SAN ANTONIO – The military is a vital part of San Antonio's economy, State Comptroller, Glenn Hegar, said Wednesday during a tour of local military installations.
Hegar said that Joint Base San Antonio installations contribute over $49 billion to the local economy and provide civilian jobs.
"The joint bases contribute here in San Antonio, Bexar County and the Alamo Region the equivalent of 283,000 jobs," Hegar said during a news conference outside the gates of Fort Sam Houston.
Hegar noted that the expanding military presence has also created conflicts and concerns about military encroachment.
"How do we deal with that sometimes conflict between what's inside the gate and what's outside the gate?" he asked.
Hegar said those concerns are one reason for the tour.
"If nothing else, me going around and talking about the economic impact also highlights that (for) some of these very difficult issues, we need to continue to chip away at the iceberg that deals with those issues," Hegar said.
His visit was part of what Hegar calls his "Good for Texas Tour: Military Edition."