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WELCOME ALL[Austin 2020 City Council Candidate Run-off Forum District 6]
TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S RUNOFF DEBATE.I AM CAROL ECHO CAMP WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA.
TODAY, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS COMMISSION TO HELP YOU GET TO KNOW THE FINAL TWO CANDIDATES VYING FOR YOUR VOTE IN DISTRICT 10 AND DISTRICT SIX, ALL QUESTIONS AND TOPICS ARE PUT TOGETHER BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA, AND HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN IN ADVANCE BY THE CANDIDATES.
THESE QUESTIONS COME TO US FOR MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THROUGH OUR PUBLIC FORUM EMAIL ADDRESS HERE IS OUR FORMAT FOR BOTH DEBATES.
THIS EVENING CANDIDATES RESPONSES TO MODERATOR QUESTIONS WILL BE LIMITED TO ABOUT 90 SECONDS OR LESS.
EACH REBUTTALS WILL BE LIMITED TO 60 SECONDS OR LESS EACH THE MODERATOR AND THE LEAGUE VOLUNTEERS WILL KEEP CANDIDATES INFORMED OF THEIR ELAPSED TIME AND WILL ENFORCE THE LIMITS.
THE MODERATOR MAY PROMPT A FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION.
FOLLOWING THE CANDIDATES INITIAL RESPONSES, THE DEBATE MAY INCLUDE A LIGHTENING ROUND OF SHORT QUESTIONS AND SHORT ANSWERS.
DURING A LIGHTNING ROUND CANDIDATES RESPONSES WILL BE LIMITED TO 60 SECONDS OR LESS IN THE ONE MINUTE CLOSING STATEMENTS TONIGHT, IT IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH CANDIDATE TO SPEAK ABOUT THEMSELVES RATHER THAN MAKE CHARGES OR ATTACKS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY RAISED DURING THE DEBATE.
IF A CANDIDATE VIOLATES THIS RULE AND THE ATTACKED CANDIDATE HAS ALREADY COMPLETED HIS OR HER CLOSING STATEMENT, THE MODERATOR MAY OFFER THE ATTACKED CANDIDATE, THE RIGHT TO MAKE A SHORT REBUTTAL.
IF TIME PERMITS AFTER THE CLOSING STATEMENT, SEGMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, IT IS THE INTENT OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA TO ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION RATHER THAN SCRIPTED ANSWERS.
THIS FORMAT IS FOR YOUR FLOWING THAN OUR PAST FORUMS. DEBATES CAN HIGHLIGHT THE HEALTH OF A DEMOCRACY AND SHOW THAT POLITICAL RIVALS THOUGH, THEY HAVE DIFFERENCES CAN TREAT EACH OTHER WITH MUTUAL RESPECT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING VOTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS IN EACH OF YOU CANDIDATES.
WE WILL USE BALLOT ORDER TO BEGIN THE QUESTIONS FOR DISTRICT SIX.
THE BALLOT ORDER WILL BE JIMMY FLANNIGAN CANDIDATE FLANAGAN FLANAGAN FIRST FOLLOWED BY CANDIDATE MACKENZIE PHILLIPS, MACKENZIE KELLY.
OKAY, THIS IS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START IN ON THIS.
WE'VE MADE OUR ERRORS AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO.
THE, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT CAME IN IS ON, UH, WAS ON THE PANDEMIC AND THE CITY'S RESPONSE, UM, CANDIDATE FLANAGAN WITH PANDEMIC RELATED SUPPORT PROGRAMS, PHASING OUT AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
WE'LL SEE SOON, SEE MORE EVICTIONS.
AUSTINITES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, EXACERBATING AN ALREADY DISTRICT, AN ALREADY DISTURBING LEVEL OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY.
HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THE CITY ADDRESS THIS EVER-GROWING CRISIS OF SUPPORTING ITS RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS? THANK YOU, CAROL.
AND THANK YOU, LIGAMENT VOTERS FOR THE FORUM.
I WISH THERE WAS MORE TIME FOR THE PLANET TOOTH THAT WE KIND OF GET INTO IT.
UH, THIS IS, UH, NOT JUST AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME, BUT A BUT A REALLY CHALLENGING TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE THAT, UH, STRUGGLED TO MAKE ENDS MEET EVEN WHEN TIMES WERE GOOD.
IN THE LAST YEAR, I HAVE LED ON THESE ISSUES ON THE COUNCIL, CREATING SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS, UH, WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO DEVELOP CHILDCARE SUPPORT, NONPROFIT SUPPORT.
UH, AND NOW AS WE GET INTO THE LATTER END OF THE, OF 2020, SEEING THAT THE STRUGGLING INDUSTRIES REALLY FOCUSING ON LIVE MUSIC, VENUES, CHILDCARE, UH, AND BARS AND RESTAURANTS, AND RENEWING THAT FOCUS THROUGH THE SAVES RESOLUTION.
THERE ARE ITEMS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA THIS WEEK THAT I'VE BEEN CO-AUTHORING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL IN ORDER TO BRING MORE RELIEF TO THOSE INDUSTRIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE RISE PROGRAM AND PANDEMIC SUPPORT OR MENTAL SUPPORT, WE HAVE STOOD UP SO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, BUT ULTIMATELY THE PRIMARY CHALLENGE IS HOW DO YOU PAY FOR IT? AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SCALE OF DISASTER THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT REQUIRES STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT.
I AM EXCITED TO SEE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COME INTO THE FEDERAL PROCESS.
WE'LL FINALLY HAVE A, AT LEAST A MINIMALLY FUNCTIONAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I HOPE THAT, UH, THAT AS THEY HAVE A SHORED, THAT THERE WILL BE MORE STIMULUS AND MORE FUNDING COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO STAND UP AND CONTINUE HE'S SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE CREATED THAT I HAVE CREATED AND LED ON AS A COUNCIL MEMBER CANDIDATE KELLY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HOSTING THIS AND FOR PROVIDING THE FORUM FOR OUR VOTERS TO SEE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF STRUGGLING AUSTINITES AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO ARE DEALING WITH THE FALLOUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE FORWARD PLANNING AND THINKING WITH PUTTING RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE THAT WOULD PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO GET TO WORK.
PERSONALLY, I'VE EXPERIENCED BEING LAID OFF THROUGH
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THE COVID.AND SO I UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF A STRUGGLE IT IS TO TRY AND FIND WORK AND TO GET BACK TO WORK.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY CAN PARTNER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES TO PEOPLE, TO HELP LIFT THEM UP OUT OF THEIR SITUATION AND SUPPORT THEM IN PROGRAMS LIKE THE RISE PROGRAM OR OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE AN INCOME.
I ALSO BELIEVE EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO I'VE TALKED TO THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY AND EVEN CITY COUNCIL DO A BETTER JOB OF EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON HOW THEY CAN GET HELP AND RESOURCES WHEN THINGS HAPPEN.
BUT WE DO NEED THAT STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT AS WELL.
AND SO WE NEED GREAT PEOPLE IN PLACE IN ORDER TO WRITE GRANTS AND TO TRY AND GET MONEY, TO HELP SUPPORT OUR MUSICIANS AND TO SUPPORT CHILD CARE AND THE SMALL STRUGGLING BUSINESSES THAT HELPED CREATE THE ICONIC LANDSCAPE.
WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY, WE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE GOING TO COME FOR SOME MORE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, UH, ON THIS, UH, SURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A REPEATING SERIES OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN THIS FORUM, AND I WILL NOT BE SILENT WHEN THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO GASLIGHT THIS COMMUNITY ABOUT THE HEART AND, AND CHALLENGING WORK THAT COUNCIL HAS LED ON.
AND SPECIFICALLY MY OPPONENT WHO HAS REPEATEDLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, NOT WORN A MASK AND SHOWN AT EVENTS WITHOUT WEARING MASKS AND HAS BEEN, UH, REALLY NOT TAKE CARE OF THIS PANDEMIC.
SERIOUSLY, COUNCILMAN FLANNAGAN, WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO THE ISSUES AND THE ISSUE WAS ON THE, UH, IT WAS ON THE PANDEMIC.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS I HAD, AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BRING YOU GUYS BACK TO CENTER A COUPLE OF TIMES, BECAUSE WE WERE ASKING ABOUT RENTERS AND WE WERE ASKING ABOUT, UH, HOMEOWNERS AND PAYING RENT AND STAYING IN THEIR HOMES.
SO ON THIS ONE, I WANT TO ASK AND COUNCILMAN, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK THAT, THAT, UH, ALL OF US STICK TO THE ISSUES AND STICK TO THE QUESTION, AND WE ARE GOING TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON SPECIFIC TOPICS, AND WE WILL COME BACK TO THE PANDEMIC.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, UH, CANDIDATE KELLY.
THIS IS A QUESTION ON PROPERTY TAXES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
I'M SO SORRY, BEFORE WE CONTINUE, COULD WE PLEASE KEEP THE PERSONAL ATTACKS TO A MINIMUM AND FOCUS ON POLICY? WELL THAT'S YES, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AND I'D LIKE FOR BOTH OF YOU TO DO THAT, AND THIS IS A, THIS, THIS ACTUALLY CAME IN A LOT ON OUR INBOX AND, UH, CANDIDATE KELLY.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH YOU ON THIS.
A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG AUSTINITES IS THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE TOO HIGH.
AND THE PASSING OF BOTH PROP A AND B IN NOVEMBER WILL RAISE TAXES AGAIN.
WHILE THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS BELIEVED THE TRANSPORTATION UPGRADES WERE WORTH, IT, IT WILL BE FAR EASIER FOR SOME TO AFFORD THE TAX INCREASE THAN OTHERS GOING FORWARD.
HOW CAN WE SOLVE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES WITHOUT TAXING HOMEOWNERS OUT OF THE CITY CANDIDATE? KELLY? I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, AT LEAST IN ITS PROPOSED FORM IS THAT WE WILL BE GETTING SOME MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HOPEFULLY TO HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
I DO KNOW THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS A TAX IN PERPETUITY, AND IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT IT WILL TEXT PEOPLE UP TO 25%.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE HEARD FROM LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT THAT THEY JUST CAN'T AFFORD THAT, UM, PROPERTY TAXES ARE VERY HIGH, BUT ONE OF MY SOLUTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME FORWARD WHEN ELECTED IS TO DO AN EXTERNAL AUDIT OF THE CITY AND FIND OUT WHERE WE HAVE WASTEFUL SPENDING RECENTLY IN THE NEWS, WE SAW THAT OVER $1 MILLION IN TONER INK WAS STOLEN FROM SOMEBODY WHO WAS EMPLOYED AT THE LIBRARY.
AND IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT IF THERE ARE THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE OCCURRING, THERE'S OTHER WASTEFUL SPENDING HAPPENING TOO.
AND WE OWE IT AS GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER MONEY AS A COUNCIL PERSON TO LOOK INTO THOSE THINGS, FIND THAT WASTEFUL SPENDING AND PREVENT IT FROM CONTINUING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE TAXPAYERS, A BREAK CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
WELL, UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE FACTS MATTER, UH, THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE WAS NOT 25%.
THAT WAS A PRETTY DRAMATIC MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN BEING PURPORTED ON THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN TERMS OF YOUR OVERALL TAX BILL, IT'S CLOSER TO 4%.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRULY SOLVE AND ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS WITH SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND IT PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS IT RELATES TO AFFORDABILITY AND PROPERTY TAXES.
I HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED BY THE STATESMAN IN THEIR ENDORSEMENT OF MY CAMPAIGN AS THE FISCAL CONSCIENCE OF THE DIOCESE.
AND I HAVE TAKEN MORE HARD VOTES AGAINST SPENDING AND HAVE EVEN VOTED AGAINST CITY BUDGETS.
WHEN I DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT MET THE TEST OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, YOU KNOW, THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS ASKED AT THE BALLOT, WHETHER OR NOT A CITY-WIDE AUDIT WAS NECESSARY AND THEY VOTED
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IT DOWN.AND THE INTERNAL AUDIT PROCESS THAT, YOU KNOW, I SIT ON THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE INTERNAL AUDIT PROCESS ALREADY IDENTIFIES ISSUES WHEN YOU HAVE THESE MOMENTS OF WASTE AND FRAUD, AND WE IDENTIFY THEM AND WE SOLVE FOR THEM, BUT THERE IS NOT A MAGIC WAND THAT YOU CAN WAVE IN AN AUDIT AND SOMEHOW GENERATE A TON OF MONEY TO SOLVE YOUR BUDGET ISSUES.
UM, THE SECOND NEXT TO THE PANDEMIC, THE SECOND MOST, UH, IN, IN BOTH THE RACES AND NOW IN THE RUNOFF, UH, WAS ON HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN AND IN THE STATESMAN AND THIS'LL GO CANADA FLANAGAN.
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GIVE US A GOOD RESPONSE IN THE STATESMAN.
THIS WEEKEND, A FELLOW CITIZEN OF AUSTIN WRITES THE FOLLOWING AFTER DRIVING OUT OF TOWN ON US, TWO 90 NEAR AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND NORTH SIDE OF TEXAS 71, AND BEN WHITE, HE OBSERVED TENTS, BIKES, CARS, AND TRASH.
MANY OF US WITNESSED THESE SITES DAILY.
THIS GENTLEMAN ALSO WALKED ALONG SHOAL CREEK AND LADY BIRD LAKE, AND SAW UNSIGHTLY LITTER FEASTS.
THESE INTENTS ALONG THE TRAILS, HE ASKED THIS QUESTION, HAVE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTED TO REPEAL THE LAW, BANNING THE HOMELESS FROM CAMPING, VENTURED OUT TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES.
MANY OF US HAVE THIS QUESTION IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS.
SO IF ELECTED, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THESE MAKESHIFT CAMP SITES? SO LET'S STICK WITH THOSE, THAT ISSUE OF THE CAMPSITE.
WELL, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND I HAVE, UH, SEEN THE CAMPSITES, NOT JUST IN AREAS WHERE THEY'VE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS, LIKE ON BEN WHITE, BUT ALSO WHERE WE SEE FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN TENTS POPPING UP, EVEN IN DISTRICT SIX.
AND IT IS NOT IDEAL IS NOT, UH, IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
IT'S NOT HEALTHY, NOT FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE TO SEE IT.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO INVENT A LOT OF REASONS.
WHY JUST BASIC EMPATHY FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE FALLEN ON HARD TIMES FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE COME INTO CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, THEY NEED HELP AND ASSISTANCE FROM THIS COMMUNITY TO GET BACK INTO STABILITY.
AND THAT IS THE SYSTEM WE ARE BUILDING RIGHT BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION, AS CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I CONVENED CITY STAFF AND THEY RAN THROUGH TWO HOURS OF PROGRAMS AND FRAMEWORK THAT IS GOING TO GET THE CITY BACK TO A PLACE WHERE HOMELESSNESS IS BRIEF RARE AND NON-RECURRING, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, SIMPLY BANNING CAMPING DOES NOT SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
ALL IT DOES IS MOVE THESE HUMANS, THESE NEIGHBORS BACK INTO THE SHADOWS WHERE WE SAW INCREASED LEVELS OF CRIME AGAINST HIS FOLKS WHEN THEY'VE COMMITTED NO OTHER CRIME.
AND IT'S BEEN ESPECIALLY DAMAGING FOR WOMEN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHEN THEY ARE HIDDEN IN THE SHADOWS, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE TYPES OF OFFENSES BEING REPORTED UPON THEM.
SO IT IS, IT IS NOT SOMETHING ANYBODY HAS HAPPENED WITH.
AND I'VE LAID OUT ON MY WEBSITE, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS THAT WERE, THAT WE NEED TO EXPAND AS WE BUILD OUT THIS FRAMEWORK, WHICH INCLUDES SHELTER, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, RAPID REHOUSING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH, AND THE REST.
I AM THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO HAS ORGANIZED A VOLUNTEER UP AND ABANDONED HOMELESS CAMP IN THIS RACE.
CURRENTLY, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND AND SPOKEN TO COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS OR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAT ARE LIVING UNDER THE OVERPASSES IN OUR DISTRICT AND ACROSS THE CITY.
I CAN SAY THAT WE NEED SAFE AND COMPASSIONATE SOLUTIONS, AND WE NEED TO ATTACK AND ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS SO THAT WE CAN LIFT THEM UP OUT OF THEIR SITUATION, BY REPEALING THE CAMPING BAN.
UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO RE CRIMINALIZE HOMELESSNESS.
WE NEED TO GIVE THEM A SPECIFIC LOCATION TO GO TO WHERE THEY CAN HAVE THEIR NEEDS ADDRESSED, AND WE CAN WORK TO LIFT THEM UP OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT I'VE MET WITH ALAN BRAM FROM THE COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, AND THEY'RE DOING A GOSH DARN GOOD JOB OF IT.
AND WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM IS THAT THEY GIVE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
THE PEOPLE WHO'VE LOST THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND THEY GIVE THEM A PLACE IN SOCIETY WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO THRIVE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO FIX THE SITUATION.
WE DON'T NEED KNEE JERK REACTIONS, NOT BASED ON DATA DRIVEN SOLUTIONS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SET UP FOR FUTURE SUCCESS IN OUR CITY CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
REPEALING THE CAMPING BAN IS CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS, MAKE NO MISTAKE.
AND UNTIL YOU'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, WHICH DOES NOT EXIST IN THIS COMMUNITY AT THE SCALE AT THIS TIME, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE CHALLENGE UNTIL YOU CAN SAY WHERE IN DISTRICT SIX, YOU WANT TO SEE CAMPING OCCUR.
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YOU CANNOT SIMPLY RECRIMINATORY IT AND THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY.AND I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN TO ALAN GRAHAM SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BRING UP ALAN GRAHAM AND HE SUPPORTED THE REPEAL OF CAMPING BAN BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT CRIMINALIZATION, AS IT RELATES TO THE CAMPING, DAN IS WHAT INHIBITS FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FROM ACCESSING MANY OF THE SERVICES THAT COME WITH ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
YOU CANNOT CRIMINALIZE IT BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, NOT ONLY DOES IT WASTE POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES ON FOLKS WHO ARE OTHERWISE NOT OFFENDING, IT ALSO CREATES BARRIERS TO THOSE FOLKS FROM ACCESSING THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING FUNDED.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH A QUESTION AND, UH, CANDIDATE AT KELLY.
I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU, UH, ADDRESS THIS AND THEN, UH, CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU ADDRESS IT.
THE CITY HAS PURCHASED, UH, HOTELS AND ROOMS AND, AND THE IDEA WAS TO CONVERT THEM INTO HOMELESS SHELTERS.
IS THAT A VIABLE WAY? IS THAT A VIABLE SOLUTION? AND IS THAT A GOOD USE OF RESOURCES ON THE CITY CANDIDATE? KELLY? I THINK, I THINK THAT WITH A SOLID PLAN IN PLACE FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, IT MIGHT BE A GREAT PLAN.
I'VE NOT SEEN ANY STATISTICS OR DATA FROM THE CITY SHOWING THAT PURCHASING HOTELS FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER WHAT THEIR COST IS PROJECTED TO BE WILL ACTUALLY HELP END HOMELESSNESS.
I ALSO DON'T THINK THAT BY JUST GIVING PEOPLE A PLACE TO STAY, THEY'RE ABLE TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS AS A WHOLE.
WE NEED TO ACTUALLY GO OVER INSIDE, DOWN AND HAVE MORE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WHERE WE CAN HELP LIFT THESE INDIVIDUALS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS VIA JOB SKILLS, MENTAL HEALTH, LIKE ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR EVEN ADDICTION ISSUES.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT LONG-TERM FOR HELPING THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THESE ISSUES.
AND THEN IF I MIGHT ADD THAT I'M NOT OKAY WITH CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS.
WHEN I SAY WE GIVE A, GIVE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, A PLACE TO STAY.
THERE ARE CRIMES THAT ARE COMMITTED OUT OF DESPERATION FOR SOME PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT'S NOT OKAY EITHER.
SO WE NEED TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO LIFT THEM OUT OF THEIR SITUATIONS WITH COMPASSION AND EMPATHY.
SO CANDIDATE FLANAGAN, THE QUESTION WAS ON THE HOTELS THAT THE CITY IS PURCHASING AND WANTS TO PURCHASE.
IS THAT A GOOD USE OF THE RESOURCES FROM THE CITY, FOR THIS HOUSE, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, THE, THE HOTEL PLAN, WHICH IS ONE THAT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER CITIES IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE OVERALL FRAMEWORK.
THERE IS NO ONE MAGIC SOLUTION THAT SOLVES HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S NOT TRUE, UH, ANYWHERE OR IN ANY COMMUNITY.
IT'S ALSO NOT THE CASE THAT YOU JUST HOUSE PEOPLE AND THEN HOPE FOR THE BEST.
THESE, THESE SOLUTIONS COME WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HELP FOLKS ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES THAT LED THEM TO BE UNHOUSED AND HELP SUPPORT THEM BACK INTO SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
AND IN SOME CASES YOU NEED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE FOLKS THAT YOU CAN'T QUITE GET THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT THE ALTERNATIVE IS.
THE ALTERNATIVE IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
AND THAT IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE BUILDING TO.
IT IS UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC TAKING LONGER THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY IMAGINED.
MANY OF THE HOTEL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE OBTAINED HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE USED FOR PRO LODGES OR ISOLATION FACILITIES.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GET THOSE HOTELS OPENED, RENOVATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR HUD FUNDING AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND GET FOLKS HOUSED AND OFF THE STREET AND BACK TO STABILITY.
ALL RIGHT, ON THIS ONE, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, CANDIDATE FLANAGAN, YOU'LL GET THE FIRST RESPONSE.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE 92ND RESPONSE.
AND THEN THE ONE MINUTE REBUTTAL, WE'RE BACK TO OUR, UH, ORIGINAL FORMAT.
AND I'M GOING BACK TO THE PANDEMIC AGAIN, THIS WAS THE, THE, THE NUMBER ONE TOPIC, UH, COMING INTO THE INBOX ARE DEVASTATED.
HOSPITALITY AND MUSIC SECTORS WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY RETURNING TO PREPARE ENDEMIC LEVELS OF PROSPERITY.
WHAT WOULD YOU PROPOSE THE CITY DO TO SUPPORT THIS ESSENTIAL PILLAR OF THE AUSTIN ECONOMY CANDIDATE? UH, THANK YOU.
I, NOW I'M LOSING TRACK OF WHO GOES PERSON.
UM, WE, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WAS PROUD TO STAND WITH MAYOR ADLER AND CO-SPONSOR THE SAVES RESOLUTION, UH, JUST A MONTH AGO.
AND NOW THIS WEEK ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA, WE'RE STANDING UP A PROGRAM THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH A CHAPTER THREE 80 AGREEMENTS TO HELP OUR ICONIC LIVE MUSIC VENUES STAY IN PLACE, ALSO APPLIES TO CHILDCARE, UH, AND TO BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ESTABLISHING THIS WEEK, A, UH, ICONIC VENUE FUND AND A HISTORIC VENUE FUND, UH, FUNDED THROUGH, UH, OTHER, OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PULL OUT OF THE BUDGET AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE FOLKS CAN SURVIVE.
WE'RE SEEING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT, THAT, UH, UH, VACCINES ARE ON THE WAY.
AND IT DOES MEAN THAT THERE IS A SUNRISE AHEAD.
AND IF WE CAN JUST ASSURE AND, AND HELP THESE REALLY CRITICAL PIECES OF INFRASTRUCTURE, BOTH FOR OUR, OUR CULTURE
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AND FOR TOURISM AND FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR, FOR OUR, OUR IDENTITY AS A CITY, THEN WE'LL COME OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC AND SURVIVE IT.AND IN FACT, IF WE DO IT RIGHT, AND THAT'S THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN THE COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEEK, WE'LL ACTUALLY COME OUT OF IT BETTER.
WE CAN BUILD BACK BETTER BECAUSE THESE VENUES WERE ALREADY STRUGGLING BEFORE THE TIMES.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST TO GO BACK TO GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WORK.
IT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING TO SEE THE CLOSURE OF SO MANY BUSINESSES AND SO MANY LIVE MUSIC VENUES HERE IN AUSTIN DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID AND COVID IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE LIGHTLY.
IT IS A SERIOUS DISEASE THAT HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.
AND A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY IS VULNERABLE.
THAT SAID, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THE CITY GIVE MORE DIRECTION TO BUSINESSES OTHER THAN JUST SHUTTING DOWN.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE ALTERNATIVES TO THE SHUTDOWNS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES GET BACK ON TRACK.
IT'S BEEN NICE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO BUSINESS LEADERS AND THE COMMUNITY AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, EVEN MUSICIANS WHO WERE READY AND WILLING AND ABLE TO GET BACK TO WORK DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
AND IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE US START TO HAVE A NEW NORMAL FOLLOWING THAT I AM HAPPY AND DELIGHTED THAT WE ARE STARTING TO OPEN THINGS AND THAT THE CITY IS BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO, UH, COUNSEL WE'LL MOVE ON TO CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
AND THIS IS ON, UM, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT ON NOVEMBER 27TH.
THE STATESMAN HAD AN ARTICLE REPORTING ON A VOLATILE TEXT STRING AMONG A CURRENT AUSTIN POLICE OFFICER WHO HAD SINCE BEEN FIRED AND FORMER OFFICERS THAT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGMENT AND RACIAL BIAS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUES TO PLAY, TO PLAGUE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE'VE BEEN OTHER EXAMPLES OF RACIAL BIAS AS RECENT AS OCTOBER SOME IN THE COMMUNITY BELIEVE THAT RETRAINING OF THE CURRENT FORCE AND NEW PROTOCOLS FOR INCOMING CADETS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
DO YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM IN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT? IF SO, HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS THIS IN UPCOMING COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS? IF NOT, HOW WILL YOU EXPLAIN THE RECENT FINDINGS OF INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS? I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY, MACKENZIE'S TURN TO GO FIRST.
UM, I, KELLY, BUT YEAH, THANK YOU.
UM, I DEFINITELY DISAGREE WITH ANY RACISM OR BIGOTRY OR RACIAL BIAS, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S AWFUL TO EVEN THINK THAT THAT EXISTS.
AND SO MY IDEA FOR BEING ON COUNCIL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
AND THAT'S, UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THERE IS A ACTUAL COMPREHENSIVE STUDY THAT'S BEING DONE ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS AND ADDRESS THEM.
THE MULTI-PRONGED INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO INVESTIGATE RACISM AND BIGOTRY AND DISCRIMINATION.
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THAT ANYWHERE IN SOCIETY THESE DAYS.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WITHHELD FROM THAT.
AND IT HELD EVEN TO A HIGHER STANDARD FOR THE COMMUNITY CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
WELL, THE CONSULTANTS, UH, IS PART OF THE RESOLUTION THAT I ADOPTED AND WROTE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER HARPER, MADISON.
AND SO THIS HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, UH, AS WE SEEK TO, TO IMPROVE THE WORK OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS THE BEST OF WHAT AUSTIN IS AND THE BEST OF AUSTIN'S VALUES.
AND I HAVE THE OCCASION TO TALK TO MANY OFFICERS WHO ARE THAT BEST.
THEY DO REPRESENT THE BEST OF WHAT AUSTIN CAN BE, BUT THERE ARE SERIOUS STRUCTURAL ISSUES ABOUT HOW TO ENSURE THAT THAT DOESN'T EXTEND AND THAT DOESN'T SPREAD IN OTHER PLACES.
AND, AND ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, I AM THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE THAT HAS CONTINUED TO REFUSE TO STAND WITH GROUPS THAT DO ESPOUSE WHITE NATIONALISM, AND THAT DO A SPOUSE AND OPPOSITION TO ROOTING OUT THESE ISSUES.
AND I AM VERY PROUD THAT I'M THAT ONLY CANDIDATE TO REFUSE TO DO SO BECAUSE WE CANNOT HAVE OUR LEADERS STANDING IN, IN PHOTOS WITH GROUPS THAT ARE SEEKING TO UNDERMINE THE EQUITY CRITICAL EQUITY WORK THAT WE DO IN THIS COMMUNITY CANDIDATE.
KELLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? YES.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPONENT HAS BEEN GASLIGHTING AND TELLING THE COMMUNITY THAT I REFUSE TO DENOUNCE THESE GROUPS WHEN I ACTUALLY HAVE IN FACT DONE SO PUBLICLY, I DO NOT STAND WITH WHITE NATIONALISTS.
I DO NOT SUPPORT RACISM AND IT'D BE CIRCUMSTANCES REVOLVING.
[00:25:01]
THAT HE'S SPEAKING ABOUT WERE SUCH THAT I DID NOT KNOW THAT THOSE PEOPLE WERE PRESENT AND THAT HAS BEEN TOLD IN STORIES IN THE MEDIA.AND UNFORTUNATELY HE REFUSES TO ACCEPT THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO A LIGHTNING ROUND.
THESE ARE, UM, THESE ARE JUST ONE MINUTE RESPONSES.
AND IT'S JUST QUESTIONS LIKE THIS.
AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, LET'S SEE, WE ARE ON COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN.
HOW HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS AFFECTED YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS AND TO GET BUSINESS DONE? UM, BOY, IT WAS A REAL LEARNING CURVE AT THE BEGINNING, UH, TO VERY QUICKLY TRANSITION COUNCIL MEETINGS AND TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND ALL MANNER OF, OF CONSTITUENT MEETINGS TO ONLINE PLATFORMS. THANKFULLY DISTRICT SIX IS A, IS A PRETTY TECH-FRIENDLY DISTRICT.
UH, AND OF COURSE I'M A PRETTY TECH FRIENDLY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WAS A WEB DEVELOPER FOR 20 YEARS, SO IT WAS A PRETTY SMOOTH TRANSITION.
UH, MY OFFICE ACTUALLY IS, UH, WITH PAPERLESS OF THE, AMONGST THE COUNCIL OFFICES.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO, TO KEEP THE WORK GOING FORWARD FOR DISTRICT SIX AND, AND IN, UH, HAVE A SMOOTH, SMOOTH, SMOOTH TRANSITION.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S A REAL KIND OF EQUITY PROBLEM AROUND THIS BECAUSE IF YOU'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE READY ACCESS TO BROADBAND OR TO TECHNOLOGY, THEN YOU'RE NOW EVEN MORE ISOLATED FROM THE LEVERAGE OF POWER AND FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU ARE AN EQUAL AND AN HONORABLE MEMBER OFF.
AND SO WE HAVE TO, UH, IN THE SHORT TERM, DO OUR BEST TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE STILL OUT THERE AND LISTENING TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, UNDERMINER, THAT ARE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ACCESS TO.
AND AS WE ARE DOING ON THE CITY COUNCIL SEEKING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO BROADBAND SO THAT IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS SITUATION, IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE ACCESS AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU, CANDIDATE FLANAGAN, CANDIDATE KELLY, COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION FOR YOU? IT'S ASKING HOW HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS AFFECTED YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS AND TO GET BUSINESS DONE.
SO IN MY ROLE AT MY CURRENT JOB, ACTUALLY TRANSITIONING TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS WAS THE SAFEST THING TO DO.
WE WORK WITH VULNERABLE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE ELDERLY.
AND SO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO IN DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THEY'VE ACTUALLY ENJOYED.
AND SO HAVE I USING ZOOM AND WEBEX AND JUST MEETING EACH OTHER, THIS IS OUR NEW NORMAL, AND IT'S BEEN EXCITING TO ADAPT TO THE NEW CHALLENGES, BUT EVEN WITH THE CAMPAIGN, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO MEETINGS THIS WAY THROUGH ZOOM OR WEBEX AND SPEAK TO A LARGER GROUP OF PEOPLE.
I'M STILL, MY REACH HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A LOT BETTER AND BIGGER, AND IT'S BEEN ENCOURAGING TO ME TO BE ABLE TO REACH MORE PEOPLE, TALK TO MORE PEOPLE THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN AND TO EVEN JUST HEAR FROM THEM WHEN TYPICALLY THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO VENTURE OUT.
BUT ACTUALLY THAT QUESTION CAME UP BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S WANTING TO KNOW HOW TO REACH IN TO CITY LEADERS AND IN THE CITY AND TO CITY HALL.
AND, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE EQUITY, THE EQUITY ISSUE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOUR QUESTION AND CANDIDATE KELLY, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
WHAT IS ONE THING AUSTINITES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU AND YOUR ABILITY TO GOVERN OUR CITY? WELL, I THINK ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT COUNCIL RACE.
AND SOME OF THE ACCUSATIONS THAT HAVE COME TO ME IS THAT I WILL BE JUST LIKE OUR PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL PERSON, DON ZIMMERMAN.
I AM NOT AT ALL LIKE COUNCIL MEMBERS ZIMMERMAN IN THAT I LIKE TO LISTEN TO ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS OR THEIR POLITICAL LEANINGS.
BECAUSE I FEEL THAT I CAN LEARN A LOT FROM SOMEBODY BY JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
I HAD A PHONE CALL WITH SOMEBODY WHO WAS A DEMOCRAT, WHO CALLED ME RECENTLY AND SAID, I DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR THE INCUMBENT, BUT I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I HEARD THAT YOU LEAN THIS WAY POLITICALLY.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT? AND AFTER HAVING A DISCUSSION, HE WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY AGREED ON A LOT OF THINGS AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE I WAS TELLING HIM WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR.
IT WAS BECAUSE I GENUINELY SAW HIS PERSPECTIVE, LEARN FROM HOW HE FELT ABOUT THINGS AND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM.
WE HAD A CIVIL DISCUSSION AND SO MY OPEN-MINDEDNESS AND ABILITY TO LISTEN.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I PRIDE MYSELF IN.
I DON'T GO OUT TO JUST FACE ASLEEP POINT FINGERS OR TALK BAD ABOUT SOMEBODY BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THEM OR THEIR POLICY.
I WON'T GENERALLY CONSIDER SOMEONE'S OPINION.
THANK YOU, CANDIDATE FLIGHT AGAIN, WHAT'S ONE THING.
WHAT'S ONE THING AUSTIN I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU AND YOUR ABILITY.
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN A COUNCIL MEMBER.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND SOLVE PROBLEMS ALL ACROSS THIS DISTRICT IN EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM DRAINAGE PROBLEMS AND ANGUS VALLEY TO NEIGHBORHOOD SPEEDING AND DAVIS SPRING TO,
[00:30:01]
UH, PEDESTRIAN ISSUES AND SCHOOL TRAFFIC ISSUES ALONG THE ANDERSON MILL ROAD AND ALONG PEARSON RANCH INTO EVERY RANCH.I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ELEVATE THE ROLE OF DISTRICT SIX AT A REGIONAL LEVEL.
WE SEE A STATE PRO PROJECTS COMING IN AND THE FOUR POINTS AREA AND ON PARMER LANE, I'VE TAKEN DISTRICT SIX TO THE HEAD OF THE REGIONAL TABLE.
AND I'VE DONE THAT BECAUSE I HAVE BUILT THE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE DIOCESE AND ACROSS THE REGION IN ORDER TO GET IT DONE.
IT'S WHY I'VE BEEN ENDORSED BOTH BY THE CHRONICLE AND THE STATESMAN, BUT ALSO BY THE FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION AND THE EMS ASSOCIATION BY ALL OF OUR CURRENTLY ELECTED DEMOCRATS, BOTH THE TRAVIS AND WILLIAMS, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, DEMOCRATIC PARTIES, UH, BUSINESS GROUPS, LABOR GROUPS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WOW, PAUL PAUL'S ARE NONPARTISAN.
AND THE, THE ENDORSEMENT FROM MY FORMER, OUR FORMER OPPONENT, J WILEY, UH, IS ALL THE PROOF YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO IS THE SERIOUS CANDIDATE AND WHO IS THE SERIOUS LEADER THAT DISTRICT'S FIX NEEDS.
ONE MORE LIGHTNING ROUND QUESTION.
BEFORE WE GET BACK TO THE OTHERS AND CANDIDATE FLANAGAN, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH YOU.
WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT PAUL? I'LL LET TICKS IN AUSTIN.
WHAT DOES SURPRISE ME MOST ABOUT POLITICS, DIXON, AUSTIN? WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU THE MOST? THAT'S A HELL OF A QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD FOR SO LONG TO TRY AND ELEVATE THE NEEDS OF DISTRICT SIX.
YOU KNOW, BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I WAS A CO-FOUNDER OF THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN COALITION AND ADVOCATED ON, ON THE MAPS.
I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LGBT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THIS FOCUSED ON THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO I'VE, I'VE REALLY WATCHED AUSTIN POLITICS EVOLVE OVER MANY YEARS.
AND I THINK WHAT, WHAT SURPRISES ME SOMETIMES IS HOW, AS THE MOST RECENTLY NAMED 10TH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, AT TIMES WE FORGET THAT WE ALSO HAVE BIG CITY PROBLEMS AND IT TAKES REALLY FORWARD-THINKING AND AMBITIOUS BIG CITY SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THEM.
THAT'S WHY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAVE NEVER BEEN AFRAID TO TAKE ON THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES, SAY COMMON, MOST CHALLENGING TOPICS, AND I'VE DONE SO AS CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND SITTING ON THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, AND ALL OF THE REGIONAL APPOINTMENTS THAT I'VE BEEN ON.
UH, AND, AND I THINK THAT IN DISTRICT SIX, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AS A BIG CITY, BUT CITYWIDE, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONVERSATION TO HAVE ABOUT THESE BIG CITY ISSUES.
SO WHAT SURPRISED ME MOST ABOUT POLITICS IN AUSTIN? I THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FOR EIGHT YEARS WITH THE JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I HELP PEOPLE ON THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE.
AND, AND I ACTUALLY GOT A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT OUT OF THAT, BUT NOW THAT I'M RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND I'M OUT THERE TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT, I ACTUALLY GET TO SEE, HEAR AND LEARN FROM EVERYONE ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND REALLY IT COMES DOWN TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT ARE NON-PARTISAN LIKE JIMMY SAID, POTHOLES ARE NOT PARTISAN, BUT NEITHER IS THE TIMING ON STREET LIGHTS OR IMPROVEMENTS TO ROADS.
DE-FUNDING THE POLICE IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.
IT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT.
THEY CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO BE THE PERSON THAT PEOPLE COME TALK TO BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE AN ISSUE AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS TO LET ME KNOW THAT THEY THINK THAT I CAN FIX IT.
AND THAT TO ME IS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT ME AS A CANDIDATE.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND WHAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE RIGHT FOR THESE PEOPLE, EVEN ON THE BEST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.
I WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE IN THIS THRIVING CITY AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THAT'S BEEN SURPRISING TO ME.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND SINCE CODE NEXT WAS SCRAPPED AFTER YEARS OF WORK AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE A LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE IF ELECTED, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS RELATED TO THIS PROJECT? AND WE'LL START WITH THE CANDIDATE.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IN A WAY THAT PROMOTES QUALITY OF LIFE.
A LOT OF TIMES, SINGLE FAMILY HOME HOME OWNERSHIP IS THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT THAT A FAMILY CAN MAKE.
AND SO THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS NEED TO BE PROTECTED.
I'M ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE HIGH DENSITY HOUSING IN THE RIGHT PLACES, ESPECIALLY LONG CORRIDORS, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKING.
AND THERE NEEDS TO BE WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND BEFORE IT BECOMES TOO CONGESTED.
I DID NOT AGREE WITH THE CURRENT ITERATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T PROTECT PROPERTY OWNERS RIGHTS.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
I ALSO THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO OWN PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY ARE PAYING TAXES, THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
[00:35:05]
CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.WELL, THE ORIGINAL CODE NEXT COURSE WAS STARTED BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY AND IMPROVE THAT PROCESS HEADING INTO, GOSH, I THINK WE'VE TIME HAS LOST ALL MEANING IN THIS PANDEMIC WAS THE 2018 MAYBE, UH, WHEN I ACTUALLY WROTE THE RESOLUTION TO CANCEL CODE NEXT, BECAUSE IT DID NOT MEET THE TEST THAT WE NEEDED, THAT BALANCED DENSITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT THAT IS WHAT A LAN DEVELOPMENT CODE IS SUPPOSED TO DO.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE'RE, WE ARE, UH, WAITING FOR THE COURTS TO DECIDE THE, OF WHAT A COMPREHENSIVE REWRITE IS.
AND WHEN THE CALL WAS TO MAKE THAT DECISION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FOLD IT AND GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
IT, IN ORDER TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, YOU CANNOT JUST TALK IN HIGH-LEVEL PHRASES ABOUT CORRIDORS AND SOLUTIONS.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT PEN TO PAPER AND PUT IT ON THE MAP.
AND THAT IS ALWAYS WHERE THE CHALLENGE COMES.
IT'S VERY EASY TO SAY, OH, YOU SHOULD POTENTIALLY ON A CORRIDOR BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO DON'T THINK YOU MEAN THE CORRIDOR THAT THEY LIVE ON, BUT IN FACT, IT IS KIND OF A CITY-WIDE CHALLENGE.
AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, PEOPLE GETTING AROUND THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT PROP EIGHT WAS FOR.
AND WHILE IT WAS A BIG INVESTMENT WAS SOMETHING I WAS PROUD TO SUPPORT.
AND WE'LL, UH, CANDIDATE KELLY GOING BACK TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SOME HAVE CHARACTERIZED THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCILS, AUGUST 13TH, 2020 VOTE ON THE POLICE BUDGET AS A RE-IMAGINING OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OTHERS HAVE CHARACTERIZED IT AS A MASSIVE CUT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW YOU THINK THE 2021 AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET VARIES FROM THE 2020 BUDGET.
AND WHETHER THESE CHANGES ARE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.
I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE HERE WHO ACTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY AND COMPLETED THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOR ECON CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY.
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A VERY DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT THERE DOES, WHY IT'S NECESSARY.
AND WHAT'S THE PRIORITY OF EACH DEPARTMENT, DEPENDING ON THE RESPONSE, I ALSO WAS RECENTLY ENDORSED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THE AUSTIN POLICE, RETIRED OFFICERS IS THEIR STATION IN PART DUE TO THAT UNDERSTANDING, I WOULD CHARACTERIZE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE WAY THAT OUR CURRENT COUNCIL PROGRESSED IN DOING THAT AS THE DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHILE I AGREE THAT WE NEED MEANINGFUL REFORMS AND THAT NINE ONE, ONE SHOULD NOT BE AT CENTRAL OR EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS, WE CANNOT DO THAT AT THE EXPENSE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO BY CUTTING DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND MOVING THEM, AND BY NOT ALLOWING THE ACADEMIES TO CONTINUE, AND ALSO BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT NUMBERS BEING DOWN BACK IN 2020, AND OUR STAFFING IS WHERE IT WAS IN 2015 WITH A CITY THAT'S RAPIDLY GROWING.
WE CANNOT DO THESE THINGS WITHOUT DATA-DRIVEN AND FACT-BASED SOLUTIONS.
SO WE NEED TO REFUND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER AMOUNT OF STAFFING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT EXPERIENCING LONGER, LONGER WAIT TIMES FOR SERVICES OR RESPONSE TIMES, AND ALSO ENSURE THAT WE MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THE POLICE AREN'T RESPONDING TO EVERYTHING KIND OF A PLAN AGAIN, WELL, MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT POLICE AREN'T RESPONDING TO EVERYTHING IS FOR FUNCTION, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND IT IS OFTEN IN THIS CONVERSATION WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN ABOUT THE WORD THE FUNDS IS THROWN AROUND WHEN IT'S IN NO MEANS WHAT THE COUNCIL DID AND NO COUNCIL MEMBERS TALK ABOUT IT.
IN THOSE TERMS, WE ARE PRECISELY TRYING TO GET OUR POLICE OFFICERS INTO A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE RESPONDING SPECIFICALLY TO THE TASKS AND JOBS FOR WHICH THEY ARE SPECIALLY TRAINED AND BEST SUITED.
AND THE OTHER JOBS WHERE WE SEND OFFICERS NOW, BECAUSE WE SEND OUR OFFICERS TO ALL MANNER OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS, TO ALL MANNER OF SOCIAL SERVICE ISSUES.
AND THAT IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE.
IN FACT, AS WE'RE LEARNING THROUGH THIS DATA-DRIVEN PROCESS THAT I'M LEADING AS THE CHAIR OF A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE'RE LEARNING THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO IT AT A CHEAPER COST AND GET MORE RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
BY TAKING THE BUSY WORK AWAY FROM THE OFFICERS, BY TAKING OFFICERS OFF THE JOB THAT DON'T HAVE TO BE OFFICERS AND BUILDING OUT THESE SYSTEMS, THE SAME APPLIES TO MOVING NINE ONE, ONE, UH, INTO A NON SWORN DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS PART OF MY PROPOSAL.
AND, AND I MEAN, I COULD GO ON FOR 20 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT HOW EXCITING THIS PROPOSAL IS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LARGEST BUREAUCRACY AT THE CITY WHOSE BUDGET HAS DOUBLED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WHILE THE POPULATION HAS GROWN BY JUST 30%, THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY.
I'M GOING TO MOVE BACK OVER TO THE PANDEMIC AND CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
[00:40:01]
THE CURRENT RISING COVID INFECTION RATES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS COME JANUARY.IF YOU'RE ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES WOULD YOU ADVISE THE MAYOR TO ADOPT, TO BRING THE PANDEMIC UNDER CONTROL? ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED AT THE CITY LEVEL IS THE GOVERNOR TAKING AWAY THE, THE ABILITY FOR CITIES TO ACTUALLY MANDATE THESE REQUIREMENTS.
IT IN LARGE PART WAS TAKEN AWAY BY THE GOVERNOR.
AND, AND AS MANY OF US MIGHT RECALL EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC, THE GOVERNOR HAD SOME PRETTY BIZARRE PRESS CONFERENCES ABOUT, UH, THE BEAR COUNTY, I THINK FIGURING OUT HIS RIDDLE AND REALIZING HOW THEY COULD DO A LITTLE BIT HERE AND A LITTLE BIT THERE, BUT ULTIMATELY IT DOES FALL ONTO THE COUNTY JUDGES PRIMARILY TO ENFORCE ORDERS AND MASKS AND, AND TO DO BUSINESS CLOSURES.
THE CITIES HAVE HAD THAT POWER ULTIMATELY TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT 2021 COULD BE INDEPENDENT OF.
HOWEVER, THIS IS ABOUT PREPARING FOR VACCINES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ENSURE AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS YEAR AND I CONTINUE TO AUTHOR AND SUPPORT RESOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE STABILIZED THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, BUT SETTING UP THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES THROUGH BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH AND THROUGH CENTRAL HEALTH AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE READY TO DISTRIBUTE THAT VACCINES WHEN THOSE VACCINES BECOME AVAILABLE.
AND OF COURSE THERE WILL BE PRIORITIZATIONS AND A LOT OF THAT.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE DECIDED BY OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE CITY'S ROLE, IT IS AS MUCH A BULLY PULPIT AS IT IS ACTUAL POLICY.
AND I HAVE, I'VE ALWAYS PRIORITIZED, UH, THIS ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN DOING SO IN MY WEEKLY LIVE SHOW THAT I DO ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE AND ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO WEAR THEIR MASKS AND STAY AT HOME AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
AND WE ARE AS A CITY HAVE BEEN DOING SO WELL TO THAT END.
AND WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE POINT WHEN THE LARGER SYSTEMS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL START TO SPIN UP AND HELP.
I DEFINITELY THINK THAT WITH AS SERIOUS AS A PANDEMIC IS, AND OUR COVID RESPONSE, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE IS TO MODEL THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IN OTHERS, BY WEARING YOUR MASK BY SOCIAL DISTANCING AND BY WASHING YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY OR USING HAND SANITIZER, THOSE ARE ALL GOOD WAYS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW TO POSSIBLY PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.
AND ALSO LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER PLAN.
AGAIN, DID SAY WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE VACCINE COMING SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO OUR NEW NORMAL AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS ON TOP OF THAT WITH OUR STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS OUTSIDE OF JUST THE CITY.
THIS IS GOING TO TAKE AN UNPRECEDENTED, COORDINATED RESPONSE THAT WE'VE NOT SEEN BEFORE.
AND WE ARE IN SUCH A TIME THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A SMOOTH TRANSITION REGARDLESS OF PARTISAN POLITICS, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE NOT POLITICAL AGENDAS.
AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY, THE HEALTH AND THE WELL-BEING OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
BUT THEN ALSO EVERYONE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS AND YOU GUYS IN DISTRICT AND YOUR DISTRICT HAVE EXPERIENCED A HUGE TRAFFIC INCREASES.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPERS BELIEVE THE BUILDING PROCESS IS LENGTHY AND DIFFICULT.
WHILE RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT DENSITY AND TRAFFIC REGARDING THE URBAN INFILL RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, YET BUILDING OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE RESULTS IN SPRAWL STRAINS RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR DISTRICT AND CONTRIBUTES TO OUR TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICTS PRESENTED BY THESE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS MOST EFFECTIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, TENEMENT KELLY.
I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BEING OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, YOU DO NEED A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
WHO'VE COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT HOW LENGTHY THAT PERMITTING PROCESS IS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THEIR FRUSTRATIONS.
IT WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO GET A PERMIT TO BUILD HERE IN AUSTIN.
I'VE ALSO TALKED TO PEOPLE UP AND DOWN SIX 20 AND WERE FRUSTRATED WITH THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT CONTINUES TO BUILD DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
EVEN AFTER WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A RUSH BECAUSE IT'S, COVID ISOLATION STAY AT HOME ORDERS, BUT FACTS ARE FACTS.
AND WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT, THERE IS TWICE THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ON 20 NOW THAN IT WAS BUILT FOR.
I READ A 66 THAT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THERE SHOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN 40,000 CARS A DAY ON SIX 20 BACK AND FORTH.
WE DID HAVE PLANS FOR TIME TO BUILD A CUT-THROUGH AT 2222 A BYPASS SYSTEM.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THOSE FUNDS WERE SENT TO DOWNTOWN TO DO IMPROVEMENTS ON 35.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.
WE NEED A REPRESENTATIVE IN OUR DISTRICT WHO WILL STAND UP WHEN DECISIONS, TOUGH DECISIONS
[00:45:01]
HAVE TO BE MADE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR DISTRICT.THAT'S THE ENTIRE REASON WE WENT TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT THING SO THAT WE COULD REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED.
THANK YOU, CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
WELL, UH, THE ISSUES WITH BRAWLER ARE, ARE REALLY CHALLENGING.
AND IN FACT, DISTRICT SIX, YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD DAYS IT WAS THE SPRAWL.
AND NOW WE'RE THE ONES LIVING WITH THE PROBLEMS OF SPRAWL.
AS YOU SEE DEVELOPMENT FURTHER DOWN SIX 20, AND FURTHER UP ONE 83.
AND AS THOSE COMMUNITIES GROW, THEY'RE DRIVING ON OUR ROADS AND IT IS A, IS A REALLY CHALLENGING PROBLEM.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY MAXIMIZING THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
AND THAT MEANS NOT RUNNING DEVELOPERS THROUGH A CRAZY, RIDICULOUS GAUNTLET WHILE THEY SPEND MONEY ON CARRYING COSTS AND MAINTENANCE OF THEIR, OF THEIR PROJECTS.
WHEN INSTEAD WE COULD BE ASKING FOR ACTUAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT IN THOSE DEVELOPMENTS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN CERTAIN OCCASIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO ADDRESS WHAT MY, WHAT MY OPPONENT SAID.
THE BYPASS PROJECT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS A PROJECT THAT IS AT 22, 22 AND SIX 20.
IT WAS IN THE 2016 BOND, BUT I SUPPORTED, UH, IT HAS BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION UNDER NOT THE SIX 20 PLAN.
HOWEVER, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I ALSO SUPPORT IT.
AND AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ON CAMPO FOUGHT HARD TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS, THAT THE FUNDING WAS MAINTAINED, VOTED AGAINST THE REALLOCATION OF THAT FUNDING.
AND IN FACT, COMMISSIONER DOROTY, WHO HAS ENDORSED MY OPPONENT IS THE ONE WHO ADVOCATED FOR THE REALLOCATION OF THAT FUNDING.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE OVER TO OUR ONE MINUTE CLOSING AND WE WILL START WITH CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO THE DISTRICT.
TH THESE, THESE RUNOFF CAMPAIGNS ARE JUST SIMPLY RIDICULOUS.
IT IS, IT IS A BIG LIFT TO GET FOLKS TO COME BACK AND VOTE IN DECEMBER.
AND THAT IS PRIMARILY WHAT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO DO.
TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CRITICAL ELECTION.
MANY OF YOU SAW THE VIDEOS ONLINE OF, OF MYSELF BEING PHYSICALLY ACCOSTED AT MY CAMPAIGN EVENT AT SPRINGWOODS PARK.
IT IS THE PARK THAT IS BEHIND ME IN THIS PHOTO.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THOSE TYPE OF TACTICS TO SUCCEED IN THIS POLITICAL PROCESS.
I HAVE SHOWN OVER MY FOUR YEARS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT I CAN GET STUFF DONE.
I HAVE EARNED THE SUPPORT AND THE RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THIS ENTIRE REGION ORDER TO IMPLEMENT AND PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF DISTRICT SIX.
I HAVE HELD PRE-PRINT DYNAMIC OF COURSE, MORE THAN 60 DIFFERENT TOWN HALLS AND FORUMS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO ENSURE THAT I'M HEARING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND MY CITY HALL STAFF, MARTY AND TAYLOR, UH, MARTY, NATHAN, LIZZIE, KATE, AND, UH, FRANKIE HAVE BEEN JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AT SOLVING ALL OF THE LITTLE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS DISTRICT TO GO BACKWARDS TO THE TIME OF MY PREDECESSOR.
SO I'M ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE EARLY VOTING STARTS ON THURSDAY AND YOUR CLOSING CANDIDATE, KELLY.
I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT BY ELECTING ME, WE WILL NOT BE GOING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN 2014.
IN FACT, WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD TO A DISTRICT THAT HAS REPRESENTATION OF A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND LIFELONG DISTRICT, SIX MEMBER.
MY IN-LAWS LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, MY BROTHER AND HIS FIANCE LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
I WANT A COMMUNITY THAT IS SAFE AND FORWARD PLANNING.
I WANT TO BE A SERVANT LEADER FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO REPRESENT YOU.
WELL, I'M NOT JUST ON THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE.
LIKE I DID WHEN I WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AT THE JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR EIGHT YEARS, BUT I WANT TO BE HERE TO ENSURE THAT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IS GREAT AND WONDERFUL.
WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT SHOULD ALLOW FOR FAMILIES TO THRIVE.
OUR KIDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND GROW UP HERE AND WANT TO STAY TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SOLVE THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE.
WE CAN SOLVE THE DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE ISSUE, AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO A COMMUNITY THAT IS SAFE AND PROSPEROUS.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN ENDORSED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THE RETIRED POLICE OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION.
I WILL BE HERE TO LISTEN TO YOU.
I WILL HOLD MANY TOWN HOMES AND MEETINGS SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO KNOW ME AND MEET ME.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REACH OUT TO ME.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME, YOU CAN VISIT MY WEBSITE, MCKINSEY FOR AUSTIN.COM OR FIND ME ON.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU CANDIDATES FOR A LIVELY DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
AND WE HAVE SOME REMINDERS FOR THE VOTERS.
UH, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15TH IS THE ELECTION EARLY.
VOTING BEGINS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3RD,
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AND IT GOES THROUGH FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE 11TH.THE POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, AND ON SUNDAY FROM 12, 12:00 PM TO 6:00 PM.
YOU CAN FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATIONS, CANDIDATE FLANAGAN.
THE HOURS ARE DIFFERENT THAN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE TRAVIS COUNTY HOURS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY SEVEN TO SEVEN.
SATURDAY IS 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM.
AND THEN NEXT WEEK IS 8:00 AM TO 6:00 PM.
UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, DISTRICT SIX DOES, UH, GO OVER TWO COUNTIES.
UH, THAT'S MY MISTAKE FOR NOT TAKING CARE OF THAT DETAILED.
IF YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE THE POLLING LOCATIONS ARE, THAT YOU CAN GO IN TRAVIS COUNTY, YOU CAN GO TO THE COUNTY CLERK DOT TRAVIS COUNTY TEXTS, DX.GOV, AND YOU CAN ALSO GO TO THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY COUNTY CLERKS WEBSITE TO FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATIONS.
THERE ARE FEWER LOCATIONS ON A RUNOFF THAN THEY ARE DURING THE REGULAR ELECTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH SHARING THE WORD IT'S OF NELSON MANDELA.
LET US VOTE IN SUCH OVERWHELMING NUMBERS THAT WE SHOW EVERYONE HOW MUCH WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY, HOW MUCH WE LOVE OUR PEOPLE AND HOW MUCH WE LOVE PEACE AND HOW MUCH WE LOVE LIFE ITSELF.
AND Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD EVENING.