San Antonio council members Sukh Kaur, Teri Castillo, and Marina Alderete Gavito are pushing for a meeting to discuss how to spend $75 million from the Spurs arena deal. The non-binding term sheet for a $1.3 billion arena includes $2.5 million in annual funding committed by the Spurs over the life of a 30-year lease as part of a community benefits agreement (CBA).
Community Input
Kaur wants to appoint a commission of community members to provide input and recommendations on how to use the funds. The councilwomen have filed a three-signature memo to force a council meeting, which they have asked to be held no later than August 7. Kaur believes housing, transportation, and nearby parks improvements are possible areas that could benefit from the money.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has previously expressed skepticism about the size of the $2.5 million in annual funding, comparing it to a small fraction of the city’s $4 billion budget. However, Kaur argues that this money is not allocated for specific purposes like fixing streets or sidewalks, and therefore, the community should have a say in how it is spent.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
