San Antonio District 6 Councilmember Ric Galvan is entering his first budget season with what he calls a “people-first” lens and a skeptical eye on big-ticket projects.
City Manager Erik Walsh presented a balanced FY 2026 proposal on Aug. 14 totaling roughly $4.0 billion, with General Fund priorities centered on homelessness, streets and sidewalks, housing, public safety, animal care and employee compensation.
The city faces a $21 million shortfall stemming from a drop in property tax. To bridge this gap, the budget includes $111 million in spending reductions over three years, increases in fees and fines, trimming vacant positions and capturing more revenue from CPS Energy utility sales. These are choices that could counter Galvan’s pledge to support the city’s working families.
On Project Marvel, the proposed downtown Spurs arena, Galvan is pressing for clearer financing, while also questioning how tools like a tax Increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ) would be used and when the public sees a return. “There’s not enough publicly available information to fully understand how this project will be financed,” his office said in a July statement that also emphasized community benefits and neighborhood input.
When City Council voted 7–4 on Aug. 21 to advance a non-binding term sheet committing about $489 million in city support for the $1.3 billion arena, Galvan joined Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and two colleagues in opposition. He aligned with the mayor’s call for an independent economic analysis and more public engagement before locking in a framework. The term sheet still moved forward; Bexar County’s share will go to voters in November.
Galvan has positioned himself as a dependable ally for the new mayor. And he’s been rewarded with being assigned the chairs of the Educational Opportunities and Community Health committees, and he also serves on Planning & Community Development and Economic & Workforce Development— which are venues where budget trade-offs on streets, housing and human services will be negotiated.
Guest:
Ric Galvan is the San Antonio City Council representative for District 6.
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This interview will be recorded Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
