San Antonio Proposes Cutting $150,000 Military Spouse Program as $158 Million Shortfall Bites
Updated
Updated · San Antonio Report · Aug 13
San Antonio Proposes Cutting $150,000 Military Spouse Program as $158 Million Shortfall Bites
3 articles · Updated · San Antonio Report · Aug 13
Summary
$150,000 in city funding for Hiring Our Heroes would be eliminated under San Antonio's proposed budget, ending 16 local military-spouse fellowships unless City Council restores the money by Sept. 17.
The cut comes as the city confronts a $158 million shortfall, with City Manager Erik Walsh saying the program saw limited activity this year.
The 12-week fellowships placed military spouses with local companies at no cost to employers; the city says it has put more than $500,000 into the program over seven years, and 92% of fellows landed permanent jobs averaging $61,000.
The proposal would hit a group facing a 21% unemployment rate versus about 4% nationally, a gap Hiring Our Heroes says reflects frequent moves and underemployment tied to military life.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones had already asked businesses and philanthropists in July to help support city-backed nonprofits, and this program is one of three on her list now slated to lose funding.