San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones faces a consequential City Council vote on water rates while also pushing a new voter-engagement initiative and finding time to defend the city from Charles Barkley.
The most pressing issue is a San Antonio Water System proposal to increase water and sewer rates by nearly 33% over four years. Under the plan, the average residential bill would rise from about $57 a month to roughly $75 by 2029.
SAWS says the additional revenue is needed to replace aging water mains, upgrade wastewater facilities and comply with regulatory requirements. Critics on the council have questioned whether customers should pay more while the utility continues to lose billions of gallons through leaks.
Jones initially pressed SAWS for a shorter and less expensive proposal but ultimately voted for the four-year plan as a member of the utility’s board. She called it the least costly way to protect public health and avoid even more expensive repairs later. City Council has the final say.
Jones is also facing scrutiny over her effort to create a commission focused on increasing voter participation. After council members postponed action on a formal commission, Jones established a mayoral task force that does not require council approval.
The group is expected to recommend ways to improve voter turnout before the November elections. Some council members support that goal but have questioned the task force’s compressed schedule and why its meetings are not open to the public.
The mayor received friendlier attention during the Spurs’ NBA Finals run when she confronted longtime San Antonio critic Charles Barkley on national television.
Jones presented Barkley with churros and jokingly questioned his “class” and “courage” after years of cracks about San Antonio women and the River Walk.
Guest: San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.
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This interview will be recorded live on Monday June 8, 2026, at 12:30 p.m.
