[Independent Citizen's Redistricting Commission]
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THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY, OFFERING UP ONE OF YOUR PRECIOUS EVENINGS TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF REDISTRICTING AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR CITY OF AUSTIN.
AFTER 12 PUBLIC FORUMS AND MONTHS OF WORK, WE NOW HAVE AN APPROVED, PRELIMINARY MAP OF WHAT THE NEW CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP COULD LOOK LIKE IN 2022.
PLEASE REMEMBER THOUGH, THIS IS A PRELIMINARY DRAFT.
WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR YOUR FEEDBACK, PLEASE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T YET SIGN UP AT THE FRONT DESK WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, CHRISTINE GRANADOS, IF YOU WISH TO TESTIFY AFTER TODAY'S PRESENTATION, YOU CAN ALSO PICK UP COPIES OF THE PROPOSED DISTRICT MAPS SLIDES THAT SHOW THE ACTUAL CHANGES BETWEEN DISTRICTS AND LEAVE WRITTEN COMMENT ON THESE MAPS, USING THE PAPER AND PEN PROVIDED THANK YOU TO THE MAYFIELD COTTAGE FOR WELCOME WELCOMING US INTO YOUR SPACE TODAY.
I WANT TO UNFORTUNATELY REMIND EVERYONE OF THE CITY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS HIT ADHERING TO STAGE FIVE RISKS.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WEAR THEIR FACE COVERINGS AT ALL TIMES, UNLESS YOU ARE SPEAKING, SHOW COMPASSION FOR YOUR FELLOW NEIGHBOR AND MASK UP DURING THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE FORUM, PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US.
WE WILL SANITIZE THE MICROPHONE AFTER EACH SPEAKER BRIEF, BRIEFLY LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUGH OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
THE GOAL FOR TODAY IS TO WRAP UP BY 8:00 PM.
I THINK WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THAT.
WE WILL BRIEFLY GO OVER HOW TO STAY INFORMED AND HOW TO SUBMIT MAT FEEDBACK TO THE ICRC.
AS WE PUSH FORWARD TOWARD OUR NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE, WE WILL DISCUSS WHY AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS IMPORTANT.
THE PROCESS ITSELF AND THE CITY CHARTER THAT GUIDES OUR WORK.
WE WILL SHOW YOU THE PRELIMINARY MAP WHILE YOU'RE ALL HERE.
AGAIN, YOU ALL, YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE COPY WITH YOU AND THE DATA REASONING USED IN ITS CREATION.
WE WILL THEN MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC FORUM TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE FORUM.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND LASTLY, WE'LL SHARE A FEW EVENT REMINDERS BEFORE YOU DEPART THE MAYFIELD COTTAGE.
THIS EVENING ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE SOME LINKS TO OUR WEB PRESENCE, OUR FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS WAY THAT YOU COULD STAY CONNECTED TO THE WORK OF THE ICRC.
LONG AFTER YOU LEAVE THIS EVENING'S FORUM.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK LOCAL MEDIA PARTNERS, SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER OR THE AUSTIN MONITOR AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN KUT, AND THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE FOR THEIR RECENT ICRC COVERAGE AND SUPPORT IN PROMOTING OUR FORUMS LIKE TODAY.
WHILE THE 14 VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONERS OF THE ICRC MAY BE CHARGED WITH THE ACTUAL WORK OF REJOIN, THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP, THE FINAL PRODUCT WILL BE OURS AS AN ENTIRE CITY, AS A COMMUNITY.
WE CAN NOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT YOUR INPUT.
IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT YOU MAY GIVE AT TODAY'S FORUM, YOU CAN SUBMIT FEEDBACK IN AN ONLINE SURVEY ON SPEAK, AUSTIN.ORG.
THE MAPS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING ARE ALSO ON THERE.
AS OF TODAY, YOU CAN SUBMIT AN EMAIL VIA ICRC DOT COMMISSIONERS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
YOU CAN JOIN US AT A VIRTUAL FORUM LIKE THE ONE SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, OR YOU CAN EVEN SEND US GOOD OLD FASHIONED PHYSICAL MAIL.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT YOU SEE THIS EVENING.
DISTRICT ONE IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONAL COMMISSIONER, AERO, HARDING.
HE COULD NOT BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING AND COMMISSIONER SELENA YE DISTRICT TWO IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER SATA, UNESCO VERNON.
SHE ACTUALLY RECENTLY JUST HAD AN ADDITION TO HER FAMILY SO SHE COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS EVENING FOR DISTRICT THREE, REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER BJ, MORRIS.
AND COMMISSIONER LONG LEY IS AT THE END OVER THERE.
DISTRICT FOUR IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER STERLING LANDS.
DISTRICT SIX IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER PRABHU CANNON, SORRY, DISTRICT FIVE.
DISTRICT SIX IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER.
SCHNEIDER IS OVER THERE ON MY LEFT DISTRICT.
SEVEN IS REPRESENTED BY THE CHAIR.
CHRISTINA GWENTH IS TO MY LEFT AND COMMISSIONER CAMILIA FELTON TO MY RIGHT DISTRICT.
EIGHT IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER JOSHUA BLANK, DISTRICT NINE, UH, COMMISSIONER SHANA KAMBO SHE'S ALSO OUR STUDENT COMMISSIONER ON THE BODY.
AND DISTRICT 10 IS REPRESENTED BY MYSELF.
I'M THE VICE CHAIR, LOUIS GONZALES, ALSO COMMISSIONER ERIN DEMPSEY TO MY RIGHT.
SO THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, HOW DID WE GET TO TODAY IN 2012, AUSTIN VOTED TO SET A STANDARD FOR AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT MAPPING OF OUR DISTRICTS.
IN 2013, 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.
THESE MILESTONES CHANGED THE CITY'S ELECTION SYSTEM AND PROVIDED A POTENTIAL MODEL FOR THE FOUR CITIES NATIONWIDE.
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THE 2021 COMMISSIONERS WANT TO SH WANT TO STRENGTHEN THAT MODEL.BUT WHY DOES HAVING AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING PROCESS MATTER? BECAUSE IT'S THE BACKBONE OF DEMOCRACY FOR EQUAL REPRESENTATION AT THE CORE OF REDISTRICTING IS EQUAL AND FAIR REPRESENTATION, INCLUDING FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES PROTECTED UNDER FEDERAL LAW ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
EACH DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE AS CLOSE TO THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS THE ICRC IS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR INDEPENDENT INPUT AND INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING PROCESS ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO HAVE A VOICE IN HOW THEIR COMMUNITY IS SHAPED WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL OFFICIALS.
IN 2015, THE SUPREME COURT DID AFFIRM THAT VOTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ESTABLISH INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONS AT A TIME WHEN POLITICIANS ELICIT DISTRUST CITIZEN REDISTRICTING CAN PROVIDE A TRANSPARENT AND TRANSFORMATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO POLITICS.
AS USUAL, THIS MOVEMENT INVOLVES THE INVOLVEMENT OF ANY AND ALL RESIDENTS.
OUR WORK AGAIN CAN NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT FORUMS LIKE THIS ONE.
AND WITHOUT YOU IN ATTENDANCE TODAY, THIS PROCESS ALSO ALLOWS US TO FOCUS ON THE RAPID CHANGES OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THIS INDEPENDENT PROCESS ALLOWS US TO FOCUS ON REDRAWING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES BASED ON POPULATION GROWTH AND MOVEMENT, RATHER THAN BEING CONCERNED WITH THE OUTCOMES OF ELECTIONS.
WE MENTIONED WHY AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS CRITICAL, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL PROCESS AFTER RECEIVING 300 APPLICATIONS, THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE 60 MOST QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, THE RANDOM SELECTION OF THE FIRST EIGHT COMMISSIONERS AND THE INTERNAL SELECTION OF SIX ADDITIONALS COMMISSIONERS, THE 14 COMMISSIONERS OR THE ICRC HAVE HELD 12 PUBLIC FORUMS, ACTUALLY 13 PUBLIC FORUMS AS OF LAST SATURDAY IN JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER USING THE 13TH 2013 MAP TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON THE INTEGRITY OF LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS SERVED AS OUR FOUNDATION.
OVER THAT TIME, WE'VE HOSTED OVER 105 ATTENDEES LISTENED TO OVER 48.
SPEAKERS COLLECTED OVER 50 MAPS, 87 EMAILS AND COUNTING, AND TWO VOICE MESSAGES FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE TASKED OUR MAPPING SPECIALISTS, MR. GEORGE CORWELL TO CREATE A FIRST ROUGH DRAFT OF A NEW MAP THAT PRIORITIZE THE CREATION OF DISTRICTS WITH REASONABLY EQUAL POPULATION USING THE DELAYED 2020 CENSUS DATA.
WE WERE EXPECTING THAT DATA IN MARCH OF 2020, WE RECEIVED 2021.
WE RECEIVED IT IN AUGUST OF 2021.
THE ICRC THEN VOTED AND APPROVED THE PRELIMINARY PRELIMINARY MAP THAT YOU WILL SEE TODAY.
IN ADDITION TO POPULATION ADJUSTMENTS, THIS VERSION INCORPORATES CONSIDERATIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND FEEDBACK PERTAINING TO THE INTEGRITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HEARD THAT THERE'S AFTER MENTIONED 13 FORUMS AND VIA EMAIL COMMUNICATION.
SO THAT ALL BRINGS US TO TODAY.
MONTHS OF WORK, THE ICRC WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR 14 DAYS THROUGH FIVE PUBLIC FORUMS FROM SEPTEMBER 18TH TO OCTOBER 2ND, THAT ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK WILL BE REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED FOR POSSIBLE INCORPORATION INTO A FINAL MAP.
AND ABOUT THAT FINAL MAP, THAT PROCESS BEGINS AROUND OCTOBER 6TH.
WHEN WE WORK TO DRAFT AND APPROVE THE FIRST VERSION OF A FINAL MAP, WE THEN HAVE TO TAKE THAT VERSION OUT FOR THREE MORE PUBLIC FORUMS IN MID-OCTOBER.
THE ICRC WOULD THEN ADOPT A MAP BY THE DEADLINES SET IN THE CITY CHARTER NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021.
AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MEET THIS DEADLINE.
LASTLY, THE ICRC WILL RELEASE A FINAL REPORT FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION OF THAT FINAL MAP, OUR SUBCOMMITTEE IS, HAS ALREADY BEGUN WORK ON THIS IMPORTANT AND INFORMATIVE DOCUMENT.
IT'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MAPS.
HOW DO WE DRAW THOSE MAPS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS PROCESS IS THE CITY CHARTER ADHERENT TO SECTION THREE E THE COMMISSIONERS MUST DRAW EACH DISTRICT BOUNDARIES USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA.
THIS IS AN ORDER OF PRIORITY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
MOST OF OUR GUIDELINES ARE PRETTY CUT AND DRY.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO DO THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE SHORTLY AFTER THIS FORUM TO SEE YOU CAN GO THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH AFTER THE FORUM, EACH DISTRICT FIRST PRIORITY SHALL HAVE A REASONABLY EQUAL POPULATION WITH OTHER DISTRICTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, DISTRICT SIX WAS THE MOST OVERPOPULATED AND COULD ONLY SHIFT EXCESS POPULATION TO NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS OF DEEP 10 AND D SEVEN DUE TO GEOGRAPHICAL CONTIGUOUS.
NUMBER TWO DISTRICT SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
THIS IMPACTED DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR ON THE EAST SIDE OF AUSTIN, WHICH ARE THE CITY'S PROTECTED OPPORTUNITY.
NUMBER THREE DISTRICT SHALL BE GEOGRAPHICALLY, GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS.
MY APOLOGIES DISTRICTS CAN SOMETIMES TAKE AN ODD SHAPE.
WHY CAN'T THEY JUST BE STRAIGHT LINES AND EQUAL SIZE AND IMPERFECT SQUARES DISTRICTS MUST BE TOUCHING NO GAPS, CITY PLANNING, BUSINESS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT DO NOT HAPPEN IN NEEDY TIDY SHAPES LIKE WE WOULD WANT.
AND BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVE IN DIFFERENT DENSITIES AND DISTRICTS MUST BE RELATIVELY EQUAL IN POPULATION.
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SHAPES.IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE DISTRICT IS GERRYMANDERED TO SAY THAT A DISTRICT WAS GERRYMANDERED WOULD BE TO IMPLY THAT IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY TO FORM A POLITICAL ADVANTAGE FOR A CANDIDATE OR A POLITICAL PARTY, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE IN THIS APOLITICAL REDISTRICTING PROCESS FOR THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS OR LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST SHALL BE RESPECTED IN A MANNER THAT MINIMIZES THEIR DIVISIONS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WITHOUT VIOLATING THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY OF THE PROCEEDING.
SUBSECTIONS GATHERING THIS FEEDBACK ON THE INTEGRITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS WHY YOU HAVE JOINED THIS THIS EVENING.
THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM YOUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY GENERALLY FALLS INTO THIS CATEGORY.
NUMBER FIVE, DISTRICT BOUNDARIES SHALL BE DRAWN TO ENCOURAGE GEOGRAPHICAL COMPACTNESS DISTRICT SHOULD NOT BE DRAWN IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM SPRAWL.
THEY SHOULD BE COMPACT AS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, MEANING THAT RESIDENTS OF THE SAME DISTRICT SHOULD LIVE AS NEAR TO ONE ANOTHER AS PRACTICAL PRACTICABLE.
I'M JUST GOING TO GO ONTO A SECOND SLIDE FRIDAY.
NUMBER SIX, THIS IS DISTRICT BOUNDARIES SHALL BE DRAWN USING THE BOUNDARIES OF EXISTING ELECTION PRECINCTS OR VTT SPEED TDS, OUR VOTING TABULATION DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE SPLIT OF SOME BTDS IN NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE 2013 MAP, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT CONEYS WOODS WAS SPLIT IN THE 2013 MAP.
WE CAN ALSO DEVIATE FROM THIS WHEN NECESSARY, SUCH AS IN THE CASE OF NUMBER TWO, WHEN THE POPULAR FOR THE POPULATION OF AN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT AND FINALLY PARTY SEVEN DISTRICT BOUNDARIES SHALL DRAW BE DRAWN USING GEOGRAPHICALLY IDENTIFIABLE IDENTIFIABLE BOUNDARIES.
AUSTIN'S NATURAL BOUNDARIES LIKE LAKE TRAVIS, SHOAL CREEK, MANY PARTS OF OUR GREEN BELT MAKE GREAT CITY COUNCIL BOUNDARIES, MAJOR ARTERIES, HIGHWAY ARTERIES, AND CORRIDORS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT.
MARKERS OF COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST THOUGH.
COMMUNITIES CAN ALSO CROSS MAN-MADE FEATURES GREEN SPACES AS WELL.
HISTORICAL SITES AND BUILDINGS ARE CONSIDERED IN THE ICRC PROCESS.
I'M GOING TO PASS THE MIC OVER TO CHAIR CHRISTINA POINTER.
SHE'S GOING TO REVIEW OUR REVEAL OR MAP AND ITS DATA USED SHAREPOINT.
VICE-CHAIR CONSOLE IS GREAT JOB.
SO I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY MAP AND THE DATA WE USED TO CREATE THIS.
A LOT OF NUMBERS UP ON THIS SLIDE.
YOU CAN SEE THE POPULATION GROWTH BY DISTRICT FROM 2010, WHICH IS THE COLUMN ON THE LEFT TO 2020, WHICH IS THE MIDDLE COLUMN.
AND THEN THE ADJUSTED POPULATION PER PROPOSED NEW DISTRICT, WHICH IS ON THE RIGHT IN 2010.
THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN STOOD AT 790,390.
SO THE IDEAL POPULATION PER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT IN 2013 WAS 79,000.
THE LARGEST DISTRICT AT THAT TIME WAS DISTRICT SIX AND THE SMALLEST DISTRICT WAS DISTRICT ONE WITHIN THE 2013 BOUNDARIES BY 2020 DISTRICT SIX WENT FROM BEING ABOUT 3.7, 2% ABOVE THE 0% DEVIATION WE'RE SHOOTING FOR IT ALL THE WAY UP TO 12.7, 6%.
MEANWHILE, DISTRICT FOUR'S POPULATION BARELY INCREASED OVER 10 YEARS BY JUST 1,350 RESIDENTS TODAY.
THE IDEAL POPULATION PER EACH OF THE 10 DISTRICTS SITS AT 96,185.
AND THAT'S BASED ON OUR CURRENT CITY POPULATION OF 961,855.
A NUMBER PROVIDED BY THE 2020 CENSUS DATA.
THAT'S ABOUT A 21% INCREASE SINCE 2010 OR ABOUT 172,000 PEOPLE.
THESE DISTRICTS ARE ALL WITHIN THE LEGAL DEVIATION RANGE THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
NOTICE THE LARGEST POPULATION IN OUR PRELIMINARY MAP HAS DISTRICT EIGHT AT 101,397, WHICH IS 5.4, 2% ABOVE DEVIATION.
WHILE THE SMALLEST POPULATION IN THE PRELIMINARY MAP IS CURRENTLY DISTRICT THREE WITH 92,924 AND NEGATIVE 3.39% DEVIATION.
SO IF YOU TAKE THESE TWO ENDS OF THE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, YOU GET A TOTAL OF 8.8, 1% DEVIATION, WHICH SITS UNDER THE 10% DEVIATION LIMIT.
A FEW OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN WE'RE DRAWING THESE MAPS, IN ADDITION TO POPULATION SHIFTS, COMMISSIONERS REQUESTED EXPERT TESTIMONY ON AUSTIN'S HISTORY, INCLUDING ITS RACIAL HISTORY, THE POLICIES WE LEARNED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AROUND AUSTIN, LAND ATTRIBUTES AND DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AS WELL.
WE HAVE DONE THIS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
THE ICRC HEARD FROM TRAVIS COUNTY ABOUT THE VOTING PRECINCTS AND PLANS TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON REDISTRICTING AS NECESSARY.
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AND AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF GAINING THE FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO DRAW THESE MAPS, THE COMMISSION WAS ALSO EDUCATED ON THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS AND STATUTES.THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT SECTION TWO IS WHERE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA BECOMES RELEVANT.
SECTION TWO PROHIBITS VOTING PRACTICES AND REDISTRICTING PLANS THAT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, OR MEMBERSHIP IN A LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUP, MINORITY OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS THAT ARE DRAWN TO HAVE A MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR AS THE VOTING AGE POPULATION ARE PROTECTED SO THAT THEY MAY HAVE A CHANCE TO ELECT A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE.
AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN REDISTRICTING CONSIDERATION IS PUBLIC INPUT.
THE ICRC PRODUCED A DOCUMENT THAT LISTED ALL PUBLIC INPUT IN ALL ITS FORMS BY DISTRICT.
SO THAT COMMISSIONERS COULD HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT WAS BEING ASKED OF THE PROCESS.
COMMISSIONERS COULD UNDERSTAND AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ASKS COMING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.
SINCE WE HAVE ABOUT ONE TO TWO COMMISSIONERS FROM EVERY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT ON THIS COMMISSION, ADDITIONALLY, THE COMMISSION CHOSE TO START WITH 20 WITH THE 2013 MAP THAT WAS FORMED ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL STRUCTURE CHANGED TO TEN ONE.
THESE DISTRICTS HAVE PROVIDED A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THIS ICRC.
HAVING PROVIDED THE RATIONALE IN THE 2013 ICRC FINAL REPORT WITH FIDELITY TO THE CITY CHARTER PRIORITIES.
THE ORIGINAL MAP WAS BASED ON THE SAME STANDARDS THAT WE ARE USING.
AND UPON REVIEWING THE 2013 FINAL REPORT, THE COMMISSION FOUND THAT THE LOCATIONS OF FACILITIES MAJOR LANDMARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN STABLE, EVEN IF RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED IN THE CITY HAS GROWN.
SO GIVEN THAT THE, THAT AND THAT THE VTD IS I'M SORRY.
SO GIVEN THAT IN THE VTD, MANY OF THE BOUNDARY LINES ARE STABLE.
SO NOT AS MUCH OF A REVEAL WHEN YOU HAVE THE MAPS IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT HERE IT IS.
IT'S THE COMPARISON BETWEEN 2013 AND 2021.
I WILL POINT OUT JUST A FEW KEY POINTS ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY MAP AS IT COMPARES TO THE EXISTING MAP FROM 2013, AS A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE MAP PRINTOUTS.
IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE HAS A COFFEE, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OR YOU WANT A COPY OF ANOTHER ONE, THEY'RE ALL UP AT THE FRONT ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OVER HERE.
SO AS WE SAW EARLIER, THE DATA SUPPORTS A CHANGE TO THE SHAPE OF DISTRICTS THAT HAVE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY, AS WELL AS THEIR ADJACENT DISTRICTS.
DISTRICT SIX, 10, AND SEVEN WERE OF SIGNIFICANT FOCUS IN OUR MAPPING DISCUSSIONS.
SO CONVERSELY, IN THE CASE OF A DISTRICT THAT HAS NOT GROWN LIKE DISTRICT FOUR, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A RELATIVELY EQUAL POPULATION ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS, THIS ONE NECESSITATED TAKING POPULATION FROM THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS LIKE SEVEN AND ONE, SOME DISTRICTS SUCH AS TWO AND ALSO FIVE REQUIRED MINIMAL CHANGE BECAUSE THE POPULATION GROWTH WITHIN ITS CURRENT BOUNDARIES MASHED THE POPULATION SIZE OF DISTRICTS BASED ON THE CITY'S 2020 POPULATION.
THESE, THESE MAPS WERE DRAWN, STARTING WITH CONSIDERATION OF THE BOUNDARIES OF PROTECTED MINORITY OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS ON THE EAST SIDE, AGAIN, DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH FOUR, RATHER THAN STARTING FROM ANOTHER ORIENTATION ON THE MAP.
THIS WAS TO ENSURE THE LARGEST POSSIBLE CONCENTRATION OF BLACK AND HISPANIC POPULATIONS WITHIN THESE BOUNDARIES SO THAT THEY HAVE THE GREATEST CHANCE OF ELECTING A CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE.
AND THIS IS ALL SUPPORTED BY THE DATA.
THE COUNTY WILL NOT RELEASE THEIR NEW VTS UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR.
AND SO FOR THE TIME BEING THE ICRC USED THE EXISTING SHAPE OF VTS TO GUIDE THE CHANGES, THE COUNTY HAS INFORMED US THAT SOME OF THESE VTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ALSO BASED ON NEEDING EQUAL POPULATION.
AND THE ICRC MIGHT MINORLY ADJUST LINES AFTER OUR NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE TO ACCOMMODATE THESE CHANGES.
OVERALL MUCH OF THIS MAP HAS STAYED THE SAME.
YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED FIRST CHANGES THAT YOU SEE REFLECT POPULATION CHANGE AND THE NEED TO DRAW BOUNDARIES THAT CONTAIN EQUAL POPULATION WITHIN THEM.
AND THIS WAS BEST ACCOMPLISHED USING BTDS SECOND DISTRICTS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE PRIORITIZED AS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL VRA.
AND FINALLY, THE HEART OF THE COMMISSION'S DISCUSSION LEADING UP TO THE APPROVAL OF THE PRELIMINARY MAPS BEFORE YOU HAD, SORRY, BEFORE YOU HAD TO DO WITH COMMUNITY INPUT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MAY SEE A CHANGE THAT CREATES AN UNNECESSARY SPLIT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR MAINTAINS A SPLIT FROM THE LAST MAP THAT YOU DID NOT WANT TO SEE IF THIS IS THE CASE, PLEASE SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US SO THAT WE HAVE ALL OF YOUR TESTIMONY ON RECORD FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE FINAL MAP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION, BUT I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO GO AROUND TO THE ROOMS OF THE OTHER ROOMS OF THIS HOUSE AND GET A REALLY GOOD LOOK AT THE MAPS.
SO WE'LL BREAK FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
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AND THEN WE WILL BEGIN THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION.THE MICROPHONE IS OVER HERE ON MY LEFT.
AND SO THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL GO TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY.
AND EVERYONE GOT A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT AND LOOK AT THE MAPS AND WALK AROUND THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND PATRICIA FRAGA HERE WITH THE COMMISSION WILL BE HANDLING THE TESTIMONY PORTION.
SO I WILL LET HER EXPLAIN THE RULES FOR TONIGHT.
I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THE RULES.
SO ALL INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS SHOULD HAVE BY NOW SIGNED IN AT THE FRONT.
EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES UNLESS ADDITIONAL TIME IS GRANTED BY THE CHAIR.
THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN GATHERING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON CITIZENS' VIEWS OF THE PRELIMINARY MAP, SUGGESTED ADJUSTMENTS AND THE OVERALL REDISTRICTING PLAN.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE THAT THE PRELIMINARY MAP IS IN A FROZEN STATE AT THIS MOMENT.
AND SO IT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS EVEN AS WE'RE RECEIVING FEEDBACK UNTIL WE RETURN TO THE KIND OF DRAWING PROCESS WITH THE FINAL MAPS.
SO IF YOU WERE TO COME TO ANOTHER FORUM, YOU KNOW, LIKE LET'S SAY THIS SATURDAY, UM, YOU WILL SEE THE SAME MAPS AGAIN.
UM, JUST SO EVERYBODY IS AWARE.
SPEAKERS CAN ASK QUESTIONS DURING TESTIMONY, IF YOU WISH TO SEEK INFORMATION AND CLARITY RATHER THAN TO SEEK DEBATE, THE CHAIR CAN ANSWER OR A COMMISSIONER CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION AS WELL.
AND THE CHAIR CAN DIRECT STAFF TO ANSWER THE QUESTION SO THAT THE, EXCUSE ME, THE ANSWERS COULD COME FROM EITHER THE CHAIR, UM, ANY ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE, OR ONE OF OUR STAFF, UM, WHOEVER IS BEST FIT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
THE SPEAKERS TIME WILL BE STOPPED WHEN THE COMMISSION IS ANSWERING A QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONERS WILL BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF YOU THAT ARE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
AND EVERYONE IS ASKED TO ABIDE BY THESE GUIDELINES SO THAT THE PUBLIC FORUM PROCESS CAN PROCEED SMOOTHLY AND ALL WHO WISH TO SPEAK, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHO IS OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING? OUR FIRST? SURE.
SO WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND, UH, PREFERABLY THE DISTRICT YOU'RE REPRESENTING IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING YOURSELF OR AN ORGANIZATION.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THERE'S THREE MINUTES AS CHRIS LAID OUT.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MIKE CANADY.
I CAN TAKE THIS OFF, RIGHT? UH, GREETINGS.
I'M IN DISTRICT 10 AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS, THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, WHICH IS A NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION IN THE DISTRICT 10 AND ALSO THE CENTRAL WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
UH, WE'VE SUBMITTED A LETTER EXPLAINING OUR DESIRE TO HAVE THE DISTRICT 10, BE AMENDED, TO FOLLOW AND INCLUDE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALL TOGETHER, UH, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE BREAKER WOODS NEIGHBORHOOD AREA, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT TWO 14.
UM, AND ALONG WITH TARRYTOWN, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE OF MOPAC AND ALSO THE STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTER ON THE WEST SIDE OF MOPAC, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP AND CAMPUSES PRECINCT TWO 14 ALL THE WAY OVER TO LAMAR.
AND IT GOES SOUTH FROM 35TH STREET ALONG THE MAR AND THEN STOPS AT WINDSOR AND COMES TO MOPAC AND THEN GOES DOWN.
UH, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL THAT I BELIEVE IS IN THE MAP IS CARVING OFF THAT SECTION AND PUTTING IT IN DISTRICT NINE.
AND THEN THEY HAVE ALSO INCLUDED YOU, EXCUSE ME, HAVE ALSO INCLUDED THE, UH, PRECINCT TWO 50, WHICH IS THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD AREA INSIDE DISTRICT 10.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND CONSIDERING SWAPPING THESE TWO TO RESPECT TO THE GEOGRAPHIC CONTINUITY AND THE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREAS AND THE NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION AREAS, BUT HAVE BEEN HISTORICAL AND LONGSTANDING.
AND I THINK BASED ON WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, THAT THE NUMBERS MIGHT BENEFIT FROM SWAPPING.
IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU SHOWED THAT DISTRICT 10 IS, UM, IF I GOT MY NUMBERS, RIGHT, THEY'RE A LITTLE HEAVY ABOVE THE AVERAGE AND DISTRICT NINE IS A LITTLE LIGHT.
AND IF I'M EYEBALLING, AND I'M CURIOUS IF, IF STAFF OR THE COMMISSIONERS CAN KIND OF SHOW WHAT THE NUMBERS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU SWAPPED TWO 50 AND TWO 14, UM, AND I'LL JUST MAKE ONE OTHER CLARIFICATION, THE WAY THESE TWO DISTRICTS CROSS BACK AND FORTH, IT MAKES FOR A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE INTER DELINEATION OF FINGERS.
AND, AND, AND IT MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE TO JUST CUT ALONG THE BOUNDARY LINES
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OF WINDSOR.THAT'S NOT A PRECINCT LINE, BUT IT IS A COMMUNITY LINE.
IT'S A MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC FEATURE.
AND I'LL SAY RIGHT NOW, DID YOU GO DOWN THE MAP THAT YOU'VE PROPOSED? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF CONFUSIONS FROM ONE STREET TO THE NEXT ABOUT, AM I IN THIS DISTRICT? AM I IN THAT DISTRICT? AND MAYBE CUTTING IT OFF AT WINDSOR ROAD WOULD BE CLEANER.
I'M CURIOUS IF THE NUMBERS WOULD WORK OUT ANY BETTER TO BALANCE TOWARDS THE IDEAL TOTAL.
UM, AND CLOSING IF I HAVE A SECOND, I WILL JUST SAY THAT IN ADDITION TO THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, UH, AND THE CENTRAL WEST AUSTIN PLANNING TEAM, I BELIEVE THAT THE BRIGHTWOODS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ALSO WOULD WISH TO KEEP PRECINCT TWO 14 IN DISTRICT 10.
AND I AM ALSO TOLD THAT THOUGH, I HAVEN'T HAD DIRECT CONVERSATIONS THAT THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS ALSO INTERESTED IN KEEPING PRECINCT TWO 50 IN DISTRICT NINE.
I HOPE YOU'VE RECEIVED COMMUNICATIONS FROM THEM, OR YOU WILL SOON.
THAT'S GOTTA BE THREE MINUTES.
AND YOU SAID CANADY, IS THAT RIGHT? THANK YOU, MR. KENNEDY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BLAKE TOLD IT.
UM, PLEASE REPRESENT YOUR NAME AND ORGANIZATION.
UH, I'M A DISTRICT 10 RESIDENT, A MEMBER OF THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
REMEMBER MAX, OUR LEADER ON THE CENTRAL WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
UM, BASICALLY I'M JUST HERE JUST TO RE-EMPHASIZE HIS WORK, WHAT MIKE JUST PRESENTED TO Y'ALL WOW.
THE STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTER WAS TAKEN OUT OF DISTRICT 10.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE IS, THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE PERMANENTLY.
UH, THERE'S PROBABLY LESS THAN 500 PEOPLE IF THAT, AND IT'S RESIDENTS PLUS STAFF.
UH, BUT I KNOW THAT BRACA WOODS WE HAVE WE'VE, WE'VE LIVED TOGETHER.
WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER, UH, FOR DECADES AS ONE IT'S SORT OF ONE NEIGHBORHOOD WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP UMBRELLA.
UH, I THINK IF THERE'S POSSIBLE WAY TO KEEP BRACA WOODS IN, IN DISTRICT 10, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL AS FAR AS AREAS OF INTERESTS, COMMON INTERESTS.
OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GOING TO, AS MIKE POINTED OUT, I MEAN, PERHAPS THERE'S A WAY TO SWITCH THE, TAKE THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE EAST OF MOPAC AND PUT THEM BACK INTO NINE TO COMPENSATE FOR BRINGING THIS OUT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BY THE WAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICES COMMUNITY.
I'M I'M ACTUALLY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
I'M ON A COMMISSION MYSELF AND WE DON'T GET A WHOLE BIG, BIG MONEY.
COMMISSIONER FALCO HAS A QUESTION FOR MR. TOY.
YEAH, GO AHEAD INTO THE MICROPHONE.
BUT I REMEMBER THAT WE DID HAVE REQUESTS FROM BROKER WOODS AND I NOT SURE IF WE RECEIVED A MAP FROM THEM, I BELIEVE THAT WE, UH, AND AGAIN, FORGIVE ME BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT IT WAS SUBMITTED.
THEY SUBMITTED AN OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE PRACTICE ASSOCIATION TODAY.
CAUSE I THINK THAT THEY HAD SENT IN TESTIMONY, BUT THEY DID NOT INCLUDE THE BOUNDARIES.
SO I ALSO WORK NINE TO ABOUT 7:00 PM OR 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM.
SO IF IT CAME IN TODAY, THEN IT JUST HASN'T HIT MY RECORD YET.
AND THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR CURRENT, CURRENT DIFFERENT ASSOCIATION BOUNDARIES.
THAT WAS ONE THING I HAD ON MY LIST THAT I WAS, WAS OUTSTANDING.
SO IF IT CAME IN TODAY, THAT'S PERFECT.
Y'ALL SHOULD I TAKE OFF MY MASK TALKING? OKAY.
Y'ALL I'M CARMEN YANAS POLITO.
UH, I SERVED ON THE INAUGURAL INDEPENDENT CITIZENS, REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
UM, AND I HAVE TO SAY, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE AND DELLWOOD TWO NEIGHBORHOOD UP IN THE NORTH EAST CORNER OF DISTRICT NINE.
UM, I ALSO WORK WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED GO AUSTIN, VAMOS AUSTIN, AND WE ORGANIZED HEAVILY IN DOVE SPRINGS IN DISTRICT TWO ALL OVER, UH, DISTRICT FIVE AND DISTRICT FOUR AS WELL.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN I'M BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN.
I LOVE THE WHOLE CITY AND I HAVE TO SAY WATCHING YOU ALL THOUGHTFULLY WRITE NOTES AND TAKE INPUT EVEN IN THIS RELATIVELY SMALL MEETING AND SPEAK TO YOUR PROCESS REALLY
[00:30:01]
WARMS MY HEART BECAUSE I CAN TELL THAT YOU CARE AND I WISH THAT YOU ALL HAD MORE PRESS.I WISH YOU HAD MORE FANFARE AND SUPPORT FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY DOING US A SERVICE.
AND I THINK YOU, UM, I THINK BECAUSE WE WERE ON THE INAUGURAL COMMISSION AND YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A WHOLE ELECTION TO GET US THIS PROCESS.
UM, THERE WAS A CITIZEN'S PETITION TO GET US THIS PROCESS.
UH, WE HAD A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT, UH, AND THAT SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ALL AROUND STEVE, BICKERSTAFF OUR IP.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE AN AUTOGRAPH COPY OF HIS BOOK.
HE SHOWED UP TO TESTIFY REGULARLY AT OUR MEETINGS AND WRITE US MEMOS, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER STEVE VICAR STAFF TYPES IN THIS TOWN.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU CAN LEAN INTO FOR SUPPORT, FOR INFORMATION.
BUT I JUST BRIEFLY WANT TO SAY AFTER ALL THAT MUSHY STUFF, I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT AND GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AND WE MUST HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T MADE TOO MANY CHANGES, SHOWS HOW MUCH INFILL DEVELOPMENT WE'VE ACCOMMODATED INSIDE THE CITY.
I SEE REUNITED THE WOOTEN NEIGHBORHOOD BY INCORPORATING A PORTION OF SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST OF WANING THREE INTO DISTRICT FOUR.
IT'S MAYBE PLEASING TO A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORS WHO I THINK WOULD HAVE LIKED FOR US TO KEEP THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY AS A POPULATION HEALTH PRACTITIONER, THERE'S A LOT OF MAPS DATA THAT WILL SUPPORT YOUR BOUNDARIES FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
YOU'VE ALSO CHOSEN TO MOVE THE LBJ SCHOOL MUSEUM AND CAPITOL GROUNDS INTO DISTRICT NINE.
THIS WAS A SYMBOLIC MOVE AND NO DISRESPECT TO MY BELOVED CO COMMISSIONER AND VICE-CHAIR WHO INITIALLY PROPOSED THIS, BUT IT WAS NEVER ACTUALLY REQUESTED BY ANY MEMBERS OF AUSTEN'S BLACK COMMUNITY, WHICH AT LEAST TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S OUTCOMES AND IT'S REPRESENTATION THAT MATTER THE MOST.
SO THE LAST THING I WANT TO TELL YOU IS JUST TO BE STAUNCHLY INDEPENDENT IN YOUR PROCESS.
IT'S THE FIRST WORD IN YOUR NAME? IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS ENTIRE COMMISSION IS YOUR INDEPENDENCE.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE STAFF SUPPORT.
YOU NEED LEAN ON INFORMED, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION.
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE I LOVE AT THE CITY, BUT THEY ALSO TOLD US THINGS THAT WERE INCORRECT SOMETIMES AND IT SHOWED US WHY WE REALLY NEEDED TO BE INDEPENDENT AND WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR PROCESS.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL HAVE READ OUR FINAL REPORT.
I'M GLAD WE LEFT YOU A LOT OF TIPS.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE CLEAR ON THE RECORD.
UM, THE LBJ LBJ MUSEUM, UM, HAS BEEN PUT INTO DISTRICT ONE.
UM, JUST, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK THAT THERE WAS AN EARLIER DRAFT WHERE IT WAS NOT, UM, BUT THE, THE PRELIMINARY MAP THAT WE APPROVED DOES HAVE IT, UM, IT SHIFTED OVER TO DISTRICT.
IT LOOKED LIKE Y'ALL ARE MOVING THAT WHOLE CHUNK WEST OF THE HIGHWAY.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, AS LONG AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS.
Y'ALL VICE CHAIR CONSOLE IS, GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND YOUR SUPPORT.
IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT PROCESS AS YOU WELL KNOW, BEING THE FIRST ITERATION OF THIS COMMISSION, AND WE HOPE TO STRENGTHEN THE MODEL THAT YOU LEFT BEHIND, BUT I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR OUTREACH FOR SUPPORT IN PROMOTING OUR FORUMS AND TO GETTING PEOPLE OUT.
I HATE TO BE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS INTACT.
SO JUST THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR SURE.
I THINK WE HAD 500 TOTAL PIECES OF TESTIMONY OVER OUR NINE MONTHS.
SO I KNOW Y'ALL GOT A LATE START PANDEMIC AND ALL THAT, BUT YOU'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THERE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JIM CHRISTIANSON.
MY NAME IS JIM CHRISTIANSON AND I LIVE IN THE OLD INFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I DID SPEAK TO YOU SATURDAY, UM, AND IT WAS KIND OF CLEAR THAT MAYBE THE COMMISSION WASN'T SURE EXACTLY THE AREA, UH, I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO I'VE, UH, TAKEN THE MAP AND YOU DON'T SHOULD ALL HAVE A COPY OF THIS.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TO YOU THE PROBLEM THAT IT PRESENTS FOR US.
UM, I KNOW HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY, BUT A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS DON'T.
AND AS YOU SEE IN THE BOUNDARY LINES OF OLD INFIELD, WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF LINES DRAWN HERE.
THAT NEIGHBORS ON DIFFERENT STREETS ARE NOT GONNA KNOW WHICH COUNCIL PERSON THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT.
AND IF YOU EVER CALLED THE CITY
[00:35:01]
THE FIRST TIME THEY YOU'VE CALLED, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT COUNCIL DISTRICT ARE SO THEY CAN SEND THE REQUEST TO THEM.THIS IS A, THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY CONFUSING.
AND WHEN Y'ALL SET THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THE TWO COUNCIL PEOPLE, UM, UH, THIS IS GOING TO LAST FOR 10 YEARS AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 10 YEARS OF THIS CONFUSION.
NOW, UH, SINCE I SPOKE TO YOU, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND I RALLIED SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS, UH, TO COME HERE TONIGHT AND NO ONE SHOWED UP, BUT I GOT SOME PUSHBACK FROM WHAT I TOLD YOU BEFORE.
NOW, THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE WHAT YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE.
BUT WHAT MY NEIGHBOR SAID, LOOK OLD, INFIELD'S DIVIDED UP BETWEEN TWO COUNCIL PEOPLE.
NOW OLD INFIELD GETS TO COUNCIL PEOPLE RATHER THAN ONE.
AND, UH, IS THAT FAIR TO OTHER PARTS OF AUSTIN THAT WE GET TO COUNSEL PEOPLE BECAUSE I'LL GUARANTEE YOU, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO INVOLVE OLD INFIELD, UH, IT IS A COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1980.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS TO GIVE ONE AREA OF TOWN, TO COUNCIL PEOPLE PLUS THE MAYOR.
AND SO I CALL YOU THAT TO TENSION THAT BLAKE HAS MENTIONED TO YOU ABOUT CUTTING IT OFF AT WINDSOR ROAD.
I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU CUT IT ALL.
AS LONG AS OLD INFIELD CAN BE KEPT INTACT IN ONE OR THE OTHER OF THESE DISTRICTS, BUT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE LIGHT AND DARK PEACE PARK IS PUT INTO ONE DISTRICT.
THEN YOU HAVE THE DARK PORTION, WHICH IS THE OLD ALTER DISTRICT.
AND THEN THE WHITE PORTION THAT BORDERS, UH, MOPAC IS IN ANOTHER, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT.
UH, I THINK IT'S, UM, I I'M USING NAMES TAVO IS, IS THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY CONFUSING AND I APOLOGIZE FOR GOING OVER, BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
YOU'RE GIVING US TWO COUNCIL PEOPLE AND THE REST OF AUSTIN ONLY GIVE US WRONG.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU, SIR.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE MICROPHONE COMMISSIONER FALCO.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AFTER YOUR TESTIMONY, I DID GO LOOK AT THAT AREA AND, UM, IT, THAT AREA IS THAT IS HOW THE VOTING TABULATION DISTRICTS ARE SHAPED.
UM, BUT I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT AS WE MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, WE FIRST USED THE VOTING TABULATION DISTRICTS.
AND THEN AFTER RECEIVING TESTIMONY, JUST AS THE ONE YOU JUST GAVE, THAT WOULD GIVE US REASON TO BREAK THE VOTING TABULATION DISTRICT, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE GRANULARLY, BUT BECAUSE THOSE ARE USED FOR VOTING, THAT'S WHERE WE START, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW WHERE TO GO VOTE.
SO, ANYWAY, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THAT INFORMATION, THERE ARE DETAILED MAPS IN THE NEXT ROOM WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO VALUE YOUR FEEDBACK AND HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT ISSUE.
HOWEVER, THESE MAPS ARE STATIC FOR ALL OF THE PUBLIC FORUMS. DOES THIS MEAN YOU CAN? I MEAN LIKE, NO, IT DOESN'T MEAN NO, NO, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CANNOT.
IT'S JUST THAT THAT'S ALWAYS OUR STARTING POINT.
AND SO AS THIS IS THE PRELIMINARY MAP WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THE FEEDBACK IS SO VALUABLE BECAUSE IT GIVES US REASON TO BREAK THE VOTING TABULATION DISTRICT.
SO WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS THAT SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, UM, LIKE WHEN YOU GO VOTE WITH THE PERSON ACROSS THE STREET, THE LITTLE LIKE VTD BOX, WHICH IS ALWAYS LIKE THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER ON YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION CARD WOULD BE DIFFERENT UNLESS THE COUNTY ALSO CHANGES THEIR, THE TDS, WHICH THEY WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING AS WELL.
SO IF JUST, I NOW KNOW WAY MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD IN MY LIFE.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL LET ME IN MY LIFE.
BUT, UM, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAPS LATER, I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT THAT WITH YOU.
I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, PENN PRETEND I DON'T SPEAK FOR PEMBERTON, BUT THEY GET TO COUNSEL PEOPLE TO, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. CHRISTIANSON FROM, VICE-CHAIR
[00:40:02]
NOT MUCH OF A QUESTION, SIR, BUT I APPRECIATED YOU JOINING US AT OUR FORUM ON SATURDAY.AND I APPRECIATE THE MAP THAT YOU HAVE NOW PROVIDED THAT GIVES US A DEEPER LOOK INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT YOU PRESENTED THE MATERIAL TODAY.
AND ANOTHER LIGHT TO SHOW US THAT WHAT WE POTENTIALLY COULD DO HERE IS GIVE A NEIGHBORHOOD TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, THAT VIEWPOINT THIS EVENING.
I ALSO WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE COMMISSIONER FELT GONE SAID, THE WAY THAT THE CURRENT DISTRICT OR THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN, THIS IS VTD TWO 50, THE YELLOW PART THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR MAP.
AND SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO SPLIT IT.
AND WE HAD NOT HEARD CONCERNS OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CAUSE WHY, WHY WOULD WE, THEY WERE INTACT PREVIOUSLY.
SO WE APPRECIATE, NOW WE CAN LOOK AT THIS AND THEN BE LIKE, LET'S GO TO THE BLOCK LEVEL.
LET'S GO TO THE GRANULE LEVEL AND ENSURE THAT WE COULD KEEP THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS INTACT AS POSSIBLE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING BACK, SORRY.
AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THE REASON WHY WE WENT TO SINGLE MEMBER.
THE ARGUMENT WAS MOST OF THE COUNCIL, PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM OLD INFIELD PREP, TARRYTOWN, AND PEMBERTON.
AND, UH, YOU'RE GIVING THEM TO THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. CHRISTIANSEN.
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR LAST SPEAKER IS PECK YOUNG.
UH, I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT, NOT AS REPRESENTATIVE, BUT A COALITION PERSONALLY.
UH, I HAVE ONE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN.
I WANT TO RAISE WITH YOU BECAUSE I WORKED TO, UH, CREATE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT YOU WERE WORKING UNDER, UH, AND TO PASS IT.
AND ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL THINGS THAT WE PROMISED, UH, THE VOTERS TO GET THEM TO VOTE OVER 60% FOR THE AMENDMENT THAT THE ICRC IS A CRITICAL PART OF WAS THAT WE WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN ANY PARTISAN PROCESS THAT HAD TO DO WITH CANDIDATES.
AND I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT THERE SHOULD NEVER BE ANY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE LOCATION OF ANY SITTINGS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CONSIDERATION OF ANY PLAN.
UH, IT IS BANNED UNDER THE CHARTER AMENDMENT YOU HAVE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IT IS BAN IN THE, THE AGREEMENT MADE IN THE ELECTION BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATION THAT I WAS PART OF AND THE VOTERS WHO VOTED FOR THIS, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TRULY NON-PARTISAN ELECTION PROCESS OF REDISTRICTING, WE CANNOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LOCATION OF ANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS CRITICAL TO THE PROCESS, BECAUSE IF WE KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE, THEN THIS SIMPLY BECOMES A SHAM OF GERRYMANDERING.
AND THIS WAS, THIS WAS INTENDED TO BE THE REVERSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THAT AND BECAUSE IT IS CRITICAL TO THE CREDIBILITY OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS THAT YOU LITERALLY DO NOT KNOW, DO NOT ASK TO KNOW AND ARE NOT AWARE OF WHERE COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT.
AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN IN POLITICS FOR THE JOB I HOLD WITH THE COALITION I REPRESENT, I HAVE MADE IT A CONSCIOUS EFFORT NOT TO KNOW WHERE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SOME OF THEM ARE FRIENDS OF MINE, ACTUALLY, A RESIDENT.
AND I THINK IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOT EITHER.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD.
UM, JOY WORKING WAY HERE, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'RE DOING.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT OUR MAP PRODUCT HERE, THE PRELIMINARY MAP IN FRONT OF YOU, THERE IS NO AWARENESS OF WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS LIVE, AND THAT IS NOT REFLECTED IN OUR MAP.
AND YOU SAID THAT WAS OUR LAST SPEAKER.
UM, WE'LL GO TO OUR LAST SLIDE.
THIS IS ABOUT OUR UPCOMING FORUMS. IF YOU WANT TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SORRY ABOUT THAT TO COME OUT AND TALK WITH US.
UM, OR IF YOU WANT TO COME AGAIN.
SO WE HAVE THREE MORE FORUMS AFTER THIS ONE TO TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THE PRELIMINARY MAPS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TODAY.
PLEASE SHARE THESE WIDELY WITH THOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THROUGHOUT AUSTIN, THIS COMING SATURDAY, WE WILL HOLD A FORUM AT THE DOVE SPRINGS REC CENTER, STARTING AT 1:00 PM ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, WE WILL HOLD A VIRTUAL FORUM TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE WHO DO NOT ATTEND IN PERSON.
THE LAST FORUM IS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2ND AT TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTER AT OAK HILL, STARTING AT 11:00 AM AS IS REQUIRED BY THE CITY CHARTER.
THE ICRC IS HOLDING A PUBLIC FORUM IN
[00:45:01]
EACH OF THE FOUR TRAVIS COUNTY PRECINCTS SO THAT WE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL OF AUSTIN.THE CONTENT OF FUTURE FORUMS WILL BE THE SAME AS, AS THE PURPOSE OF THE FORUMS. AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK AND THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO REACH ALL OF US, THIS EMAIL ADDRESS, ICRC DOT COMMISSIONERS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV GOES TO ALL 14 MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.