SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones joined KSAT’s weekly Q&A Tuesday to discuss the city’s looming budget vote and tensions among council members ahead of Thursday’s vote.
The city continues to face a $158 million deficit over the next two years, and one proposal calls for a property tax increase, the first in decades. Jones said she has not ruled it out but called it a last resort.
“Raising property taxes is my last resort,” Jones said. “We have to make significant changes in our budget and how we spend the money that people have entrusted us with.”
She outlined roughly $9 million in potential savings she has already identified, including $3.4 million by redirecting Ready to Work funds and $2 million from hotel occupancy tax revenue, adding that a combination of reallocations could free up $18 million in two years.
Jones also said she wants to redirect existing commitments before raising taxes, pointing to a $2 million pledge to help establish a UT School of Public Health and funding to arts organizations as areas worth revisiting.
She said Medicaid 1115 waiver money could cover about $1 million in health-related spending.
“I think now is the time to invest in people,” Jones said. “We have an opportunity to use the Medicaid 1115 waiver money. Let’s use a million dollars on things that help people become and be healthy mothers.”
Two council members, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and Sukh Kaur, have recently posted videos raising concerns about the working environment at City Hall.
Jones acknowledged the criticism over comments about decorum, calling it “fair criticism,” but said personal feelings should not get in the way of budget work.
“I am most focused on making sure this budget serves the most vulnerable,” she said.
The budget vote is scheduled for Thursday.
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
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