Strengthening Transit Through Community Partnerships
A stronger economy. More choices about where we live, work and play. A better overall quality of life.
That’s the future that we all want for San Antonio and Bexar County. And we can have it, if we act now to adequately fund our underfunded public transportation network. Adding more mobility options is absolutely critical to ensuring that our region keeps moving forward, especially as 1 million more people will call our city home by 2040.
That’s why Mayor Ron Nirenberg and I have rallied behind the first part of the Connect San Antonio plan to dedicate an expiring one-eighth-cent sales tax to better fund VIA Metropolitan Transit and its VIA Reimagined plan. It’s an essential component to combating congestion and protecting our environment.
The status quo virtually guarantees that we’ll spend more wasted time stuck in traffic. We know from experience that as major corporations consider relocating or expanding to San Antonio, one of their primary considerations is the state of our transit system.
According to estimates from the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the average San Antonio household spends 23 percent of annual combined income on transportation expenses. That’s nearly as much as housing costs, which consume 25 percent of annual income. A robust transit system offers an option to significantly reduce transportation costs.