# Sen. Menendez Defends San Antonio Tourism Tax Reinvestment Law | Texas Political Spotlight | USLege

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# Sen. Menendez Defends San Antonio Tourism Tax Reinvestment Law | Texas Political Spotlight

Texas Political Highlights from the Week

Texas Political Spotlight October 15, 2025

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**Welcome back friends,**  
Texas Sen. José Menéndez is defending a 2023 law that lets cities like San Antonio reinvest state tourism and hotel tax revenue into major projects, including a proposed $1.3 billion Spurs arena, saying it keeps the city competitive with others that have used similar funding to spur growth. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, speaking in Fort Worth recently, cast himself as an independent voice challenging both parties and billionaires’ influence, as his tight primary race with Colin Allred gains national attention. Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Indiana resident Malcolm Tanner, accusing him of trying to take over Loving County by luring out-of-state residents with false promises of free homes in unsafe desert conditions.

![](/assets/news/f1a12ae9a0fb_69fe3b0afc4fee9472e66087_68eff3a2fabe95c57e7fb4ca_1.jpeg)

> UTSA poll: Less than half of voters support county funding for Spurs arena [https://t.co/wiJtXNTv0g](https://t.co/wiJtXNTv0g)
> 
> — San Antonio Express-News (@ExpressNews) [October 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/ExpressNews/status/1978496126979281293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

![](/assets/news/6435e0f1742a_69fe3b0afc4fee9472e66083_68eff3a1fabe95c57e7fb4be_2.jpeg)

> .[@JamesTalarico](https://twitter.com/jamestalarico?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw): I don’t see politics as left vs. right. I see it as top vs. bottom. The billionaires are hurting all of us. They’re closing our schools, gutting our health care, raising our taxes... I hope to build a movement across divides to take power back for working people [pic.twitter.com/w7QJFhp53V](https://t.co/w7QJFhp53V)
> 
> — Team Talarico (@TeamTalaricoHQ) [October 10, 2025](https://twitter.com/TeamTalaricoHQ/status/1976754107491737703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

![](/assets/news/8e73fadf3626_69fe3b0afc4fee9472e66080_68eff3a1fabe95c57e7fb4b9_3.jpeg)

> 🚨BREAKING: I filed a lawsuit and requested a TRO against Malcolm Turner to protect Loving County residents.  
>   
> Indiana resident Malcolm Tanner has no right to try and take over Loving County with illegal schemes that endanger real Texans. [pic.twitter.com/VTxHrhi7r0](https://t.co/VTxHrhi7r0)
> 
> — Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) [October 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1977753063159943460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

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> Get ready for our next episode dropping October 16! Join host [@Laura\_USLege](https://twitter.com/Laura_USLege?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) for a powerful conversation with [@Amy\_Whited](https://twitter.com/Amy_Whited?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw), Regional Director of Government Affairs – West at [@Genmab](https://twitter.com/Genmab?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw), as they discuss… [pic.twitter.com/MPwhh4VfzM](https://t.co/MPwhh4VfzM)
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