Metropolis Lawyer Andy Segovia has responded to Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ newest concept to plug San Antonio’s $158 million funds hole, saying that asking voters to redirect funds from the Able to Work program comes with vital limitations.
The mayor made waves earlier this week when she floated the concept that ending the taxpayer-funded workforce growth program early might divert as much as $100 million of its collected funds to the town’s basic fund.
On Thursday, the town lawyer suggested council members that there may very well be strict limits on how Able to Work funds can be utilized, in keeping with a metropolis memo obtained by the San Antonio Report.
Within the memo despatched to the mayor and Metropolis Council, Segovia mentioned Able to Work funds are restricted below Texas’ Higher Jobs Act.
State legislation permits the funds for use for a particular goal, he famous, associated to creating a talented workforce.
That features literacy and training — the memo mentions scholarships, secondary faculties and after faculty applications as examples. Utilizing it for unrelated functions, like drainage or road enhancements, wouldn’t be in keeping with state legislation, in keeping with the memo.
Jones talked about infrastructure enhancements as a extra urgent want in an interview with Texas Public Radio’s “The Supply” on Monday.
In her memo to council members on Tuesday, nonetheless, the mayor solely pointed to excessive precedence tasks within the metropolis’s basic fund or 2027 bond as attainable touchdown locations for the cash.
Jones urged council members to think about placing the difficulty to voters as quickly because the November poll — and on Thursday, she didn’t appear to take Segovia’s response as a “no.”
“The Metropolis Lawyer has instructed us that if the voters elected to, Able to Work funds might probably be used to pay for certified applications presently paid for out of the overall fund, providers like literacy applications, afterschool applications, and early childhood training,” Jones mentioned in an electronic mail Thursday in response to Segovia’s memo.
“Diverting Able to Work funds for certified applications might then release basic fund cash for core providers like public security and drainage, and helps to reduce potential funds cuts and property tax will increase,” she added.
Redirecting the funds would require public approval.
Able to Work was established when 77% of voters authorized the concept within the 2020 election. This system was set to run by means of 2030 and offered scholarships, assist and coaching pathways for San Antonio residents trying to transfer into higher-paying jobs.
It endured a tough begin, although, failing to fulfill preliminary targets and coming below hearth from fellow council members. Targets for job placements have been revised down from 28,000 jobs by 2030 to fifteen,600.
Able to Work was initially alleged to get 80% of its graduates into new jobs inside six months. Right now, 74% of graduates get into an authorized job after 12 months.
Program officers have emphasised latest enhancements. Able to Work has almost doubled its whole variety of job placements thus far 2026, rising from round 3,000 whole between 2023 and the tip of 2025 to greater than 5,700 right now.
Council members react
Placing the Able to Work choice in entrance of voters would require Jones to current a poll initiative to Metropolis Council, the place a majority of council members would want to approve the language by August 17.
This system nonetheless has supporters at Metropolis Corridor.
“We’re seeing Able to Work change lives,” mentioned Councilwoman Teri Castillo (D5).
Castillo mentioned this system is benefiting her Westside constituents, who’re seeing greater incomes and higher jobs after collaborating in this system. A public workforce growth program helps appeal to employers to the realm and helps residents depart poverty, she added.
Castillo mentioned she considers Able to Work the very best use of these funds.
Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1) agreed, including that she’s seen enhancements for the reason that program’s tough begin. The long-term advantages from growing incomes is well worth the funding, she mentioned Thursday.
“Doing a big scale workforce growth program that’s not centered on one business … it’s quite a lot of work,” Kaur mentioned. “There’s quite a bit that wanted to be labored out — they usually have labored it out and are working it out.”
Different council members have been much less supportive of this system. Councilman Marc Whyte (D10), one of many council’s two conservatives, rapidly endorsed Jones’ concept to finish this system early and redirecting funds to different important applications.
The opposite, Councilwoman Misty Spears (D9), agreed, saying: “The Mayor and I could disagree on the place these tax {dollars} ought to go, however I’ve no drawback ending authorities applications that value taxpayers a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands and fail to ship the outcomes they promised.”
Different council members have at the least signaled an openness to completely discussing the difficulty.
“I don’t thoughts the robust dialog,” Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) mentioned in an announcement. “It’s important that we convey within the correct stakeholders and, simply as importantly, take a look at the success and alternatives earlier than a choice is made to section it out.”
