District 5 Councilmember supports the 2024 City Budget

Published on September 14, 2023

District 5 Councilmember supports the 2024 City Budget that delivers material wins for the working class

SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 14, 2023) — Today, San Antonio City Council approved the $3.7 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2024. This City budget was focused on improving customer service, ensuring public safety, supporting homeowners from rising property taxes, and enhancing the overall quality of life.

“This budget reflects many of the needs that our residents advocated for throughout the entire City budget input process,” District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo said. “People want a San Antonio that takes care of the basics. They want quality streets and sidewalks, and they want a City that recognizes that we must adapt to a warming climate and invest in shade structures to provide relief under the blistering sun. 

“In addition to servicing non-service alleys in disrepair and neglect, they want us to explore creative ways to make them a refuge from the urban heat island effect or drainage through raingardens. I look forward to seeing what San Antonio can develop by exploring green alleyways through our council consideration request.    

“This budget includes the San Antonio Volunteer Exemption program for seniors who desperately need tax relief, which can extend their hard-earned retirement money and provide ease of mind from rising property taxes. They deserve the dignity of aging in the communities they know and love.”

The following items will materially improve the lives of District 5 residents and beyond:

• Increasing the City homestead exemption to 20 percent.
• Additional property tax relief for Seniors through the San Antonio Volunteer Exemption for Seniors program ($400 tax credits for 300 Seniors)
• 41 new firefighters and paramedics
• 29 Animal Care Services positions
• Building and repairing safer streets and sidewalks
• Repairs for 80 non-service alleys
• Drainage improvements in Palm Heights and the Elmendorf Lake Dam
• Allsup-Flagle Area Drainage Improvements
• Interior renovations at the SA Natatorium
• Fencing and enhanced mowing at historic City cemeteries
• A 5-year plan to add shade structures for City playgrounds
• Maintenance for Monterrey and Smith Park
• Activating green spaces through vacant City lots 
• Elevation certificates for homes in the Palm Heights area
• Improved Enhanced Library Cards with a photograph, date of birth, and address available at all twenty-nine San Antonio Public Library branch locations
• Refreshing the book collection at Las Palmas
• Interior renovations at the SA Natatorium
• Very minor drainage improvement outside SA Property Room
• Facility improvements for Collins Garden and Bazan Libraries
• Money for affordable housing
• Money toward weatherization for CPS Energy’s Casa Verde program
• Support for Mexican American Civil Rights Institute (MACRI) 
• Climate Research Educational Partnership with OLLU
• Increasing the entry wage for City workers from $17.50 to $18.00 and a 4 percent increase in pay for current workers

This week, City Council held two budget amendment work sessions tasked with allocating roughly $20 Million after better than anticipated CPS revenues in August and September. 

“Many of the initiatives that we brought to the table were successful thanks in part to community members and advocacy groups that showed up to our town halls, “public input sessions, and voiced their opinion on our budget survey,” the Councilwoman added. 

“Organizations like Avow Texas, Lilith Fund, Sueños Sin Fronteras, and Janes Due Process reminded us that we must fulfill our commitment to expand access to comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care. The Reproductive Justice Fund makes clear to San Antonio residents and Texans across the state that we are committed to that.

“Public housing advocates, Cassiano Home residents, and COPS/Metro members showed up and strongly advocated for a modernization and accessibility fund to rehab our existing public housing stock. This fund will ensure that we provide minor repairs that can extend the life on our aging public housing stock and provide permanently affordable housing for families and Seniors living at Opportunity Home.

I am grateful for everyone who engaged in the process and brought us closer to the San Antonio that works for everyone.”  

District 5 successfully pushed the following budget amendments to round out the budget:

• Expand 3 SA Core Teams to 24 hours per day, 7 days per week
• Animal Care Services (ACS) Store Front for spay and neuter surgeries located between Districts 1, 5, 7 and in District 2
• Increase the Neighborhood Accessibility and Mobility Program 
• Establish an Opportunity Home Accessibility and Operations Fund to provide key minor maintenance needs for public housing residents
• The Reproductive Justice Fund
• Cellebrite Premium technology 
• Food Policy Council of San Antonio for Urban Farming Seed three pilot sites.