San Antonio City Council is weighing a significant staffing reduction as part of the draft 2027 fiscal year budget. The proposal calls for eliminating 101 positions – 47 vacant and 54 filled – out of a total of 13,746 city jobs.
Key areas targeted for cuts
The cuts would affect 39 positions in the San Antonio Library system, 15 in the Health Department, eight in Human Services and a single, high‑profile role in the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP). The OHP would see its staff reduced from 21 to 13, saving roughly $1 million in the upcoming year.
Cultural historian position at risk
The most controversial elimination is the cultural historian role, currently held by Gloria Colom Braña, a doctorate‑holding folklorist who has served since January 2024. The position, with a salary between $77,910 and $116,866, has overseen the identification of historic and multicultural sites, including the Silk Road and Pride heritage districts. It also manages community storytelling projects such as “There’s a Story Here” in partnership with Texas Public Radio.
City spokesman Brian Chasnoff noted that the city has enough vacant slots to reassign the 54 affected employees, and seven of the eight OHP positions would be transferred to other departments, such as Development Services and Downtown Operations.
Community response
Local advocates expressed concern that the cuts could undermine San Antonio’s cultural and historic preservation efforts, which have been touted as economic development assets. Nadia Mavrakis, co‑executive director of Culturingua, emphasized that documentation of historic fabric – a task traditionally led by the cultural historian – is essential for securing state and federal revitalization funds through programs like the First Street Initiative.
Iman Ismail, a community ambassador for the Silk Road District Coalition, warned that losing the historian could weaken the city’s ability to foster community connections and preserve its unique heritage.
Budget context
The proposed reductions come after months of grappling with a looming $158 million budget shortfall. In addition to potential tax increases, the city has categorized services into mandated, priority and “other” – the latter being the primary target for elimination.
Despite the downsizing, Chasnoff assured that OHP will continue core preservation work, including design review, landmark designation, regulatory compliance, deconstruction initiatives and trades education.
Next steps
City Council is scheduled to vote on the final 2027 budget on September 17. The outcome will determine whether the cultural historian position and other proposed cuts move forward, shaping how San Antonio balances fiscal responsibility with its commitment to cultural heritage.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
