One week before the San Antonio City Council votes on the municipal budget, COPS / Metro leaders descended on City Hall to call for increased funding for long-term workforce development program Project Quest. Increasing the city's investment in Quest from $2.2 Million to $ 2.5 Million would enable the program to train an additional 100 residents for new jobs.

Said Maria Tijerina, "A $2.5 Million investment in San Antonio citizens is far less than the $3.05 Million allocated for SmartSA technology upgrades in the budget."

Leaders also reminded specific Council members about their public commitments to raise the bottom municipal wage to $15 / hour by 2019. The wage in the current preliminary 2018 budget is $14.25 per hour, up from $13.75 this year.

Sitting council members' commitments were made prior to the elections, in a nonpartisan accountability session organized by 750 COPS / Metro leaders. Those leaders later delivered 8,555 voters to the polls in support of their agenda.

Group Urges City to Add Funds for Training, Increase Wages, San Antonio Express News

Council Members Open to Minimum Wage Increase for City Workers , Rivard Report