San Antonio Councilwoman-elect Sukh Kaur said one of her top priorities is to mend broken relationships between the District 1 office and downtown’s small-business community.
In an interview Sunday, the day after her 18-point victory over one-term incumbent Mario Bravo, Kaur said that relationship was severely strained under her predecessor.
“I definitely think we need to rebuild some of the trust that’s been broken and talk to some other business owners, particularly in the St. Mary’s Strip area, where tensions are elevated,” Kaur told the Current. “I think I need to work with the Tobin Hill [Neighborhood Association] to get neighbors and business owners back to the table. And not necessarily redo all the work that’s already been done, but pick up the conversations that haven’t been happening for the past year.”
Kaur added that making staff adjustments in the District 1 office is also among her priorities.
“First and foremost, I want to make sure that we have an amazing staff so that we can work with all district residents and have clear and constant communication,” she added.
Kaur, an education consultant and political novice, forced runoff with Bravo in the May citywide election. She seized victory in last weekend’s runoff by winning 59% of the vote to Bravo’s 41%.
San Antonio political consultant Christian Archer said he wasn’t surprised by Kaur’s victory but rather the margin by which she won, adding that “incumbents don’t lose in San Antonio.”
Bravo’s chances were damaged after Mayor Ron Nirenberg reprimanded for lobbing personal attacks at then-Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, his former girlfriend, over a budget issue, according to Archer. However, Archer said the councilman’s failure to address problems such as delayed construction on St. Mary’s and tension between nightlife spots and neighbors may have been a larger liability.
“The thing with Mario’s tenure is that there were just a lot of unenforced errors,” Archer said. “Obviously, the thing that got the most attention was what happened between him and Ana Sandoval, but St. Mary’s Street, that’s the thing that cost him the election.”
Other than nursing strained relationships and making staff changes, Kaur said her priorities this term include building infrastructure along the Strip, which still lacks adequate sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks, and addressing the district’s growing number unhoused residents.
“People who are chronically homeless and not able or don’t want to go to [shelter Haven for Hope] need a place to go that’s safe,” she said, “and we need to have a housing-first strategy for them and make sure that we have enough people that are well-qualified to help support them with mental health trauma that they’re facing, and help get them into detox.”
Kaur will be sworn in at City Hall on June 21.
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This article appears in May 31 – Jun 13, 2023.
