San Antonio’s mayoral candidates Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos faced off on Wednesday in the first and only live televised debate.
Get more election news on KSAT’s Vote 2025 page.
San Antonio’s mayoral candidates Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos faced off on Wednesday in the first and only live televised debate.
The final two candidates addressed the city’s $2.4 million deficit, the proposed Spurs arena downtown, and major issues like homelessness, poverty and education in front of more than 130 invited guests at Trinity University.
KSAT anchors Steve Spriester and Myra Arthur, along with panelists Juan Sepulveda and Christine Drennon of Trinity University, pressed Ortiz Jones and Pablos about topics that affect San Antonio residents the most.
They expressed different views on how — and why — they should lead San Antonio.
Early voting starts on May 27 and runs until June 3. Election day is June 7.
Watch the full debate in the video player above.
Candidates’ stance on budget deficit
City revenue growth is lagging more than expected, resulting in a modest deficit in the current general fund budget. According to city staff, the current year’s $2.4 million deficit is considered “manageable.” However, projections indicate that this gap will widen significantly in the future, with the deficit expected to reach $30.8 million by Fiscal Year 2026 and $148.3 million by Fiscal Year 2027.
>> What to cut? San Antonians weigh in on fixing city’s looming budget deficit
Pablos said if elected, he would not make budget cuts that deal with public safety, but would rethink proposed bike lanes.
“I don’t have anything against bike lanes, but proposing to spend $8 billion on bike lanes just doesn’t seem like an appropriate way to use our money,” he said.
Ortiz Jones said she would protect resources for those residents who need them most. She said she would look at what could be impacted and cut any unnecessary “pet projects,” like the defunct service from San Antonio to Frankfurt, Germany.
“And so I think going through the budget with a fine-tooth comb to understand where are some of these other investments, where the data doesn’t necessarily show this is best use of resources,” she said.
Thoughts on Project Marvel
The city is planning for a multi-billion-dollar sports and entertainment district, nicknamed Project Marvel, that could be the new home for the San Antonio Spurs downtown.
The candidates stated that the focus should be on prioritizing jobs and individuals from all sectors when considering who downtown benefits—residents, tourists, or businesses.
Ortiz Jones said there hasn’t been enough discussion on Project Marvel’s benefits for the city.
“Business, tourists, and locals are on the same level for me. It’s really important to your point that we do everything we can to fight to keep our Spurs and everything possible to also make sure that San Antonio gets a good deal,” Ortiz Jones said. ”I’ve (been) very clear we need answers to three questions: how much is it gonna cost, who’s gonna pay, how is the city going to benefit? And then we can talk about the city’s portion of that.”
She added that in a recent poll from the San Antonio Express-News, Pablos said 50% of Project Marvel funding should come from the city.
“If you want someone to sell you out, vote for Rolando,” Ortiz Jones said.
Pablos said downtown is about “jobs, jobs, jobs,” and the city needs to create a sustainable environment for businesses, locals and visitors.
“This is a jobs creation program. This is an economic development program. It could be a game changer. And just like we invest taxpayer money in training our people, I think we should also invest taxpayer money in creating jobs,” he said.
On solutions for poverty and homelessness
Pablos and Ortiz agreed that poverty and homelessness are priorities for the next mayor.
“Poverty is a root condition that drives a lot of the problems that we have, especially homelessness,” Pablos said, adding that he would focus on prevention and shelter.
Pablos said the city needs to help victims of domestic violence who often find themselves without shelter, and work with police to prevent drug abuse and human trafficking in homeless encampments.
He’s added that he would prioritize the neglected parts of town, and San Antonio “has been impoverished for way too long.”
Ortiz Jones believes the fentanyl crisis and lack of mental health resources contribute to keeping people unhoused.
As far as basic infrastructure to help these communities, she said she would look at where people are suffering the most, and where the return on investment is the highest.
“I would argue if we spent more on Pre K 4 SA, we would spend less on Ready to Work,” she said.
Infrastructure can help the city with its public safety concerns, she said.
“This is why I have not signed us up to pay for 50% of the Spurs’ new arena, because when people look at a map and say ‘cool land bridge,’ my neighborhood doesn’t have drainage, how are we going to address that?” she said, noting her 100-day plan.
In a rebuttal, Pablos said Ortiz Jones’ 100-day plan is a “plan to make a plan.”
Ortiz Jones replied, saying, “Pablos’ plan is to do whatever Greg Abbott tells him to do.”
>> Find more election coverage on the Vote 2025 page.
Candidates were given 90 seconds for questions and 45 seconds for rebuttals. Brief follow-ups were allowed at the moderator’s discretion.
Candidates were provided with a pen and notepad for note-taking, but cellphones, electronic devices and outside notes were not allowed.
The audience included invited guests, Trinity students and members of the American GI Forum of Bexar County.
This election will see a return to four-year terms for San Antonio’s mayor, something that either Jones or Pablos will be the first to serve.
Read also:
- Where to vote early for San Antonio’s runoff election on June 7
- Spriester Sessions: Getting personal with San Antonio mayoral candidate Rolando Pablos
- Spriester Sessions: Gina Ortiz Jones reflects on political journey amid San Antonio mayoral race
