon Rodriguez joins Republic Services, a national leader in the environmental services industry, as Municipal Sales Manager to the San Antonio leadership team. With over a decade of experience in state and local government, Donovon will help drive long-term relationships and develop strategies to strengthen customer satisfaction and retention.

San Antonio, TX - I’ve spent the last seven years working in civil service to help ensure our government is delivering for all Texans. As chief of staff to state Rep. Ray Lopez, a Democrat representing District 125, I lead a small team that serves approximately 200,000 people in and around Bexar County. Every day, we connect people to programs offered through more than 100 state agencies. We help seniors maintain their independence and veterans receive their benefits, and we advocate for children.

Austin, Texas (AP) — Donovon Rodriguez pursued a career with the state of Texas seven years ago because he viewed the work as public service and a steady income to provide for his family. But lately, his government job hasn’t looked so stable.

Rodriguez, the chief of staff for a Democratic state representative, is one of close to 2,000 legislative workers who risk going unpaid after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott slashed their salariesfrom the state budget as punishment after Democratic lawmakers walked out in May to block restrictions on voting.

Last Friday, Democratic lawmakers struck back, petitioning the Texas Supreme Court for an order that would restore Article X funding. Only four legislative aides signed on as plaintiffs in the court filing. Rodriguez was one of them; the only one from Bexar County.

“I immediately talked to our state employees union and they were the ones that encouraged me to become a plaintiff,” Rodriguez said. “At least I kind of felt like I’m taking some action or some kind of protest against what the governor has done.”

mong those staffers whose jobs are at risk is Donovon J. Rodriguez, chief of staff to state Rep. Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio, who said Abbott is “unlawfully eliminating jobs and displacing hardworking individuals.”