[00:00:03]
[Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission]
EVERYONE.WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING WITH US TODAY.
GIVING UP PRECIOUS EVENING TO BE WITH US TODAY, TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT MATTER OF REDISTRICTING OUR CITY.
WELCOME TO OUR FORUM WITHIN DISTRICT EIGHT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE LBJ WALLFLOWER CENTER FOR WALKING, WELCOMING US INTO A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS UP HERE FOR JOINING AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH OUR AGENDA TODAY.
THE GOAL FOR THIS EVENING WILL BE TO FINISH AND DEPART THE WILDFLOWER CENTER BY 8:00 PM.
YOU WILL SEE SOME LINKS TO OUR PRESENCE ON THE WEB, OUR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS, WAYS THAT YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED TO THE WORK OF THE ICRC.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK OUR MEDIA PARTNERS, SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER, AUSTIN, MONITOR AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN FOR THEIR RECENT ICRC COVERAGE.
UH, THE AGENDA FOR TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND ON THE INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL MAPS AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC, SOME DEMOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AS IT WAS IN 2010.
AND WHAT WE SEE IT IN 2019, A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE TEN ONE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, AN EXPLANATION ON WHY WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE 2020 CENSUS DATA TO DO OUR WORK AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE, UH, MAP WORKSHEETS THAT Y'ALL, SHOULD'VE PICKED UP UPON ENTERING AT THE REGISTRATION DESK.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE MAPS, I JUST ASK REAL QUICK THAT YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND WE WOULD LOVE TO BRING ONE TO YOU, CHRISTINE.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS REVERTED BACK TO STAGE FOUR COVID RISK.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO MASK UP.
WE HAVE SOCIALLY DISTANCED THE ROOM TODAY WITH THAT IN MIND.
UM, HOPE THAT EVERYONE STAYS SAFE AND STAY HEALTHY.
I WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO INTRODUCE THE COMMISSIONERS YOU SEE UP FRONT HERE FOR DISTRICT ONE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER AERO HARDING.
WE ALSO HAVE COMMISSIONER SELENA YE AND DISTRICT TWO.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER SATTA
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER BRING A MORRIS WHO CAN NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE COMMISSIONER LONGLEY FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER STARTING LANDS COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS EVENING FOR DISTRICT FIVE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER PRABHU CANNON BEHIND HERE ON THE PODIUM.
IF YOU CAN'T SEE NOTHING FOR COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT SIX, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER EUGENE SNIDER, SCHNEIDER WHO UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS EVENING FOR DISTRICT SEVEN.
WE HAVE CHAIR CHRISTINA PRENTICE TO MY LEFT EAR AND COMMISSIONER CAMELIA FALCON FOR DISTRICT NINE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER SHANA KAMBO.
SHE IS OUR STUDENT COMMISSIONER.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE COULD NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT FOR DISTRICT 10.
I AM VICE-CHAIR LOUIS GONZALES AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO MY RIGHT COMMISSIONER, ERIN DEMPSEY.
AND THEN FINALLY FOR DISTRICT EIGHT, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER JOSHUA BLANK, AND I'M GOING TO TURN OVER THE MIC TO HIM TO JUST GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND ABOUT HIMSELF COMMISSIONER.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE OR A REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT EIGHT.
UH, I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS AND I'VE LIVED IN DISTRICT EIGHT FOR THE LAST SIX AND BOTH 7 8 7 4 9 AND 7 8 7 3 9.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.
I WORK AT THE TEXAS POLITICS PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT I'M, UH, I'M VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN POLITICS, BUT EXTREMELY NONPARTISAN AND DETACHED, WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT MAKE ME A GOOD PERSON TO SERVE ON A COMMISSION LIKE THIS.
I CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS, BUT NOT IN ANY SORT OF PARTICULAR DIRECTIONAL WAY.
SO I'M JUST HOPING TO HELP THE PROCESS ALONG AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DRAW GOOD DISTRICTS, UH, FOR THE CITY.
SO I'M GLAD YOU ALL ARE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BLINK.
JUST WANT TO TAKE SOME QUICK TIME TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND IN HISTORY ABOUT THIS COMMISSION IN 20 12, 60 1% OF AUSTIN VOTERS SET THE STANDARD FOR AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT MAPPING OF OUR CURRENT DISTRICTS.
THE VOTE APPROVED REPLACING THE CITIES AT LARGE COUNCIL SYSTEM THAT LACKED GEOGRAPHICAL AND RACIAL REPRESENTATION WITH A TEN ONE COUNCIL STRUCTURE CONSISTING OF 10 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
PLUS OUR MAYOR TO PREVENT GERRYMANDERING ON BEHALF OF ANY POLITICIAN OR ELECTED OFFICIAL, THE DISTRICTS WERE DRAWN BY
[00:05:01]
THE INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.THE ICRC HISTORY WAS MADE ON NOVEMBER 18TH, 2013.
WHEN AUSTIN BECAME THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS DRAWN THROUGH THE VOLUNTEERISM OF A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT GROUP OF REGULAR RESIDENTS.
THIS COMMISSION IS NOT SELECTED BY ANY POLITICIAN.
THE WAY OTHER REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS MAY OPERATE.
WE ARE AUSTIN RESIDENTS WHO CARE ABOUT THIS REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND HOW IT IS, HOW IT IS.
WE ARE NOT PAID 1 CENT FOR ANY OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING THIS BODY BEFORE YOU IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE NOW FOR PRODUCING THE NEW CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP, NOT THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT THE MAYOR, THE CITY MANAGER, NOR THE STATE.
WE ARE INDEPENDENT WITH A CAPITAL.
I, WE ARE CONDUCTING OUR DIFFICULT, TOUGH YET IMPORTANT WORK UP AGAINST A VERY TIGHT DEADLINE SOLELY WITH THE BEST OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ITS RESIDENTS IN MIND.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT HOW THE 14 COMMISSIONERS WERE SELECTED.
PROCESS WAS OPEN TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS.
OVER 300 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED BY RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OF THOSE 300 APPLICATIONS.
OVERNIGHT 89% WERE MET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.
AN APPLICANT REVIEW PANEL THEN TOOK THOSE APPLICATIONS AND SELECTED THE 60 MOST QUALIFIED FOR PLACEMENT ON THE COMMISSION.
THEN THROUGH A RANDOM DRAWING SYSTEM, A LOTTERY, IF YOU WILL, THE CITY AUDITOR OFFICE SELECTED EIGHT COMMISSIONERS FROM THAT QUALIFIED POOL OF 60, THOSE RANDOMLY SELECTED EIGHT COMMISSIONERS THEN HAD THE TASK OF CHOOSING THE SIX ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ON THE COMMISSION.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE FINAL NUMBER OF 14, THE 14 COMMISSIONERS WHO WILL NOW DRAW DO THE WORK OF REJOIN.
THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
THE COMMISSION WILL DECIDE ON THESE NEW BOUNDARIES FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS DO AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS WITH MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
LIKE THE INPUT YOU'RE AT TONIGHT HERE IN DISTRICT SIX OF THE WALLFLOWER CENTER, DISTRICT EIGHT, EXCUSE ME, THANK YOU SO MANY NUMBERS.
THE FOUR IN ORDER TO DRAW THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, COMMISSIONERS NEED INPUT FROM RESIDENTS LIKE YOU THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THIS PROCESS INVOLVES HOLDING PUBLIC FORUMS IN EACH OF THE 10 CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
WE COME UP WITH AN INITIAL INITIAL DRAFT OF THESE BOUNDARIES.
THEN WE GO OUT FOR FOUR MORE PUBLIC FORUMS, ONE IN EACH OF THE COUNTY PRECINCTS, WE GET INPUT.
WE PROPOSE FINAL BOUNDARIES, AND THEN WE HOLD TWO MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
ONE NORTH OF LADY, BIRD LAKE, AND ONE SOUTH OF IT.
THEN WE VOTE ON FINAL BOUNDARIES TO ADOPT A PLAN NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021, NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
I MENTIONED A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE, BUT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MEET THAT DEADLINE.
THE HIGHLIGHTED BULLET POINT THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE.
THAT'S WHY YOU ARE HERE TODAY.
I'M GOING TO PASS THE MIC BACK OVER TO SHAREPOINT'S US TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS ENTIRE REDISTRICTING PROCESS MATTERS TO THOSE OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING.
WHY DOES REDISTRICTING MATTER? I'LL KEEP IT SIMPLE.
OUR REDISTRICTING PROCESS MATTERS BECAUSE IT'S DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO YOUR FAIR REPRESENTATION.
THIS ALSO MEANS THAT YOU CAN SHARE A DISTRICT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS AND WHOSE CAUSES YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE.
FOR MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE ANTIDOTE TO GERRYMANDERING PRACTICES THAT WE SEE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE, UH, POLITICAL DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN FOR THE PURPOSE OF POLITICIANS TO GET REELECTED RATHER THAN TO ENSURE FAIR REPRESENTATION AND INCREASE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION.
SO OUR PROCESS MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE.
SOMEONE THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL FIGHT FOR YOU WHEN YOU GET, WHEN THEY GET INTO OFFICE.
ONE CHALLENGE FOR THIS COMMISSION, AS VICE-CHAIR GONZALEZ SPOKE TO IS ENSURING THAT OUR POOL OF APPLICANTS WILL ACCURATELY REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY'S ENTIRE POPULATION WHILE ALSO HAVING NO TIES TO CITY OR STATE POLITICS OR POLITICAL PARTIES.
AND ALSO HAVING LIVED IN AUSTIN AND VOTED HERE FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
AGAIN, WE ARE INDEPENDENT WITH THE CAPITAL I, A LITTLE BIT OF RECENT HISTORY FOR Y'ALL BACK IN 2015, THE SUPREME COURT AFFIRMED THAT VOTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ESTABLISH INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS.
THIS WAS A CASE THAT TOOK PLACE IN ARIZONA.
SO AT A TIME WHEN POLITICIANS OFTEN ELICIT DISTRUST, OUR CITIZEN REDISTRICTING CAN PROVIDE A TRANSPARENT AND TRANSFORMATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO POLITICS.
AS USUAL, THIS MOVEMENT INVITES THE INVOLVEMENT OF ANY AND ALL RESIDENTS.
OUR WORK CAN NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT PUBLIC FORUMS LIKE THIS ONE
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AND WITHOUT ALL OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.ALL RIGHT, SO THE 2013 INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING OF ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES WAS A GRASSROOTS FROM THE GROUND UP INITIATIVE AND THE 2021 COMMISSIONERS HOPE TO DO THE SAME THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE THAT REPRESENTATION IS THE BACKBONE OF DEMOCRACY.
LATER THIS YEAR, THE CITIZENS ON THE COMMISSION WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE 2020 CENSUS DATA.
THE COMMISSIONERS WILL USE THIS DATA AND PUBLIC INPUT TO DECIDE HOW TO DRAW THE NEW DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
THAT BEST REFLECT AUSTIN'S CHANGE.
UM, SO HERE IS OUR, OUR MAP, IF YOU WILL, UM, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, THIS IS OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES STARTING WITH HAVING EQUALLY POOR PROPORTIONED DISTRICTS.
UM, THIS IS THE SECTION THREE OF THE CITY CHARTER, AND WE HAVE TO DRAW THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES ACCORDING TO THIS CRITERIA, AGAIN, IN ORDER OF PRIORITY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, THE ONE THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED THERE IS BASICALLY WHY WE ARE DOING THESE PUBLIC FORUMS. AND IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FROM Y'ALL RIGHT? SO THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE LEARN ABOUT THAT THROUGH YOU, THESE LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF INTERESTS, SUCH AS THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES IN EIGHT SHALL BE RESPECTED IN A MANNER THAT MINIMIZES THEIR DIVISION TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WITHOUT VIOLATING THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY OF THE PROCEEDINGS SUBSECTIONS.
OKAY, AS YOU SAW ON THAT LAST SLIDE, EACH DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE A REASONABLY EQUAL POPULATION WITH OTHER DISTRICTS.
THE STANDARD SHIT IS THAT IT'S AS CLOSE TO ZERO DEVIATION FROM, UM, THE OTHER DISTRICTS AS POSSIBLE.
SO IN 2010, THE POPULATION WAS 790,390.
AND THE IDEAL POPULATION PER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THEN WAS 79,000 FOR DISTRICT EIGHT.
AT THE TIME, THE WAY THAT THE DISTRICT WAS DRAWN, IT HAD 77,399 PEOPLE.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE UNDER, UH, THAT IDEAL NUMBER ABOUT A NEGATIVE 2.9, 9% DEVIATION ON THIS GRAPH.
YOU SEE THIS RAPID AND PRECIPITOUS GROWTH IN AUSTIN'S POPULATION THROUGH THE YEARS.
THE ESTIMATE FOR AUSTIN'S POPULATION LAST YEAR IS 995,484.
THAT'S ABOUT A 25% INCREASE SINCE 2010.
SO NOW THE IDEAL CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SIZE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 99,500 PEOPLE.
AND BY THIS TIME I'M PRETTY SURE WE HAVE SURPASSED 1 MILLION, BUT WE WILL, OF COURSE DRAW THE DISTRICTS.
ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS DATA.
AS WE SAW EARLIER, AUSTIN HAS GROWN BY OVER 200,000 PEOPLE SINCE 2010.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE GROWTH IS CONCENTRATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MAP FOR US BECAUSE YOU SEE IN SOME AREAS, UM, AUSTIN HAS ACTUALLY LOST POPULATION OR IT'S REMAINED THE SAME AS SEEN IN WHITE WHILE OTHERS GREW BY MORE THAN 3000 RESIDENTS AS SEEN IN THE DARK BLUE COLOR.
THIS UNEQUAL GROWTH MEANS THAT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES WILL HAVE TO CHANGE.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UH, RACE AND ETHNICITY COMPOSITION OF OUR CITY AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT CONTRAST WITH THE STATE.
SO THE POPULATION THAT IDENTIFIES AS WHITE IN AUSTIN IS 49% WHILE 32% IDENTIFY AS LATINO.
WE HAVE ABOUT 8% THAT IDENTIFY AS ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE SHARE OF THE STATE POPULATION.
A LITTLE MORE THAN 7% OF OUR POPULATION IDENTIFY AS BLACK, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE SHARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS A WHOLE STATEWIDE.
THE BLACK POPULATION IS 11% AND THE ASIAN POPULATION IS 5%.
WE HAVE CLOSE TO 3% THAT IDENTIFY WITH TWO OR MORE RACES AND SMALLER SHARES IDENTIFYING AS AMERICAN, INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE.
THE RACE ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE STATE.
SO LET ME EXPLAIN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONTRIBUTION OF EACH OF THESE RACIAL, ETHNIC GROUPS TO THE TOTAL CHANGE IN THE DECADE, WE SEE THAT THE BIGGEST DRIVER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN THE NON-HISPANIC WHITE POPULATION.
SO HERE IT'S CLOSER TO 50% OF THE TOTAL CHANGE.
AND THIS SETS US APART FROM THE REST OF TEXAS, WHERE THE WHITE POPULATION IS CONTRIBUTING ONLY ABOUT 13% OF THE TOTAL CHANGE.
AND 53% OF THE CHANGE IS DRIVEN BY LATINOS ACROSS THE DECADE.
THE TEXAS LATINO POPULATION IS 40% WHILE THE NON HISPANIC WHITE POPULATION IS 42.
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WITH THE PIE CHART ON THE RIGHT, WHICH IS THE CLOSEST NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE.WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE 2020 CENSUS DATA YET? WELL, WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, AS WE KNOW, AND IT HAS CAUSED SOME SETBACKS, BUT THE CITY CHARTERS HAS SET THIS DEADLINE.
THAT VICE CHAIR GONZALEZ MENTIONED NOVEMBER 1ST FOR THE FINAL REDISTRICTING PLAN TO BE ADOPTED.
THIS IS A TIGHT TURNAROUND CONSIDERING THAT WE CANNOT FORMALLY START THE MAPPING PROCESS UNTIL WE HAVE RECEIVED THE CENSUS DATA.
SO AS YOU SAW EARLIER, BETWEEN, UH, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE RAW DATA FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU ON AUGUST 16TH AND THE NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE, WE WILL NEED TO DRAW THE PRELIMINARY MAPS, PRESENT THEM TO THE PUBLIC IN EACH TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT, OR I'M SORRY, PRECINCT AND TAKE PUBLIC INPUT, REVISE THE MAPS, PRESENT THE FINAL MAPS TWO MORE TIMES AND TAKE PUBLIC INPUT AND THEN ADOPT THE FINAL PLAN.
SO THIS GIVES US JUST OVER TWO MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A SIMILAR TIMELINE TO THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION THAT DREW OUR CURRENT DISTRICTS.
AGAIN, WE INVITE PUBLIC INPUT AT EVERY POINT IN THIS PROCESS.
ALL RIGHT, I WILL PASS THE MIC BACK TO VICE-CHAIR GONZALEZ WHO WILL EXPLAIN WHAT TO DO WITH THE MAPS YOU HAVE AT YOUR SEATS.
THANK YOU, JERRY APPRENTICE, UPON ENTERING.
NOW, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A PACKET OF MAP WORKSHEETS.
ON ONE PAGE, YOU HAVE A MAP OF THE DISTRICT THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
AND ON THE OTHER SHEET, YOU HAVE A MAP OF THE ENTIRE CITY DISTRICTS.
SO ONE THROUGH 10, WE WANT IT TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL MAP JUST IN CASE YOU JOINED US TODAY, IT WAS MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO JOIN US ON THIS TUESDAY.
AND IF YOU MAY RESIDE IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT, SO MAYBE YOU WORK IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT, MAYBE YOUR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT.
MAYBE YOUR DOCTOR IS IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT.
THE REASON WHY WE WOULD HAVE TO JUST PROVIDE THE ENTIRE CITY MAP, WE ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT THESE MAPS, YOU EXAMINE THEM FOR COMMON PLACES OF INTEREST, COMMON AREAS OF INTEREST.
SO THEY'RE YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AGAIN, THEY ARE WHERE YOUR FAVORITE GROCERY STORE MAY BE, WHERE YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR, WHERE ARE YOUR FAVORITE PARK IS WE ASK THAT YOU NOTE THOSE AREAS OF INTEREST WITH EITHER A DOT OR A STAR, AND THEN GO AHEAD AND CIRCLE THAT ENTIRE AREA THAT YOU MIGHT PINPOINT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE WILL DO OUR BEST WHEN WE'RE DRAWING THE MAPS TO NOT DIVIDE NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT DIVIDE ANY AREAS OF INTEREST TO, WITH THE PUBLIC INPUT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ON THE BACK OF THESE MAPS.
THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF EMPTY SPACE.
SO WE WELCOME WRITTEN COMMENTS.
MAYBE SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY DOTS OR STARS MEAN A LOT TO YOU, OR WHY YOU CIRCLED THE AREA THAT YOU DID.
IF YOU PREFER TO WRITE YOUR COMMENTS IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE, OTHER THAN ENGLISH, WE, WE ADVISE THAT YOU DO SO PLEASE DO SO BECAUSE WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AND THEN BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE FORUM THIS EVENING, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE BE SURE TO RETURN THESE COMPLETED WORKSHEETS TO THE REGISTRATION, AND WELCOME TO US THAT YOU SAW WHEN YOU ENTERED THESE DOCUMENTS WILL BE SAVED.
THEY WOULD BECOME PART OF OUR PUBLIC RECORD FOR THE PURPOSE OF REJOIN.
ONCE THE DELAYED 2020 CENSUS DATA DOES GET TO US.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE ARE HERE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES TO COMPLETE THESE MAPS.
AND THEN IF YOU SIGNED IN FOR A PUBLIC TESTIMONY, WE WILL DO THAT AFTER THIS MAP, ASSIGNMENT, THIS MAP HOMEWORK.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US.
AND WE MAY BE WALKING AROUND AND ASKING SOME QUESTIONS IN A BIT.
WITH THIS PROCESS, AGAIN, JUST SOME QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS ACTIVITY HERE, WE HOPE THEY HELP AND WE'LL JUST LEAVE IT ON THIS SLIDE RIGHT NOW.
THEY ARE ALSO IN THE VERY BACK OF THESE WORKSHEETS AT THE VERY BACK BOTTOM PORTION.
THOSE QUESTIONS CAN BE FOUND AS WELL.
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I THINK WE'VE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE OUR WORKSHEETS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT.
WE'VE HEARD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORKSHEETS AND WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT IN AND CORRECT THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF OUR EVENT TODAY.
SO CHRISTINE, SORRY, COMMISSIONER.
WE ARE GOING TO WELCOME THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNALED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING.
YOU SHOULD HAVE MARKED THAT OPTION WHEN YOU REGISTERED IN THE SIGN-IN DESK ARE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER.
CHRISTINE GRANADOS IS GOING TO START FOLKS TO THE PODIUM.
UH, DO YOU HAVE JUST SOME COMMENTS ON HERE? ALL INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS, UH, MUST'VE SIGNED IN EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES UNLESS ADDITIONAL TIME IS GRANTED BY THE CHAIR.
UH, THOSE IN ATTENDANCE ARE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTING THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING, PLEASE.
UM, AND REMEMBER THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN GATHERING DATA ON YOUR VIEW OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THE MAP, AND OUR REDISTRICT AND THEIR REDISTRICTING PLAN WITH THAT.
CHRISTINE, IF YOU DON'T MIND START CALLING FOLKS.
ACTUALLY, YOUR VOICE WAS LOUD ENOUGH, BUT THE MIC, THE MIC WE CANNOT HEAR, UNFORTUNATELY.
I DON'T LIVE IN THIS DISTRICT JUST ACROSS THE ROAD.
I WANT TO BRING UP ONE QUICK POINT.
WHEN IT WAS BEING DRAWN, IT WAS CALLED A DISTRICT OF LITTLE CITIES ON ONE SIDE IS SUNSET VALLEY ON THE OTHER IS ROLLING WOOD AND WEST LAKE HILLS, UH, THAT ARE SURROUNDING THE, THE DISTRICT ALSO ON THE SOUTH WHERE IT IS HEADING INTO HAYES COUNTY.
THERE WAS A PLAN WHEN THE DISTRICT WAS BEING DRAWN, WHICH THE CITY STARTED IMPLEMENTING TO ANNEX THAT AREA, UH, WHICH IS A NUMBER OF SUBDIVISIONS DOWN THERE.
THE PROBLEM WAS IS THAT ABOUT 2015, THE LEGISLATURE DECIDED AUSTIN SHOULDN'T BE ANNEXING ANYTHING ANYMORE.
SO YOU ENDED UP WITH THIS LITTLE HANGING DOWN PART THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE A SOLID COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THAT WAS THE END OF THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THAT ODD SHAPE.
NOT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT DID THIS LIKE TO AN ODD SHAPE, BUT BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO STOP THAT.
I ALSO THINK THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHERE THERE WAS SOME LAND AFTER THIS MAP WAS DRAWN.
AND MY ANSWER IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT WAS HAPPENED.
AND EVIDENTLY THE MAP DOOR DIDN'T GET THE MESSAGE, BUT THIS DISTRICT IS SURROUNDED ON TWO SIDES BY OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO IT COULDN'T BE EXPANDED INTO THOSE AREAS.
UM, THAT'S MY ONLY ADDITION TO THE, TO THE PROCEEDINGS.
THANK YOU MR. YOUNG, EITHER ONE.
UM, NEXT UP I HAVE MICHELLE REINHART.
YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO, SHE'S NOT HERE.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
CAN YOU PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC, SIR? JUST SO WE HAVE THAT FOR THE VIDEO.
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OKAY.UM, YEAH, MY NAME IS JEFFREY BOWEN.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM TEXAS, NOT FROM AUSTIN, BUT BEEN HERE FOR 32 YEARS.
SO I'M ALSO VERY INVOLVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS.
AND I'M ALSO THE SECTOR REP FOR THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE ANC SECTOR, WHICH IS CALLED SECTOR EIGHT, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE ALL OF DISTRICT EIGHT, BUT I ALSO HAVE PART OF DISTRICT FIVE.
SO THE QUESTION I HAD WAS BECAUSE I'M VERY INVOLVED WITH SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, OH, HAN AMC, PROJECT CONNECT AND BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF.
I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND PUBLIC INPUT.
UM, BASED UPON MY EXPERIENCE, WHAT I FOUND IS THAT MOST OF THEM WON'T SAY SQUAT UNTIL IT REACHES UP AND BITES THEM IN THE BUTT.
AND THEN WHEN IT DOES THAT, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO SCREAM AND HOLLER AND DO ALL THIS OTHER KIND OF THING.
SO MY QUESTIONS ARE KIND OF BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH STRATEGIC MOBILITY, PROJECT CONNECT AND ALL THOSE OTHER TYPES OF THINGS.
SO IS THERE ANY OPTION OF BEING ABLE TO PUSH THE DATE BACK ON THIS NOVEMBER 1ST, THE CITY'S NOTORIOUS ABOUT MOVING DATES BACK FOR THEIR DECISIONS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IN ORDER TO GET ENOUGH PUBLIC INPUT, BECAUSE WE GOT HOW MANY HERE? UH, NOT EVEN A DOZEN, SO Y'ALL OVERRIDE US RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, SO MIKE, THAT'S ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE VALID AND BROUGHT TO NOT ONLY THE COUNCIL, BUT THIS OVERALL PROCESS.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, WELL, I'VE ALREADY GOT THE OTHER ANSWER BECAUSE IT WAS BASED UPON THE FACT OF THE VOTE LAST TIME, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN 11TH OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS.
BUT SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THE NUMBER OF THE BASIC 90,000 IS GOING TO END UP BEING CLOSER TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
IS THAT JUST AN ASSUMPTION SINCE WE'VE GOT NEARLY A MILLION PEOPLE, YOU EVER TAKE ONE, MAYBE TWO PEOPLE.
UM, AND REALLY THAT'S REALLY ALL I'VE GOT IS JUST MY MAIN THING WAS THE NUMBER, UH, I DON'T KNOW, YOU'VE ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS ALREADY.
AND I GUESS THE TURNOUT WAS GREATER THAN EQUAL TO SMALLER THAN WHILE I WAS TRYING FOR GREATER THAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
WELL, AND HONESTLY, BECAUSE I SEND OUT EMAILS ALL OVER TOWN ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.
I MEAN, MY, MY, MY LIST, I HAVE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT 10, I GOT PEOPLE OVER AND ALL THE WAY OVER, ALL THE WAY DEL VALLEY, I COVER PRETTY MUCH A PRETTY BROAD SPECTRUM OF A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS UNTIL I GOT SOMETHING FROM ORA HOUSTON.
AND SO GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND GO FROM THERE.
SO ARE YOU TELLING ME TO GET THE HELL OUT? YES.
BUT THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE GET A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT ON THE, ON THIS AND GO FROM THERE.
WELL, YOU'RE TELLING ME TO LEAVE CHAIR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO WAIT TO BE RECOGNIZED, BUT CAN YOU CONFIRM THE PROCESS IF COMMISSIONERS ARE ALLOWED TO DIRECTLY RESPOND OR SHOULD WE BE LISTENING? THERE SEEMS TO BE A MIXTURE OF WAYS THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT.
SO JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR DIRECTION.
WE COULD PROBABLY DISCUSS THAT IN OUR MEETING TOMORROW, AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE CONDUCTING OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS OR FORUMS RATHER.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT FROM THIS POINT ON, IF WE HAVE ANY MORE PEOPLE COMING UP TO THE MIC, THAT COMMISSIONERS WAIT UNTIL THE END TO RESPOND.
I DID NOT PREPARE REMARKS TONIGHT, BUT I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH AN EARLIER SPEAKER WHO SAID THAT THIS PROCESS SHOULD BE POSTPONED.
WE RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF THIS.
I HAPPENED TO SEE A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT MENTIONED THIS HEARING
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AND IT SAID TWO OF THE HEARINGS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.WELL, I HOPE DISTRICT GATE HASN'T HAPPENED.
I'LL DROP EVERYTHING AND GET OVER THERE FOR THAT.
I RECEIVED NOTHING FROM MY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I RECEIVED NOTHING FROM MAYOR ADLER.
I'M ON OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS NEWSLETTER LIST.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
I'M A LEADER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD FIRST.
SO IF I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK VERY MANY PEOPLE KNEW.
AND THEN THE COME HERE AND THIS IS VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BEFORE I GO TOO MUCH, HOW BAD IT IS.
THIS MAP DOESN'T EVEN HAVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON IT.
WE'RE SHOWING AS NOT BEING PART OF THE CITY.
WE'RE IN ONE OF THE WHITE AREAS ON HERE.
AND WE CONFIRM THAT WITH THE WORKERS HERE, UM, WE WERE ANNEXED SIX YEARS AGO.
THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, WE CALL 9 1 1.
WE'RE OFTEN TOLD, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE CITY.
WE'RE TRANSFERRING YOU TO THE COUNTY.
SO WE TALKED TO THE COUNTY COUNTY, SAYS, NO, YOU'RE PART OF THE CITY.
AND WE SAY, YEAH, THAT'S THAT BIG FOUR OR $5,000 WE PAY EVERY YEAR TO THE CITY KIND OF MAKES US THINK WE ARE PART OF THE CITY.
WE REMEMBER BEING ANNEXED VERY WELL.
SO WHY WOULD YOU USE A MAP FROM 2013 THAT DOESN'T SHOW LOST CREEK? WHAT'S THE WESTLAKE PARK STONE RIVER PLACE.
ALL THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN UNEXPRESSED, VERY DISRESPECTFUL.
NOBODY LOOKED AT THE MAP AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE MISSING A BUNCH OF NEIGHBORHOODS HERE.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEETING AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BEING AUSTIN, NO, THERE'S EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ONE OF THOSE IS IAN'S WESTLAKE.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS 1,280 HOMES GIVE OR TAKE ARE VERY HIGHLY EDUCATED AND A NATIONAL STUDY.
WE WERE SHOWN TO BE THE MOST EDUCATED COMMUNITY IN TEXAS SEVENTH, MOST EDUCATED COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE IN A FLUENT COMMUNITY, MOSTLY WHITE WITH A SIZEABLE ASIAN MINORITY.
WE, AS I SAID, WE WERE ANNEX SIX YEARS AGO.
SO IF WE'RE WORRIED A PART OF THE CITY AND WE'RE NOT, YOU'VE JUST BEEN HIGHLY PUBLICIZED.
THIS IS THE KIND OF REASON WHY WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT.
WE FEEL LIKE THE CITY JUST TAKES OUR TAXES AND THAT'S IT.
WE GET NO SERVICES TO SPEAK OF.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS STILL WESTLAKE, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, BUT WESLEY DOESN'T GET ANY MONEY.
IT'S JUST THROUGH AN AGREEMENT WITH A FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE NON-EXISTENT WE PAY THE COUNTY TO COME, COME.
UM, ANYWAY, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO I, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD REASON THAT YOU NEED TO POSTPONE THIS AND DO IT RIGHT, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO IT, RIGHT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SCREAM, ESPECIALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS THE END OF OUR TAKE MY MASK OFF.
UH, THAT IS THE END OF OUR FORUM FOR THIS EVENING.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT AND SHARING WITH US.
WE TAKE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR COMMENTS, UM, AND WE CAREFULLY DOCUMENT THEM AND THEY WILL BE USED, UM, AS WE'RE MAPPING.
AND PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NOT HERE TONIGHT.
I, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, UM, THAT THE, UM, IT'S NOT BEING PUBLICIZED ENOUGH THAT WE'RE HAVING THESE FORUMS. UM, SO IF SOMEONE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, THAT YOU KNOW IS INTERESTED IN THIS, PLEASE HAVE THEM EMAIL US AT ICRC DOT COMMISSIONERS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
IF YOU HAVE A MAP PROPOSAL, ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROCESS OR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANK YOU TO AUSTIN AND CITY OF AUSTIN AVI.
AND THANK YOU TO THE LBJ WALLFLOWER CENTER.