SAN ANTONIO – Nearly two months after KSAT Investigates requested city credit card records for all 10 members of San Antonio City Council, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and City Manager Erik Walsh, the city has yet to provide those documents.
The records request was made on April 8, the same day KSAT Investigates revealed the city spent $20,000 to buy tickets to the Final Four for each council member and a guest.
Walsh approved those purchases, which used taxpayer dollars. Records obtained by KSAT Investigates show that Walsh also purchased two additional tickets for himself, using another $2,000 in taxpayer funds.
However, hours after KSAT began asking questions, Walsh’s staff told Alamodome representatives that he would use his own money to purchase tickets and transferred the previously purchased tickets to the mayor.
Before the story ran, KSAT reached out to the city three times for comment but didn’t hear back.
Walsh disputed KSAT’s reporting in an email sent to the city council on April 7.
“While I strongly believe that the City was above board and appropriate in providing the Mayor and Council with tickets as event hosts, I equally feel it would have been inappropriate for the City to pay for mine,” Walsh wrote.
Walsh said he went to the Alamodome on Saturday and Monday — the days of the national semifinal and national championship game took place — with San Antonio Police Chief Department William McManus to see employees and make sure operations ran smoothly.
“The Chief and I departed the Alamodome, and I watched the games at home,” Walsh wrote.
A delayed timeline
KSAT Investigates wants to know what, if anything, any of the council members, Nirenberg or Walsh used city funds to purchase leading up to the Final Four. KSAT Investigates also asked for expenses charged between March 1 and April 8, 2025.
By state law, governmental agencies have 10 business days to turn over any responsive records or to file an appeal asking to keep the records private.
On April 22, the city sent KSAT an email acknowledging the 10-day deadline.
“City Staff will contact you within five days of this letter to coordinate production of responsive records, if any,” the April 22 email stated.
KSAT did not hear from the city again until May 6, when officials said the records should be ready by May 16.
On June 6, 40 days after KSAT’s initial request, the city sent an email stating it was working with the finance department to get the records.
“The Council Members, Mayor and City Manager do not have P-cards (purchasing cards) themselves,” the email states. “Instead, purchases on their behalf are made by P-card holders within their respective offices.”
The city said it anticipated the records will be available before June 11.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
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