Community Groups Meet at City Hall to Demand Accountability From City Officials and Rally Against Prob A & B
City Hall was buzzing Thursday morning as community advocates, church leaders, and residents gathered to demand accountability from city officials accused of campaigning for the Spurs’ proposed fourth arena using taxpayer resources.
The press conference, organized by Defending Public Money for Public Good PAC, COPS/Metro, and the No Project Marvel! coalition, follows an ethics complaint filed last week with the City Attorney’s Office, accusing city leaders of coordinating messaging with the pro-arena Win Together Campaign.
Organizers say city communications and events have promoted only one side of the issue, leaving voters without objective information ahead of the November ballot measure.
“City Officials Cannot Blur the Line”
A representative from Defending Public Money for Public Good opened the rally by clarifying that their filing with the City Attorney’s Office was not a lawsuit but a formal complaint demanding transparency.
“We are deeply concerned about election integrity, coordination between the Win Together campaign and city officials, and the misuse of our public resources,” the speaker said.
“City officials cannot blur the line between government work and campaign activity. City leadership should welcome transparency, not avoid it. Voters deserve clear, factual information—not filtered talking points from City Hall.”
The speaker added that recent city-hosted “forums” resembled campaign rallies featuring Spurs representatives and council staffers, calling them “propaganda-spreading events, not democracy.”
“It Is a Tax Increase”
Diane Duestrecht, a longtime leader with COPS/Metro, dismantled the notion that the arena deal wouldn’t impact taxpayers.
“It is false to claim that Prob. B will not affect our taxes,” Duestrecht said, holding up a sample ballot. “It says right here—this is a tax increase. This will cause a domino effect of hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars: $250 million for infrastructure and parking, $60 million from diverted general funds, $200 million to move the SAWS chill plant, and $600 million in arena renovations—all from unknown sources that we’ll ultimately pay for.”
She noted that the billionaire ownership group backing the deal is collectively worth more than $300 billion.
“Michael Dell’s net worth alone has jumped $60 billion in the last year,” she said. “And they can’t pay for a $1.3 billion arena themselves? There’s been no transparency, no independent review, and no honest explanation of who benefits. Vote against Prop B.”
“I’ve Been a Spurs Fan Since 1973, But I’m Voting No”
Richard Aguilar, a third-generation San Antonian, priest, and lifelong Spurs fan, said supporting the team doesn’t mean approving a corporate handout.
“I’ve been a Spurs fan since 1973, but I cannot accept the moral contempt of billionaire owners asking for a handout when this city has such great need,” Aguilar said.
“San Antonio is the largest poor city in the country, and our leaders are ignoring citizens who oppose this project.”
He recounted attending multiple council meetings where city staff appeared biased and even referenced a city-connected employee calling himself “Spurs Jesus” who offered free tickets on social media.
“That’s a violation,” he said. “We live in a time when elections are questioned across the country. This election has been compromised by city representatives and staff. I’m voting no—and I’m telling everyone I know to vote no on Prop A and Prop B.”
