Friends and Neighbors –
These past few weeks have been busy for Commissioners Court, as we voted on several high-profile agenda items including calling for a venue tax election in November and adopting next fiscal year’s budget. Throughout it all, my focus has remained the same and I am committed to transparency, prioritizing core services, cutting waste, and ensuring every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely. In this newsletter, I’ll share updates on these key issues and my perspective on what they mean for our community.
FY ’25-’26 Bexar County Budget Approved
On Tuesday, September 9, Commissioners Court approved the FY ’25–’26 budget. Although it is not the budget that I would have written, I supported it because it makes meaningful investments in public safety, maintains the existing tax rate–resulting in a real tax cut for Bexar County families, and reflects a flat top line–meaning it remains on par with the current fiscal year’s budget at $2.8 billion.
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
✅ On average, existing homeowners will see a 2.2% tax reduction on their Bexar County taxes.
However, I remain concerned that we are still funding too many “wants” instead of “needs.” 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 I’ll continue pushing for smarter spending and greater accountability moving forward.
November Venue Tax Election
In August, my colleagues voted to approve adding two ballot measures (Proposition A and Proposition B) to the November 4th election, which would raise the venue tax to 2% and extend it. Proposition A would allocate nearly $200 million for renovations to the County-owned assets at the Freeman Coliseum and San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo grounds surrounding the Frost Bank Center. The improvements to these assets and the grounds will allow for the expansion of the Rodeo to host year-round events. Proposition B would provide up to $311 million for funding the construction of a new downtown arena for the Spurs. At my request there is a 25% cap on funding from the County, which means that the County will be financially protected regardless of construction costs.
It’s important to note that the propositions to be considered in the November election are not what the City of San Antonio has dubbed “Project Marvel.” The City is leading those efforts and is entering into their own, separate agreement with the Spurs to accomplish their overall vision of revitalizing downtown. This vote on the County’s venue tax would raise and extend the venue tax, committing future funds specifically to the projects listed within these two propositions (instead of exploring other priorities).
While I support the Rodeo and our Spurs—and I’ve worked closely with the Spurs on projects like North Park (a new county park near The Rock)—I couldn’t support the proposed tax increase and final deal with the Spurs. The tax increase is a bridge too far for me. At the time of the vote, the County still did not know what the financial commitment from the Spurs or the City would look like, which we agreed to wait for prior to voting. That didn’t happen. There is also still no plan for funding the infrastructure required for a new downtown arena.
I’m not opposed to investing in economic development projects; however, if I’m going to support investing hundreds of millions of dollars of public funds, I need to be able to defend that decision to the people who elected me. That means a deal must be fair, balanced, transparent, and based on hard commitments that protect taxpayers.
Ultimately, it will be your decision in November (early voting starts October 20th)—but I could not endorse this tax hike. I work for the people of Bexar County—giving YOU a voice, defending YOUR interests, and demanding accountability in every negotiation. I’ve been a transparent, honest, and fair broker on your behalf, and I will continue to be. Sometimes, that means being willing to say “No.”
Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to the November vote. In the meantime, read more about the vote in the news section below.
Sample ballot language can be found on the League of Women Voters website by clicking this link: 2025 Bexar County Propositions.
If you’d like to learn more about the proposed improvements to the Freeman Coliseum, click on this presentation.
New Voter Registration System
Another item where I differed from my colleagues was the $2 million purchase of a voter registration add-on system called VR Systems.
After Votec stopped servicing Bexar County earlier this summer, we’ve encountered a backlog of more than 45,000 unprocessed voter registrations. But approving this purchase now is premature.
All registrations in Texas must ultimately be processed through the state’s free TEAM system, which already serves more than 230 counties. Bexar County is required to join TEAM for the November election, so investing millions in a separate system before we’ve even implemented the state’s doesn’t make sense. We don’t yet know whether TEAM will meet our needs—or whether an add-on is even necessary.
This purchase also won’t solve the immediate backlog, since the Elections Department likely won’t present a contract until October, just weeks before early voting begins on October 20th. The priority should be getting current registrations processed and implementing TEAM. Only then should we evaluate whether additional tools are needed.
Taxpayers deserve a thoughtful, fact-based approach—not decisions driven by urgency or rhetoric. I’ll keep you updated as this issue develops.
Read more in the news section below.
Honoring First Responders at Commissioners Court
I asked for a point of personal privilege during Commissioners Court this month to recognize the brave Bexar County first responders who answered the call after the devastating Hill Country floods in July.
From search and rescue to recovery and the solemn task of identifying victims, teams from the Bexar County Office of Emergency Management, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Emergency Services Districts 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 12, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Bexar County IT department, Bexar Constable Pct 2, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office were among those who stepped up in service.
I’m deeply grateful for their courage, compassion, and commitment—not just to Bexar County, but to our neighbors in need during this tragedy.
Serving at Bright Star 25 in Egypt
As many of you know, I am a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Reserves and am currently serving with Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) at MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL, where I support planning and executing large multi-national military exercises for special operations in the Middle East. Earlier this month, I had the honor of serving as the Special Operating Forces Officer in Charge during Exercise Bright Star 25, a multinational military exercise co-hosted by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Egyptian Armed Forces at Mohamed Naguib Military Base in Egypt.
Bright Star, now in its 19th iteration since 1980, is one of CENTCOM’s most significant and longest-running exercises. This year, it brought together over 40 partner nations and 1,500 U.S. service members. SEALs and Green Berets trained alongside Egyptian, Qatari, Saudi, South African, Cyprus, Greek, Italian, Yemeni, and Jordanian special forces conducting combat dives, jump operations, boat search and seizure, and air support integration.
This continues to be a cornerstone of U.S.-Egypt defense relations, and I’m proud to have played a part in advancing our shared mission.
Parks Progress
Exciting news for Pct. 3 families! A new park is in the works.
We’ve taken the first step toward bringing youth baseball and soccer fields to our far North Side near I-10 and Balcones Creek.
Last month, the County and Alamo Colleges signed an agreement to explore using 18 acres at ACC’s new north campus for up to 8 youth baseball fields and 4 youth soccer fields!
This would be a game-changer for area leagues and families who currently do not have these types of sports fields available to them.
Big thanks to our partners at ACCD—and we look forward to working with the YMCA as the project moves forward.
Recent Events
Methodist Hospital Stone Oak Vertical Expansion
Big things are happening in Stone Oak.
I was honored to join last month’s groundbreaking for the vertical expansion at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak—a $100M+ investment in the future of healthcare for our rapidly growing community.
This project brings expanded space, specialized care, and quality jobs to Pct. 3, reflecting both the momentum of our area and Methodist’s commitment to serving others with excellence.
Thank you to the Methodist Healthcare System team for your leadership and continued investment in our community.
Pct. 3 Budget Town Hall
We had a strong turnout at our Pct. 3 Budget Town Hall in Helotes. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and I appreciated the chance to hear directly from you about your priorities.
Your questions and feedback help guide our work at the County. Thank you to everyone who joined us, as well as the County departments and staff who made the event possible.
Rotary Club Mental Health Panel
Mental health touches every corner of our community, which is why I appreciated the chance to speak on a panel hosted by the Rotary Club of San Antonio focusing on mental health, especially as it relates to our veterans and the workplace.
I shared both what Bexar County is doing to expand services and some of my own experience as a veteran transitioning back to civilian life. It was also enlightening to hear from USAA about their efforts to combat veteran suicide through the Face the Fight program and from NAMI about mental health stigmas.
Every veteran deserves a fair shake when it comes to employment, understanding, and support. Grateful for the dialogue and the push to break stigma and build a stronger community.
Breakfast with the Mayors
When our suburban cities succeed, Bexar County succeeds. It was great catching up with some of our Pct. 3 mayors at the 3rd Annual Metro SA Chamber “Breakfast with the Mayors”—22 mayors in one room! I find that it’s always valuable to hear directly about the priorities and projects shaping our communities.
I’d like to give a special shoutout to Mayor Gabriel Durand-Hollis (Hill Country Village), Mayor J.R. Treviño (Castle Hills), and Mayor Chester Drash (Hollywood Park) for sharing your ideas.
Fire Truck Push
I joined Bexar County ESD 4 at their firetruck push-in ceremony—a time-honored tradition to dedicate new fire trucks that dates back to the days when firefighters had to push horse-drawn engines into the station by hand.
It was a great family event, complete with a hands-on fire hose activity designed and built by an Eagle Scout. Very impressive!
Thank you to ESD 4 for your continued service and commitment to our community.
