Cities & Counties
Castle Hills officials, ex-City Council member settle years-long lawsuit
By Edmond Ortiz Castle Hills City Council voted Oct. 14 to ratify a settlement agreement with former Councilmember Sylvia Gonzalez, ending a lawsuit that she originally filed against the city five years ago. What’s happened City officials approving the settlement agreement comes 16 months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on her case and declared…
Mayoral race highlights Converse elections
By Edmond Ortiz Two former City Council members and a local business owner are challenging Converse’s longtime mayor in his re-election bid in Converse’s Nov. 4 city elections. Aside from a crowded mayoral race, Converse will consider races for three other council positions. Focus On San Antonio offered questions to every candidate on the ballot,…
A glance at newly passed budgets in 4 Northwest Side cities
By Edmond Ortiz Officials in Balcones Heights, Fair Oaks Ranch, Grey Forest and Helotes are sticking with the basics in their newly passed Fiscal Year 2026 city budgets, which took effect on Oct. 1. Helotes City Council voted on Sept. 25 to adopt an $11 million general fund budget, which will support the replacement of…
A glance at new budgets in Boerne, Garden Ridge, New Braunfels
Officials at Boerne City Hall (pictured) and their counterparts in Garden Ridge and New Braunfels recently adopted a Fiscal Year 2026 budget for their respective city governments. (Photo by Edmond Ortiz)
Here’s how budgets and taxes affect taxpayers in cities northeast of San Antonio
Officials at Cibolo City Hall (pictured) and their counterparts in seven neighboring suburbs recently adopted a Fiscal Year 2026 budget, each of which reflects various economic and market challenges that those growing towns are facing. (Courtesy Google Earth)
A look at key budget items in five north San Antonio-area suburbs
By Edmond Ortiz Officials in five north San Antonio-area cities have approved a budget for Fiscal Year 2026, which started Oct. 1.Here’s a rundown of how those new budgets will affect governmental operations and taxpayers in those suburbs in the new fiscal year: Hollywood Park City Council on Sept. 16 passed a $7.37 million general…
Here’s how 2025-2026 budgets impact Alamo Heights, Olmos Park
Officials at Alamo Heights City Hall (pictured) and their counterparts in Olmos Park have recently approved a Fiscal Year 2026 budget for their respective local government. (Courtesy Google Earth)
San Antonio council puts teeth into animal welfare laws
By Edmond Ortiz The city of San Antonio is implementing a new ordinance designed to deter anyone from abandoning an animal inside city limits. What you should know City Council voted 10-1 on Sept. 11 to create a Class C misdemeanor law that penalizes a person who intentionally, knowingly or recklessly abandons or releases any…
Bexar County’s new $2.8B budget adds 22 law enforcement spots, flood warning program
Bexar County’s new Fiscal Year 2026 budget took effect Oct. 1, with funding for 20-plus new law enforcement positions and a flood warning program. (Photo by Edmond Ortiz)
Homelessness, affordable housing, public safety, animal care get focus in San Antonio’s new budget
San Antonio city staff participates in the annual local point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in January 2025. Through the city’s new Fiscal Year 2026 budget, local officials seek to bolster homelessness services, including the creation of a new position and more money for the abatement of encampments. (Courtesy San Antonio Fear Free Environment officers)