On the record is brought to you by Steve and Adele Dufilho San Antonio is a fast growing, fast moving city with something new happening every day.

That's why each week we go on the record with Randy Beamer and the newsmakers who are driving this change.

Then we gather at the reporters roundtable to talk about the latest news stories with the journalist behind those stories.

Join us now as we go on the record with Randy Beamer.

Hi, everybody, and thank you for watching on the record on Clarion.

I'm Randy Beamer, and this week we are starting with Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.

A lot of headlines, a lot of things you're working on.

First of all, the federal shutdown and how that's affecting San Antonio, what you can do about it, what you're trying to do about it.

Yeah.

Well, you know, this is it's unfortunate.

We are on the precipice of the longest government shutdown in our country's history.

And when I think of this, I think what?

It's just needless pain on the most vulnerable in our community.

We've got, about 35,000 folks in our community, for example, that utilize snap benefits.

And the idea that the most vulnerable in our community are going to have to ask questions about whether they can put food on the table is just ridiculous.

In the richest country in the world.

Right.

So, the implications of this are significant.

One I. Let me just say thank you to those in our community, whether you're a TSA worker or a military member or one of the essential other essential personnel, those folks that are showing up, doing their job, keeping us safe.

Thank you.

Without a paycheck.

Without a paycheck, many of them.

That's right.

Unfortunately, we are then beginning to see, some of the strain that this is posing on families, you know, longer food lines at the at the food bank.

I am as concerned as well about those folks that are have some uncertainty around the the Snap benefits.

Just yesterday I spent, significant amount of time calling around in our community to, create essentially a bridge program.

People might be surprised you're calling up business and saying, hey, listen, you need X amount or whatever you can give.

Let me tell you what I'm saying, right.

I'm saying, hey, I wish I was calling under better circumstances, 35,000 folks in a couple of hours, essentially 48 hours, 72 hours are going to have questions about how they put food on the table.

We're trying to create a bridge program.

Can I count on you for 100 K?

Can you do two 5250 K?

Right.

And folks, thankfully are being generous.

So as of right now have raised about 600,000 and we are focused on those most vulnerable.

And I get it, if you're if you're on if you're receiving, if you're receiving snap benefits, you're vulnerable.

But we are focused on on seniors.

We're focused on, women that are pregnant, women that are pregnant with an infant and women that are pregnant with two kids under five years old.

And so will that money be disbursed?

Yeah.

So we're working on the the mechanics of that right now, but we want to utilize the infrastructure that exists.

So for example, the women, infant and children, facilities.

Right.

We'd have some process in place to verify that somebody is a Snap recipient.

And then, you know, hand them over a card, to go purchase groceries with a certain amount of money.

So that amount of money is going to be based on how much we can we can raise.

And again, this is not meant to be forever.

This is a bridge, right?

Ideally, federal government gets up and running ASAP.

Right.

So we don't have more of this needless suffering in our community.

The other thing I want to highlight for folks, because again, it's not lost on me, the fragility in our community.

The point in Time survey, which again looked at how many homeless we have in our community just a couple of months ago, they shared a $100 increase in the median rent in our community leads to a 9% increase in homelessness in our community.

That's very fragile.

So the other thing we're trying to do is, hey, if you are challenged in general, right at this, during this financial time as a federal worker, affected by these Snap, these cuts and Snap benefits, call source.

Call CPS, let them know you need help.

I just talked to Robert when they and Rudy Garza, over at CPS.

And both of those folks say, hey, if folks call us, say they need help, kind of like we're we're doing many things that happened during Covid right there.

They won't be disconnected.

There's not going to be collection, but it's actually much more helpful if people are proactive and flag those things so those utilities can be helpful.

Back to your I guess it's more like a telethon you're calling those businesses the biggest businesses.

You're asking for our 50 250,000.

Yeah.

What are some things?

And you're also asking for, you know, lower donations as well.

Sure.

I mean, so Frost has been generous.

They're doing a hundred k. The Spurs are doing 100 K, H-e-b is doing 100 K. USAA has been very generous.

They're doing 250 K. As directly with the city fund or how does that work?

So what we're doing well because it is such a large sum of money, and we're thankful people were so generous.

We're, you know, identifying if that's something that we may need to work with, for example, area foundation, right, to make sure that there's an appropriate way to to handle that.

But again, we're focused on making sure people can eat.

People have food on the table.

People are not needlessly suffering.

You're working with the federal government.

Do you blame anyone specifically in this?

Do you want people to call their Congress member or senator or what?

Or do you stay out of that right now?

Look, my job is to make sure that we are serving the people of our community and in the in the immediate.

It's about helping folks that have the most dire needs.

Putting food on the table, I think, qualifies us that.

I think shortly as well, though, if this continues to go on, obviously main sticking point between the two sides are the ACA credits.

So folks are going to see, I think on average, if those are not extended a 20 to 30% increase in their health insurance premiums, right?

So, on top of the continued impacts of tariffs, on top of the continued impacts of these shortsighted immigration policies that drive up labor costs on top of inflation.

Right.

So, I blame folks that aren't thinking about the most vulnerable and what this means to them.

And, oh, by the way, let's never forget, right?

This is Military City, USA.

Our, frankly, there are folks, People's Republic of China that loves seeing this internal instability in our community and our country, as they look to, as they know we're in a competition economically, etc.. Right?

So there are, immediate implications for the most vulnerable.

I think there are long term implications for American leadership if we don't get this figured out quickly.

Implications for San Antonio in the budget, tax rates, tax, revenue.

Federal Reserve of Dallas just came out with a study last week saying that 13% of Texas businesses are already being affected by, in terms of hiring and retaining people because of and they said it immigration policies with the shutdown, what are you looking for in terms of the budget for next year?

And the shortfall is already projected?

Yeah.

So, you know, I, I almost these days introduce myself.

Hey.

And, you know, it's Jones, mayor of San Antonio.

We've got $150 million budget gap.

In FY 27.

I'm being facetious now.

Obviously, there was a plan.

I've been very clear about that.

Even I was I was talking about the 26 budget.

My my concern was always been the larger gap that we have in 27, 150 million.

And again, if we don't work to address that, that grows to 220 million by 2030.

Now, the city manager has a plan to close that gap in FY 27.

But as you and I both know what a lot can happen in 12 months.

And if that budget isn't final, that gap isn't closed, right?

So let's make sure we're being as judicious as we can be.

Which is why I shared with you we're going to do a tabletop here shortly, because some of the most important.

Tabletop gaming wargaming.

That's essentially right.

Which is, hey, what are what assumptions are we making?

But more importantly, what are those questions that are keeping us up at night?

And we're not going to have all the answers, but how can we reduce uncertainty so we can plan accordingly so we can communicate with folks in our community?

Because this is the reality of it.

$153 million from the federal government comes into our annual budget, right?

Oh, by the way, that's right.

That's right.

At this point, I just told you, though, we have 150 million budget gap in FY 27 again, that we have a gap to close that we have to close.

What are we also considering, though, when we see the implementation of the reconciliation bill, cuts to Medicare, Medicaid Chip, Snap.

So very cognizant, right, that some of the changes we may need to make in our budget will, in fact, impact the services of those folks that are the most vulnerable who will have less money in their pocket.

To your point about, about, you know, the impacts not only of, of businesses on some of these shortsighted immigration policies.

There's also just I mean, we're seeing it in our own community and in the restaurant sector in particular.

Right.

Lots and reports, unfortunately, of some of these names that have been institutions in our community that are closing their doors when people have less disposable income, right, due to inflation, but also due to rising costs, but also, frankly, the dollar not going as far as they used to.

It's not super surprising, that people are not frequenting restaurants and others.

So that's why it's really important we are judicious with how we make our investments in the short term.

In the long term, what we're trying to do that a city council.

Quickly want to get to a few other issues.

The well, first of all, the Spurs.

Nelson Wolff wrote a column in the paper the other day saying he is.

He's an old dog.

Is is that.

This was a different one about how that he wouldn't have brought the vote up as early as you didn't want, but also that he's confident that if prop B fails, that you will continue to negotiate with the Spurs to try to keep them here.

I've said that right.

I've said that, if it passes, we negotiate.

We still have to negotiate.

There are many project agreements that still need to be finalized, to include a strong community benefits agreement.

And if it doesn't pass, if that is the will of the people, that is the will of the people.

We continue to negotiate.

There's nothing preventing us from doing that.

And frankly, the timeline suggests there is time to do that.

Director of the Alamo Trust, Kate Rogers, is out after Dan Patrick demand and or Don Buckingham as well.

Land Commissioner.

Thought that she was.

I don't know what they thought, but what do you think of their decision of forcing her out?

Well, I think it's unfortunate.

I think Doctor Rogers, well served the Alamo Trust and by extension, our state for many years.

So it's a significant loss for our for our community.

And for our state.

I think it's important that we have the courage to tell the varied experiences, that took place at the Alamo, that shaped that historic site.

No one benefits by not understanding history.

Rainbow sidewalks.

The city is going to challenge that.

Try to get an exemption from the governor's order to get rid of that kind of thing.

Is that still in the pipeline?

Still still being worked on?

Yeah.

So the city still intends to submit an exemption?

I'm a realist.

I don't see that going anywhere.

And I've said that I think it's really important.

You don't think the gay mayor has thoughts on the crosswalks?

Of course I do.

I know, though, my pride is not tied to a crosswalk.

My pride is tied to my understanding of certainly my own contributions.

But the large, many contributions of the LGBTQ community to our city, to our state, and to our country.

I think as the as the leader of the city, though, it's also really important.

And I try to do this all the time, which is just balance, right?

Balance, the things that make us feel good versus the things that are going to help our community in the long term.

I'm very cognizant.

Let me just say this.

I'm very cognizant of the retribution, the retribution that could come to our city.

Right.

And that's what I always think about especially I mean, I'm raising money to help people get Snap benefits.

There are things that are bigger things that bigger fish.

We need to fry.

We got to pick our battles.

One more, issue Tkc decision on the Gwar holiday Ranch.

Plan for near Helotes.

Lotus.

They okay the wastewater treatment plant?

Some of the neighbors didn't want that, but it still has to go before the city for a public improvement district.

Are you for that wastewater treatment plant?

And what do you plan to do with the PID that public improvement.

Yeah.

So what I've asked, shortly after that decision was, was made.

And again, this is a year.

This is years long process that's been going on here.

What I did is send a letter to Lennar, and ask them, no kidding for hey, what is your what is your path forward?

Because there again a number of of of options for them.

You're right.

Some of those require coming to to the city council.

So understanding what in fact they intend to do I think is an important first step.

All right.

Well, thank you very much, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.

Busy as always.

We appreciate your time.

Thank you.

San Antonio water system.

Ratepayers could be seeing a rate increase early next year.

And there's also a development in the issue of the Guana Lot, a ranch, development out or planned development out on the northwest side here to talk about that is the president and CEO of the San Antonio Water System, Robert Plant.

Thank you very much for coming in.

Well, thank you for the invitation.

First of all, there Guajillo three ranch and planned subdivision by Lennar Homes.

That's been in the news recently.

Went before the EQ.

The controversy is the wastewater treatment plant, source is going to supply the water, but not the sewage treatment.

So they have a wastewater treatment plant planned.

What do you what do you think of that whole idea?

Well, you know, we were, there in our service area, our water service area, but not our sewer service area.

So we were obligated to provide water.

We use that as leverage, to get nine different concessions.

On the treatment of that plant, we believe those nine concessions fully protect the aquifer from any possible contamination.

Because some of the neighbors still, they went before EC.

They're concerned about the Helotes Creek watershed and they believe could, threaten the drinking water threat in the watershed.

You say?

No, the some of the concessions we, have in that contract are that this water be treated to almost drinking water standards.

In other words, increased nitrate, removal, increased filtration.

Additionally, we also have a concession that 50% of their development is open space.

So there will not be an, it'll be in its natural state.

The other 50% or 30% of that is impervious cover.

So those are some of the things we negotiated.

We further negotiated a class A operator for the treatment plant.

We also have, other restrictions on how they, site the plant.

In other words, the plant will be built within one mile of their, development, not somewhere else.

Oftentimes developers put, of a city like that off site.

And so we, we said, put it on site.

So if something happens, you can contain, whatever problem there is without it getting into the water.

And I understand also you want as much of that treated water to stay on that land.

Tell us about that.

And people might worry.

Well, that's going to affect the groundwater if it goes into the ground directly.

So one of the things we also mandated is that an additional four inches of topsoil be put on the places where they're going to irrigate.

So there'll be, numerous times where the discharge from the treatment plant will be minimal into the creek.

And I'm talking sometimes nothing will go into the creek because they will be using the entire effluent that they produce.

And so we feel that, the permit that they, got, which was a million gallons per day, it's just a ceiling.

It's more likely that they will produce much, much less, discharge into the creek.

How much of this kind of thing happens where you supply water but not the sewage?

It is not infrequent.

Most of our water service area and our service or service area overlap, but they're on the outer edges.

They don't entirely match.

And so, sometimes, we're oftentimes we're able to do things like this to further protect the environment.

Sometimes we have the sewer but not the water.

And this is something that the developer gets to choose.

And or how does it work?

You know, it's a, state mandated service area, boundary lines.

And so example.

For the water supply, but not for the sewage.

The same thing, but they just don't overlap.

For example, when we took over betterment, we took over their service area.

And so the entire south side part of the northwest side, northeast side that bear met.

Had we took that over.

So it didn't match up with what our sewer system was, our sewer boundary lines where.

The water will go eventually or part of it.

And hello, this creek, could go into the San Antonio River, then the water supply.

You're not concerned that that will be affected?

No.

If if enough water makes it into the, Trinity.

Trinity Aquifer first, there is what is called the heavy crossing fault.

It's an underground fault in the aquifer where the water on one side of it is very different, chemistry wise, from water on the other side of it, very different.

So if it was the same, we would know that there's interaction between the two waters.

Since it's very different.

We understand.

We believe that the discharge from the development will stay on one side of that fault line and not make its way into the Edwards, and therefore our drinking water, plus our wells are 13, 13 miles away from this development.

Speaking of wastewater and treatment, you have, plan to update and upgrade in San Antonio, a lot of equipment, a lot of old sewer lines, and that could or I guess you want to, necessitate a rate increase sometime next year.

What's the timeline?

We we will be in front of city council, depending on their schedule, probably in February, asking for a rate increase for the 2026, year and 2027, we're going to ask for a two year rate increase.

And the main reasons are.

The main reasons are our wastewater treatment plants.

Then we have three of them.

The newest one was built in 1988.

So it's very old, just like your home.

You maintain it as well as you can, but at some point you have to change the roof, where at that point where it's more cost effective for us to make some major changes, some major, improvements rather than continuous, maintenance.

That means maintenance is getting too expensive, to maintain it.

To what?

Maintain those water quality standards.

So we're seeking those kinds of investments in.

What about aging sewer lines?

We've heard a lot about how much is leaking, how old some of these are.

I know some of the big projects on the streets have found older utility lines, some of them not mapped, that they did.

We have over 7000 miles of sewer mains under the ground, another 8000 or so, a water mains under the ground.

At any one time, a certain section of those pipes become aged to the extent where we need to change them out.

So this is a continuing process.

So we're seeking, a rate increase to help in that endeavor to change out as many of the old, water lines, that of break the rate increase is driven mostly by those two, very large infrastructure needs.

And it still needs to be approved.

So the timeline is city council, water system board.

We will be in front of our board in late this year or November.

December, letting them know what we need.

And, they will give us an interim budget for just the month of January and February.

Then we've go in front of city council asking for a rate increase.

If we get it, then we go back to our board to amend our budget for the full year.

Finally, how much will it increase for the average San Antonio?

We're looking at it.

Maybe a 6 to 7% increase.

All right.

Well, thank you very much for explaining all that.

Robert Fuente, president and CEO of San Antonio Water System.

Thanks.

Thank you.

On Reporters roundtable this week, we're talking about the election and also about props A and B on the Bexar County ballot, including, vote to, raise the hotel motel, tax a quarter percent for the Spurs arena and the rodeo redo.

Around the Frost Bank center.

Molly Smith, city Hall reporter for the Express-News.

Thank you very much for coming in.

You've written about this in a number of different stories, first of all, about the fundraising and how much money has been spent both for and against the Spurs arena project.

The Win Together campaign.

This is the campaign that's trying to pass both propositions A and B, they have raised just over $7 million to date.

And that's notable because it really eclipses the spending that the Spurs campaign did back in 99 to build their current home, the Frostburg Center.

At the time, it was the SBC center.

In today's dollars, they spent about $5.6 million.

So right now fundraising is at 7 million.

There's still some time to go for them to raise some additional money, but it's notable.

And I think we've really seen, a massive campaign.

Voters are getting multiple mailers, multiple door hangers, radio ads, print television.

And they've had a lot of get out the vote rallies.

So they are, spending significantly to pass this.

And the Spurs are the the main fundraisers behind the campaign.

And now the Spurs.

Also, some people have said they wanted to point out that in terms of those dollars and $99, they are also promising to spend more on the arena themselves.

I think it was 23, 27 earlier.

They spent back then that was 500 million plus.

Yes.

So they really want to get this passed?

Yes.

How about the opponents?

What have they spent and raised?

The opponents are largely cops.

Metro.

They're the only ones that have actually filed campaign finance reports.

They've raised about 220,000.

So there's no real comparison.

Their campaign is much more grassroots.

They have put out at least one mailer and they have a couple of yard signs.

But, not, as I think, extensive as as the Win Together campaign.

And you also, wrote about an interesting text message by one of the campaigns referencing Governor Abbott.

The Win Together campaign texted primarily Democratic voters a couple weeks back and it said vote yes on props A and B, so we keep tourist dollars here as opposed to sending them back to the hands of Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

The county venue taxes on the November 4th ballot is not the money this this text message is referring to.

It's actually referring to the city's arena contribution.

So the county has said that if, prop B passes, they will put up to $311 million in.

And then the arena, financing framework is contingent upon the measures passage.

And if that happens, the city will kick in for her.

Right.

So some people expect that this will be the only vote on it.

So that could, you know, be the case that the money would go back to the state.

If it does.

Yes, but it's a little bit more complicated.

So essentially these, state tourist tax dollars, they're talking about this is known as the project finance, though.

This is something that the legislature created for San Antonio back in 2023.

And it allows the city to use the state share of hotel, taxes on projects that boost tourism.

So the city has said they would use that either on a Spurs arena, on renovating the Alamodome or expanding the convention center.

And they have five years from 2023 to begin construction on either of those projects.

So even if prop B fails that project finance own money, these state dollars aren't going to go anywhere because there's still considerable time to spend them.

And you either could restructure the arena, deal to put more money towards it, more of these state dollars towards it.

Or you could just use it on the Alamodome or the convention center.

On the other parts of the project.

Yes.

They're still talking about, you also wrote about an ethics complaint, although there doesn't seem to be much to that.

Yeah.

So cops, Metro, they're the main opponents, are they?

And also a coalition of, some community groups called No Project Marvel.

They filed an ethics complaint against a handful of city council members.

They're taking issue with.

A lot of the council members have had these town halls about the arena deal in advance of the election.

The idea was voters should know what they're voting on and so will have the city manager up there.

Oftentimes someone from the Spurs will be there or the rodeo will be there and cops, Metro essentially said in the complaint.

You all have been campaigning for this measure and it's unfair that you didn't have opponents to if you really wanted to educate the community to share that side.

But opponents at a town hall, they did have gotten they.

Did have, but they weren't always the guests.

The guest speakers, which is what they really wanted, is for people to really hear from both folks.

But the city has said, city council members they are free to campaign for or against props A and B on their own time, not using city resources.

And they've said that these, town halls forums were done in line with, city attorney guidance.

And there are some city council members that are against and have said.

That there are yes, for example, Councilman Terry Castillo is against it.

Councilman Mickey Rodriguez is against it.

And he's urging his Eastside constituents to vote against both prop and B, so.

Far, turnout has been better here for this election than across the state, where some just have, the state constitutional amendments.

Do you think that signifies anything in terms of what will happen here in the prop A and B?

I mean, I definitely think it shows that there's interest in these in these measures.

I haven't, dug into who who is coming out, whether they're younger voters, folks we don't often see.

I think if that is the case, that could bode well for the the Spurs campaign getting out people who aren't normally, coming out.

But I think it really just, remains to be seen.

But a lot of interest out there.

And you get to prepare either way.

Now for the stories after whatever happens.

Yes.

Yeah.

Wade through that.

All right.

Well, we'll look forward to those stories.

Molly Smith, you can read her work in the San Antonio Express-News or online as well.

Thanks.

And thank you for joining us for this edition of On the Record.

You can watch this show again.

You can watch any previous shows, download them as podcasts.

Just go to klrn.org Dot org I'm Randy Beamer.

Thanks for watching.

On the record is brought to you by Steve and Adele Dufilho.