Nearly 500 community and business leaders gathered at the Chamber’s annual State of the County to tip their hats to Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. Judge Wolff has been the driving force behind booming growth, collaborating with the Commissioners Court and the City of San Antonio to ensure we maintain our vibrant economy.
“We are going to have another million people living in the San Antonio area within the next 20 years, which means we have a lot to work to do, and that work begins right now,” Wolff said. According to Judge Wolff, the first key ingredient necessary is transportation, specifically expanding public and private transit options along with road infrastructure. The goal is to reduce congestion and build a true multimodal transportation system to accommodate all new potential drivers and residents. Wolff wants to see the public and private sectors partner together to create a demand driven transit system. He was pleased to announce Mayor Nirenberg’s newly created transportation taskforce has already begun working on a proposal.
Wolff touched on the need to continue reforming Bexar County’s Criminal Justice System to focus on rehabilitation instead of imprisonment. “Jails are for violent offenders, not non-violent offenders,” Wolff said. He believes criminal justice reform will help lower costs and help improve public safety.
Wolff stressed the need to build an entrepreneurial city with high-quality jobs with one key ingredient being talent. He applauded San Antonio’s Economic Development Foundation for taking the lead on employer driven training through programs like SA works. He gave a nod to the business leaders in the room for their efforts in workforce development. A key component of talent development is a great public education system. Wolff urged lawmakers to properly fund public education and take the burden off local taxpayers. “I encourage all of you to make education your number one issue in the legislature,” Wolff said.
“We need a friendly business atmosphere, less regulations, and to hold down taxes,” Wolff said. As the founder of two successful small businesses, Wolff understands the importance of a business-friendly environment. Over the last 20 years, Bexar County has reduced its tax rate from 38 cents to 31 cents, putting more money into businesses and local tax payers’ pocket books. Wolff called on elected leaders to maintain this business-friendly environment, a key ingredient to an entrepreneurial city.
Wolff also touched on the opioid task force, health care, the recent announcement of the expansion of the downtown UTSA Campus, and the thriving cybersecurity industry where 150,000 students are working on cybersecurity and related issues across the city.
To view the video of the State of the County event, click here. To view photos of the event, click here.
