SAN ANTONIO – Newly elected Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones joined KSAT’s 6 O’Clock News on Tuesday for a Q&A to discuss her first week in office, budget priorities and the city’s investigation into the fatal June 12 floods.
Jones said that she and her staff are “committed to do what’s right for San Antonio.”
With a projected $31 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year, Jones emphasized the need to prioritize staffing and resources for police, firefighters and emergency medical services.
“I think it’s really important we also minimize any impacts to our most valuable communities,” Jones said.
Jones outlined her plan to address poverty by investing in young people, which she said is “the smartest investment and the investment that has the highest rate of return.”
When asked about Project Marvel and its projected multi-billion dollar price tag for a downtown sports and entertainment district, Jones wants the city to listen to community meetings and to be smart about investments.
“I think the focus should have been, and now it will be, on what is in that community benefit agreement,” Jones said. “Folks have to understand how they are also going to benefit from this generational investment, and I know all of my city colleagues and myself are making sure we get this right.”
Another topic discussed was the city’s investigation into the June 12 floods that killed 13 people.
”I know the study is underway to not only understand the infrastructure needs that are needed but also make sure that our processes were as tight as they could be,” Jones said.
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