San Antonio Council Approves Tri-Chairs for $442 Million Bond Drive
The proposed 2027 municipal bond is half the size of the previous effort, and three new leaders will guide the project selection through next year.
By Wyatt Cooper ·
San Antonio city council members approved a trio of new leaders Thursday to guide the city’s $442 million bond effort for 2027. The proposed debt package is approximately half the size of the 2022 bond, a reduction attributed to a difficult economic environment. While the scope of public infrastructure and improvement projects has shrunk, the plan does not include a tax increase.
Three bond-related propositions will be presented to voters in May. These measures have been adjusted slightly since a briefing to the council on October 29. The public review process begins on November 16. The newly appointed chairpersons are responsible for refining the list of projects and presenting the final plan to the council on January 21. Their goal is to ensure the bond garners sufficient community support.
The three appointed officials are Kevin Dinnin, president and CEO of the FirstDay Foundation; Anita Fernandez, co-founder of OCI Group; and Sandi Wolff, vice president of Community Engagement and Advancement at Hallmark University. Councilwomen Sukh Kaur (District 1) and Phyllis Viagran (District 3) proposed the candidates. The council voted to approve the tri-chairs with a unanimous vote from members in favor, while Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones cast the sole vote against the ordinance.
Marc Whyte (District 10) praised the selection, stating that the group will ensure the bond receives the attention it deserves. He predicted the leaders would rally the community behind the effort. The appointment follows a mixed performance for local school districts on the midterm ballot Tuesday. Four of five districts saw their bond propositions fail, while Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD passed its measure narrowly.
Before the vote, Mayor Ortiz Jones sought to open a discussion on the ethics of selecting individuals with potential financial interests in bond projects. She noted that OCI, a consulting firm, has worked with the San Antonio Spurs. Ortiz Jones argued that transparency is required to build trust in the process, given the smaller bond demand. A Spurs spokeswoman confirmed the organization is no longer under contract with OCI following a series of public engagement meetings earlier in the year.
City Attorney Andy Segovia stated that his office is unaware of any conflicts of interest that would disqualify the proposed tri-chairpersons. He explained that potential conflicts are handled on a case-by-case basis, similar to how they are managed for council members. Segovia said the office has instructed the new chairpersons to report any potential issues. When Ortiz Jones asked if conflicts could be disclosed during the meeting, the other council members voted to end the discussion.
The approval follows a previous failed attempt by the mayor to separate $35 million in Project Marvel-related infrastructure projects from the main bond. That earlier proposal would have allowed voters to decide on each component separately. Alongside the municipal bond, the city is advancing a separate stormwater revenue bond. This measure covers $208 million in drainage and flood control projects and does not require voter approval.
The stormwater bond will increase the average residential customer’s stormwater fee to $4.94 per month. The council is scheduled to consider the fee increase in January. The tri-chairs will now begin their work to shape the final list of projects for the May ballot.
