The gist
In the keynote speech, Jones broke down her vision for the city into three categories: how she sees the city, how the city can view itself in a better light and what direction the city is currently heading.
Jones explained that due to federal funding cuts and a budget deficit, the city currently has a smaller-sized infrastructure bond of $500 million compared to the 2017 and 2022 bonds of $1.9 billion.
“Given the fiscal challenges, we are at $500 million bond capacity,” Jones said. “So that's like going to the grocery store saying, 'I thought I could put 20 bucks on this credit card.' No, no, your limit is $5, and we all know that $5 does not go as far as it used to, even just a year ago. So, as we look at some of these major generational opportunities, it really is a balancing and ... a conversation about how to prioritize things that we would like to see in our community.”
Jones also noted that the fiscal year 2026-27 budget will have a $150 million gap that would grow to $220 million in FY 2029-30 if it is not addressed properly.
“As we look to prioritize these [different infrastructure projects], it really is about understanding where we are and where we want to go, and balancing the opportunities that we have with the real, pressing needs throughout our community,” Jones said.
Jones also said that the City Council’s job is to balance developing the city’s economy with reducing poverty.
“[Every council member's] job is to do two things, which is to reduce persistent poverty in our community, and to make ourselves as economically competitive as possible,” Jones said.
Another city growth priority that Jones mentioned was securing well-paying jobs for the city in manufacturing, information technology and cybersecurity.
“We're the 21st largest manufacturing exporting region in the country, and things that are top of mind for me that we will be into is our space manufacturing,” Jones said. “If [San Antonians] make a [Toyota] Tundra, [they] can certainly make rockets or space manufacturing accessories.”
She also emphasized that creating a proper education pipeline that prepares students for high-paying industries within the city is critical for San Antonio’s future.
“One of the limiting factors in our community is, in fact, educational attainment,” Jones said. "It is important that the city takes a role in making sure that our community is prepared, our kids are prepared for the economy that they're going to play into ... [programs such as] Pre-K 4 SA is one of those things that I think is a bill that we cannot afford to not pay. Lots of research shows that the best, the highest rate of return is obviously going to be when we invest in smart, healthy kids.”
Jones also linked the need for proper education to the city’s unique role as a major center of military recruitment.
“The vast majority of kids that serve the military come from 25 counties,” Jones said. “Bexar County is one of them. And so if we are not raising enough healthy kids or academically prepared kids, it is, in fact, a national security issue.”
What else?
During a panel discussion with District 4 council member Edward Mungia, District 5 council member Teri Castillo and District 8 council member Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, District 10 council member Marc Whyte emphasized the need for a merit-based system to select contractors for major projects based on track records of completing projects on time.
"I think we need to put incentives in these construction contracts, carrots and sticks in these contracts, to make sure the construction gets done on time,” Whyte said. “And we have to hire contractors with a good track record of success. No longer can we continue to hire contractors based on all these other criteria. [The main question needs to be] can the contractor finish the job on time and on budget?”
Whyte also said that for major projects, such as the Project Marvel sports and entertainment district, the city needs to prioritize hiring local companies.
“We do need to make sure, as this vision moves forward, that we prioritize getting our local folks the contracts, so they can hire more people, more of our citizens ..." Whyte said.
Gonzalez discussed the importance of the city’s water supply and the need to ensure development does not threaten that resource.
“We've got to protect that water at all costs,” Gonzalez said. “[However,] I am not against development whatsoever ... We are open for business, but the right kind of development matters.”
