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Special fund could help Council members respond to neighborhood needs

Friday, November 8, 2024 by Amy Smith

Under a proposal approved Thursday, City Council members may have the ability next year to fund projects in their districts without following the usual planning and budgeting processes.

The resolution, sponsored by Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, directs the city manager to explore a pilot program to establish a special fund for each Council member to promptly respond to neighborhood needs, such as providing funding for sidewalk repairs or park improvements.

The funding program would take effect in the 2025-26 budget cycle. It’s uncertain how much funding would be allotted for each district or how each project would be managed.

The resolution calls for the consideration of several factors regarding the allocation of funds, including equitable dispersion, areas of historical disinvestment, high-growth areas and alignment with the city’s Capital Improvement Program.

As Fuentes explained before the vote, “This district service fund I believe is a great way for our offices to show tangible improvements in the neighborhoods that we serve. I also see it as a great way for us to build on the 10-1 system, especially as we approach the 10-year anniversary of having district representation throughout the city.”

Co-sponsors of the item included Council members Ryan Alter, Paige Ellis and Zo Qadri, with Council members Chito Vela and José Velásquez signing on at Thursday’s meeting.

Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison said she would also like a better understanding of the status of resolutions that have been approved but not yet funded.

“Let’s clear those out before we bring any more money asks,” she said. “I think it’s difficult for staff to be able to accommodate our requests when there is already a backlog.” She added she would “lead by example” by not bringing forward additional resolutions that require funding until the backlog has been resolved.

Alter expressed enthusiasm for the proposal. Having immediate access to such a fund would expedite certain neighborhood-level safety improvement projects like speed bumps or protected crosswalks that have already been identified by staff but might be at the bottom of a lengthy to-do list managed by Transportation and Public Works.

“There are instances where there are other prioritizations that need to be made,” he said.

The cities of San Antonio and Houston have established similar funding mechanisms for their city council offices, according to the resolution.

The Fuentes proposal lists a set of guardrails to be applied to ensure transparency regarding how the funding would be used.

The city manager is expected to report back to Council with possible recommendations by March 1.

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