Mayor Ivy Taylor and Councilman Ron Nirenberg (D8) are known for being at odds on several issues, but during a mayoral debate hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, they teamed up to defend the 2017 Municipal Bond after Manuel Medina called it a fiscally irresponsible package that prioritizes projects by “friends of the City.”
Medina, who is chairman of the Bexar County Democratic party, is one of 14 candidates running to unseat Taylor in the May 6 election. On Thursday night, Medina, Taylor, and Nirenberg discussed issues ranging from trade to challenges at the San Antonio airport during the debate at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. But the most contentious issues proved to be high-speed rail between Austin and San Antonio region, the $850 million bond, and ethics reform.
Medina accused Parks and Recreation bond committee members of not pushing projects for all parks across the city, but Nirenberg defended the process by which citizens suggested projects for inclusion in the bond package. The parks and recreation portion of the bond package is $121 million.
“It was a robust citizen process,” he said. “… The notion that three citizens or 35 citizens didn’t get it right flies in the face of a citizen-directed oversight project.”
Medina said that the bond is fiscally irresponsible, comparing it to maxing out a JCPenney credit card. Taylor rejected that notion, calling it “ridiculous.”
“I would like to address the misstatement that has just been made by the chairman,” Taylor said. “I will say that I will attribute that to his lack of experience or knowledge regarding city government and financing these large capital projects. His characterization is simply inaccurate.”
Taylor pointed to the city’s AAA credit rating, and added that San Antonio is far below state limits when it comes to how much municipalities can borrow.
The disagreements did not stop there. Nirenberg criticized Taylor for restarting the bidding process for the 10-year, multimillion dollar contract to operate the San Antonio River Walk barge fleet.
“That is a chilling effect for every business around this country who wants to do business with the city of San Antonio … and we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Nirenberg, adding that the contracting process was deemed fair and ethical by the City attorney.
Taylor questioned the fairness of the process after she learned that former Mayor Phil Hardberger, representing Chicago-based Entertainment Cruises, was allowed to address the 11-member citizen selection committee as part of the company’s response to a request for proposals.
“I certainly reject the notion that there were no concerns related to the river barge contract,” Taylor said. “There was a very clear concern that compelled me to take action … It’s unfortunate that my council colleague has used some of these incidents to try and create a political narrative to his benefit.”
Medina, who has repeatedly said he wants to be “the transportation mayor,” promised to reduce drive times by 10% in the city’s most congested traffic corridors and accused his opponents of “walking away” from the Lone Star rail project.
“San Antonio and its council has traditionally not been supportive,” Medina said. “But I’m really glad it’s election season and they’re with me on this.”
Nirenberg said the city has been working on bringing a rail line to the region for more than 20 years.
“Everyone along this corridor wants to see this regional rail happen. The trouble is, we need leadership to make it happen,” Nirenberg said. “We need to make sure we’re working with the state government … [and] make it a priority for economic purposes and that’s how we make it happen.”
Taylor said the City is in the process of exploring additional options for bringing rail to the Austin-San Antonio region.
“It’s totally inaccurate to say that we’ve gotten on board during election season,” Taylor said. “This is something that we have endorsed in our budget every single year for probably the last 10 years.”
Medina also called for a change in local election dates, suggesting a move to November to align municipal elections with national and state elections. Taylor explained that the City charter calls for elections to be held in May because municipal elections are nonpartisan.
Nirenberg agreed with Medina, saying moving the election date would help increase citizen participation.
“It can happen in a nonpartisan way, respecting the local government process,” Nirenberg said. “In other cities like Austin, when they moved their local elections from May to November, they saw a fourfold increase in participation one election to the next.”
The debate was moderated by Steve Spriester of KSAT12, which partnered with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Bexar County Medical Society to sponsor the debate.
Medina raised valid concerns about the bond. We need fiscal responsibility in City Hall. We need to prioritize what is important to San Antonio, and this bond is unfair to our taxpayers.
Moving the city elections to November would, of course, increase turnout and participation in local elections. Why would anyone be against that? And leadership has obviously fallen flat on the San Antonio/Austin rail, which is why we need to give someone new a chance. Medina is the only one pushing these issues.
Please also make note that the debate was cosponsored by the Bexar County Medical Society.
Thank you, JR. Will do.
Chio, is there any video of the debate?
Not that I know of, Will. I know KSAT did a live recording, so maybe try searching their website! -Chio
Manuel Medina is a joke, he is the Democratic Chairman and we lost all the democratic seats to the republicans, now imagine if he were mayor? God help us.
Medina is not a joke but a candidate that wants to stop all the insider deals at City Hall. We need accountability in local government and as it stands right now the ones running city hall are lobbyists, special interest and corporate control. Look at the east, West, and Southside of town. Underdeveloped, under funded because we do not have representatives after they are elected. Time to clean CITY HALL.
Lisa, you do know that Medina is the Chairman of the BEXAR COUNTY Democratic Party, right?
We may have lost nationally, but Bexar County Democrats won 47 out of 51 races, all 16 county wide races, and we elected a Democrat as Bexar County Sheriff.
Here are the official election results from the Bexar County Elections Office: https://www.bexar.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/9441
Where have you been Lisa? Hiding under a rock?! Lol The Democrat candidates won in Bexar County! The fact that Hillary did not win does not mean that we lost all the Democrat . It sounds to me that you are not very well informed in whats going on here in Bexar County.
I have never seen a bond with so much propaganda, signs all over the city!! Advertizing on social media!! Even a website? Something tells me that there is something fishy about this. Someone is looking at making lots of money by quizzing the tax payers like a lemon.
Having watched the debate in person Thursday evening, I can say that Medina is an absolutely terrible, under-qualified, and potentially dangerous candidate for mayor.
He raised no legitimate issues about the bond. His inaccurate, bombastic talking points were devoid of substance. The very notion that we don’t need to “plan for tomorrow” is absurd, and should be insulting to all San Antonian’s.
One of the reasons that SA lags behind so many other large American cities is because for years and years we had no plan for the future. Look where that got us.
Only now are we beginning to see renewal in parts of the city that have been long neglected. When people think of traveling to, doing business with, or moving their lives to a new city, they don’t think about the suburban enclaves like The Dominion where Medina lives. Rather, people tend to focus on the core of the city, the services and amenities.
It is clear that Medina does not have the knowledge or experience to tackle the important issues that face our city. There are but two qualified candidates in this mayoral election: Nirenberg and Taylor.
Both Ivy Taylor and Ron Nirenberg will provide the same old thing, lobbyists, special interest and corporations controling the agenda. I appreciate a candidate like Manuel Medina that is concern about the current tax payments, local areas that have been neglected for decades. If you listen carefully his advocating for both current citizens and future growth but with fairness to both. He mentioned the million being given to a developer for a hotel at Hemisfair, how is this fair? Another 15 million for a bridge at a Northside Park how is this fair too? More monies to bueatiful as he called it the entrance to Alamo Heights, how about sending that monies on projects that will serve neglected areas. The bottom line is if we want the same of the old thing at City Hall, maybe Ron or Ivy are for you. I strongly believe it is time to Clean City Hall. Time for a mayor with new ideas, and that will practice fairness in spending our tax dollars for all sides of town.
I truly hope he wins because it will be refreshing for San Antonio!
I was in attendance as well, and I agree Medina is not qualified for this job. The mayor’s role is to be the checks and balances and to create liaisons and collaborations and to plan for now and the future. I honestly believe Mayor Ivy Taylor is doing a good job.. it’s easy to say outside those shoes that “I could do better” but it’s not a job for pet projects or visions without plans. It’s public servant work and it’s hard work and I think Mayor Taylor Ivy has some great programs that touch every day people in the city from Walk with the Mayor to fitness and reading programs. I have more respect for Nirenberg after seeing him speak in person but I think it’s time for Mayor Ivy Taylor to have her chance to continue what she started…I don’t see any reason we need to start over with someone new. She may not be a visionary but she’s solid and I believe truthful and believes in doing good for the community and I’d like to see what’s next.
It’s not that I don’t know anything about national elections im not disputing the fact that bexar county won many elections, you are responsible as Democratic Chairman to look outside of Bexar County and extend yourself out of your comfort zone and he failed to do that. He has no concrete plan to help our city but only tells the people what they want to hear.
Concrete plans are not made overnight. He has a vision of fairness for all our taxpayers and citizens. That is so different from the special interest, lobbyists controlled Mayor Ivy Taylor and Councilman Ron Nirenberg.
Look, I have seen it and experience it in the flesh. For the last 2 years I been advocating for mandatory fingerprint and criminal ground checks for all Uber and Lyft drivers and fairness in their contract. Why? Because that is the right and safe thing to do to eliminate criminals from driving and it is our community standard.
I been in the taxi industry 37 years. Our local limo, taxi, charter, pedicab, horse carriage drivers have been required these mandatory fingerprint checks and they have pay them out of their pocket decades. It has protect our citizens and visitors.
Then came Uber and Lyft two multi billion dollar corporations and demanded sweetheart contracts with not mandatory checks, limited fees, unlimited vehicles, no fare regulation and the list goes on.
On December 8, the city council gave the what they wanted. It went as far as paying for volunteer background checks and now offering $25 gas gift card as an incentive for their drivers to do the FBI background check.
March 7, SAPD, TECHBLOC, are having a party at a local downtown bar for these drivers.
The unfair is obvious, local small mom and pop companies and their drivers have NEVER been given a party or gift cards for following the MANDATORY RULES. These companies and their drivers are being bribed to do what should be manditory to protect our citizens and visitors safety. Now think about it how many criminals are going to volunteer for a FBI based fingerprint and criminal background background check.
This is the doing of Mayor Ivy Taylor and Ron Nirenberg two major supporters of Rideshare.
Lobbyists and special interest demanded unfairness and they accommodated sweetheart contracts December 8, 2016 just before a October 2016 San Antonio sexual assault by an Uber driver.
Like this other sweetheart deals are handed out everyday at city hall. I truly believe Manuel Medina can make a difference, tim new leadership at City Hall.
Medina mostly came off excessively combative, uninformed, and quite the bullshiter. His lone bright spots were his points about conflict of interest for bond committee members.