ENside Politics

North Side Councilwoman Misty Spears talks with the ENside Politics team about why she voted a SAWS rate increase last week, why she's against the city's lawsuit to stop a planned ICE detention center on the East Side and why she's dead-set opposed to Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones' bond proposal.

Suggested reading:

Council OKs plan to raise SAWS customers' rates up to 29% by 2030

Council pushes back on North Side subdivision's bid to avoid SAWS fees
Mayor Jones wants to steer bulk of upcoming bond money to five City Council districts

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Political consultant Andrew Solano talks with the ENside Politics team about the coming fight at City Council over whether to once again raise San Antonio's tax rate to underwrite a big bond package. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones says no — but it's complicated.

Suggested reading:

City staff proposes $442 million bond to avoid property tax hike, but some council members eye $1 billion

San Antonio leaders weigh stormwater fee hike to pay for flood projects

Who wants San Antonio bond money? City, nonprofits, developers seek $5.8B

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Reporters Madison Iszler and Megan Rodriguez talk with host Greg Jefferson about why the Conservation Society cancelled next year's NIOSA, one of Fiesta's main events — and why some of the event's many diehard volunteers and fans aren't buying the society's explanations.

Suggested reading:

Anger flares at Conservation Society meeting over NIOSA decision
NIOSA canceled for 2027 as organizers 'pause' to regroup

San Antonio Explained: How NIOSA became a beloved Fiesta tradition

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Brooks Development Authority CEO Leo Gomez talks with the ENside Politics team about what it took to land Industrial Electric Manufacturer, a utility equipment maker that will build a $200 million plant at the former Air Force base and hire 3,000 workers. Gomez also details plans to continue expanding beyond the former base's boundaries.

Suggested reading:

Former Brooks Air Force hangar to become National Park Service facility

Brooks expands beyond former Air Force base in hunt for major employers

IEM picks San Antonio for $200M plant expected to create 3,000 jobs

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After weeks of sniping at one another both in public and behind the scenes, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and City Council finally vote on the city's $4.4 billion budget and its first property tax rate hike in more than three decades. The ENside Politics team examines how we got here and what's behind all the fighting.

Suggested reading:

Here’s what Mayor Jones wants to cut from the San Antonio budget

City takes heat for cutting 39 library workers in next year's budget

Nonprofits rally against San Antonio's proposal to cut $5.1M to grants

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District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte talks with the ENside Politics team about cuts he wants to see to the city budget to avoid a property tax increase and why he's OK diverting tax revenue from the general fund.

Suggested reading:

'Unacceptable': San Antonio nonprofits rally against proposed $5.1M cut to city grants
In controversial vote, board approves millions for Spurs arena land purchase

Longtime SAPD lawman Jesse Salame is City Manager Erik Walsh’s pick for police chief

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District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez talks with the ENside Politics team about his efforts to stop or at least slow down a planned ICE detention center on the East Side, the hard budget choices facing City Council — and the tattoo shop he co-owns with former Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda.

Suggested reading:

ICE awards contract for San Antonio immigration detention center
Council members fight over budget cuts, proposed tax rate hike
Mayor wants to end Midtown tax zone as city weighs new projects

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County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez talks with the ENside Politics team about how Bexar County will close its two-year, $145 million budget deficit, what's next for the publicly financed Spurs arena (and what request Spurs Sports & Entertainment might make in the near future), and the recent drama between the county and San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

Suggested reading:

No tax hike. No major cuts. But Bexar County is cutting into reserves.

City wants to extend lucrative taxing district to pay for Spurs arena property

Bexar County advances rodeo expansion, but it's not a done deal

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The ENside Politics team dissects Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones' campaign to put the city $489 million contribution to the planned Spurs arena to a public vote in November -- and a razor-thin City Council majority's rejection of the move this week.

Suggested reading:

Mayor Jones again calls for city vote on Spurs arena funding

Mayor Jones urges residents to tell City Council to order arena funding election

Mayor Jones' push for vote on city's contribution to Spurs arena fails

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District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez talks with the ENside Politics team about why she wants to ask San Antonio voters in November to reauthorize Pre-K 4 SA for another 20 years.

Note: A few hours after this was recorded Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones announced that she was no longer seeking a citywide vote to reallocate Ready to Work dollars

Suggested reading:

Mayor Jones scraps push to hold election on Ready to Work dollars⁠

Council members pitch November vote to extend Pre-K 4 SA for 20 years

‘Governing by memo’: Council frustrations with one another boil over at first meeting since July recess

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