Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and current Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai face off at Stable Hall on Tuesday. Credit: Michael Karlis

The Democratic contenders for Bexar County’s top elected position came out swinging during a Tuesday night debate, as Ron Nirenberg blasted incumbent Judge Peter Sakai as a flip-flopper and his opponent accusing the former mayor of environmental hypocrisy.

During the bruising event at the Pearl’s Stable Hall Peter, Sakai tried to explain where he stood on Project Marvel and expressed support for a regional jail while opposing a new county jail. Meanwhile, Nirenberg fought back accusations that he’s cosplaying as an environmentalist. Despite the lack ideological distance between the pair, they seemed determined to punch it out over policy.

The debate is important because in the winner of the Democratic primary is likely the general election shoo-in for deep blue Bexar County.

Sparks flew shortly after a moderator asked Sakai to clarify his stance on Project Marvel after he tried to distance himself from the $4 billion sports-and-entertainment district at a separate debate last week on the East Side.

Sakai said he still supports both Propositions A and B, which approved public financing for a new Spurs arena while allowing the county’s visitor tax to fund improvements at Frost Bank Center and the Stock Show & Rodeo grounds. However, he explained that he opposes the larger Project Marvel, of which the new Spurs arena is a part.

“Project Marvel was the city of San Antonio,” Sakai said. “That was done in secret, without the involvement of the county. I was given a 30-minute briefing last year, and that was the extent of it. I still don’t know what Project Marvel is.”

In addition to the NBA arena, the Project Marvel scheme would include new hotels, retail space, restaurants, apartments and other amenities located downtown. A land bridge and new performing arts facility have also been bandied about as possible components.

Nirenberg jabbed, accusing Sakai of not making sense. Under the plan for the Spurs arena, the $800-plus million in public financing for the project would be paid off with tax revenue generated by the development around the facility, the former mayor pointed out.

“Peter Sakai put [Project Marvel] on the ballot, he cut videos to support it and then was onstage saluting victory for it,” Nirenberg said. “I’m not sure what the 180 [degree turn] is about, but let me remind folks the arena doesn’t happen without the investments that are part of Project Marvel. He knows that they’re part of the funding mechanism.”

Guajolote Ranch

Sakai got a chance to throw a haymaker of his own. He targeted Nirenberg over Guajolote Ranch, the controversial Northwest Bexar County housing development that opponents worry will contaminate the Edwards Aquifer.

Sakai accused Nirenberg, during his time at City Hall, of allowing San Antonio Water System to green light Lennar Corp.’s request for a wastewater permit for the development.

Nirenberg, who’s positioned himself staunch opponent of the project during the current campaign, denied the claim.

“The San Antonio Water System approved delivering water to the Guajolote Ranch development, and in the process, [the city] did not approve wastewater treatment,” Nirenberg responded. “So now they have to go to the state to try to get wastewater service, which is the battle that’s going on now.”

SAWS approved providing water to the Guajolote Ranch while Nirenberg was mayor, however, the current council, led by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, last week denied Lennar’s request for a Municipal Utility District, hindering the developer’s ability to finance the proposed wastewater plant.

Sakai also accused Nirenberg of diverting money away from protecting the Edwards Aquifer to fund his signature Ready to Work jobs program. Despite the city investing more than $200 million in the training initiative, critics maintain it’s yielded few substantial job placements.

“You were an environmentalist, and you moved away from that,” Sakai told his opponent.

Even so, decision to reallocate funding was voter approved, and Nirenberg spearheaded a new funding mechanism for protecting the aquifer.

Jails

Nirenberg clapped back, though, accusing Sakai of another flip-flop — this time on the issue of whether Bexar County needs another jail.

Despite overcrowding at the county’s existing facility — the site of inmate deaths and a foiled murder-for-hire plot — Sakai reaffirmed that he’s against building another lockup for the Sheriff’s Office.

“If you build it, we will fill it … which means it will be filled with people of color, and that’s still an issue that plagues our criminal justice system,” Sakai responded.

However, later in the debate, the judge appeared to make a U-turn, saying that he’s working with State Rep. Barbra Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio, to build a new “regional jail.”

“Well, that’s more breaking news,” Nirenberg quipped. “Now he wants a new jail. I thought you weren’t for that.”

“No, it’s a regional jail,” Sakai responded.

The exchange elicited giggles from the crowd. However, it was unclear whether audience members were laughing at Nirenberg, Sakai, or both.

For his part, Nirenberg has remained consistent during the campaign about supporting a new jail. More recently, he’s also advocated for a diversion center to reduce capacity at the existing site. The former mayor has said he would work with University Health to build a center focused on mental health treatment for those accused of crimes.

“The Bexar County Adult Detention Center Facility has become a de facto mental health institution and homeless shelter,” Nirenberg said. “That’s wrong.”

Early voting for the March 3 Democratic Primary begins Feb. 17.

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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,...