Your District 7 Newsletter - San Antonio · The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)...
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Your District 7 Newsletter VOLUME 14 | Nov. 2, 2017 Dear Neighbors, As you may know, the City’s Metropolitan Health District has proposed a plan to raise the age at which young people can buy tobacco products in San Antonio from 18 to 21. The initiative is called Tobacco 21, and it’s been adopted in more than 200 cities around the country. Metro Health Director Colleen Bridger has briefed City Council on Tobacco 21 and talked about it with the Community Health and Equity Committee, which I chair. Please click here to read the PowerPoint. And then click here to take a quick survey on whether you support Tobacco 21. It’s important to me to know what you think. Here’s my view at this point: I believe this plan would save lives. Research shows that boys and girls who start smoking at age 18 or younger are more likely to develop the hard-to-break, potentially lethal habit than those who first smoke at age 21 or older. About 95 percent of smokers started before turning 21. Increasing the legal age would mean fewer deaths from heart and lung diseases and other ailments linked to tobacco use. Part of the reason the plan makes sense is that the brain doesn’t fully mature usually until a person reaches his or her mid-twenties. Generally speaking, we get better at decision- making in our twenties. City Council will likely vote on Tobacco 21 in the next couple of months. In the meantime, please take a moment to fill out our online survey and/or let us know how you feel about the initiative. Call us at 210-207-7044 or send an email to
Transcript of Your District 7 Newsletter - San Antonio · The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)...
Your District 7 NewsletterVOLUME 14 | Nov. 2, 2017
Dear Neighbors,
As you may know, the City’s Metropolitan Health District has proposed a plan to raisethe age at which young people can buy tobacco products in San Antonio from 18 to 21.The initiative is called Tobacco 21, and it’s been adopted in more than 200 citiesaround the country.
Metro Health Director Colleen Bridger has briefed City Council on Tobacco 21 andtalked about it with the Community Health and Equity Committee, which I chair.
Please click here to read the PowerPoint.
And then click here to take a quick survey on whether you support Tobacco 21.
It’s important to me to know what you think.
Here’s my view at this point: I believe this plan would save lives.
Research shows that boys and girls who start smoking at age 18 or younger are morelikely to develop the hard-to-break, potentially lethal habit than those who first smoke atage 21 or older. About 95 percent of smokers started before turning 21. Increasing thelegal age would mean fewer deaths from heart and lung diseases and other ailmentslinked to tobacco use.
Part of the reason the plan makes sense is that the brain doesn’t fully mature usually untila person reaches his or her mid-twenties. Generally speaking, we get better at decision-making in our twenties.
City Council will likely vote on Tobacco 21 in the next couple of months.
In the meantime, please take a moment to fill out our online survey and/or let us knowhow you feel about the initiative. Call us at 210-207-7044 or send an email to
Thank you!
Yours in public service,
P.S. Our office will be closed next Friday, November 10th, in observance of Veteran'sDay.
Ask Ana AnythingOne of the ways Councilwoman Sandoval wants to give you the answers you needabout city government is through "Ask Ana Anything", a recurring part of the weeklyDistrict 7 newsletter. Have a question for Ana? Email it to [email protected] the subject line "Ask Ana Anything".
Dear Ana,
What is your position on the rate hikes SAWS wants for 2018 and 2019?
Water Bill
Dear Water Bill,
I wrote a letter on Oct. 25 to Robert Puente, CEO of the San Antonio Water System,asking him to scour SAWS’s budget for savings in order to reduce the utility’sproposed rate increases.
Here’s an excerpt:
I understand the importance of replacing and repairing our water- and sewer lines.The investments you’re planning to make (with the additional revenue) are in keepingwith SAWS’s primary mission – to deliver water and to dispose of sewage safely andefficiently. To under-invest in this critical infrastructure would be a disservice to SAWSratepayers and a failure of leadership.
But understanding the need for additional revenue is not the same as supportingSAWS’s proposed increases of 5.8 percent and 4.7 percent in 2018 and 2019,respectively. In fact, I am writing to ask you to do everything within your power to findsavings within the utility to reduce the proposal increases as much as possible.
Taken in isolation, each increase looks small. As you’ve pointed out, the 2018 rateproposal would raise average residential bills by just $3.45. But this would follow rate
increases of 7.5 percent in 2016, which added $3.90 to the average bill, and 7.9percent this year, which added another $4.37. If Council approves the 5.8-percent ratefor 2018, SAWS customers will pay $11.72 more per month on average than they didthree years ago...
Many of our District 7 residents are already struggling to make ends meet. At least onein every five residents lives below the poverty line in one-third of the zip codes withinour district. Thousands of others are grappling with sizable property tax bills stemmingfrom rapidly climbing property values, in addition to keeping up with their many otherfinancial commitments. And each increase in their monthly water bill is another shockto our senior citizens, most of whom survive on fixed incomes.
Click here to read the original letter.
I’ll let you know when we hear back from Mr. Puente.
Thank you for the question!
Yours in public service,
Councilwoman Ana Sandoval
Volunteers Needed for Social EventsHave the party-planning itch? Like community involvement? We are forming a District 7ad hoc committee to assist us with special social events like a holiday party. We willprobably meet during business hours at the Centerview office. For more informationcall Debbie at 210-207-0870 or email [email protected].
Fall Fest Was A Blast
Thank you to all of the organizations that came together to make Fall Fest a success,including the San Antonio Police Officers Association, Park Police, SAWS, CPSEnergy, Parks & Recreation, the Solid Waste Management Department, Metro Health,San Antonio Public Library, H-E-B, and MOVE San Antonio.
Most of all, I want to thank you, District 7 residents!
Editor's Note: Newsletter ChangesThe newsletter has been getting a bit long...
Even though the content we feature here is important content, there is no arguing: thenewsletter is too long. That's why this week, we're embarking on an experiment. this
week, we're launching "Your District 7", an online resource for District 7 residents.
On this site, you will be able to access a wide range of information that’s important toDistrict 7 residents, including construction project updates, local events, and publicinput surveys. The weekly feature, Ask Ana Anything, also has a home on the website.
So what does this mean for the newsletter?
Some sections have been shortened. For example, in the Construction Updates section,you'll now see a list of current construction projects. Clicking any of those listedprojects will take you to Construction Project Updates page on the Your District 7 site.Similarly, the Events section now includes a link to a the Events page on Your District7.
Councilwoman in the NewsHealth Collaborative, Metro Health unveil comprehensive...
District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval is chairwoman of the City Council’sCommunity Health and Equity Committee and said the recommendations mostimportantly identify huge health disparities in Bexar County.
www.ksat.com
ACA enrollment opens Nov. 1 with fewer choices, resources
"The chaos in D.C. has led some to believe that the ACA is already dead or may be inthe very near future," said District 7 City Councilwoman Ana Sandoval. Once insuredthrough the government marketplace herself, the councilwoman is helping the EnrollSAcoalition spread the word that so-called Obamacare is still the law.
www.ksat.com
Reminder: Early Voting forConstitutional Amendments Election
Early voting for the State's Constitutional Amendments Elections began this pastMonday and will go through November 3. Early vote times are below. Early votelocations in or near District 7 are listed below. Residents may vote at any pollinglocation in Bexar County during early vote. The full list of polling locations is linkedbelow.
For a better idea of what is on the ballot, see the Texas Tribune's "Texplainer" article.
Times for Early Vote
Mon., Oct. 23 thru Fri., Oct. 27 ......................................8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.Sat., Oct. 28, 2017 ..........................................................10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.Sun., Oct. 29, 2017 .........................................................12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m.Mon., Oct. 30 thru Wed., Nov. 1......................................8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.Thurs., Nov. 2 thru Fri., Nov. 3 .......................................8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Locations for Early Vote in/near District 7
Leon Valley Conference Center, 6421 Evers RdMaury Maverick, Jr. Library, 8700 Mystic ParkMemorial Library, 3222 CulebraWonderland Mall of the Americas @ Crossroads, 4522 Fredericksburg
For the full list of locations, click here.
Construction Project UpdatesOngoing Projects
1604/Bandera Rd. — TxDOT Displaced Left-turn InterchangeSAWS C12 Sewer Improvement ProjectHemphill Street ExcavationHolmes High School & Ingram Rd.Leon Vista Trailhead ExpansionSeeling Channel Phase IIW Horseshoe BendWoodlawn-Neulon Area Drainage Improvements
Share Your Thoughts
Alamo Area MPO Online Public Meeting
The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization(MPO) is seeking public input on 1) Mobility 2045, ourregion’s long-range transportation plan; and 2) the airquality status of the region.
You can now participate in the development of theAlamo Area MPO's long-range transportation planonline from the comfort of your home. Feedbackprovided before November 3rd will be shared with theAAMPO's Transportation Policy Board.
AAMPO Mobility 2045 Online Public Meeting
Ongoing Public Surveys
San Antonio Public Library Tech Survey
Transportation ChoicesSurvey
"La Buena Vida" CommunityResiliency Survey
Volunteers Needed for No Graffiti SAItching to wipe out some graffiti? Need community service hours? What better time thanthe present? DSD's No Graffiti SA has an event coming up in District 7:
300 Noriega Ave, 5-10 volunteers
If you are interested in finding out more, email Lisa McKenzie [email protected], who will provide you with the registration application.If you are part of a group and want to plan an event for future months, please submit theapplication now.
SA Parks System PlanCommunity Workshops
The SA Parks System Plan is inviting you to provide input on the future of SanAntonio's parks at one of their Community Workshops.
The next SA Parks System Plan community Workshop is scheduled for November 8that Gilbert Garza Communty Center (5627 Mira Vista) from 6:00 - 8 PM.
Hidden Treasure: 311 AmbassadorTraining
City government is big and complex. It can be intimidating, but shouldn't be. To helpyou get the most of your government, every week we will dedicate part of the District 7newsletter to City services you may not be aware but that you might find useful.
This week, we're highlighting the upcoming 311 Ambassador Training on November18th.
The 311 Ambassador Program is an excellent way for you to learn about what cityservices available and how you and your community can take advantage of them. Here'show 311 describes the program:
All participants will get a tour of the Emergency Operations Center and receive handson knowledge of the city services facilitated through the 311 Call Center. The class willbe held once a month or as requested by neighborhood organizations. AsAmbassadors, city residents will serve as key individuals throughout the communitywhere they receive information regarding city services and assist the City withsharing information
To learn more about the 311 Ambassador Program, click here. To sign up for thetraining, contact Paula Stallcup at 210-207-7983 or [email protected].
Stage 1 Water RestrictionsUnder Stage 1, outdoor watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system is allowed onlybefore 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m., one day per week, as determined by the last number ofyour street address. To see when your watering days are, click here.
Watering days begin and end at midnight; overnight watering is not allowed. Waterwaste, such as water running down the street, is prohibited year-round. However,watering with a handheld hose is still allowed any day, any time.
Upcoming Events
To view more events, visit the Your District 7 event calendar here.
Build SA Green: San Antonio Solar FestivalDate: November 4Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PMLocation: Roosevelt Park, 331 Roosevelt Ave.For more info, click here.
San Antonio River Authority Presents: River Reflections Water Forum VIIIDate: November 6Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PMLocation: Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway St.Register here.
SA Parks System Plan Community WorkshopDate: November 8Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMLocation: Gilbert Garza Community Center at Gilbert Garza Park, 1450 Mira Vista
311 Ambassador TrainingDate: November 18Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AMLocation: 8130 Inner Circle RdRSVP to Paula Stallcup at 210-207-7983 or email [email protected]
Our Office Staff
Greg JeffersonChief of Policy &Communications210.859.1134
Ryan M. GarciaZoning Advisor210.207.0874
Liz McLeodPolicy Advisor210.207.2723
Sandra G. VidaurriSenior Executive Secretary210.207.7044
Joseph BravoChief of Constituent Services &Administration210.207.2727
Bianca MaldonadoHousing & Neighborhoods210.207.0873
Matteo TrevinoCouncil Aide 210.207.0872
Debbie DehlingerVolunteer210.207.0870
Office Hours
Brass Professional Center4414 Centerview Dr #160
210-207-0870
Monday - Friday:9am - 5pm
Maury Maverick Library8700 Mystic Park
210-207-0877
By appointment only.Please call 210-207-2727.
Quick Links3-1-1 Online Service Request2017-2022 BondAnimal Care ServicesCode EnforcementCPSSA Transparency Data PortalSAWS
Solid Waste ManagementTransportation and CapitalImprovementsTCI's Bond Project MapTCI's Infrastructure ManagementPlanTCI's Traffic Count Database
