Protecting our water starts with protecting the commitment behind it. What happened to the money dedicated to the Edwards Aquifer?
In this 1-minute, 45-second video, Patrick Von Dohlen makes his case for conservation and questions the public-funding decisions behind Edwards Aquifer protection. His message connects protecting sensitive land with a larger question: Are tax dollars serving the priorities and producing the results residents were promised?
Watch Patrick’s full message on YouTube — 1 minute, 45 seconds.
Protecting the aquifer by protecting the land
Patrick describes how conservation funding can help limit development density over the Edwards Aquifer. He uses an example of compensating a developer to build fewer homes on a property, explaining why he sees land protection as part of safeguarding water and quality of life.
Where did the dedicated funding go?
Patrick points to the one-eighth-cent sales tax that voters previously approved for aquifer protection. He criticizes the decision to direct that revenue stream toward San Antonio’s Ready to Work program rather than renew its dedication to aquifer protection, arguing that the money could have continued supporting conservation.
Conservation and accountability
He also challenges Ready to Work’s performance against its stated goals. His argument is that environmental stewardship and accountability for public spending belong in the same conversation: protecting water requires both a commitment to conservation and scrutiny of funding decisions.
Video highlights
- 0:10 — Dedicated aquifer funding and Patrick’s explanation of development density.
- 0:48 — His criticism of the shift toward Ready to Work.
- 1:15 — Program results, conservation, and accountability.
Take less than two minutes to hear Patrick’s full argument, then share the conversation about protecting our water and accounting for public dollars.
For related campaign commentary, read What Happened to San Antonio’s Aquifer Protection, and Where Did the Money Go? Explore Patrick’s positions on the issues and more videos in The Brief.