A weekly podcast that breaks down how politics works, and often doesn't work, in San Antonio. Metro Editor Greg Jefferson and Express-News reporters question politicians and other newsmakers about what they're up to in our name.
Does D.C. have something to learn from San Anto...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith talk with UTSA pollster Bryan Gervais about the upcoming city elections, a recent polling controversy and the virtues of local politics -- at least as opposed to poisonous national and state politics.
48 min
2
A deep dive into the San Antonio's sprawling bi...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and reporter Richard Webner talk with Harley Hubbard, the city's project manager for the bike network plan, about the effort to add 1,890 miles of bicycle routes to San Antonio streets. The cost: between $3 billion and $8 billion.
32 min
3
Nelson Wolff on city elections, lyin' SOBs and ...
On this week's ENside Politics, retired Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff sizes up major candidates for San Antonio mayor, the Gordian knot that is Project Marvel and the fear of losing the Spurs to another city.
53 min
4
What's ahead for S.A.? City Hall shakeup, immig...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson, City Hall reporter Molly Smith and political consultant Laura Barberena discuss what 2025 has in store for San Antonio politics.
48 min
5
2024’s biggest scandals in San Antonio politics...
Greg Jefferson and reporters Megan Rodriguez and Brooke Park discuss what they consider to be the biggest controversies this year at City Hall and the Bexar County Courthouse.
48 min
6
Is there anything to S.A.-to-Austin rail talk? ...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and transportation reporter Richard Webner sort out what's real and what's not in current talk about developing commuter rail between San Antonio and Austin. They also discuss the city's decision to hire a controversial tech company to run parking operations at San Antonio International Airport.
23 min
7
Abortion-rights advocates want more city dollar...
City Hall reporters Molly Smith and Megan Rodriguez talk to Laura Molinar of Sueños Sin Fronteras and Ariana Rodriguez of Jane's Due Process about San Antonio’s Reproductive Justice Fund and what they hope to see from the mayoral contenders.
41 min
8
Remembering Howard Peak, parsing John Courage's...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson, City Hall reporter Molly Smith and political consultant Laura Barberena discuss the late Mayor Howard Peak's legacy, the potential downtown Spurs arena, and how Councilman John Courage's decision to withdraw will recast the 2025 race for mayor.
53 min
9
COPS-Metro leaders: No tax dollars for ‘playgro...
COPS-Metro's Sonia Rodriguez and Father Jimmy Drennan talk with ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and reporter Molly Smith about their group's concerns about the Missions stadium deal and the budding plan for a Spurs arena at Hemisfair dubbed 'Project Marvel.'
47 min
10
The latest on Southwest Airlines' beef with San...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and Express-News reporter Megan Rodriguez talk with airline analyst Keith Debbage about how the Dallas-based airline's fight to get gates in the city's glitzy Terminal C might play out.
38 min
11
Teri Castillo on how San Antonio drops the ball...
The West Side councilwoman talks with ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith about the planned Missions baseball stadium and the apartment complex it will wipe out.
40 min
12
Reporters' roundtable on Trump's, and his party...
ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and Express-News reporter Ed McKinley, Brooke Park and Molly Smith discuss the GOP blowout in state and local races. They also parse the fate of City Council's proposed raise and the removal on pay and tenure caps on the city manager.
32 min
13
Our experts talk Cruz versus Allred and other e...
Political consultants Eddie Aldrete and Laura Barberena tell ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson why Colin Allred isn't rushing to embrace Kamala Harris -- and why Sen. Ted Cruz isn't talking much about Donald Trump.
56 min
14
Philanthropist Gordon Hartman says "vote yes" f...
Gordon Hartman, a philanthropist and tri-chair of the PAC that's running the "vote yes" campaign for six city charter amendments, talks with ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith about why voters should eliminate pay and tenure restrictions on San Antonio's city manager.
51 min
15
Gina Ortiz Jones goes after Texas justices over...
The two-time Democratic nominee in Congressional District 23 runs a political action committee that's targeting three Republican justices seeking re-election to the Texas Supreme Court over ruling on the state's near-total abortion ban. She talks with host Greg Jefferson and reporter Megan Rodriguez about her organization's efforts to take out justices Jimmy Blacklock, John Devine and Jane Bland in November's election.
48 min
16
San Antonio fire union president: We’ll fight e...
Joe Jones, president of the San Antonio Professional Firefighters’ Association, told ENside Politics the union is coming out against a city charter amendment to take back salary and tenure restrictions on San Antonio’s city manager. Jones also talked with host Greg Jefferson and City Hall reporter Molly Smith about the union’s new contract and firefighters’ concerns about a Venezuelan gang that’s allegedly trying to get a foothold in San Antonio.
48 min
17
San Antonio small business owners: From mean tw...
San Antonio restaurateurs Jody Bailey and Chad Carey talk with host Greg Jefferson about the damage city street projects often inflict on small businesses -- and a new political action committee they’ve helped organize to make sure it’s a big issue in next year’s municipal elections.
53 min
18
San Antonio voters like caps on city manager, n...
Voters will decide Nov. 5 on a pay increase for City Council and whether to remove pay and term restrictions on the city manager. A new poll by the UTSA Center for Public Opinion Research show voters aren't fans of either proposition. San Antonio political consultants Eddie Aldrete and Laura Barberena join ENside Politics host Greg Jefferson hash out the survey's results -- and a few of its shortcomings.
38 min
19
DeBerry touts the AI-powered eyes that will be ...
Trish DeBerry is the biggest proponent of a security camera network in the center city. Deberry is CEO of Centro San Antonio, a public-private organization focused on downtown revitalization. The San Antonio Police Department plans to set up 10 AI-powered security cameras on a four-block stretch of Commerce Street downtown under a pilot program that could launch as early as January. The cameras will operate on artificial intelligence software and form an integrated network of eyes. DeBerry talks with ENside Politics this week about why she’s been pushing for downtown cameras – and about the $950,000 she says the city wants Centro to cough up for the effort. She also muses on what new Missions ballpark will mean for downtown.
42 min
20
There's no such thing as free stadium money | E...
Heywood Sanders, a trenchant critic of deals cut in private but paid for with public dollars, says San Antonio has a long history of financing projects like the planned $160 million stadium for the Missions ball club. They rarely turn out well for taxpayers, the UTSA professor emeritus of public administration tells ENside Politics. The problem: too much back-room bargaining, too little public participation in the projects' development.
46 min
21
Marc Whyte opens up | Puro Politics
San Antonio Councilman addresses ethics complaint, DWI, city attorney and budget process.
54 min
22
Jalen McKee-Rodriguez returns | Puro Politics
East Side council member talks city attorney, fire-union negotiations, Ready to Work, charter amendments and mayoral race.
39 min
23
City Hall firestorm | Puro Politics
A coalition of council members seek to oust city attorney Andy Segovia. Plus the latest on Colin Strother and others caught up in the Henry Cuellar indictment.
32 min
24
Henry Cuellar's $600,000 problem | Puro Politics
The Puro Politics team takes a look at the congressman's federal indictment, a stunning NEISD election and pro-Palestinian campus protests at UT-Austin and nationwide.
34 min
25
Dist. 121 candidate Laurel Jordan Swift | Puro ...
Texas House hopeful talks with the Puro Politics team about efforts to flip her district and her views on Republican challenger Marc Lahood.