{"id":135552,"date":"2026-01-23T21:01:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T21:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/135552\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T21:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T21:01:09","slug":"during-debate-bexar-county-judge-sakai-rips-nirenberg-over-ready-to-work-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/135552\/","title":{"rendered":"During debate, Bexar County Judge Sakai rips Nirenberg over Ready to Work record"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, right, speaks during a candidate forum hosted by the Metro SA Chamber on Friday. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai ripped his Democratic primary challenger, former Mayor Ron Nirenberg, over his \u201cfailed\u201d Ready to Work job-training program during Friday\u2019s debate between the two political rivals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to go on the record: the Ready to Work Program has not created a return on investment,\u201d the normally reserved Sakai said. \u201cThe projected goals have not been met. It was a tremendous diversion of sales tax from the Edwards Aquifer protection to Ready to Work, and I think that\u2019s created severe consequences regarding protection for the aquifer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event, held at Alamo Colleges District headquarters, was the first debate between the two men since Nirenberg announced plans to unseat the fellow Democrat last fall. Sakai is still serving his first term as the county\u2019s top elected official. <\/p>\n

Nirenberg has been on a blitz since the start of the new year. Over the past three weeks, the former mayor has launched a TV spot for his campaign, hosted a historic rally<\/a> in San Antonio\u2019s LGBTQ+ nightlife district and delivered a riveting anti-ICE speech<\/a> at City Hall, while Sakai has largely watched from the sidelines.<\/p>\n

After Sakai\u2019s full frontal assault at the debate, Nirenberg tried to spin Ready to Work as something that hasn\u2019t yet shown its full potential because it\u2019s still building steam. The former mayor championed the initiative as a bold, long-term bid to remedy the city\u2019s problem with generational poverty.<\/p>\n

\u201cI talk to communities outside of San Antonio, and they recognize that San Antonio has one of the best resource-workforce pipelines in the country, from early childhood with [Pre-K for SA] all the way through Alamo Promise and now adult workforce training through Ready to Work,\u201d Nirenberg said.<\/p>\n

However, Sakai called bullshit, arguing that the 3,200 jobs created so far under Ready to Work pale to the bold projections Nirenberg and others originally held up for the program. <\/p>\n

\u201c3,200 jobs? When the projection was 40,000, it was reduced to 26,000, and then to 18,000 \u2014 if it\u2019s still going? [We have spent] $200 million a year for 3,200 jobs,\u201d Sakai said. \u201cMore importantly, we don\u2019t see those jobs going to the employers that are participating. The program has not been a success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sakai pointed to county-funded job-training program Texas Fast Track, which he helped spearhead. He couched his project as a stronger alternative to Ready to Work that also provides training in a more cost-effective way.<\/p>\n

\u201cFast Track has a 90% graduation and 90% retention rate by the employers because it\u2019s employer-driven,\u201d Sakai said. \u201cHow did that happen? Because I listened to the employers, and we created programs. Texas Fast Track is a 10-week program. We operate at a fraction of what Ready to Work does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sakai\u2019s aggressive posture probably shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise to those who have been following his contest with Nirenberg. The county judge seat has long been held by Democrats, meaning the primary is the Sakai\u2019s biggest hurdle to keeping his job. <\/p>\n

Indeed, days after Nirenberg announced his intention to primary Sakai, the former mayor\u2019s one-time political consultant, Kelton Morgan, told the Current that Ready to Work would likely come back to haunt the campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnybody who wants to [run against Nirenberg] should hang Ready to Work around his neck like an anchor,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cThat\u2019s been the most disastrous policy failure by any possible metric.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nirenberg and Sakai will next face off Tuesday, Feb. 10<\/a>, at Stable Hall in a debate hosted by the San Antonio Report, the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and Tech Bloc.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s not the first time the 70-year-old Democrat has dealt with medical issues during his first term as Bexar County Judge. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tNirenberg, who is running for Bexar County Judge, also talked about the controversy surrounding San Antonio\u2019s rainbow crosswalk during the rally over the weekend. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Former\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tIt may be difficult for Nirenberg to convince Democratic voters that change is in order when it comes to the county judge position.\u00a0\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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