Friends and Neighbors –
As we look back at 2025, we are thrilled to share the latest developments and highlights from this year. My vision for Bexar County focuses on three core priorities: keeping our communities safe, being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, and driving economic growth. I’m committed to supporting our law enforcement and first responders, reducing wasteful spending, and working to keep property taxes low, as well as creating new opportunities for businesses to thrive.
Our Pct. 3 team strives to be the gold standard in constituent services in Bexar County. If there’s ever a way we can assist you or help address a concern, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading more about our efforts and the progress we’ve made this year. Together, we’ll continue building a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Bexar County.
FY ‘25-’26 County Budget
On September 9, Commissioners Court approved the FY ’25–’26 budget. Although this budget wasn’t perfect and had room for improvement, we ultimately supported it because it addressed several critical needs and is budget neutral. It makes meaningful investments in public safety, maintains the current tax rate—resulting in a real tax cut for Bexar County families—and keeps overall spending flat at $2.8 billion, matching the previous fiscal year.
Key highlights include:
✅ 33 new sheriff’s deputies
✅ 70 new detention officers
✅ 16 new constables
✅ $21 million for our flood warning system—a critical priority
Additionally, on average, existing homeowners will see a 2.2% tax reduction on their Bexar County taxes.
However, concerns remain that we are still spending too much on unnecessary projects and programs. We are eating into our reserve fund, and with federal ARPA dollars expiring next year, we must prepare for difficult decisions ahead. The work continues, and we’ll continue pushing for smarter spending and greater accountability moving forward.
$15M in Pct. 3 Park Upgrades Approved!
Exciting things are happening in our Pct. 3 parks! We’ve taken the first step toward bringing much-needed youth baseball and soccer fields to the far North Side through a new agreement with Alamo Colleges to explore using 18 acres at their upcoming north campus near I-10 and Balcones Creek–enough space for up to eight youth baseball fields and four soccer fields. We’ve also made major progress at Bullis Park, where the Parrish family graciously gifted the labor and materials to transform an old sandlot into the new Parrish Family Ballpark—complete with modern turf, new dugouts, and improved bleachers. Raymond Russell Park also saw long-awaited improvements, including two new restroom facilities and continued renovations. Future upgrades will include tennis, pickleball, and volleyball courts, a dog park, picnic areas, and an improved parking lot. These investments represent just the beginning of a broader effort to ensure Pct. 3 parks remain safe, modern, and enjoyable for all.
First Easter Egg Hunt
In April, we hosted our first Easter egg hunt at the Rock at La Cantera. More than 600 children picked up a total of 8,000 eggs in their Easter baskets! We had a great time engaging with our community and meeting so many local families.
Thank you to our partners, especially Spurs Give, Frost Bank, The Rock at La Cantera, ESD4 and ESD8, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and Pct. 3 Constable Mark Vojvodich and his team. We look forward to bringing this event to you again next year, so be on the lookout for more details!
Jail Overcrowding
Bexar County’s jail population exceeded capacity over a year ago, and while it has fluctuated week over week, the trend of being over capacity remains a significant problem that must be addressed. The County is now paying more than $7 million a year to house inmates elsewhere—an expensive and unsustainable approach that threatens both public safety and our budget. We’ve called for a comprehensive study to identify mid- and long-term solutions, including new housing options, facility expansion, and innovative strategies that don’t compromise safety. This isn’t a political issue—it’s a public safety issue, and we must act now to ensure our jail system can keep up with a rapidly growing community.
Deployment and Return
As many of you know, I was called to active duty this summer in support of Marine Forces Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base amid rising tensions with Iran. During the assignment, I assisted with joint staff planning and air operations alongside fellow Marines and reservists. As the situation in the Middle East improved, I was fortunate to return home on July 3rd. I’m grateful the world is now a safer place and US Forces degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Thank you to everyone who offered prayers and support during my time away.
Bringing new Federal Jobs to Bexar County
We have been working on a project that could bring up to 1,000 jobs to Bexar County. In partnership with the City of San Antonio, the State of Texas, and our federal partners, we’re working to renovate the historic South Beach building at Fort Sam Houston into new administrative offices for the Defense Health Agency.
This multi-million dollar effort has been years in the making. Both the County and City have pledged $10 million, and Commissioners Court recently approved applying for a $5 million state grant, with the City pursuing another. If approved, these funds will complete the final phase of this long-awaited project.
Flood Control Investments
In the wake of the devastating flash flooding San Antonio experienced in June where more than 6 inches of rain fell in just a few hours, causing severe damage across I-35, Loop 410, and Beitel Creek, tragically claiming the lives of 13 individuals—we continue to focus on our disaster preparedness and response coordination.
When it comes to spending your tax dollars, there is no better investment than protecting human life. With the passage of the new County Budget, we took a big step forward in protecting lives by approving $21 million to fund the Next Generation Flood Warning System—a major investment in real-time and predictive technology to help warn our community before disaster strikes. In a region experiencing rapid growth and development, flood risks are constantly changing. This new system will deliver faster, smarter alerts to keep people safe.
First Trade Mission to Israel
In September, we had the honor of representing Bexar County on the first-ever trade mission to Israel to strengthen partnerships and promote San Antonio as a hub for innovation. We met with leaders in defense technology, cybersecurity, health innovation, and advanced manufacturing, including companies like RH Group, Mobileye, Cytactic, BATM, NoTraffic, and Forsee Genomics—each expressing interest in collaborating with local partners such as Greater SATX, Port San Antonio, and BioMedSA.
We also met with Israeli government officials and innovation organizations to explore future exchanges and investment opportunities. This mission helped raise San Antonio’s profile on the global stage and opened doors for meaningful partnerships that can drive growth and innovation in our region. It was a great success!
Recent Events
Veterans Day 2025
This Veterans Day, I joined neighbors across Bexar County to honor the men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform. From Helotes to Hemisfair, and from the Roseheart and Eden neighborhoods to Fair Oaks Ranch—I was reminded of the deep respect and gratitude our communities have for those who have served.
Celebrating our Veterans isn’t something we should do just one day a year—we should always honor them. We can’t pay our young men and women enough money to make them leave their families and go through the challenges of being in the military, but what we can give them—and what they have earned—is the respect, gratitude, and the honor that comes with wearing the uniform.
To all who have served and the families who have stood beside them: thank you.
Mayors’ Roundtable Breakfast
Strong communities start with strong partnerships.
I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with local leaders from across Pct. 3 as part of our Mayors’ Roundtable Breakfast. These conversations are invaluable—hearing directly from our mayors and city managers about the challenges and priorities facing our neighbors helps us find ways to collaborate and problem solve.
Thank you to the mayors and city managers from Castle Hills, Fair Oaks Ranch, Olmos Park, Shavano Park, Hill County Village, and Hollywood Park for joining us and for your commitment to serving our communities.
Holidays in the Park
We celebrated Christmas early on Saturday, December 6 thanks to our inaugural “Holidays in the Park” event at Raymond Russell Park.
Families enjoyed a snow play zone, inflatable games, train rides, photos with Santa, and so much more. I’m especially grateful to everyone who brought a new, unwrapped toy to support Elf Louise.
I was proud to sponsor the event, and it was a huge success thanks to our amazing Bexar County Parks & Recreation team and all the families who came out to celebrate with us. Can’t wait to do it again next year.
