San Antonio’s โคCityโค Councilโ approved a $4.3 billion budget Thursday โthat avoids โขa tax rate increase by relying on roughly $4 million โin new and โincreased fees. The spending plan forโ fiscal year 2026, overseen byโ Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones in her first budget cycle, addresses immediate city needsโ while bracing for potential reductions in federalโค funding.
The budget’sโ reliance on fees-rather than propertyโค taxes-impactsโค residents through adjustments to services like progress impact fees and solid waste collection. This approach aims to maintainโ current service โคlevels despite anticipated financial headwinds, butโ also โprompts a โbroaderโ discussion about diversifying city revenue streams. The councilโค is simultaneously considering a revenue-sharing agreement tied โฃto โคthe forthcoming Spurs arena, seeking additional funds from sources โขlike naming โฃrights, parking, and concessions.
Mayor Jones emphasizedโค the need for โคproactive revenue generation, stating, “We cannot โthink aboutโ the budget gapโ and not think aboutโฆ how do you get additional money into โขthe โคgeneral fund?” She anticipates โincreasing โfinancial โpressure as federal โขfunding perhaps โฃdecreases.
The approved budget โคincludes $1.6 billion for the โSan Antonio โPolice Department and $838 million for the city’s generalโ fund. Council membersโข also โคapproved fee โคincreases relatedโค to development and solid โwaste services to help โoffset costs. The city โคis also actively pursuing aโ revenue-sharingโฃ agreement linked to the new โฃSpurs arena, hopingโข to secure funds from namingโ rights, parking revenue, and concessions.