Rolando Pablos: bigcitysmalltown Mayoral Questionnaire
1. What qualifications support your bid for the job as mayor of San Antonio, and how are you reaching registered voters with a history of participating in local elections? (Please cite campaign fundraising, media buys, community events, mailers, etc.)
I bring a proven track record of leadership at the intersection of business, public policy, and economic development—three pillars essential to guiding a growing city like San Antonio. In government, I served as Texas Secretary of State, where I worked on international trade, economic development, and voter engagement, strengthening Texas’ position as a competitive global hub. I have also served on the Public Utility Commission and as Chairman of the Texas Racing Commission, a law enforcement agency. In business, I have started several successful businesses, worked in the corporate and legal arenas and was CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, an economic development foundation, where I facilitated business expansion and investment across Texas and Mexico.
I have raised more funds than any other candidate; I have built a broad-based coalition of supporters and have assembled a campaign team like no other. I am reaching voters through targeted engagement—a mix of high-touch community events, high value digital outreach, and direct voter contact strategies. My campaign prioritizes direct conversations with neighborhood leaders, business owners, and grassroots organizations. Additionally, I am focusing on earned media, issue-based mailers, and coalition-building to communicate a clear vision for San Antonio’s future.
2. What endorsements, if any, have you garnered?
While my campaign is ongoing, I am seeking support from a broad coalition of leaders in business, economic development, and civic engagement. I have strong working relationships with state leaders, private-sector executives, and community organizations who recognize my ability to drive strategic growth and economic transformation for San Antonio. As my campaign progresses, I will announce specific endorsements from respected figures in government, business, and education. In the meantime, I have included a list of some of my supporters.
3. What programs and priorities initiated under Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s four terms in office would you continue and/or change? Which ones would you discontinue?
San Antonio is at an important where we must pivot toward executing transformative initiatives with discipline and accountability.
I Would Continue:
- The expansion of UTSA and UT Health San Antonio, ensuring they become a world-class Tier One research institution and a driver of economic growth.
- Infrastructure investments that modernize our city while preserving affordability.
- Workforce development efforts that align education with employer needs.
What I Would Change:
- I would stop fighting with our county, state and federal leaders. I will develop strong relationships with them and seek to find common ground as San Antonio competes with other cities for jobs and the state and federal funds.
- We must do a better job attracting direct investment, corporate headquarters and high-wage jobs. Too many companies move to Texas, yet bypass San Antonio. That has to change.
- Streamline city governance—businesses face too much bureaucracy in permitting, licensing, and development.
- Improve public-private partnerships to ensure major projects are executed efficiently and with a clear return on investment.
- Focus on strengthening our economy’s industry pillars such as Tourism, Military, Healthcare, and Manufacturing.
What I Would Discontinue:
- While I agree with the concept behind SA Ready to Work, it is the most expensive jobs works program in the country ($240 million) and it has drastically underperformed. In addition, many of the job placements involve government positions, and that was not the intent of the program. SA Ready to Work must be reviewed and a decision must be made whether to restructure or discontinue it.
- I would also discontinue funding of those underperforming city programs that do not have a direct impact on essential city services and shift those funds to fund public safety.
4. What are your priorities for the city’s 2027 bond, which will be determined in 2026 by the new mayor and city council members?
The 2027 bond should focus on transformational investments, not just maintenance projects. My priorities include:
- Infrastructure Improvements: Investing in roads, bridges, and public transit systems to enhance connectivity, reduce traffic congestion, and boost economic growth.
- Public Safety: Enhancing facilities and equipment for police, fire departments, and emergency services to improve response times and community safety.
- Water and Sanitation: Upgrading water treatment plants, sewer systems, aging water lines, and stormwater management facilities to reduce water waste and protect public health and the environment.
- Affordable Housing: Developing affordable housing projects to address homelessness and housing shortages.
- Recreational and Cultural Projects: Building parks, recreational centers, and restoring cultural gems like the River Walk.
- Economic Development: Investing in creating shovel-ready industrial sites and business parks, incubators, and other facilities to attract businesses.
- Environmental Sustainability: Projects like sustainable building upgrades to reduce environmental impact and save on long-term operational costs.
Beyond the bond, another priority I will set is to finally address our growing and unacceptable property tax bills.
I would do this by passing a no-new-revenue (NNR) tax rate that would call for a temporary freeze of property tax increases. The NNR would prevent the City from budgeting revenue form anticipated property tax increases Some jurisdictions, like Tarrant County, have even gone so far as to adopt a tax rate below the NNR tax rate to significantly reduce homeowners tax bills. We must be equally aggressive for and protective of our taxpayers
5. Do you support the city’s proposed public-private investments in Project Marvel, or do you oppose them? If you support Project Marvel, what do you think is a fair private/public split on building a new Spurs arena in Hemisfair?
I support Project Marvel—San Antonio must compete as a top-tier sports and entertainment destination. The Spurs are more than a team; they are a civic, cultural and economic asset that drives tourism, business, and city pride.
As we consider this opportunity, it is important to recognize that there are two projects under consideration, and our approach to each must be separate and distinct.
One is the entertainment district which represents more than half the cost of the overall project. Taxpayers should not bear this cost. We must create an environment and the conditions that will attract private investment to fully fund the district, which I believe is critical to the future of downtown and is an important draw for big companies considering a relocation here.
The second project is the Spurs arena. If we are to make any level of investment it must be a public-private approach that requires the Spurs to have skin in the game. The exact split will depend on a variety of factors that are not yet clear. But what I am advocating is that the City stake out what I describe as a Stay or Pay position. This will contractually obligate the Spurs, if they choose to leave in the future, to repay taxpayers whatever investment has not yet been recouped. This is fair to our community, and it will allow the Spurs to further demonstrate their commitment to San Antonio. We must see an ROI with this project in terms of new revenue generated to the city and a measurable increase to our quality of life.6. What are your economic development and job growth strategies? Since the pandemic, more than 150 corporations have moved their headquarters to Texas, yet San Antonio has not shared significantly in convincing those companies to come here. How can we change that?
I have 20+ years’ experience in economic development. I don’t just talk about doing it, I have done it. Texas is experiencing an economic boom, but every time you hear of a big company moving to Texas they’re going to Austin, Houston or Dallas, and not San Antonio. And when those jobs go elsewhere our children and grandchildren follow.
This is not acceptable.
We have many good people doing a lot of good work to change this, but they need help in two ways. We need to create a business-friendly environment that begins at City Hall, and we need someone who is on point to help sell the city. In my role as Texas Secretary of State and CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, I was focused on attracting companies and direct investment to Texas, and I am prepared to do that for San Antonio by leaning into my extensive experience, qualifications, and network of business contacts nationally and internationally.
In terms of my plan, I propose the following:
- Proactive Corporate Recruitment: Establishing a dedicated business expansion team that targets Fortune 500 relocations and Mexican multinational firms
- Tech & Advanced Manufacturing Growth: Partnering with UTSA, Port San Antonio, and private investors to scale up San Antonio’s cybersecurity, biotech, and aerospace sectors.
- Workforce Pipeline Development: Strengthening apprenticeships, vocational training, and STEM education to prepare residents for high-wage jobs.
Finally, we must help our small businesses. They create the vast majority of our jobs and we hurt them more than we help. Through overregulation and bureaucracy we make it difficult for them to open, expand and survive, and this needs to change. Last year I issued a policy paper declaring this the Decade of Small Business, and I am prepared to lead that charge.
7. San Antonians worry that as the city grows, it could lose its unique cultural identity, much as Austin has changed due to rising housing and living costs. What will you do to grow the city’s job base while making sure what makes San Antonio special is not lost?
Growth should enhance, not erase, San Antonio’s identity. We need to:
- Invest in historically significant areas that define our city’s character and values.
- Ensure economic development benefits all parts of the city, not just downtown.
- Promote locally owned businesses and entrepreneurs—they define San Antonio’s character.
We can become a global economic hub without losing our soul. The right leadership ensures both happen.
8. San Antonio has faced record heat, extreme drought conditions, and episodes like Winter Storm Uri, yet city leaders have largely failed to implement the 2019 Climate Action & Adaptation Plan. Federal and state political leaders largely ignore climate change and are rapidly defunding renewable energy projects while subsidizing the oil and gas industry. What is your position on this critical issue?
Through my service and experience with the Public Utility Commission I understand the importance of safeguarding and growing one of the state’s critical industries while exploring alternative sources of energy and protecting our environment. This requires a delicate balancing act, and I am uniquely qualified to lead and direct that conversation as mayor.
That balanced approach must include the following:
- Invest in modernized infrastructure to handle extreme weather and protect the air we breathe
- Expand water conservation efforts without excessive regulation. We are currently losing billions of gallons of water every year through leaks in our water system. In 2023 the state established the Texas Water Fund to address infrastructure maintenance, and I have the relationships in Austin and DC to help access those funds.
- Ensure CPS Energy maintains affordability and reliability while transitioning responsibly toward renewable options such as micro-nuclear generation
- Ensure waste collection and recycling services receive the funding assistance needed to operate a peak efficiency.
9. San Antonio is experiencing worsening traffic congestion and air quality, with rising cases of asthma and other respiratory ailments. How do you plan to improve mobility in the city while balancing affordability and sustainability? What role should alternative transportation options play?
San Antonio’s transportation system is outdated and cannot support growth without major changes. My strategy includes:
- Expanding Highway Infrastructure: We need realistic solutions for I-35, Loop 410, and 1604 congestion, and this will require significant investment from the Texas Department of Transportation. The chairman of this agency is a San Antonio resident and a good friend, and instead of leveraging this relationship City Hall has attacked him. This is perplexing, and it is bad politics. The chairman is a close friend, and I can restore that relationship.
- Strengthening VIA’s Efficiency: Public transit should be more reliable and user-friendly—not just a box to check.
- Encouraging Private Investment in Transit Innovation: Partnering with companies to explore micro-transit, ride-sharing hubs, and AI-driven traffic management.
- I don’t believe spending $8 Billion on bike lanes is a wise investment at this crucial time when so many other urgent issues require attention.
Public transportation is part of the solution, but San Antonio is a car-dependent city—let’s be practical, not ideological in addressing congestion and mobility.
10. Describe one new idea you have for accelerating the city’s trajectory as a destination for visitors, conventions, and people moving here for opportunities.
San Antonio needs to own its identity as a world-class destination, and we should brand ourselves accordingly. We’re already one of the top destinations in the nation for national conventions, and my goal is for us to be a top destination across the globe. Our approach must include the following:
- Launch “San Antonio Next”—a global marketing campaign highlighting our tech, research, and cultural excellence.
- Push for a major annual international business summit, attracting tech, aerospace, and bioscience leaders to invest in San Antonio.
- Work with meeting planners to ensure they understand all of the available amenities that we have to offer.
- Expanding air service is an area that will require a different approach. What we are doing now is not working well.
- Work with UT System to build a world class convention center complex in the Medical Center.
We have a story to tell, and it’s time we tell it boldly.
