SAN ANTONIO – With a $158 million deficit, City Council members and the mayor will make some major decisions to balance the budget.
And they have a couple of choices. They include cutting some city services or raising taxes.
It is a hard choice for many on the council and the mayor, who has said she would like to see every city department cut spending, saying it could help San Antonio avoid a property tax increase.
Some options on the table include library staffing and realignment discussions.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is proposing reallocating $21 million from Ready to Work to the general fund.
The mayor says she would like to see a fair sacrifice across departments and says the cuts could prevent property tax hikes in 2027 and 2028.
“I’m much more concerned about, frankly, the fat that’s still in this budget versus some of the reductions, and 1.6 percent across the board I think is fair and is manageable,” Mayor Jones said.
If council doesn’t pass a balanced plan by Sept. 27, the city manager must make adjustments to balance the budget and notify council.
Some council members say they need more details before backing the plan, including which programs or positions could be affected.
Today’s meeting starts at 9 a.m.