CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — While City Council members spent Thursday poring over numbers in a budget workshop, a billion-dollar question remained unanswered: What happens next with the controversial Inner Harbor desalination project?

Two weeks ago, council members voted to pause the project and asked the Texas Water Development Board for clarity. The central concern: Would canceling the project cost the city more than $500 million in potential state funding?

So far, there has been no response from the state. And for some council members, it wouldn’t matter anyway.

“I’m not voting for it, regardless of what the Water Board says,” said Councilman Eric Cantu.

“I think people already know how I’m voting — it’s a no,” added Councilwoman Sylvia Campos.

Councilman Gil Hernandez said that unless

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