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Vote AGAINST Prop B on November 4th

What Prop B does

Prop B would commit public tax revenues to subsidize a new downtown arena. We’re asking voters to vote NO because the deal prioritizes private profit over community needs and lacks true independent analysis.

Five Reasons to Vote AGAINST Prop B

  1. No public funds for private profit
    Public dollars should serve public purposes first—neighborhoods, safety, streets, drainage, housing, and workforce—not a new arena.

  2. Independent analysis first
    Before committing decades of revenue, the City should commission a transparent, third-party study with public review. No study, no subsidy.

  3. Risk sits with taxpayers
    Officials say PFZ/TIRZ/HOT will cover costs, but when those projections miss, the pressure shifts to the General Fund and property taxpayers.

  4. Crowds out core services
    Long-term arena subsidies lock up revenue and attention that should go to essentials—police and fire, street repair, drainage, libraries, parks, and workforce development.

  5. History says: overpromise, underdeliver
    Independent research across the country shows sports venues rarely deliver the broad economic gains promised. San Antonio deserves better priorities.

 

What we support instead (redirect the public money)

We want public revenues used directly for public good—in neighborhoods across the city.

A) PFZ (Project Finance Zone — state hotel tax growth)

  • Don’t pledge PFZ to a luxury arena. Use PFZ to retire existing convention-related debt faster and maintain current visitor assets (Convention Center, River Walk, historic sites).

  • This reduces or eliminates General Fund backfill, freeing up property-tax dollars for neighborhood basics: streets, drainage, libraries, parks, and public safety.

B) HOT (Hotel Occupancy Tax — city hotel tax)

  • HOT is legally for tourism-related purposes (conventions, arts/culture, historic preservation, visitor facilities). Keep HOT focused there—not on new arena debt.

  • Prioritize neighborhood-serving cultural assets (branch-level arts partnerships, historic preservation in older districts, visitor-facing parks/greenways) and maintenance of what we already own.

  • By avoiding new HOT-backed arena debt, the city won’t need General Fund subsidies to plug holes—again freeing property-tax dollars for local infrastructure and services.

C) TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones — property-tax growth inside zones)

  • Use TIRZ where it belongs: public infrastructure in and around the zone—sidewalks, lighting, safe crossings, drainage, utilities, complete streets, and affordable-housing set-asides to reduce displacement.

  • Don’t siphon TIRZ to arena debt service. Invest in the basics that make neighborhoods safer and more livable and support small businesses on our corridors.

D) County Venue Tax (HOT + car rental, county-level)

  • Law already allows venue tax dollars for parks, river improvements, aquifer protections, cultural venues, streets, sidewalks.

  • Instead of a new entertainment arena, prioritize countywide amenities: parks and trails in every precinct, youth sports fields, flood control & flooding infrastructure, and community cultural facilities—especially on the South, West, and East Sides.

Bottom line: If we don’t lock PFZ, HOT, TIRZ, and Venue Tax into an arena, we can fix what’s broken, maintain what we own, and invest in people-first priorities citywide—without new pressure on property taxpayers.

FAQ

Will a NO vote kill downtown growth?
No. It says: no public subsidies without independent analysis and real safeguards. Growth should be responsible and transparent.

Doesn’t HOT/TIRZ/PFZ mean “tourists pay, not us”?
They are still public dollars and it is up to us, the voters of Bexar County, to decide how best to use them. If projections miss or debt needs backstopping, the burden shifts toward the General Fund and property taxpayers.

Why not negotiate a better arena deal?
We don’t want a different deal—we want different priorities: neighborhood infrastructure, safety, housing, and workforce.

Take action

  • Pledge to vote NO on Prop B.

  • Volunteer and help us get the word out by doing phone/text banks, canvassing, house meetings, etc. 

  • Share this link.

Election Day: November 4
(Check registration, early voting dates, and polling place on the county website.)

Paid for by: Defending Public Money for Public Good PAC