Public Works and SAWS work on construction projects in San Antonio’s Southtown neighborhood last week. Credit: Michael Karlis

San Antonio mayoral candidate Beto Altamirano’s recently released campaign platform calls for the appointment of a “construction czar” to oversee and speed up public works improvements.

The council-appointed position would work to ensure construction projects are completed on time and strive to limit damage to small businesses and neighborhoods, according to Altamirano’s PLAN 210 policy platform. The person in the role would answer to the city manager.

The czar also would streamline communication between city departments involved in construction work and act as a liaison between the city, the public and business owners, according to Altamirano, a tech entrepreneur who’s never held elected office.

“This new position would be separate from the Public Works Department and would primarily be responsible for clearing the backlog of construction projects by streamlining coordination between city departments and external stakeholders, cutting red tape and improving communication with residents and business owners,” Altamirano told the Current.

Sluggish city construction projects including long-delayed upgrades on the St. Mary’s Strip, have drawn the ire of San Antonio residents and small businesses. The $12 million St. Mary’s project dragged on a year longer than initially expected, leading to business closures in the popular nightlife area.

Altamirano is the second mayoral candidate to focus on fixing construction delays as a key policy plank.

Last month, former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, another mayoral hopeful, unveiled a 10-point plan to save local businesses. Among other things, the proposal includes offering grants to businesses hamstrung by construction projects.

Altamirano’s platform — the most comprehensive so far introduced by a San Antonio mayoral candidate in the current race — also includes plans for crime reduction along with childcare initiatives.

According to Altamirano’s camp, the candidate will release additional plans before year’s end for reforming city’s troubled Animal Care Services Department and bolstering public health, sustainability, public housing and small business support.

“With nearly 9 million people expected to live in the San Antonio-Austin mega-region by 2050, we simply cannot afford to continue with business as usual,” Altamirano said.

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This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 15, 2024.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...