Last week, San Antonio voters overwhelmingly approved all six propositions within the City’s 2017 municipal bond package. In addition to passing a position statement in support of the bond, your Chamber advocated for and participated in many of the community and business meetings to show strong support from the business community. The $850 million bond is the largest in the city’s history, and the bond package includes 180 projects, each within one mile of where a San Antonio residents lives or works.
Now that the bond is approved, neighborhoods across the city will get some much-needed maintenance for streets, sidewalks and drainage, upgraded parks and green spaces, library improvements, and new community centers. Residents will also see major investments in the city’s World Heritage sites at the Alamo and the four Spanish-colonial Missions.
The bond will also fund the city’s first ever housing development project. In conjunction with the city’s 2017 Urban Renewal Plan, funding from the bond would be used to clear property and install necessary utilities, sidewalks, and streets in preparation for single-family or multi-family housing construction. The City will not build housing, but will rely on non-profit and private sector housing developers to do so. This project will help seed affordable housing and spur neighborhood stabilization. This will be the first step in dealing with the city’s growing housing crisis.
The bond will also help support the city’s big vision for transforming San Antonio. The package includes funding for the next phase of development of Hemisphere Park as well as major investments in restoring the Alamo and improving the infrastructure at the Spanish colonial missions. Improvements to these major tourist attractions is not only important for San Antonio, but the state and the nation as well.
The investments made through the city’s 2017 bond package will help create a destination for talented workers and their families, boost tourism and attract private sector investment. The Chamber applauds the city and the more than 150 resident volunteers who participated in the process. Putting forth an $850 million bond without a property tax increase is reflective of the city’s sound financial management and San Antonio’s vibrant economy. The Chamber is proud to have supported the city’s 2017 bond program and looks forward to seeing a vibrant, thriving community as the future of San Antonio.
