Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has been vocal about Proposition B throughout her first few months in office. Jones recently published an Express-News Op-Ed discussing whether the city can afford the new sports and entertainment district.
Prop. B asks voters to approve $311 million to fund the construction of a new San Antonio Spurs arena by increasing taxes on rental cars. Jones has not explicitly stated support for Prop. B, but has provided her thoughts on the city funding aspect of the project .
Leading up to the vote, Jones has continuously raised concerns for the city budget, federal funding cuts and an independent economic assessment regarding Project Marvel.
“I want the Spurs to stay in San Antonio, and I believe the Spurs want to stay,” Jones said in her statement.
Discourse on the Spurs’ contemplation to leave San Antonio has circulated citywide. During a District 5 town hall meeting organized by Councilmember Terri Castillo, a question about the basketball team relocating arose with Spurs General Counsel Bobby Perez.
“We hope that when you look at the numbers, when you look at the facts, you’ll vote for ‘Yes’ for Propositions A and B. That’s what we’re focused on,” Perez stated.
Jones explained why some may assume she is against Project Marvel. Earlier this year, she interrupted a Pro-Project Marvel rally at City Hall, reiterating her demand for an independent economic assessment. She also commented on the topic of the Spurs’ possible move when she interrupted the rally.
“The Spurs have never said that they would leave San Antonio,” Jones noted in response to an attendee on the day of the event.
In her Op-Ed, Jones cited UT San Antonio’s CPOR poll of voters’ stance on numerous factors regarding the upcoming vote. She brought up that 40% of voters approve Prop. B’s venue tax to fund the construction of a new arena, 46% are against the use of funds and 14% of voters are unsure.
“Like many of you, based on the recent UT San Antonio poll, I’m somewhere in the middle, cautiously weighing this generational investment in the context of our financial reality and the process that led us to this point,” Jones explained.
Jones states that she is willing to continue negotiating with the Spurs regardless of the voting outcome on Nov. 4.
