City Council reviewed the preliminary project estimates for the City’s 2017 Municipal Bond last week, discussing spending priorities for distributing the $850 million – the biggest bond in city history.
City staff presented plans to allocate 54% of the funds to San Antonio street, bridge, and sidewalk projects, 17% toward drainage and flood control, 14% toward parks and recreation, 12% toward facilities, and 4% for other neighborhood improvements.
But some Council members, such as Mike Gallagher (D10) and Joe Krier (D9), were concerned that projects in the urban core – which add up to more than $180 million – were taking precedence over those in more suburban areas of the city where both of their districts are.
Krier said that more than half of the “transformational” projects are downtown.
“I am a huge advocate, and have always been, of downtown,” he said. “(That amount) is a big slug for one sector of the city, and all of us, in theory, benefit from a healthy downtown … but in fact, I’m going to be getting feedback from voters in my district about the proportionality of that.”
(Read more: Council Reviews ‘Rough Draft’ Priorities for $850 Million Bond)
Image ©John Branch for the Rivard Report, 2016.
OTHER CARTOONS BY JOHN BRANCH:
On Downtown’s New Public Restroom
Re: Mr. Krier and Mr. Gallagher … To elevate the quality of life for their constituents means more than dressing up the neighborhood. We are one city– one downtown, shared public spaces, parks, streets, areas we work in, travel through and move to, and a common economy. In addition to transforming our gathering spaces and the core of the city, downtown improvement creates a support system for tourism, business and property values of all neighborhoods. When your constituents complain, try educating them about the bigger picture. It will serve them well to know you are looking out for their best interests in the long term.