Mayor Jones addresses budget priorities and federal funding challenges at town hall

SAN ANTONIO — District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte joined Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones for a community town hall on the Northeast Side on Thursday.

The mayor spoke about the newly city council approved budget. She says there are tons of projects in the works and several that have been delayed due to funding issues.

Mayor Jones says the city council is working to figure out which to prioritize. One thing they take into consideration is federal funding. Mayor Jones says because there is uncertainty at the federal level, the city has to be proactive in planning ahead.

Mayor Jones says her priority is to keep San Antonians safe and to make sure residents have what they need. During the meeting, the mayor was asked about National Guard troops coming to our city.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus says there isn’t any indication that DHS has San Antonio in its crosshairs.

This is due to the Senate bill 4 that was passed in 2023. It allows state judges to expedite deportations, increases penalties for re-entering the country illegally and allows local police to help immigration authorities in their operations.