ABOUT 30 SECONDS WITH THE NFL. YEAH. THERE YOU GO FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AWAY.
>> WELCOME BACK. FROM PROPERTY
TAX ASSISTANCE TO A POSSIBLE
FRANCHISE. THERE’S ALWAYS
SOMETHING HAPPENING IN SAN
ANTONIO FOR THE GREAT THINGS
ABOUT THE CITY. GOOD THING THAT
MAYOR RON NIRENBERG IS GOING.
JOIN US NOW FOR OUR KSAT Q AND
A GOOD TO HAVE YOU, MISTER
MAYOR.
>> GOOD EVENING. GOOD TO
>> IT’S ALL START WITH YOU WANT
SOMETHING FROM THE GOVERNOR,
YOU AND 12 OTHER MAYORS IN
TEXAS WANT THE GOVERNOR TO HOLD
A SPECIAL SESSION TO PASS
LEGISLATION ON GUN REFORM AND
MENTAL HEALTH. NOT THE MAYOR
HAS BEEN RETICENT TO DO THAT.
YOU’RE NOT THE FIRST ONE WHO’S
ASKED THE GOVERNOR TO DO THAT.
WHAT ELSE? YOU’RE GOING TO
PRESSURE HIM?
>> YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS I
BELIEVE WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUP
SOME OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN
TEXAS, 13 MAYORS THAT REPRESENT
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
COMING TOGETHER TO FIND COMMON
GROUND ON A VERY DIFFICULT
ISSUE. IT SHOWS THAT CHANGE IS
POSSIBLE AND THAT WE DON’T HAVE
TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER MASS
SHOOTING IN OUR CITIES. SO
WE’VE ASKED HIM TO CALL A
SPECIAL SESSION, WHICH IS IN
WITHIN HIS POWER TO DO SO.
WE CAN SEE REFORM PUT IN PLACE
BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THAT’S THE ONLY REASON THAT
THAT’S THE ONLY WAY IT CAN
HAPPEN IS IF A SPECIAL SESSION
IS CALLED. IN ADDITION TO THAT,
WE ALSO OUTLINED SOME VERY
REASONABLE
DEMANDS FOR A REFORM THAT
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING
RESOURCES TO MENTAL HEALTH,
WHICH HAVE I BEEN IDENTIFIED AS
A PRIORITY AS WELL AS SCHOOL
SAFETY. BUT ALL OF THE
IMPORTANT WE NOT NEGLECTING THE
REAL ROOTS OF THESE ISSUES AND
THE FACT THAT GUNS ARE
INCREASINGLY PREVALENT AND
AVAILABLE TO FOLKS WHO ARE
DANGEROUS TO SOCIETY. SO WE
BALANCE FOR A UNIVERSAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS. WE’VE ASKED
FOR RED FLAG LAWS. WE’VE ALSO
ASKED FOR THE MINIMUM AGE TO
PURCHASE AN ASSAULT WEAPON TO
INCREASE TO THE SAME AS A
HANDGUN, WHICH IS 21. SO THESE
ARE ALL AREAS THAT ARE
REASONABLE,
REFORMS FOR A GUNS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES THAT REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS FROM THE MAJOR
CITIES IN TEXAS HAVE COME
TOGETHER TO ARTICULATE TO THE
GOVERNOR. AND SO TODAY
SIGNIFICANT PROCESS WITH THE
COMMITTEES THAT HE’S CALLED
TOGETHER. BUT WE NEED MORE THAN
TALK. WE NEED REAL ACTION.
>> ALL RIGHT. HE SENT A LETTER
TODAY. WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO
WRITE A?
>> WELL, WE’RE HOPING TO HEAR
BACK IN THE FORM AGAIN, REAL
LEGISLATION PUT FORWARD THAT
CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED AND
PUT INTO LAW THROUGH A SPECIAL
SESSION. SO WE HOPE THAT THE
BACKS ON THAT. AND AGAIN, THE
CALLS ARE COMING FROM TEXAS
CITIES, REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS FROM HIS OWN
LEGISLATURE, FROM THE FAMILIES
IN UVALDE. SO THIS IS A PRETTY
UNIVERSAL CALL AT THIS POINT.
YEAH. AND MISTER WANT TO POINT
OUT THAT, YEAH, THERE’S
COMMITTEE’S THERE’S HEARINGS
THAT ARE GOING ON. BUT THESE
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES CANNOT
DO ANYTHING.
>> WITHOUT A SPECIAL SESSION.
SO THAT’S WHY THE CAUSE OF THE
SPECIAL SESSION.
>> IF IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.
WHICH YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR OR
EXCUSE ME, THE GOVERNOR IS A
TEA DRESS AND ABOUT MAKING THIS
HAPPENED. IS THERE ANYTHING THE
MAYOR’S CAN DO ABOUT GUN REFORM
AND MENTAL HEALTH?
>> YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING
FEVERISHLY TO INCREASE MENTAL
HEALTH FUNDING AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL AND WE WILL DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE DONE THAT.
>> BUT THE REAL WORK TO BE DONE
ON GUN REFORM HAPPENS AT THE
STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND WE SEE THAT THERE’S ACTUAL
ACTION TAKING PLACE. THE
FEDERAL LEVEL NOW.
>> YOU KNOW, BUT TEXAS AND THE
PREVIOUS SEVERAL SESSIONS HAVE
PASSED LEGISLATION THAT NOT
ONLY MAKES IT DOESN’T IMPROVE
THINGS THAT ACTUALLY MAKES IT
GIVES MORE ACCESS TO A
DANGEROUS WEAPONS FROM ON THE
PART OF DANGEROUS INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO WE’RE ASKING FOR
RECONSIDERATION OF THOSE YOU
KNOW, PERMITLESS CARRY THE FACT
THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN WALK
INTO VIRTUALLY ANY SCHOOL
BUILDING WITH A GUN AT THIS
POINT IS IS A PRODUCT OF TEXAS
LEGISLATORS OF THE LAST SEVERAL
SESSIONS MAKING IT EASIER FOR
PEOPLE TO HANDLE DANGEROUS
FIREARM. SO IT NEEDS ACTION.
AND WE’RE ASKING FOR JUST LIKE
EVERY OTHER CONSTITUENT IN THIS
STATE, IF ACTION DOESN’T
HAPPEN. UNFORTUNATELY, WE KNOW
WHERE WE WILL YOU KNOW, AT SOME
POINT IN THE FUTURE. AND THAT
IS MOURNING MORE OF OUR TEXANS
UNNECESSARILY KILLED IN ANOTHER
SHOOTING.
>> WELL, I WANT TO TALK TO TOO
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO. WE
TALKED ON THE AIR, THE DALE,
THE SHOOTING ABOUT HOW TO SAN
ANTONIO WRAP ITS ARMS AROUND
YOU VALLEY.
FUNDRAISING IS A WAY TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN TO BE TO GET GIVE
MONEY TO DIFFERENT CAUSES.
SAN ANTONIO LEADERS HAVE
STEPPED UP. TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT THAT.
>> THAT’S WELL, CERTAINLY FROM
EVERY CORNER OF THIS COMMUNITY
OF FOLKS HAVE STEPPED UP.
YOU KNOW, WE’VE HAD BUSINESSES
GO OVER THERE AND TAKE SHIFTS
SO THAT THEY CAN RELIEVE SOME
OF THE LOCAL WORKERS IN THAT
AREA. WE KNOW OUR NONPROFITS
ARE ACTIVELY ON THE SCENE,
HELPING WITH GRIEF, COUNSELING
AND THINGS LIKE THAT. MAYOR
CISNEROS FORMER MAYOR CISNEROS
WHEN I WENT TO UVALDE TODAY TO
DELIVER SOME OF THE FUNDRAISING
CECKS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED
FROM BUSINESSES AND
INDIVIDUALS. ABOUT $450,000 TO
HELP WITH THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS
OF FAMILIES WHO ARE AFFECTED
BY THE VIOLENCE. THERE. SO IT
HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF
SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY OF
FUNDRAISING INCLUDED. AND AND,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO OF ALL
THE YOU GET THE SENSE THAT YOU
ARE STILL IN A SAN ANTONIO
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT IS
BECAUSE JUST LIKE YOU SAID FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING, STEVE,
PEOPLE ARE WRAPPING THEIR ARMS
AROUND OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN UVALDE.
AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO
THAT BECAUSE AT SOME POINT THIS
NATIONAL FOCUS THAT’S ON YOUR
BALL, THE WHICH IT WHICH
RESULTS IN, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE. THEY’RE TRYING TO
HELP. AT SOME POINT, PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO LEAVE. AND, YOU KNOW,
YOU HAVE ALL THESE STILL GOING
TO BE LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF
TRYING TO STAND BACK UP ON
THEIR FEET. IT’S GOING TO BE A
LONG TIME, TOO. A DEAL WITH
THE TRAUMA AND THE GRIEF IN THE
RECOVERY FROM IT. AND SO WE
NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE
NEED TO CONTINUE TO HELP THEM
IN ANY WAY THAT THEY NEED.
ALL RIGHT. NOW, LET’S SWITCH
GEARS AND TALK ABOUT PROPERTY
TAXES. WE KNOW THAT CITY
COUNCIL.
>> INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD
EXEMPTION FOR OUR CITY PROPERTY
TAXES. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE
KNOW ABOUT THEM?
>> SO CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAST
MEETING PASSED SIGNIFICANT
PROPERTY TAX REFORM THAT
HOPEFULLY WILL BE AT LEAST ONE
PORTION OF HELP FOR FOLKS O
ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE WITH
PROPERTY TAXES. AND AGAIN, CITY
COUNCIL OR THE CITY IS
ONE-FIFTH OF YOUR PROPERTY TAX
BILL. THAT IS A FUNCTION OF THE
TAX RATE AND EXEMPTIONS ALONG
WITH THE ACTUAL ASSESSED
PROPERTY VALUE OF YOUR HOME,
WHICH IS DONE BY A DIFFERENT
AGENCY. SO CITY COUNCIL
APPROVED AN INCREASE IN THE
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO 10%.
OF THE PROPERTY VALUE. WE ALSO
INCREASED THE SENIOR EXEMPTION
FROM 65,000 TO 85,000, WE
INCREASE THE DISABLED, A PIGS
AND SON FROM 12,500 TO 85,000.
AND THEN AS SOON AS WE GET THE
FINAL VALUES BACK AFTER ALL THE
APPEALS TAKE PLACE, WE WILL BE
DROPPING THAT THE PROPERTY TAX
RATE AS WELL. SO IT’S A
COMPREHENSIVE SUITE. A PROPERTY
TAX REFORMS MEANT TO EASE THE
BURDEN ON HOMEOWNERS AND
RENTERS. ALL ACROSS THIS
COMMUNITY, WE’VE DONE OUR PART
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO
THAT. WE’RE CALLING ON OTHER
TAXING JURISDICTIONS ALSO, TOO,
TO HELP OUT. AND AND I’VE SEEN
A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE ALREADY
STEPPED UP TO DO THAT.
>> MISTER MAYOR, ALWAYS
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. AND IT
SEEMS LIKE ALWAYS HAVE
SOMETHING ON MY LIST THAT WE
DON’T GET TO SAW OFF THE WAIT
TILL NEXT WEEK TO GET TO THAT.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.