[00:00:19]
QUORUM, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER VALLA IS WITH US REMOTELY.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN MORE ON THE, UH, ON THE DAY S COLLEAGUES WE HAVE TODAY, UM, UH, ABOUT 50 OR SO SPEAKERS, 53 TOTAL SPEAKERS, UH, ABOUT HALF REMOTE, HALF IN PERSON.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE REMOTE FIRST, THEN WE'LL DO THE IN-PERSON.
UH, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE HAVE, UH, PROBABLY, UM, ABOUT TWO HOURS WORTH OF SPEAKERS.
UH, THAT SHOULD GET US A LITTLE AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK UNLESS YOU TELL ME DIFFERENTLY.
UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR DINNER TO BE BROUGHT IN AND WE'LL JUST WORK THROUGH TILL SEVEN OR EIGHT.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL BREAK FOR DINNER.
WE'LL JUST END THE MEETING AND GO EAT.
BUT UNLESS WE TELL KAY, OTHERWISE SHE'S NOT BRINGING IN DINNER, IT WOULD BE WHAT, A BURGER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF SHE BROUGHT IT IN FOR US, BUT I'VE TOLD HER NO, UNLESS WE TELL HER, UH, OTHERWISE, UH, THERE ARE FIVE THINGS ON THE AGENDA WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SPEAKERS AND THEN WE'LL APPROVE, UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE DOES NOT SET THE TAX RATE.
IT'S JUST A PROCEDURAL, UH, UM, ACTION REQUIRED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO SAY, THIS IS A RATE ABOVE WHICH WE WILL NOT GO.
UH, AND WE'LL SET THAT, UH, WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET, BOTH PROCESS AND PROCEDURES.
UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, FOR US TO, TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS A COUPLE OF MATTERS THERE.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, YES, VERY PRO TIME.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THAT SPEAKER UP WITH CLOSED AT TWO 15 FOR THE THREE O'CLOCK HEARING.
I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO GOT HERE AT TWO 19 AND SO WAS NOT ABLE, UM, TO SIGN UP, I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD LET ANYONE WHO'S IN THE ROOM, HE WASN'T SIGNED UP, BUT AT THIS POINT HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO GO OVER TO THE CLERKS AND BE ADDED.
UM, UM, UM, I'M A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT DOING SOMETHING THAT'S THAT BROAD, UM, ON THE, BECAUSE THEN WE SET THE RULE THOUGH, THOUGH, THE PRECEDENT, DO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT, THAT TRIED TO SET UP, SIGN UP AND COULDN'T TRUST THE ONE GENTLEMEN TO, OKAY.
WOULD YOU THREE, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME TO THE, UH, TO THE CLERK.
UH, AND I THINK WHEN WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, THERE'LL BE SOMEONE ON THE DAY AS THE MOVES TO LET YOU SPEAK.
I'M SURE IT'LL BE A LOUD TO LET THEM SPEAK.
AND I THINK THIS IS DIFFERENT IN THAT IT'S A BUDGET HEARING.
AND WE'LL JUST DO IT WITH THOSE THREE NAMES RATHER THAN WHAT THE GENERAL RULE, UH, CATERPILLAR TOE BONE MARROW ARE WE DEFINITELY GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY? UH, I THINK SO, BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE ONE OR TWO THINGS AREN'T GOING TO TAKE LONG WORD COUNSELOR NEEDS TO TALK TO US.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SUGGEST THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE WERE THROUGH SPEAKERS AND WE'RE DOING DISCUSSION, IF WE COULD TRY TO DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AROUND THE DINNER TIME PERIOD, THAT WAY WE COULD AT LEAST EAT, EAT DURING THAT PERIOD, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING KANE ORDER US DINNER.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO GET A DRINK.
DO YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF THING? YEAH, WE'LL PROBABLY NEED A BREAK THEN.
ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START THE SPEAKERS.
AS SOON AS THE CLERK HAS TAKEN DOWN THOSE THREE NAMES.
[5. Conduct a community input session to receive public comment on the City of Austin Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Proposed Budget.]
SPEAKER IS CYRUS READ.[00:05:04]
CAN YOU HEAR ME SAY THAT AGAIN? YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME OR NO, JUST BARELY, BUT WE CAN HEAR YOU IF YOU COULD SPEAK UP AND THEN START.UH, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME REPRESENTING THE LONESTAR CHAPTER, THE SIERRA CLUB.
I WAS MEETING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THREE, WHICH INVOLVES THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUDGET AND RATES, AND I SENT SOME WRITTEN TESTIMONY.
UH, SO I'LL BE VERY BRIEF IN MY, UH, SPOKEN TESTIMONY.
UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE COUNCIL, UM, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN ALL HEAR ME.
THAT THE, UM, THE DOCUMENT, THE BUDGET DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU, UM, INCLUDES AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU GUYS, AREN'T GOING TO BE APPROVING A RATE INCREASE FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND OBVIOUSLY I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT THAT RATE INCREASES SUBJECT TO A RAPE PROCEEDING AND HEARING.
UM, AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU, THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT, UH, AS YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET FOR 2023 AND THAT YOU NOT MAKE ANY MAJOR CHANGES TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUDGET BASED ON A, UM, PROPOSED RATE INCREASE THAT HAS A LOT OF OPPOSITION IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT HASN'T GONE THROUGH THE, UH, RATE PROCEEDING YET.
AND I HAVE SOME INFORMATION IN THE WRITTEN COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY AN AUSTIN ENERGY TARIFFS.
UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TARIFFS THAT COULD BE INFLUENCED, UH, BY THE RATE CASE.
AND SO THE LONESTAR CHAPTER WOULD ASK THAT YOU, THAT YOU KEEP THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION AS YOU CONSIDER A NEW, NEW POTENTIAL RATES ON, UM, VALUE OF SOLAR OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, TEES, OR CAP PROGRAMS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE, UH, THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT LATER IN THE YEAR, YOU'LL BE CONSIDERING A RATE INCREASE.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE, UH, ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF WHICH I'M A MEMBER WILL BE LOOKING IN DEPTH AT THE AUSTIN BUDGET ON MONDAY EVENING, I'VE GIVEN YOU SEVEN OR EIGHT ISSUES WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THE COMMITTEE I SERVE ON.
UM, SO JUST, UH, KNOW THAT WE'LL BE, UH, SENDING YOU ALL SOME INFORMATION ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUDGET AT THAT TIME.
AND WITH THAT, YOU'VE GOT MY WRITTEN TESTIMONY, UM, AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU READ IT AND REACT ACCORDINGLY.
HOW MANY, HOW LONG DID WE HAVE TO SPEAK THREE MINUTES? THANK YOU.
SO MY NAME IS LINDSEY AND NICK POWER.
I AM A MEMBER OF DISTRICT FOUR AND ALSO I'M A MEMBER OF DSA AUSTIN CHAPTER.
UM, SO I'M WANTING TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET.
AND MY FIRST THING IS JUST, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF CLARITY IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS THAT ARE PUT OUT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A SNAPSHOT IN ADDITION TO A 971 PAGE BUDGET PROPOSAL DOCUMENT AS A PERSON WHO HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN COMMUNICATIONS, I STILL HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME TRYING TO PARSE WHAT IS IN THAT BUDGET.
AND I WANT TO PROPOSE SOMETHING LIKE HAVING A LINE BY LINE ITEM, UM, THAT REALLY MORE DIRECTLY AND SUCCINCTLY COMPARES THIS YEAR PROPOSAL TO PREVIOUS YEARS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, I WANTED TO SEE HOW MUCH THE INCREASED PROPOSED INCREASES TO THE POLICE BUDGET.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO ACTUALLY DISCERN THAT.
SO IT'S, IF SOMEONE WERE ABLE TO THROW OUT A NUMBER WHEN I'VE BEEN SPEAKING, THAT'D BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS I DO WANT TO JUST CITY COUNCIL, ANY INCREASE TO THE POLICE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE PERMANENT.
THANKS TO THE LAW PASSED SIDE OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR, THAT ONLY AFFECTS OUR LARGE BLUE CITIES LIKE AUSTIN AND OTHER BIG CITIES.
SO, UM, THEY URGE YOU ALL TO NOT FUND ANY INCREASE TO APD, UM, THAT WOULD BE PERMANENT AND WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO BE TAKEN BACK AND INSTEAD FIND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR A $22 PER HOUR MINIMUM RANGE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO FIND EMS TO FUND, UM, TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER TO FUND CLIMATE RESILIENCY CENTERS.
UM, AND ESSENTIALLY JUST TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY AND INVEST IN THE COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN INVEST, UM, RATHER THAN INVEST IN POLICING.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO JUST TO CLARIFY THE, THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH HAS OVER 30 ARE ASKING FOR $75 MILLION, UM, WHICH IS A REALLY, REALLY SMALL FRACTION OF THE OVER 1 BILLION AND THE GENERAL FUND.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT AS MUCH LESS THAN EVEN THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO INCREASE APD.
SO WE ASKED FOR FULL FUNDING OF
[00:10:01]
THE 75 MILLION REQUESTS FOR THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, SASHA ROSE.YES, I COUNCIL MEMBERS THIS TIME SLASH CROSSROADS, PLEASE.
UM, I'M HERE, UH, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN MUTUAL AID.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE RUN A COMMUNITY PAGE AND WE'VE ADD AN OPPORTUNITY TO A COMMUNITY RESOURCE PAGE.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY WITNESS THE STRUGGLES THAT SOME OF OUR MEMBERS ARE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE REALLY HAVING DURING THIS TIME DURING COVID OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN, UM, IN SUPPORT AS WELL OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
AS WE KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS A HUGE ISSUE AND THAT'S ONLY INCREASING IN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW.
THE PROPOSED BUDGETS HAVE NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, EVICTION LEGAL PROTECTION, UH, NOT TO MENTION THIS HEALTH DURING WE ARE SO LACKING AND SHELTERING, UH, SHELTER SPACE, UM, AS WELL, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY GROUP, WHICH HAS OVER 7,000 MEMBERS.
WE WITNESSED ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS NEEDING SUPPORT FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN LONG GONE.
AND RIGHT NOW IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE IS ENOUGH FUNDING ALLOCATED TO PREVENT EVEN MORE PEOPLE BEING FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
SO WE REALLY, WE, I REALLY WANT TO, UM, ENCOURAGE A LONG HARD LOOK AT THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL.
THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS THE AMOUNT GOING TOWARDS NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN I SHARED THAT WITH MY FRIENDS WHO LIVE ON THE STREET, WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING AT IS BASICALLY MORE SWEETS, MORE ATTEMPTS TO SHOVE THEM OUT.
WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THEM TO GO, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THE THOUSANDS THAT WE HAVE ON THE STREET TO GO.
SO I REALLY CONCERNED AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING INCREASED AND SET ASIDE FOR POLICING.
WHEN WE KNOW AT THIS POINT THAT THE POLICE ARE POLICING THEMSELVES AND THAT THERE IS NO STRONG ACCOUNTABILITY THERE.
SO ONE OF MY OTHER CONCERNS IS THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND POLICY, I'M STILL LEARNING.
UM, I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE THOUGH FOR OUR COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAD THE BALANCING ACT RIGHT WHERE WE COULD PUT OUR INPUT.
I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT NOBODY REALLY LISTENED TO THAT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT THESE WERE GOING TO BE REVIEWED, BUT IT'S STILL OPEN.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS, THE INTAKE COULD HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AND THAT PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE ACTUALLY BEING HEARD.
SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY OUTTAKE THE FULL 75 MILLION ASKED FOR WE ARE ONE OF THE 30 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAS ASKED FOR THIS AMOUNT TO BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
AND I WANT TO TALK BRODY MANNEQUIN.
HI, I'M BERNIE MADDEN QUINN, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE, UH, AWESOME PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS INNOVATIVENESS AND PROGRESSIVISM.
AND IT TRIES TO DRAW FRESH THINKERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND FIGHTS ODD, UNJUST OR AGGRESSIVE STATE LAWS SUCH AS WITH THE RECENT GRACE ACT.
BUT I'M ALSO CALLING BECAUSE OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET CONCERT TODAY, WHICH I DON'T CONSIDER TO BE BOLDLY INNOVATIVE OR BOLDLY PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES TO CRITICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS HOUSING AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I ALSO AM A SUPPORTER OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
UH I'M WITH AUSTIN DSA AND WHILE THE CURRENT BUDGET HAS A FEW NEW PROGRAMS TO GET PARTIAL FUNDING, MANY OF THE CORE PROGRESSIVE ASKS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET ADVOCATED FOR BY OVER 30, UH, COALITION GROUPS,
[00:15:01]
SUCH AS, UH, 22 AN HOUR LIVING WAGE FOR CITY WORKERS, MORE EMS FUNDING, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION AND INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.UM, ALL OF THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN DEEMED INADEQUATE OR COMPLETELY MISSING FROM THIS BUDGET.
UH, THEREFORE I FULLY SUPPORTED THE FUNDING OF THE FULL SEVENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLAR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET IN ORDER TO TRULY MAKE AUSTIN BOLD AND INNOVATIVE, UH, IN HOW WE AS A CITY ADDRESS.
SO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT FACE US AND WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST YEARS, OH, SLACK IN COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, ESPECIALLY ON ISSUES OF HOUSING AND SAFETY IS READILY TAKEN UP BY POLICE WHO ARE NOT ADEQUATE.
WE TRAINED OR, UH, HOLD A ROLE EFFECTIVE FOR ADDRESSING HOUSING ISSUES OR SAY CERTAIN SAFETY ISSUES.
UM, IT'S BEEN TRIED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND IT, IT HAS NOT PROVED TO BE WORTHWHILE.
AND THIS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET IS ABOUT 6% OF THE TOTAL REVENUE BUDGET.
AND THEREFORE, I THINK IT'S FULLY WORTH INVESTING OR A BOLD FUTURE FOR AUSTIN.
MELODY, VALIC, MELODY VALIC, PLEASE UNMUTE.
HELLO, I'M MAYOR ADLER PRO TEM ALTER IS NAMED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MELODY VOLEK AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TO ADVOCATE THAT YOU ADOPT THE ENTIRETY OF THE 75 MILLION COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AS PROPOSED BY 31 LOCAL ORGANIZATION.
75 MILLION IS ONLY 6% OF THIS YEAR'S PROJECTED TOTAL BUDGET THAT THE BENEFITS ARE IN CALCULABLE.
I COMMEND THE COUNCIL FOR ALLOCATING 1 MILLION FOR THE CREATION OF TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTERS TO SUPPORT VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, BUT THERE ARE CONCERNING GAPS REGARDING OTHER SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET FILLS THESE GAPS.
ONE OF THESE GLARING EMISSIONS IS THE FAILURE TO SET ASIDE ANYTHING, TO PAY A LIVING WAGE, TO PARAMEDICS, THE LOWEST PAID PUBLIC.
THIS FAILURE HAS PUT OUR SAFETY AT RISK BY LEADING TO EMS SHORTAGES.
LOCAL NEWS RECENTLY REPORTED THAT A RESIDENT WAS FORCED TO WAIT OVER 20 MINUTES FOR AN AMBULANCE DANGEROUS WAIT TIMES WILL BE FIXED BY OFFERING A WAGE THAT WILL ALLOW ENS TO LIVE IN A CITY.
IN FACT, ALL CITY EMPLOYEES DESERVE THE PROPOSED MINIMUM WAGE AT $22.
SO THAT THOSE WHO LITERALLY MAKE THE CITY FUNCTION CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE IN A TIME OF HISTORIC INFLATION.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THE PROPOSAL IN THIS BUDGET TO FUND ABORTION ACCESS DURING AN UNPRECEDENTEDLY BRAZEN ATTACK ON THE RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY.
THIS MONEY IS DESPERATELY NEEDED BY CITIZENS WHO NOW HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE, BUT TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE STATE TO SPEAK REPRODUCTIVE CARE, I'VE LISTED ONLY A FEW ITEMS, BUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET ADDRESS THE SERVICES THAT OFTEN NEED.
THESE ALSO INCLUDE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SEVERAL INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT HOMELESS CITIZENS, HISTORICALLY BLACK COMMUNITY CENTERS AND IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THESE GRIEF GROUPS HAVE BEEN THE HARDEST HIT BY THE PANDEMIC AND ITS SUBSEQUENT ECONOMIC FALLOUT.
AS A TAXPAYER AND ORDINARY AUSTINITE.
I DEMAND THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPT THE ENTIRE 75 MILLION COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND DO NOT CAPITULATE TO EXTREMISTS DEMANDING, EVEN GREATER FUNDING FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH SIMPLY CANNOT PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES AS THE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THE MOST EFFECTIVE WORK TO KEEP AUSTIN SAFE AND THRIVING TO SPEAK.
FRANKLY, IT WOULD BE SHAMEFUL NOT TO FULLY SUPPORT THIS COALITION WHO DARES EVERYDAY TO UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF ALL AUSTINITES THEY NEED YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, JORDAN MIDDLEBROOKS.
SO CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS JORDAN MIDDLEBROOK.
UM, I'M ALSO A PART OF THE SUNRISE MOVEMENT IN AUSTIN.
AND I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO FULLY SUPPORT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS BUDGET.
AS WE KNOW, THE INCREASE IN POLICING AND INCREASE IN POLICE BUDGET CANNOT BE REVERSED.
THANKS TO STATE LEGISLATURE THAT WAS PASSED.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT INCREASES IN POLICING DO NOT KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE.
OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY COMES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
SO I AM ASKING THAT WE INSTEAD INVEST IN SERVICES THAT PROVIDE SAFETY LIKE INCREASING THE EMS
[00:20:01]
WORKERS TO MAKE $22 PER HOUR, UM, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THESE PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND THE CITY IN WHICH THEY NEED TO LIVE IN ORDER TO HELP OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER.UM, PARAMEDICS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND ARE PAID THE LEAST.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WE ALSO NEED TO INCREASE THE FUNDS GOING TO OUR HOUSING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE INCREASE IN UNHOUSED PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SEEING YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU ALSO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR SUPPORTING HOUSING AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AS WELL AS INCLUDING INCREASES FOR OUR PARTS AND JUST REALLY OUR CITY SERVICES IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH HARM REDUCTION, PARKS AND SERVICES RECREATION.
UM, WE DRASTICALLY UNDEFINED THE, EVERY AREA OF WHAT THE CITY NEEDS FROM HEALTHCARE TO EDUCATION SERVICES, TO RECREATION AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A LIVABLE FUTURE.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO DO SO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO SEE RESILIENCY IN THE CITY AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY IN THE WAYS IN WHICH OFTEN HAS IN THE PAST.
AND SO I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO ADOPT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND TO NOT INCREASE THE POLICE BUDGET AT ALL.
UM, FROM WHAT IT WAS IN THE YEARS PRIOR, AND WITH THAT, I WILL WAIVE THE REST OF MY TIME.
OKAY, SUSAN PENTEL EVERY YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER PUTS OUT A BUDGET AND IT INCLUDES A TABLE SHOWING THE IMPACT ON THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, BUT THERE'S NO SIMILAR TABLE SHOWING THE IMPACT ON THE AVERAGE RENTER AND AS RENTERS, WE'RE TREATED LIKE WE'RE NOT LEGITIMATE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WE ALSO PAY TAXES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN OUR RENT AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX RATES ARE NOT GOING DOWN.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SUBTRACTED OUT FROM OUR RENT, FROM OUR FEES AT THE BOTTOM, LIKE HOMEOWNERS TOO.
YOU NEED TO HAVE TWO TABLES AND SHOW THE IMPACT ON REDFORD.
I OPPOSE THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR HOMEOWNERS ON AVERAGE, HOMEOWNERS ARE ABSOLUTELY WEALTHIER THAN RENTERS AND THE, THE, UH, BURDEN OF THE BUDGET IS INCREASINGLY BEING SHIFTED TO RENTERS BECAUSE YOUR AFTER YEAR, YOU REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR HOMEOWNERS AND IT'S NOT EQUITABLE.
I SUPPORT AS THE OTHER SPEAKERS, I SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET OF 75 MILLION.
I ALSO WANT TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR EMERGENCY WEATHER SHELTERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE MINT IN THE WINTER.
WE NEED SHELTERS WITH BACKUP, THE ACT OF GENERATORS OR ENERGY SOURCES.
AND TWO OR FOUR FOR THE WHOLE CITY IS NOT ENOUGH.
AND THAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
I ALSO ASKED YOU TO PRIORITIZE CUTTING THE TREE LIMBS THAT FALL ON THE POWER LINE.
WE SHOULD HAVE ZERO PREVENTABLE DEATHS FROM EXPOSURE TO ELEMENTS AND THESE WEATHER EVENTS ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
THEY'RE THEY'RE ONLY GETTING WORSE.
SO PUTTING THE MONEY IN UPFRONT IS A GOOD IDEA.
MY NAME IS ERICA PLAYMAKER AND I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE COALITION WHO BUILT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE MUCH WORK TO DO TO BECOME THIS FAMILY SUPPORTIVE, EQUITABLE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THE COALITION WILL STICK TOGETHER TO NEGOTIATE FOR EVERYONE.
SO IT BEING AND NOT FIGHT AMONGST ONE ANOTHER FOR SCRAPS, MANY OF US AND OUR NEIGHBORS ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE IN OUR CHANGING CITY.
NO ONE KNOWS THAT AS INTIMATELY, AS MANY GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS AROUND TOWN, WORKING DIRECTLY ALONGSIDE COMMUNITIES TO WEATHER DIFFICULT IN MANY CASES, WORSENING LIVING CONDITIONS, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET IS THE ONLY MAJOR DIRECT BUDGET INPUT FROM A MASSIVE COALITION OF LONG TIME COMMUNITY CONNECTED ORGANIZATIONS, MANY MEETINGS,
[00:25:01]
MANY HOURS, MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND MANY BRILLIANT MINDS CRAFTED THIS BUDGET.THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET IN ITS ENTIRETY IS A CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT BUDGET STRATEGY TO SUPPORT AUSTIN FAMILIES IN THESE TRYING TIMES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT COMMITTING JUST 6% OF THE GENERAL REVENUE IS THE RIGHT SIZE AMOUNT TO BEGIN ADDRESSING ISSUES.
WE FACE IN THE COMING YEAR AND EXCITED TO SEE SOME PIECES OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET FUNDED, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE FULL PACKAGE IS WHAT WILL GET OUR COMMUNITY ON ITS WAY TOWARDS A MORE EQUITABLE CITY COMMUNITY HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING RELY ON FULLY FUNDING.
THESE, HE TOOK INVESTMENTS IN THE FINAL BUDGET.
SO PLEASE REVISIT THE THOUGHTFUL PIECES OF THE PROPOSAL AND AMEND THE BUDGET AS OPPOSED TO INCLUDE ALL 75 MILLION.
I'M ESPECIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT FULLY FUNDING, HOUSING AND AN IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE BECAUSE EVERYDAY PEOPLE ARE BEARING THE BRUNT OF BOTH INSTALLATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO WE AS A CITY NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO HELPING PEOPLE STAY HOUSED AND ALSO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO WEATHER CLIMATE EMERGENCY.
IT'S NOW UP TO YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO ACT COURAGEOUSLY AND FULLY FUND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BY THE PLAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GREG BOSLEY.
I'M A RESIDENT DISTRICT THREE AND A MEMBER OF AUSTIN DSA.
AND I'M CALLING TO URGE YOU TO FIND THE FULL $75 MILLION THAT'S PROPOSED IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
Y'ALL THE RESOLUTION THAT DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $22 AN HOUR.
LIVING WAGE FOR CITY EMPLOYEE CONTRACTORS AND THE CITY MANAGER'S DRAFT BUDGET PROPOSES ONLY EIGHT ONLY $18 MINIMUM WAGE.
THAT'S WELL BELOW A LIVING WAGE FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND OFTEN LET ALONE SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO RAISE A FAMILY.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE NONBINDING SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE SHOWED ALREADY, BUT WE EXPECT THAT Y'ALL STAND BY YOUR WORD.
UM, THE WORKERS WHO PLAN, BUILD AND CARE FOR THE CITY NEED THE JOBS THAT ALLOW US TO SAY HERE IN AUSTIN WITH OUR FAMILIES AND ENJOY THE WONDERFUL CITY THAT WE ARE BUILDING AROUND US.
UM, AS PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE STATED, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ON THIS BUDGET IS, UM, INCREASES TO THE HISTORICALLY SWOLLEN POLICE DEPARTMENTS SHARE OF THE GENERAL BUDGET.
UM, THAT SHARE CAN'T BE REALLOCATED IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THE REACTIONARY, UM, STATE LAW, BUT AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN A PRIORITY, UM, OR AN INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET, ESPECIALLY AS THEY'RE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED MORE FROM THE BUDGET THAN OUR PARKS, LIBRARIES AND EMS DEPARTMENTS COMBINED.
WE'VE ALREADY HEARD, UM, SOME GREAT SPEAKERS EXPLAIN WHY TAKING CARE OF OUR PARAMEDICS, OUR PARKS, OUR LIBRARY OF HIS AND OUR CITY'S POOR AND WORKING CLASS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BUILD A SAFE AND HEALTHY CITY.
UM, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AS YOU KNOW, IS THOUGHTFULLY DEVELOPED BY A LARGE ORGANIZED COALITION OF MORE THAN 30 ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE UP AUSTIN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE MOVEMENT.
UM, THAT MOVEMENT HAS ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL AUSTINITES, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE HIT HARDEST BY THE CURRENT AND RECENT CRISES THAT WE FACE, BUT ALSO THAT WILL BE MOST EFFECTED BY ANY FUTURE CRISIS.
SO WE NEED YOU TO PLEASE FIND THE FULL $75 MILLION TO BILL FOR ALL THOSE CITIZENS.
SHANTELLE PRIDGEN SHANTELLE, PLEASE UNMUTE JULIE SWAG.
I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF ATX KIND A GROUP OF JEWISH WOMEN WHO CAME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS RISING ANTISEMITISM IN AUSTIN.
I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UH, AND IN THE LAST YEAR, WHITE SUPREMACISTS WHO SET FIRE TO AN AUSTIN SYNAGOGUES, LITTERED OR CITY WITH PROPAGANDA AND REPEATEDLY OUR COMMUNITY ONLINE.
THIS HAS TO STOP AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE CITY MUST TAKE ACTION.
NOW WE NEED A ROBUST PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO SHOW THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO ENDING HATE AND TO REMIND PEOPLE HOW TO REPORT IT.
WE NEED BETTER TRAINING FOR CITY STAFF, ESPECIALLY POLICE OFFICERS ADDRESSING THE NEW TACTICS OF HATE GROUPS
[00:30:01]
ON SOCIAL MEDIA.AND WE NEED TO FIX OUR REPORTING AND TRACKING SYSTEM FOR HATE INCIDENTS.
MORE THAN 19,000 PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO FILE A REPORT WITH 3, 1, 1, AND FAILED BECAUSE THE SYSTEM ISN'T WORKING, I PERSONALLY TRIED TO REPORT A NON-EMERGENCY INCIDENT, BUT I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN YOU CALL 3, 1, 1, THEY DON'T ACTUALLY TAKE THE REPORT.
THEY HAVE AN OFFICER CALL YOU BACK FROM AN UNKNOWN NUMBER.
AND IF YOU DON'T ANSWER, THEY CLOSE THAT CASE.
THIS DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN TO ME.
IT HAPPENED TO ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO REPORT A NON-EMERGENCY INCIDENT SINCE OCTOBER, AND IT HAS TO BE FIXED CALLS AND ONLINE REPORTS ALSO NEED TO BE FLAGGED AS HATE INCIDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN BE PROPERLY TRACKED AS CASES.
UH, AND SO THAT CASES LIKE MINE DON'T FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
WE NEED A HATE INCIDENT DASHBOARD, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHERE WE ALSO NEED A STREAMLINED, EASY TO REVIEW SYSTEMS, SOMETHING EASY TO REMEMBER, LIKE TEXTS, UH, REPORT HATES AND 5 1, 2, 1, 2, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO REPORT HATE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN.
WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH CITY LEADERS FOR MONTHS TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE, BUT THE TIME TO ACT AS NOW, WE BELIEVE MAYOR PRO TEM ALTAR WILL BE ALTERING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS THE KEY AREAS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, TRAINING AND REPORTING.
AND WE HOPE EACH OF YOU WILL SUPPORT THAT REQUEST.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, REBECCA BERNHARDT.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10 AND I SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THE BUDGET OVERALL AND THEN SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM FIVE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE ENTIRE 75 MILLION COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND PAY.
UM, EMS ARE LIVING EQUITABLE WAGE OF AT LEAST $22 PER HOUR.
UM, BOTH OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE ENTIRE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, REGARDING AGENDA FIVE IN PARTICULAR, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION YET.
UM, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE FUNDING FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS, UM, IN SHORT LICENSE PLATE READER, TECHNOLOGY, UM, WHICH COLLECTS PEOPLE'S, UH, INFORMATION BY AUTOMATICALLY SCANNING THEIR LICENSE SITES.
UM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ARE PLACED ON THE USE AND STORAGE OF THE DATA COLLECTED, UM, CAN AND WILL MOST LIKELY BE MISUSED BY PEACE OFFICERS.
UM, IT CAN EASILY BE MISUSED TO ASSIST IN THE DEPORTATION OF IMMIGRANTS, UM, AND STATE LAW PREVENTS THE CITY AND SPECIFICALLY APD MANAGEMENT FROM STOPPING INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS FROM SHARING DATA, UM, FOR THIS PURPOSE, UM, IT CAN BE MISUSED TO TRACK WOMEN TRYING TO ACCESS ABORTION SERVICES, UM, AND IT CAN BE USED TO TRACK TARGETS OF POLICE INFILTRATION.
UM, PLEASE I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, NOT TO ADD FUNDING FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS TO THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SAM KIRSCH.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE.
THE STATE HAS PROCLAIMED MAKING, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO BE DONE IN COUNSELING NEEDS TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT.
THE CITY SHELTERS ARE ONE CATASTROPHE AFTER THE NEXT I WAS PRESENT AT LAST THURSDAY CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND I CAN EMPATHIZE, BUT THE TYPICAL SITUATION COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE IN WHEN AN IMMEDIATE DECISION HADN'T BEEN MADE, BUT IT MUST ALSO BE RECOGNIZED THAT SHELTERS ARE A PARTIAL STOP GAP AT BEST.
IF YOU HAVE EVER ASKED ANYONE WHO IS ACTUALLY UNHOUSED ABOUT SHELTERS, YOU WILL KNOW WHY PEOPLE OFTEN AVOID THEM.
THEY'RE SPARKED TOO MANY RULES AND RISKS TO ONE'S OWN BODY AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
ADDITIONALLY, EMERGENCY WEATHER CENTERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE NECESSARY, BUT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
KAT METRO SHOULD ALSO MAKE THESE, UM, UH, FREE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
SO ON HOW PEOPLE CAN GET TEMPORARY ACCESS TO AIR CONDITIONING AND AVOID HEAT STROKE, BUT THEY NEED IT NEED FOR THESE ACTIONS SHOULD WAKE YOU UP TO REALIZE THAT THESE MEASURES WILL NEVER SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
ONLY GUARANTEEING HOUSING AS HUMAN RIGHTS AND FOLLOWING THROUGH ON BUILDING HOUSING FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON WITH THE OTHER APPROACH MUST BE BOLDLY ADDRESSING THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS.
ON THURSDAY, THE CITY COUNCIL HONORED RHINOS FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AT THE EQUITY OFFICE.
BRIAN SPOKE OF HOW IT IS A CRITICAL MISTAKE TO TAKE THE MODERATE APPROACH.
HE SPOKE OF HOW WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAY YOU SHOULD NOT TOUCH.
SO PLEASE DO NOT LET HIS DEPARTING
[00:35:01]
RECOMMENDATIONS JUST BE SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, BUT LET THEM ACTUALLY BE A THROUGH LINE FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.CITY MUST SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR EVICTION LEGAL PROTECTIONS, WHETHER SELL DURING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND MORE, LET SIGNIFICANTLY RAISE THE CITY WORKERS MINIMUM WAGE TO $22 AN HOUR AND GIVE EVEN HIGHER INCREASES TO PARAMEDICS WHO ARE VASTLY OVERWORKED AND UNDERSTAFFED.
PLEASE FUND THE FULL $75 MILLION IN COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO HEAR ME.
IS THIS BETTER? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU BETTER.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, MY NAME IS MAREN AND I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY THE ACROSS THE BOARD PERCENTAGE RAISES FOR COST OF LIVING.
I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT WE BE CONSIDER ACROSS THE BOARD, RAISES A PERCENTAGE, INCREASE, INCREASE INEQUITABLY, FAVORS THOSE AT THE TOP OF THE INCOME SCALE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT HOW WE PLAY SUCH AN EMPHASIS ON RETAINING LEADERSHIP TALENT AND MAINTAINING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND THIS IS AT A DISSERVICE TO THE TALENTS OF OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS.
STAFF CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE TO PAY RENT, GETS FURTHER DISPLACED TO THE OUTSKIRTS.
WE ARE STRUGGLING TO HIRE AND TO RETAIN QUALITY STAFF.
WE'RE ACTIVELY DISINVESTING IN OUR CITY AND OUR WORKERS, MANY MORE OF OUR STAFF FALL THROUGH THE GAPS, NOT NEITHER QUALIFYING FOR SERVICES NOR BEING PAID A LIVING WAGE AND UP TO AFFORD THEIR RENT AND EQUITABLE POLICIES ARE A CHOICE.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL MORE EQUITABLE MODELS THAT EXIST, AND I LEAVE THAT ISSUE TO THE EXPERTS TO ADDRESS HOW BEST TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
BUT THAT ALSO BRINGS ME TO A SECOND POINT OF THE ISSUE OF MERIT PAY AND HOW THE LACK OF UPWARD MOBILITY IMPACTS RETENTION AND DRIVE UP OUR TURNOVER RATE.
WE LOST, WE LOSE PRODUCTIVITY, WE LOSE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND, UH, WE SPEND ADDITIONAL, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL COSTS IN RECRUITING AND INTERVIEWING AND ONBOARDING NEW INDIVIDUALS, INDIVIDUALS LIKE ME, WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THEIR POSITION, BUT, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN MY SALARY AND MY MOBILITY, BUT I HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
CONTINUING AT MY SAME WORK, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE MY CONDITIONS.
I THINK ALSO, UM, FOR OUR BUDGET TO, TO, UM, MIRROR WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF HOW THE BUDGET IS DISTRIBUTED BY DEPARTMENTS, HOW THE BUDGET IS USED, WHAT, WHAT THE EQUITY, UM, ASSESSMENT OF THAT BUDGET COSTS IS AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF HAYS COUNTY AND AN AUSTIN CITY VOLUNTEER.
I'M CALLING INTO REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE FULL 75 MILLION OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AS A BARE MINIMUM, AS SOMEONE WHO DOES OUTREACH ON THE STREETS, I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS EVERY DAY.
IN FACT, ANYONE OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY COULD BE ONE EMERGENCY, THEREFORE WE NEED, WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE FUNDS FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION ASSISTANCE.
UM, LAST WINTER, IT WAS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT PULLED OURSELVES TOGETHER, RAISED FUNDS AND PUT, UH, PROBABLY A, A VERY GOOD HANDFUL OF PEOPLE, UH, IN HOUSING, OURSELVES AND HOTELS, WHICH JUST AS SIMPLY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
I HAD HEARD FROM THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS, UH, STRATEGY THAT THERE WAS ZERO FUNDING DURING THE WINTER FOR, UH, WARMING CENTERS.
SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE THE BASELINE REMAINING NEED FOR SHELTERS.
I UNDERSTAND THIS 1.2 MILLION HAS BEEN REQUESTED AS A BASE, UM, FURTHER, UH, THERE WAS JUST A UNHOUSED MAN WHO WAS FOUND IN
SO DEFINITELY THERE NEEDS TO BE CONTINUED.
UM, COOLING CENTERS OFFERED FOR OUR UNHOUSED MEMBERS TO AVOID THESE KINDS OF TRAGEDIES.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME.
UM, I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE ITEMS IN, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AND PLEASE REFRAIN FROM, UM, ADDING ANYTHING MORE TO THE POLICE BUDGET AT THIS TIME.
APD DOES NOT HAVE A GOOD, UH, REPUTATION, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD, WHY WE WOULD REWARD THAT AT THIS TIME.
WE NEED TO, UM, PRESERVE OUR FUNDS
[00:40:01]
FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY.HI, MY NAME IS MARRIOTT HUMBLE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I AM ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF ACX KIND A GROUP OF JEWISH WOMEN WHO CAME TOGETHER TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM AND HATE IN AUSTIN.
AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND ASK FOR ROBUST AND URGENT ACTION AGAINST ANTISEMITISM IN OUR CITY.
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF INCIDENTS OF HATE, INCLUDING NEO-NAZI AND ANTI-SEMITIC BANNER OVER MOPAC HATEFUL FIRES IN PARKS AND ON PEOPLE'S DRIVEWAYS, AN ARSON AT A LOCAL SYNAGOGUE THAT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING.
THIS TROUBLING TREND NEEDS TO BE STOPPED AND WE BELIEVE THE CITY MUST ACT.
NOW LATE LAST YEAR, COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM ULCER, COMMITTING TO FIGHTING ANTI-SEMITISM IN OUR CITY.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THE CITY FOLLOWS THROUGH ON THIS RESOLUTION WITH FUNDING AND CLEAR ASHTON.
WE WANT TO BE A WHOLE, SOME PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
MY DAUGHTER'S TALKING TO, UH, AGAINST ANTISEMITISM TO SHOW EVERYONE RESIDENTS ON FACEBOOK THAT THIS CITY STANDS AGAINST.
HEY, AND TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT AND HOW SOCIETY IS PUTTING TWO BILLBOARDS THAT MAKE ROBUST MEDIA AND WEB.
WE WOULD ESTIMATE A BUDGET 200 K FOR THIS.
WE HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT THAT THE REPORTING SYSTEM IN THE CITY IS LACKING.
THERE SHOULD BE AN EASY TO USE SYSTEM TO REPORT CASE INCIDENTS SUCH AS REPORT HATE BY TEXTING THIS NUMBER RIGHT NOW, THE REPORTING METHODS ARE SCATTERED AND NOT KNOWN TO BOTH PRESIDENTS.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE ASKING FOR A HATE INCIDENT DASHBOARD FOR THE CITY AS IS SEEN IN OTHER PLACES SUCH AS CHICAGO.
SO EVERYONE CAN TRACK HATE INCIDENTS.
NEO-NAZIS GROUPS APPROACH HAS EVOLVED AND SO MUCH OUR CITY'S PROACTIVE STRATEGIES IN PREPARATION.
THIS INCLUDES UPDATED AND SPECIFIC TRAINING FOR ALL CITY STAFF TO CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF ANTI-SEMITISM, HOW TO AVOID IT AND HOW TO ADDRESS IT.
THE LOCAL ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE IS A READILY AVAILABLE RESOURCE FOR THIS TYPE OF TRAINING.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR ACTION FOR MANY MONTHS AND WE CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER ACTION AGAINST HATE DOES NOT ONLY BENEFIT OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY, BUT IT HELPED ALL MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN OUR CITY.
WE ALL DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE IN THE CITY.
WE BELIEVE MAYOR PRO TEM ALTAR WILL BE OFFERING A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS APP.
AND WE HOPE EACH OF YOU WILL WE'LL SUPPORT THAT REQUEST.
THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER HARBOR MADISON HERE, MAY I PLEASE? I BELIEVE THEY CALL IS STILL ON THE LINE.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO SAVE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT IT TO POINT OUT FOR THE CALLER, UM, THAT THEY COULD GO BACK TO THE ARCHIVES AND GRAB THAT CHUNK OF FOOTAGE FROM 3 46 ON THE 2ND OF AUGUST, UH, WHEN THEIR BABY MADE A VERY STRONG STANCE AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM, UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS RECOGNIZE THAT YOU CAN GO IN AND SNATCH THAT CLIP.
I ENCOURAGE THAT THEY DO THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES IT'S CHALLENGING TO DO SO.
I THINK EVERY ALL THE PARENTS ON THE DIET'S DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY.
I WORK AT GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP, BUT TO THEM ONLY CALLING US A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND ON BEHALF OF MY UNDOCUMENTED FAMILY MEMBERS IN DISTRICT FOUR AND SEVEN, AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY GENTRIFICATION AND OVER POLICING, I WAS HEAVILY SURVEILLED AS AN ACTIVIST.
I'M THERE, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF THE TECHNOLOGIES YOU'VE BEEN TO SURVEIL PEOPLE REMAIN TO THE EAST, WHICH HAS A LICENSE PLATE READER, WHICH IS SOLD TO US AS A SAFETY MEASURE.
BUT WHICH REPORTS CONTINUE TO SHOW IS QUITE AN EFFECTIVE.
IT IS ALSO ALARMING THAT HIS CONTRACT WILL BE HOUSED UNDER APD, WHICH RENT THE FUSION CENTER THAT HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO SURVEILLING ACTIVISTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS, SUCH AS A JUNE TEAM CELEBRATION.
THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD ALSO BE USED TO TRACK PEOPLE, SEEKING ABORTIONS, TO BE CLEAR.
I AM ALSO AGAINST THE CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET BECAUSE HE DOES NOT FULLY FUND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AT THE REQUEST OF 74 MILLION THAT INCLUDED HARM REDUCTION MEASURES.
AND WHAT'S CRAFTED BY OVER 30 ORGANIZATION.
I KNOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE CITY COUNCIL A LOT RECENTLY.
AND, UM, A LOT OF THAT TRIED TO SEND US BACK IN TIME, BUT I ENCOURAGE THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN INTERACTING WITH THESE COMMUNITY FOR A YEAR SYSTEM STRONG.
WE HAVE PULLED YOUR YEAR AFTER YEAR, UM, AND THROUGH THEIR REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE RAPPORT, WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE, YOU KNOW, THOSE VERY WELL, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH THEM.
SO PLEASE FOCUS ON FULLY FUNDING
[00:45:01]
THOSE INSTEAD OF BACKTRACKING ON THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE COLLECTIVELY IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT PROGRESS RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE MOST IMPACTED LIKE MY FAMILY AND MYSELF.THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHANTELLE PRIDGEN.
UM, MY NAME IS
UM, I AM CALLING IN REGARDS TO ITEM FIVE.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND SHOULD BE, UM, FULLY FUNDED, 74 BILLION.
UM, WE HAVE ONLY SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TAXPAYERS AND, AND THERE ARE OTHER MEASURES OF PREVENTION AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, JOBS, AND HOUSING THAT CAN BE, UM, FUNDED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND.
SO I'M ASKING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FULLY FUND THAT.
AND ALSO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, UM, THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER IS BACK ON AS MORE POLICING, UM, MORE, MORE BIAS, MORE TARGETING, MORE PROFILEY.
UM, SO I'M ASKING THAT THAT NOT BE RENEWED.
THANK YOU, FRANK NESTOR, FRANK, PLEASE UNMUTE.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE EMPLOYEES UNION AS WELL, THAT OFTEN DFA I'M CALLING TO, AGAIN, REACT, GO, EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING TODAY, WHICH IS THAT, UH, WE DON'T NEED TO PUT MORE FUNDING INTO POLICING.
UH, MY, MY FRIEND, CHRIS HARRIS, WHEN I SAY THAT, UH, PEOPLE ARE NOT KEPT SAFER BY BELIEVING THEY'RE KEPT SAFER WHEN WE HAD HEALTH CARE HOMES AND JOBS, UH, THAT COULD BE REFLECTED BY OUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
UH, $23 AN HOUR IS WHAT YOU REQUESTED.
IT IS WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES DESERVE, AND IT IS WHAT WE ALL NEED.
I WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER ELABORATE THAT, UH, WE KEEP LOSING POWER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT SUCKS AND, UH, RATE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTING, UH, THE MOST LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS ARE REALLY UNFORTUNATE.
UH, ESPECIALLY YOU'RE GIVING THAT MONEY.
IF THAT COULD BE FIXING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, REBUILDING OUR SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE A CLIMATE SAFE ZONE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME, THAT LOSE POWER FREQUENTLY.
SO I HAD SOMEWHERE TO GO TO, UH, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC IF WE COULD HAVE THAT MONEY FOR THEM, RATHER THAN FOR PEOPLE THAT FURTHER INCARCERATE PEOPLE AND THROW KIDS INTO OUR RAPIDLY DECAYING, JUVENILE DELINQUENT SYSTEM OR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT, UH, LAST WEEK I CALLED IN ABOUT MY MOTHER WHO HAD BEEN PUT INTO THE ER AND BEEN FORCED TO SLEEP IN A HALLWAY ALL NIGHT, UM, BECAUSE THE ROOMS WERE FULL PUBLIC HEALTH IS A HUGE ISSUE THAT WE COULD BACK THE MONEY INTO, BUT RATHER INSTEAD, WE WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO LICENSE PLATE LEADERS, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, THERE WERE A BUNCH OF COP CARS JUST PARKED RIGHT OUTSIDE, WATCHING EVERYBODY GO IN AND OUT.
AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE, WHERE THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR ABORTION THERE.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
I HOPE YOU ADOPT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET RATHER THAN A CITY MANAGER, CROCS UNFORTUNATE PROPOSAL.
I KNOW THERE WAS A KIND OF A VEILED REFERENCE TO IT, BUT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE JUVENILE BECAUSE THE CALLER WAS TALKING ABOUT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, JUST FOR EVERYONE'S INFORMATION, THEY'RE HAVING VERY SERIOUS STAFFING SHORTAGES AT VARIOUS JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS, JUVENILE PRISONS, WHERE, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE ESSENTIALLY BEING KEPT IN THERE.
SO THE WHOLE TIME THERE'S A LACK OF SERVICES.
THE LACK OF SECURITY IS THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT.
SO ANYWAY, HE WAS JUST REFERRING TO IT.
THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF ARTICLES ABOUT THAT RECENTLY, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE PUBLIC A HEADS UP THAT THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS WE HAVE IN THE QUEUE.
SO I'M GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO IN-PERSON.
FIRST UP IS SHAYLA WILLIAMS FOLLOWED BY YVONNE WELDON.
MAYOR MAY APPROACH HIM AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
[00:50:01]
BUDGET, AND PARTICULARLY TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE CARVER MUSEUM.I WANT TO JUST SPEAK TO YOU JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE CO THE CARVER MUSEUM IS TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP BEFORE IT WAS TURNED INTO A MUSEUM, YOU HAVE TO SEE IT MORE AS JUST A MUSEUM.
THE CARVER MUSEUM TELLS STORIES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN, WHICH IS NOW CALLED CENTRAL AUSTIN.
IT IS THERE, IT GIVES OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, THEIR PROGRAMS THERE FOR OUR KIDS IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT HELPS THEM ADVANCE, NOT JUST IN, UM, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO IN EDUCATION.
IT TELLS THE STORIES OF WHAT WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, ANDERSON, UH, THE ORIGINAL ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY WERE CALLED THE YELLOW JACKETS AND THEIR COLORS WERE BLACK AND GOLD.
I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE SCHOOL THAT MY MOTHER AND MY AUNTIE GRADUATED FROM.
THERE'S A YEARBOOK IN THAT, UM, MUSEUM THAT THEY ARE IN.
AND IT'S PERSONAL TO ME BECAUSE OF THE SIMPLE FACT.
I SEE IT MORE THAN JUST A MUSEUM, BUT IT ALSO IS A LEGACY.
AND THIS IS WHERE I CAN TAKE MY GRANDCHILDREN AND SHOW THEM THE HISTORY IN WHICH I GREW UP IN THE W THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT I KNOW THEY'VE CHANGED ON THE OUTSIDE.
BUT THE CARVER MUSEUM HAS WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE CARVER MUSEUM TO KEEP IT GOING, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S A MUSEUM, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A LEGACY, IT'S A LEGACY TO THOSE OF US WHO GREW UP IN THAT COMMUNITY.
IT'S A LEGACY TO THE KIDS WHO ARE CURRENTLY THERE, BUT ALSO IT'S A LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE OF OTHER CHILDREN THAT ARE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN GO THERE AND SEE THE EXHIBIT OR THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL THAT THEIR GREAT GRANDMOTHER GRADUATED FROM.
AND THE GREAT AUNT GRADUATED FROM.
SO I SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AND I ASKED THAT YOU DONATE MONEY TO KEEP THE CARVER MUSEUM GOING, THANK YOU, YVONNE WELDON FOLLOWED BY BED.
BEN SAID A B HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS YVONNE WELDON, AND I AM A CANDIDATE FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE.
I HAVE BEEN GOING DOOR TO DOOR TO FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT ASKING WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM OVERWHELMINGLY THE TOP ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US ARE AFFORDABILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY, ESPECIALLY THE CRIME PLAGUING OUR DISTRICT.
LAST THURSDAY, WE WENT INTO A RECESSION.
FOLKS ARE STRUGGLING WITH PAYING BASIC BILLS LIKE THEIR RENT AND FOOD, AS WELL AS UTILITY BILLS.
AND EVEN BACK TO SCHOOL ESSENTIALS.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE INCREASING THE TAX RATES THAT WILL AFFECT RENDERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND OTHER RESIDENTS.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN EFFECTIVELY REDUCE THE TAX RATE AND STILL RECEIVE MORE REVENUE OVER LAST YEAR.
THE RIDICULOUS $350 MILLION BOND.
I'M OBLIGATING ABOUT $350 ON EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN.
WE NEED A FULL EXTERNAL AUDIT ON HOW YOU ARE SPENDING OUR MONEY AND THEN MOVE FORWARD ON IT TOWARD A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AS FAR AS THE LICENSE PLATE READERS, MACKENZIE KELLY HAS GIVEN COMPELLING DATA TO SUPPORT IT.
THESE READERS CAN SAVE LIVES, QUIT PLAYING GAMES AND WASTING TIME AND MONEY AND PASS IT ALREADY.
RECENTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FOLKS CALLING 9 1, 1 HAVING LONG HOLD TIMES, OR HAVING TO WAIT ALMOST 30 MINUTES FOR AN AMBULANCE, AS WELL AS POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE SO UNDERSTAFFED.
THEY ARE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY.
I SUGGEST NON-ESSENTIAL CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE REROUTED TO THE 9 1, 1 APD AFD AND EMS DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE ESSENTIAL SERVICES UNTIL THE STAFFING CRISIS THAT YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE CREATED IS BACK UNDER CONTROL.
WE NEED TO FULLY FUND AND SUPPORT THE DEMANDS OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, TO FULLY ENSURE THE PUBLIC SAFETY OF AUSTIN NIGHTS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, BADDEST.
YOU HAD YOUR HAND RAISED EARLIER, AND IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, THANK YOU, MAN.
AND SO I'M NOT CERTAIN IF THAT SPEAKER THAT ASKED ABOUT THE CARVER STILL IN THE ROOM, I WAS JUST GOING TO ENCOURAGE THE SPEAKER TO REACH OUT TO THE DISTRICT ONE OFFICE AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF SOME UPCOMING, UM, REPAIRS, RENOVATIONS, AND, UH, THE MANIFESTATION OF SOME BOND DOLLARS THAT ARE IN, UM, THAT ARE, UH, COMING UP FOR THE CARVER.
UH, SO, SO NOT ONLY, UH, IS THERE DEFINITELY A DISTINCT,
[00:55:01]
UH, COMMITMENT TO INVESTMENT IN THE CARVER IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEING SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS IN THE CARVER MANIFEST RIGHT NOW.UM, SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THE DISTRICT ONE OFFICE AND I CAN HAPPILY ELABORATE.
SHE'S SEEN HER AND GAVE YOU A THUMBS UP NEXT SPEAKER, BEN, SOON TO BE.
AND THEN ALICIA TORRES, HELLO, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE.
UH, MY NAME'S BEN I'M A MEMBER OF BOTH ASKED ME 16, 24 AUSTIN DSA, AND PROUD TO BE A RECENT, UH, MOVE FROM D ONE OVER TO D FOUR, SORRY TO MY ONLINE, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO.
UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS CONSTRAINED IN TEXAS, YOU KNOW, OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT THE CAPITOL.
YOU KNOW, THAT PINK BUILDING UP ON CONGRESS HAS SEEN FIT TO TIE YOUR HANDS AS FAR AS TRYING TO DO GOOD.
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET PROCESSES IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, FOR ITEM ONE, I DO INVITE YOU TO, TO APPROVE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A, UH, AT LEAST THIS YEAR, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A VOTE TO, UH, TO HAVE A HIGHER RATE THAN WHAT THE MAXIMUM IS.
WE'RE NOT TRIGGERING THAT THIS YEAR, BUT CONSIDER IT FOR FUTURE YEARS.
IF, IF, IF, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S GOOD TO BE DONE WITH THAT MONEY, UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SPEAK, UH, ADOPTING THAT SAME POLICY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUDGET PROCESS IS A VERY GOOD THING, UH, ALLOWING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME AND, UH, HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
I AM TROUBLED THOUGH BY, UH, COUNT, UH, THE PROCESS THAT ALLOWS FOR A COUNCIL TO THANKFULLY, UH, GIVE DIRECTION, UH, IN, ON JUNE 16TH, UNANIMOUSLY, UH, INSTRUCTING THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A BUDGET THAT GAVE A $22 AN HOUR, UH, RAISED OR MINIMUM AT THE CITY.
AND THEN HE RETURNED WITH ONE THAT FALLS FALLS QUITE SHORT FROM THAT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE, UH, MORE PRESSURE PUT ON, UH, HIRED PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF CITY COUNCIL WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING THOSE BUDGETS.
UM, THE, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, UH, THAT EVERYONE HERE IS SPEAKING ABOUT, PLEASE FUND THAT.
UH, IT IS A WAY THAT YOU DO HAVE POWER IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SHOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE CONSTRAINED BY THE, BY THE STATE, IN SOME WAYS DO GOOD WHERE YOU CAN, AND THAT IS ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN DO GOOD FOR, UH, THE RE THE CHANGES OF RATES, UH, AT THE AUSTIN, UH, ENERGY I'M TROUBLED BY, UH, A CHANGE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S RISING COSTS AND THEY NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
BUT FROM GOING TO FI, UH, FIVE TIERS OF RESIDENTIAL DOWN TO THREE, WHERE THE POOREST ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THEIR ENERGY COSTS, AND THOSE HEAVY USERS, RESIDENTIALLY ARE SEEING A DISCOUNT THEY'RE GONNA ACTUALLY BE PAYING LESS, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED AND RETOOLED.
SO THAT, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
UH, THOSE WITH THE LEAST SHOULDN'T BE BEARING THE BRUNT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, OUR, OUR BUDGETS, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, LICENSE PLATE READERS, UH, I ASKED YOU TO PLEASE DO NOT FUND THAT.
THERE'S A CONCEPT OF NOT CREATING DATA.
IF DATA IS NOT COLLECTED AND CREATED, THEN IT CAN'T BE TAKEN BY THE STATE TO BE MISUSED.
UH, LOOK AT THIS WIRED ARTICLE FROM, UH, JUST A MONTH AGO ABOUT THE DANGERS OF LICENSE PLATE READERS IN A POST ROW WORLD.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT DO THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, ONCE AGAIN, I URGE YOU PLEASE, THE, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, UH, THAT EVERYONE HAS ADDRESSED TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
THANK YOU, ALICIA TORRES, AND THEN AMELIA COST US HELLO, MY, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME VOICE? UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS ELISA TORRES.
I AM A MEMBER OF ICE FOR THE AUSTIN AND PART OF THE GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP TEAM, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER OF DISTRICT THREE.
I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO NOT ACCEPT THE CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET.
I'M PART OF CITY MANAGERS, SPENCER CRUNK.
WE NEED A BUDGET THAT IS COMMUNITY CENTERED, AND THAT ADDRESSES THE DISPARITIES.
OUR COMMUNITY FACES AT THE COST AND NOT JUST BANDAID APPROACHES.
WHAT WE NEED AND DEMAND IS THAT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY YOUR ADLER AND CITY MANAGER, SPENCER CRONK.
REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE PRESENT US THE PEOPLE AND PUT FORTH A CITY BUDGET THAT COMPLETELY FUNDS THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AT 75 MILLION AND NOT THE MERE 21 MILLION THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PROPOSED.
TO START, WE NEED 1.5 MILLION TO CREATE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR ON HOUSE BLACK AUSTINITES
[01:00:01]
WHO FORM ABOUT 40% OF THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY IN OUR CITY TO START, WE NEED 3 MILLION TO HARM FOR HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, PERMANENT HOUSING, INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS, INSTEAD OF INCREASED FUNDS FOR SWEEPS, LIKE THE ONES THAT HAPPEN TODAY TO START, WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS BY ALLOCATING MONEY FOR AISD PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST.WE NEED IN SHORT, WE NEED TO FUND ALL THE ITEMS THAT RECEIVED NO FUNDING IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
HOW DO WE DO THIS? WE START, WE START, WE STARTED THAT BY NOT ALLOWING THE CONTRACT RENEWAL OF THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS TO HAPPEN.
THIS WOULD INCREASE FUNDING TO APD FOR AN INEFFICIENT, INEFFECTIVE, AND FAR THE SORRY BEING WE WOULD, THIS WOULD INCREASE, UH, THE FUNDING TO AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR AN INEFFECTIVE AND HARMFUL TECHNOLOGY THAT OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY SAID DOES NOT MAKE US FEEL SAFE BACK IN 2020 AND TAKES CLOSE TO 114,000 AWAY FROM POSSIBLE INVESTMENT INTO OUR COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND SAFETY.
FURTHERMORE, SOME OF THE TRACKED ISSUES WITH AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS THAT ARE ALIGNED IN THE DOCUMENT.
I JUST HANDED OUT, UM, THAT WAS CREATED BY GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP AND JUST FUTURES.
UM, LOCATION DATA COULD BE SHARED WITH ICE FOR CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, LEADING TO SEPARATION OF FAMILIES THROUGH DETENTION AND DEPORTATION AOL, UH, AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS MAY BE USED BY POLICE ANTI-ABORTION GROUPS WHO SEEK TO SURVEIL ARREST AND PROSECUTE WOMEN SEEKING ABORTION SERVICES ACROSS STATE LINES.
CURRENTLY, TEXAS DOES NOT HAVE AN AOPR STATUTE TO ENSURE PRIVACY AND SECURITY AND TO MONITOR WHERE A OF SUCH DATA ALP ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY SURVEIL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LOW INCOME AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, NO TO THE RENEWAL OF THE AUSTIN ITEM, AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER, CONTRACT, AND FUND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AT THE FULL 75 MILLION.
WE AS AUSTINITES TO SERVE MORE AND DEMAND MORE.
THANK YOU, EMILIA CASAS FOLLOWED BY ANNA GONZALES.
MY NAME IS AMELIA
TODAY, I STAND HERE TO URGE YOU ALL TO FULLY FUND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
IF YOU HAVE, THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE CITY, MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
HOWEVER, AS YOU'VE HEARD, SOME ITEMS ARE STILL UNDERFUNDED OR NOT INCLUDED AT ALL, INCLUDING HIGHER WAGES FOR EMS WORKERS, CRITICAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, AND VIOLENCE INTERRUPTER PROGRAM, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
WE NAMED THE 75 MILLION IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS A MINIMUM STARTING POINT FOR WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND HAS BEEN CALLING FOR.
THIS IS A TINY FRACTION OF THE CITY'S OVERALL 1.3 BILLION GENERAL FUND, AND SHOULD RECEIVE FULL INVESTMENT.
ONE PIECE I'D LIKE TO UPLIFT IS OUR ASK FOR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TOWARDS A PILOT VIOLENCE INTERRUPTER PROGRAM VIOLENCE INTERRUPTER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NATION HAVE SHOWN INCREDIBLE OUTCOMES AND PREVENTING COMMUNITY AND GUN VIOLENCE BY ADVANCING COMMUNITY HEALING AND ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF HARM AND VIOLENCE.
THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW TO ADD THIS ESSENTIAL VALUE TO OUR CITY.
I WILL SAY IT IS INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THE CITY INVEST SO HEAVILY IN HARMFUL APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS BY ALLOCATING $4.8 MILLION IN ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS IN THE NAME OF HARM REDUCTION AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
YOU MUST REALLOCATE THESE FUNDS TO REAL AND LIFE SAVING SERVICES FOR OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
LASTLY, I WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT FORENSICS DEPARTMENT OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS HAS BEEN A CRITICAL INVESTMENT THAT WAS PUSHED BY THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE FOR YEARS.
AND SO I APPLAUD OUR CITY LEADERS FOR TAKING THIS STEP.
HOWEVER, HISTORICALLY, AUSTIN SPENDS MORE ON POLICE PER CAPITA THAN THAN ANY MAJOR JURISDICTION IN TEXAS.
AND LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET, IT LOOKS NO DIFFERENT WITH THAT SAID, I ASK THAT YOU DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO OPPOSE ANY INCREASES IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING A REAUTHORIZATION OF AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS.
INSTEAD, I HOPE YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT AUSTINITES DESERVE AND FULLY INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET FUND COMMUNITY, NOT COPS.
THANK YOU ON A GONZALEZ FOLLOWED BY SCOTT COB.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO, UH, SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT THAT EVERYBODY HAS SO ELOQUENTLY TALKED ABOUT.
UM, I, I WORKED FOR THE CITY ON, I WANT TO TAKE ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE PROPOSALS
[01:05:01]
IN THE BUDGET.UH, THE 4% RAISE, INCREASE GRATEFUL AS I AM THAT THEIR EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WORKERS NEED AN INCREASE.
AND THERE IS PEOPLE LEAVING BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE.
UH, AND THE REASON WHY I TAKE ISSUE WITH THIS IS BECAUSE IT IS A PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THE ONES THAT MAKE THE MOST ARE GOING TO GET MORE MONEY, THE MOST MONEY ON THEIR PAYCHECKS AND THE ONES THAT NEEDED THE MOST ARE GOING TO SEE THE LEAST ON THEIR PAYCHECKS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE, UH, HAD THE LUXURY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE THE UNDOING RACISM AND EQUITY TRAINERS THAT WE'VE HAD.
UH, AND I DON'T, IT COMES TO MIND THAT IMAGE OF THE APPLE TREES WITH BOXES OF DIFFERENT SIZES, SO PEOPLE CAN REACH TO ACHIEVE AND GET THE APPLE.
AND THIS IS THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF THAT.
THE ONES THAT ALREADY HAVE A BIG BOX OR GETTING ANY OF THEM BIGGER SIZE ON THE ONES THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO REACH THE ONES THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY IN AUSTIN TO PAY CHILDCARE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE RECEIVING THE LEASE.
IT IS AN INSULT IT'S NOT EQUITABLE.
AND I KEEP THINKING, THIS IS LIKE GOING BACK TO PRE-K AND HEARING IT'S NOT FAIR.
IT'S THAT BASIC WE SHOULD NOT BE INCREASING THE INEQUALITIES AND THE NECKLACES THAT EXIST WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON WORKFORCE.
SO THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY COULD BE DISTRIBUTED IN A MORE EQUITABLE WAY.
AND I BET YOU THAT YOU PLEASE REQUEST THAT CITY MANAGER COMES BACK WITH AN EQUITABLE PROPOSAL WITH THAT SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE THAT MONEY GO FARTHER IN SUPPORTING EQUITY? I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK VERY STRONGLY IN SUPPORT TO EMS STAFF.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SAVING LIVES OUT THERE RESPONDING TO ALL THESE EMERGENCIES.
THERE'S PEOPLE DYING BECAUSE OF HEAT STROKE.
THEY'RE THE ONES KNOCKING ON DOORS.
WHEN THERE'S COAL, WHEN THERE IS FLOODING, WE CALL THEM ESSENTIAL.
LET'S TREAT THEM AS SUCH, JUST BIG APPLAUSES AND KUDOS AND DECLARATIONS DON'T DO MUCH WHEN THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY IN AUSTIN OR KEEP THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN AUSTIN.
I, I REALLY HOPE YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT MAKING THIS BUDGET MORE EQUITABLE.
THANK YOU, SCOTT COB FOLLOWED BY DAVID WEST.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD DEPARTMENT SPRINGS BULL, AND I WANT TO THANK MAYOR ADLER FOR, UH, UH, AUGUST TO MEET YESTERDAY WITH YOUR STAFF.
IT TOOK US A WHOLE HOUR GO OVER OUR ENTIRE PROPOSAL, AND I THINK IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE AND I APPRECIATE THAT TIME THAT YOU GAVE US.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY IN A VERY GOOD MOOD TODAY BECAUSE I WOKE UP TODAY AND I READ THE NEWSPAPER AND I SEE THAT I SAW THAT ACC RAISE THEIR MINIMUM WAGE TO $20 AN HOUR.
THEY HAD, UH, THEY WERE IN A SIMILAR POSITION AS US, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
THEIR BUDGET WRITERS HAD DRAFTED A PROPOSAL FOR ONLY $18 AN HOUR, BUT THEIR BOARD OF TRUSTEES DECIDED THEIR PEOPLE ARE WORTH MORE THAN $18 AN HOUR.
AND WHAT THEY ARRIVED AT WAS 20.
SO THAT GIVES ME HOPE THAT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY WORK FOR CITY OF AUSTIN OR ANY OTHER JOB AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEY VALUE THE WORK OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND THERE IS A PATHWAY TO $22 AN HOUR.
I KNOW YOU CAN FIND THAT PATHWAY AND LIFEGUARDS HAVE A LOT OF REQUESTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY WITH MAYOR ADLER STAFF.
ONE OF THOSE WAS A FULL-TIME STATUS FOR UP TO 20 GUARDS, BUT IN ORDER TO GET THE $22 AN HOUR, WE'RE WILLING TO NOT HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
THIS YEAR, FOUR OF THOSE GUARDS WOULD COST 258,020 WOULD COST A MILLION, BUT IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO US FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO GET THAT $22 AN HOUR THAN IT IS FOR, FOR 20 OR US TO BE REGULAR EMPLOYEES WITH FULL-TIME BENEFITS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO I KNOW THERE'S A PATHWAY THAT YOU CAN FIND WHEN TO GET TO THE 22.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK FOR WAYS TO FIND OTHER SOURCES IN THE BUDGET THAT CAN BE USED FOR THAT $22.
ONE THING MAYBE YOU SHOULD NOT CUT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE PUSHED FOR.
AND IT'S BEEN ANSWERED BY PARD THROUGH THE Q AND A PORTAL THAT PAID TRAINING FOR LIFEGUARDS.
[01:10:01]
WHEN THEY FIRST SIGN UP FOR A COURSE ON DAY ONE, THEY ARE ON THE PAYROLL.WE ASKED THAT WE PUSH FOR THAT.
WE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES SUBMITTED THAT AS A Q AND A, AND THE RESPONSE FROM PART THEREFORE IN 20 22, 20 23, UM, PART PLANS TO HIRE COURSE PARTICIPANTS AND ALLOW THEM TO BE ON PAYROLL WHILE THEY ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE THEIR CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED TRAINING AND ONBOARDING.
THAT IS A MAJOR CHANGE AND WILL DEFINITELY HELP THE STAFFING AND THE OPERATING OF FULL ALL THE POOLS OPEN.
IF YOU DO THIS ONE THING, PLUS THE WAGE INCREASE, WOULD THOSE TWO THINGS, BUT PAID TRAINING IS SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAS BEEN TRIED.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HEAR OFTEN THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THAT COURSE BECAUSE IT'S NOT PAID AND IT TAKES 40 HOURS AND IT COSTS THEM $700.
SO IF IT GETS PAID, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULL OPEN POOLS NEXT SUMMER.
I APPRECIATE YOU, MR. COBB, BEFORE.
I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR THE LIFEGUARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S AT LEAST A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES, IF NOT ALL OF US REALLY SUPPORT, TRYING TO MAKE SURE OUR LIFEGUARDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND I'VE DEFINITELY HEARD THE CALLS TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE POOLS ARE OPEN AND THAT MORE POOLS CAN BE OPEN LONGER BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT'S BEEN A HUNDRED DEGREES AS LONG AS WE CAN SEE BEHIND US.
AND AS LONG AS WE CAN SEE IN FRONT OF US.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT'S A REALLY VALUED, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AND, AND ESPECIALLY THE YEAR ROUND LIFEGUARDS, BUT DEFINITELY THE SUMMER LIFE GUARDS AS WELL.
AND IF I CAN RESPOND THE, THE, THE ISSUE OF POOLS OPEN LONGER, THERE WAS MONEY SAVED THIS YEAR BECAUSE 13 NEVER OPENED ALL SUMMER AND ONLY 600 LIFE CARDS WERE HIRED.
SO THAT MONEY IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND IF YOU, IT DOESN'T GET SPENT BY THE END OF THE YEAR, IT GOES BACK TO WHEREVER, NOT THE PART, BUT PART COULD SPEND THAT MONEY AND KEEP THE POOLS OPEN ANOTHER TWO OR THREE, FOUR WEEKS IF THEY WANT IT TO.
SO IT IS HOT AND YOU CAN KEEP THE POLLS OPEN LONGER IF HARD WANTS TO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, DAVID WEST FOLLOWED BY EMILY SINCE UNI UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED SYSTEMS OF CARE WITH INTERVAL CARE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
UH, HAVING BEGUN MY CAREER WITH INTEGRAL CARE ON AN ACT TEAM, WHICH PROVIDED COMMUNITY-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT, I WAS ABLE TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT HOMELESSNESS HAS ON A PERSON'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
A COUPLE OF YEARS INTO THAT WORK, THE CITY FUNDED OUR HOUSING FIRST ACT TEAM, AND THIS REPRESENTATIVE PROFOUND STEP FORWARD AS A PRIMARY FOCUS OF THAT TEAM IS TO HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ACCESS HOUSING.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF SO MANY EXAMPLES OF PROGRESS THROUGH MY CAREER.
I'VE BEEN EXCITED TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT AND ROBUST EXPANSION OF OUR COMMUNITIES, HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT SERVICES.
WE'RE GETTING BETTER AT ENGAGING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
IN SPITE OF THE CLEAR CHALLENGES THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE PLAYED LEADERSHIP ROLES IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO EFFECTIVELY END HOMELESSNESS, INTEGRAL CARE IS PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY PLAN, TO MAKE HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE, OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, UH, TO REACH OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND TO HELP THEM FIND WAYS TO LIVE AND EXPAND THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE COMING YEAR TO HOUSE 120 NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AT SEABROOK SQUARE AND THE PSH NORTH HOUSING COMMUNITIES.
WE KNOW THROUGH ANALYSIS OF THE RESIDENTS AT THE TERRORISTS AT OAK SPRINGS, THAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WORKS WHEN WE EXAMINED RESIDENTS UTILIZATION OF HOSPITAL AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, 12 MONTHS BEFORE MOVING INTO TERRORISTS AT OAK SPRINGS.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, 12 MONTHS AFTER HAVING MOVED IN, WE FOUND A SHARP REDUCTION IN EMS ENCOUNTERS, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, MEDICAID, INPATIENT BED DAYS, AND ARRESTS.
AND THIS HIGHLIGHTS ONLY A FEW OF THE WAYS THAT INTEGRAL CARE COLLABORATES WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT CARE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU COLLABORATIVELY OVER THE COMING YEARS.
UM, MR. WEST, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE AVERAGE STAY OF A PERSON THAT'S EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESS? WHAT'S THE AVERAGE STAY
[01:15:01]
IN YOUR FACILITY? UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, INTEGRAL CARE HAS A NUMBER OF, UH, RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. AND SO THERE THERE'S A WIDE RANGE.AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS NOTION OF THE RIGHT CARE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
AND RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SUCH A RANGE OF THE WAYS THAT THE HOUSING ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS CAN IMPACT INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A CONTINUUM OF CARE, SO TO SPEAK.
AND THE FACILITY THAT I WENT TO ON OAK SPRING, IT'S A REAL BEAUTIFUL FACILITY, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE BIGGER LEAGUE THAN JUST THAT AREA THERE.
THAT'S IT? YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
ALL THE MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, OUR, OUR HOUSING AT OAK SPRINGS, UH, IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND SO, UH, THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO END TO STAY THERE.
EMILY SAID CINE FOLLOWED BY CARLA PARETO.
HELLO, MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS EMILY CHIQUINI AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOOK SPRING, A 50 YEAR OLD ORGANIZATION HERE IN TOWN THAT DOES EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE'VE DISTRIBUTED OVER HALF, ALMOST UP TO ABOUT HALF A MILLION BOOKS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF COVID TO YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
AND THE WAY WE DID THAT WAS THROUGH A NETWORK OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS OF EDUCATION PROVIDERS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK AGAINST THE BUDGET.
AS IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW ON BEHALF OF ONE VOICE CENTRAL TEXAS, I AM THE PUBLIC POLICY CHAIR OF THIS ORGANIZATION, AND IT IS A COALITION OF EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE CAN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES INTEGRATED NETWORK OF HUMAN SERVICES THAT CONNECTS EVERYONE OF ALL AGES AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE SOCIAL RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND SUPPORTS.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS RELEASED HIS PROPOSED BUDGET, AND WHILE WE APPRECIATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR NEW TRAUMA CENTER, ONE TIME FUNDING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND LANGUAGE ACCESS, THERE IS A LESS THAN 1% INCREASE IN THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS, WHICH SUPPORT IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS.
WE ARE REQUESTING AN OVERALL INCREASE IN THE CITY'S INVESTMENT AND COMMITMENT TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY PRIMARILY SUPPORTED THROUGH GRANTS RATHER THAN A CITY INVESTMENT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THE KIND OF WORK THAT WE DO AS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINED, AND IT IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER, UH, 9.1% COST OF LIVING INCREASE, WHICH WOULD EQUATE TO 4.5, $6 MILLION IN THE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO OUR ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT NOW.
WHY SHOULD YOU DO THIS ONE? WE PRODUCE RESULTS.
ALL OF THE CITY CONTRACTED AGENCIES IN OUR NETWORK PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES ON PROGRAMS, SPECIFIC SERVICES AND EXAMPLES OF OUTCOMES.
WE ARE GOOD PARTNERS TO YOU AND HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, WE'VE BEEN YOUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT COVID LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SERVED AS A FOUNDATION FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WORKED TIRELESSLY THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC TO ENSURE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS MOST IMPACTED, CONTINUED TO RECEIVE THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THEY NEEDED.
THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS ARE NOW DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH INCREASED NEEDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF CRIME, ADDRESSING THE LACK OF CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND REDUCING THE LOSS OF, UH, LEARNING AND YOUTH.
OUR MEMBERS ARE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU INCREASE THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE CONTRACTS.
HERETO FOLLOWED BY LAURA ELMORE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS
I AM SPEAKING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE COALITION BEHIND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT POLICING.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO STATE MY OPPOSITION TO FUNDING AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS.
I'M A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY'S OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT, WHERE I MONITORED INVESTIGATIONS OF POLICE MISCONDUCT AND ENGAGE WITH CITY RESIDENTS TO LEARN OF THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH AUSTIN POLICE OFFICERS.
ONE OF THE GREATEST REALIZATIONS
[01:20:01]
I WALKED AWAY WITH IS THAT POLICE ULTIMATELY RESPOND TO CRIME.AND WHEN THEY DO SHOW UP ON SCENE BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE AND WITNESS TESTIMONY REVEALED A POLICE FORCE THAT IS OVERWHELMINGLY INCAPABLE OF BASIC INTERPRETS INTERPERSONAL SKILLS LIKE COMPASSION AND DEESCALATION AS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT, I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE HEARD OR SEEN BY THIS COUNCIL THAN WHEN, WHEN YOU ALL LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC'S CHRIST, WE IMMEDIATELY DEFUND AND WORK TOWARDS REPLACING APD WITH REGENERATIVE PEOPLE-CENTERED SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS LIKE THOSE OUTLINED IN THE AWESOME REPORT BY THE RPS TASKFORCE.
HOWEVER, THAT LEVEL OF ATTENTION TO COMMUNITY NEEDS WAS SHORT-LIVED THE WEALTHY AND POWERFUL OF THE CITY DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY.
WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THIS BUILDING TO TESTIFY, BUT KNOW THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO DEMAND INCREASED FUNDING TO COMMUNITY CENTERED RESOURCES AND AN END TO THE TRIED AND FAILED POLICE REFORMS. WE WANT A REAL INVESTMENT IN WHAT WE KNOW WORKS AND IS LIFE AFFIRMING, WHICH IS PUBLIC HEALTH, ROBUST, PUBLIC TRANSIT, CLEAN WATER EDUCATION, WELL-PAYING JOBS, HOUSING, AND ENHANCING OUR NATURAL SPACES, CITY GOVERNMENT AS A PLACE WHERE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE CENTERED WORK CAN HAPPEN YET TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE CITY BUDGET FAILS THOSE MOST IN NEED WHILE UPHOLDING AN OUTDATED PUNITIVE MODEL OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
I AM DEMANDING THE CITY ALLOCATE THE FULL 75 MILLION ASKED FOR BY WELL OVER 30 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND CONFIDENT THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL CAN FIND THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO MAKE THE FULL DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
AND THEN MARY DODD, GOOD AFTERNOON.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR ADLER.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE SOBERING CENTER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10 AND I WORK IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, I'M HERE WITH TWO HATS TODAY.
THE FIRST IS AS THE CHAIR OF ONE VOICE CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, SO I AM BACKING UP EVERYTHING.
EMILY CECCHINI SAID SHE'S OUR PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR.
SO THE TWO OF US ARE REPRESENTING OVER A HUNDRED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTIN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, ASKING FOR THE CITY BUDGET TO REFLECT AN INCREASE THAT IS MORE ALIGNED WITH THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE IN AUSTIN, WHICH IS CLOSER TO 9% THAN 1%, WHICH IS WHAT IS REFLECTED IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET.
I ALSO WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION IN JUST IN CASE IT'S NOT KNOWN TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, THE SOBERING CENTER CONTRACT IS, IS LUMPED INTO THAT SOCIAL SERVICES NUMBER.
AND SO IT, IT ISN'T BROKEN OUT.
IF I'M LOOKING AT THE DRAFT BUDGET ONLINE, I CAN'T SEE WHAT WAS ALLOCATED THE SOBERING CENTER BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN THAT ONE IN THAT ONE ITEM.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO REPRESENTING THE SOBERING CENTER STAFF AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS HERE IN ASKING THAT YOU JUST PAY, COME CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT CONTRACT BECAUSE IT IS SEPARATE AND IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY THE REST OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS WORK.
THE REST OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS.
UM, I'VE MANAGED CONTRACTS LIKE THAT IN PREVIOUS NON-PROFIT EXECUTIVE POSITIONS, THEIR CASH, THEIR REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACTS, UM, THIS SOBERING CENTERS CONTRACT, UM, IS AS THE RESULT OF A, AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WHERE THE CITY HAS AGREED TO PAY THE OPERATING FUNDS AND THE COUNTIES AS, UM, SUPPLYING THE BUILDING SPACE.
SO WE ARE PRETTY DEPENDENT ON THE CITY FOR OUR OPERATING FUNDS, FOR THOSE TO BE, UM, APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY.
UM, WE HAD, WE HAVE A KIND OF A UNIQUE CONTRACT, AND I THINK THAT IT'S, UM, IN MY TWO YEARS AT THE SOBERING CENTER, IT'S TAKEN A WHILE FOR US TO REALLY LEARN THE PROCESS, BUT THERE WAS A TEN-YEAR FORECAST PUT OUT, UM, THE AROUND 2018 WHEN THE SOBERING CENTER WAS FOUNDED, WHICH I THINK, I THINK PROBABLY EVERYONE COULD IMAGINE THAT ANYTHING THAT WE GUESSED AT IN 2018 WAS PROBABLY IS PROBABLY NO LONGER.
UM, BUT ESPECIALLY A TEN-YEAR BUDGET IS A PRETTY, PRETTY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
AND SO, UM, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED SINCE COVID, BUT ALSO JUST IN STABILIZING, THE OPERATIONS OF THE CENTER IS THE ACTUAL COST OF THE CENTER.
AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE IN TERMS OF DIVERSION, FROM WHAT YOU'VE HEARD ARE OVERCROWDED, ERS AND HOSPITALS, UM, IN JAILS HAS BEEN, I THINK, A REALLY SIGNIFICANT, UM, OUTCOME THAT THE CITY HAS INVESTED IN.
WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO IN 2020 WAS SUBMIT AN UPDATED FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AND THAT FIVE-YEAR FORECAST NEVER REALLY GOT INTO THE SYSTEM FOR THE CITY.
AND I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHY THAT IS.
SO WE KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF A YEAR WHERE THE DETERMINING THE BUDGET FOR THE SOBERING CENTER, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING.
UM, SO IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE TEN-YEAR FORECAST, IT WOULDN'T MATCH THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST.
UM, BUT EITHER WAY, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS RECOMMENDING WHAT, WHAT IS IN THAT 10 YEAR FORECAST, WHICH IS NOW OUTDATED.
SO I'M TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT LOOK AT THE SOBERING CENTER BUDGET IN THAT WAY, AND FOR US TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND CONVERSATION IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND ALSO JUST TO ADVOCATE FOR A GENERAL INCREASE IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES, BUDGET LINE ITEM AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST FOR THE SOBERING CENTER, BUT FOR THE OTHER 100 NONPROFITS THAT I'M REPRESENTING TODAY
[01:25:01]
AS CHAIR OF ONE VOICE.THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARY DAWN, AND THEN MICHAEL LAWTON.
I'M A SENIOR PLANNER WITH INTEGRAL CARE, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO, UM, TO THANK YOU, COUNCIL AND MAYOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITY RETHINK WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE RESPOND TO CRISIS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, THANKS TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND FUNDING THE EMERGENCY MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM.
UM, AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE ONLY COMMUNITIES IN THE NATION WHERE WHEN PEOPLE CALL 9 1 1, THEY GET A FOURTH OPTION.
IT'S POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL, OR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND THIS MAKES A HUGE CHANGE IN THE WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE RESPONDED TO.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YOU'VE BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THIS, UM, METHOD OF, OF DOING BUSINESS AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ONLY GOOD GOVERNMENT, BUT IT RESPONDS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CRISIS WITH THE RIGHT SERVICES AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SO WE WENT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TRANSFORMING HOW OUR COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO CRISIS.
AND THIS IS A RESPECT RESPONSE THAT RESPECTS PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
THANKS, MICHAEL LAWTON, AND THEN MONICA GUZMAN.
MARIN COUNCIL, I'M MONICA GUZMAN POLICY DIRECTOR AT GABA GO AUSTIN, VAMOS AUSTIN, AND A DISTRICT FOR RESIDENT.
WHILE SOME PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT COVID IN THE PAST TENSE, WE'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH THE THIRD YEAR AND STILL EXPERIENCING DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS IN AN EQUITABLE ECONOMY, RESULTING IN AUSTIN, EXPERIENCING THE GREATEST WEALTH GAP TO DATE AND A RAPIDLY GROWING COST OF LIVING, LEAVING MANY RESIDENTS, STRUGGLING TO PRIORITIZE BASIC NEEDS LIKE HOUSING, FOOD, AND CHILDCARE.
KEEPING UP WITH THE INCREASING COSTS IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT INTERVENTION.
WE URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THE FOLLOWING CRITICAL INVESTMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR, 23 MUNICIPAL BUDGET AND SHARING NOT ONLY MITIGATING HEALTH INEQUITY, BUT BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING AND ECONOMIC STABILITY BY LEVERAGING OUTSIDE RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE CITIES GOALS, GABA URGES THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO FOLLOW THE DEL VALLEY COMMUNITY COALITION AND GABA JOINT RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE AFFORDABILITY LEVEL OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, STRENGTHEN RELOCATION BENEFITS, AND ASSESS THE REINSTATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO PREVENT RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT, ENSURING COMMUNITY STATE DIVERSE, RICH IN PEOPLE AND CULTURE, AND HONOR THE HISTORY OF LONGTIME BIPAP NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR CITY.
THE CITY MUST INVEST IN CONTRACTS FOR NON-PROFIT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR TENANTS AND HOMEOWNERS FACING DISPLACEMENT OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE JOB AND SKILL BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES.
BEING ABLE TO EARN MORE MONEY MEANS BEING ABLE TO STAY HERE A LITTLE LONGER PARK SAFETY IS PUBLIC HEALTH SUPPORT AND ELEVATE COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT TO INCREASE RESIDENT ACCESS TO ECOTHERAPY HEALTHY FOOD AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WITH MULTI-LINGUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SHAPED BY RESIDENTS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY FOOD INSECURITY, INVEST IN PARK PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES AND WHOLE FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY IN AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT, INVEST IN MOBILE, EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE TO EARLY CHILDHOOD PROVIDERS, ESPECIALLY HOME-BASED PROVIDERS, OFTEN LACKING ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCES EXPAND YOUTH PROGRAMMING BY SUPPORTING, SUPPORTING PART CITIES, CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE, INEQUITABLY ACTIVATING THE CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS THROUGH A MULTI-LINGUAL INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN AND PROGRAMMING CENTER IN AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES ARE CRITICAL FOR THE AUSTIN WORKFORCE, ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES WITH ESSENTIAL WORKERS OR WITHOUT STAY AT HOME.
PARENTS, ARPA FUNDS CREATED OR INCREASE STABILITY FOR MANY HOME-BASED FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND PARENTS,
[01:30:01]
BUT THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING TO AN END.THE CITY MUST ESTABLISH BASELINE BUDGET ITEMS FOR ECE RELATED FUNDING IN AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH PARKS, AND RECREATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PROGRAMMING, COMPENSATED LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHILDCARE SCHOLARSHIPS INVEST IN PARK COMMUNITY GARDENS PROGRAMMING AND AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT FUNDING NEEDED LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE LITERATURE AND SIGNAGE AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS, ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITY GARDEN IRRIGATION ENSURING CONTINUED ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD.
NO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MINUTES I HAVE LEFT.
IT'S A VERY LONG LIST AT THIS POINT, HAVE JUST SWITCHED TO BEING MY USUAL DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENT, AND I'LL MAKE IT QUICK.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS A STABLE COMMUNITY, INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS SOMEONE HAS SAID BEFORE YOU WORK FOR US.
ELLIAS AND THEN PAULETTE SALT TANNY GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, I AM RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET.
IT, I BELIEVE THAT THIS BUDGET NEEDS TO REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND IT DOES NOT.
I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY AND A THRIVING COMMUNITY IS A SAFE COMMUNITY.
SO WE MUST INVEST IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND OTHER ANTIPOVERTY MEASURES.
WE MUST INCREASE OUR INVESTMENTS IN THINGS LIKE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, EVICTION PROTECTIONS.
UM, OF COURSE THE $22, UH, WAGE INCREASE SAFETY AND IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PARKS AND SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES SERVICES FOR OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, PARENTS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND ALL THE COUNTLESS THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HERE.
UH, WHEN THE THINGS THAT WE PRIORITIZE IN THIS BUDGET REFLECT OUR VALUES.
SO I WANT TO PARAPHRASE SAYS THAT JOB IS WHEN HE SAID, THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT PEOPLE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE FUNDING.
THANK YOU, PAULETTE SOLTANI AND THEN REBECCA SANCHEZ, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY.
MY NAME IS PAULETTE SOLTANI AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING AT THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
WE'RE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET COALITION, WHICH IS CALLING FOR $75 MILLION TO, TO MEET CRITICAL NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO URGE YOU TO NOT ACCEPT THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL.
THE VERY SURVIVAL OF PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS AND PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN, DEPENDS ON INVESTMENTS THAT ARE NOT FOUND IN THE CURRENT BUDGET.
FIRST, WE HAVE TO START BY DENOUNCING INCREASED FUNDS FOR SWEEPS OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, WHICH RISKS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF RESIDENTS AND MAKE IT HARDER TO ACCESS LIFE-SAVING SERVICES CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT CONTINUE TO UTILIZE SWEEPS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, CONTINUE TO SUFFER WORSENING CRISES OF HOMELESSNESS, OVERDOSE DEATHS, AND MORE NEARLY $5 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO SWEEPS IN THE CITY'S PROPOSED BUDGET WHILE OTHER NEEDS THAT WOULD SUPPORT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE UNDERFUNDED OR NOT FUNDED AT ALL.
WEIRD YOU TO REALLOCATE THIS MONEY AND PUT IT TOWARDS REAL SOLUTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES.
AFTER 50 YEARS OF TRYING TO ARREST AND INCARCERATE OUR WAY OUT OF DRUG USE, WE ARE NOW IN THE WORST OVERDOSE CRISIS OUR COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN IN AUSTIN IS NO EXCEPTION.
HARM REDUCTION, TREATS INDIVIDUALS WHO USE DRUGS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT USING A SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HEALTH EQUITY LENS.
IT IS A SET OF POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT AIMS TO MINIMIZE NEGATIVE HEALTH, SOCIAL AND LEGAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE DRUG POLICIES AND DRUG LAWS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST GETTING SOMEONE TO SAY NO, IT'S ABOUT ASKING HOW CAN WE BEST HELP KEEP YOU SAFE, HEALTHY, AND ALIVE.
THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET ASKS FOR $2 MILLION TO FUND HARM REDUCTION NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE $0 ALLOCATED FOR HARM REDUCTION.
IN JUNE, WE PROUDLY WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN TO PASS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS DECLARATION AROUND THE OVERDOSE CRISIS.
WE ARE EAGER TO SEE THE DECLARATION BACKED UP WITH FUNDS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON WHO USES DRUGS AND EVERY SERVICE PROVIDER WHO SERVES PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS HAVE OVERDOSE REVERSAL MEDICATION CALLED NALOXONE.
WE NEED TO EXPAND COMMUNITY COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKFORCE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN CARE AND CONTINUE TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES, TREATMENT, AND MORE.
WE NEED TO EXPAND DROP-IN CENTERS LIKE THE ONE THAT THR RUNS AND MUCH MORE.
I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT COWORKERS WHO RUN OUR DIRECT SERVICES RIGHT NOW ARE COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED.
[01:35:01]
THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED AND THEY'RE DOING HEROIC WORK EVERY DAY TO ENSURE PEOPLE STAY ALIVE, BUT WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE HELP.WE NEED TO EXPAND HARM REDUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS OUR CITY.
SECOND IS INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DIE EVERY YEAR OF EXTREME HEAT, HEAT, STROKE, OVERDOSE DEATHS, MENTAL HEALTH CRISES INCREASED DURING EXTREME HEAT.
DURING OUR RECENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZING MEETINGS, PEOPLE HAVE SHARED WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT OUR CURRENT COOLING CENTERS IN AUSTIN.
THEY SAY, I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE COOLING CENTERS ARE.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON LIBRARIES AND REC CENTERS, BUT THOSE ARE NOT ALWAYS OPEN ON WEEKENDS.
THEY CLOSE AT THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE DAY.
THE ART IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CENTER THAT, BUT IT TURNS PEOPLE AWAY.
THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE SETTINGS.
THERE'S NO WATER FILLING STATIONS.
PLEASE PUT YOURSELVES IN THE SHOES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS ACROSS OUR CITY, DURING THE HOTTEST SUMMER, IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY.
AND IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO ACCESS, TO LACK ACCESS, TO CONSISTENT SAFE SPACES.
WE URGENTLY ASKED THE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THE FULL $3 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR, FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS.
AND WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE 75 MILLION PACKAGE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET COALITION.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT AND I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF ATX KIND A GROUP FORMED TO RALLY AT THE CAPITOL LAST NOVEMBER IN RESPONSE TO SPIKES OF ANTISEMITISM HERE IN AUSTIN, AND HAS BEEN MEETING WITH SEVERAL CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF SINCE THEN, SINCE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AUSTIN'S JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF MULTIPLE ACTS OF HATE FROM ANTI-SEMITIC FLIERS IN PARKS, ON PORCHES AND IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO A SYNAGOGUE ARSON THAT CAUSED MORE THAN $150,000 IN DAMAGE.
THESE INCIDENTS MIRROR, A GROWING TIDE OF HATE BOTH NATIONALLY AND ACROSS TEXAS IN DECEMBER, A GUNMAN HELD HOSTAGES INSIDE A COLLEYVILLE SYNAGOGUE.
LAST MONTH, SHABBAT SERVICES WERE CANCELED IN SAN ANTONIO DUE TO THREATS OUR COMMUNITY HERE, FEARS THAT IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE AUSTIN SEES ANOTHER MAJOR INCIDENT.
LAST NOVEMBER, THIS COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST HATE.
AS YOU WEIGH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL, WE URGE YOU TO BACK UP THOSE WORDS AND PLEDGES WITH ACTION.
WE NEED ENHANCED TRAINING FOR CITY STAFF TO DEAL WITH THE GROWING TIDE OF HATE.
WE NEED A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
THIS SHOULD INCLUDE VISIBLE COMMITMENTS ACROSS THE CITY TO EXTINGUISHING HATE IN ALL ITS FORMS AGAINST ALL MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, BILLBOARDS, CAPITAL, METRO, BEST PLACARDS AND RAPS, AS WELL AS ALLIANCE, SOCIAL MEDIA ASSETS.
THIS CALLS FOR A BUDGET COMMITMENT OF AT LEAST $250,000 AND LIKELY MORE TO DO IT RIGHT.
WE NEED A STREAMLINED, EASY TO USE SYSTEM FOR RESIDENTS TO REPORT HATE INCIDENTS, THINK SOMETHING SIMPLE, LIKE TEXTS REPORT HATE TO 5 1 2 1 2, INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT FRAGMENTED AND OVERLOADED SYSTEM AND THE HURDLES THAT EXIST WITH AUSTIN, ENERGY OPERATORS, FUNNELING CALLS AND REPORTS OVER TO APD.
THIS COUNCIL IS LIKELY WELL AWARE OF THE CURRENT BACKLOG OF 3, 1, 1 REPORTS.
HOW INACCURATE IS OUR SENSE OF THE SPREAD OF HATE AND AUSTIN, AS A RESULT OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN REPORTING, WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE DON'T ADDRESS THESE HATE INCIDENTS, THEY DON'T GO AWAY.
THEY GROW, THEY INTENSIFY, THEY GET WORSE.
THESE CHANGES WILL BENEFIT, NOT JUST AUSTIN'S JEWISH COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO ALL MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
IT'S BEEN 10 MONTHS SINCE OUR RECENT SURGE OF INCIDENTS BEGAN.
AND WE FEAR THAT THE CITY IS NO BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE ANOTHER INCIDENT THAN WE WERE IN OCTOBER OF 2021.
WE BELIEVE MAYOR PRO TEM ALTAR WILL BE OFFERING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.
AND WE ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO SUPPORT IT.
I HAVE MARY GRACE CLARK, BUT I THINK SHE DID NOT WANT TO SPEAK, IS THAT CORRECT? IF YOU WOULD LIKE YES.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT IS CHRIS HARRIS.
HELLO? UH, MY NAME IS MARGARET CLARK.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT I AM REPRESENTING A NUMBER OF MULTIPLE DISTRICTS.
UH, I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH AUSTIN, CIVILIAN CONSERVATION
[01:40:01]
CORPS, HOPING THAT, SORRY, I'M VERY NERVOUS.HOPING THAT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BENEFITED FROM THIS PROGRAM, I CAN GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON HOW MUCH IT HAS HELPED ME, MY MEMBERS AND OUR COMMUNITY IN HOPES THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO FUND A TRIPLE C TO BECOME A PERMANENT CAREER AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
I AM THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS SITE SUPERVISOR WITH THE CITY AND AMERICAN YOUTH RICKS.
I OVERSEE OUR CONSERVATION CREWS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE FIELD, GIVING THEM PROJECT DETAILS, REPORTING OTHER PROJECT METRICS TO SEND FOR RECORDING, COORDINATING WITH THE PROJECT PARTNERS THAT WORK WITH THE CITY.
I HAVE BEEN IN THE CONSERVATION CORPS FIELD SINCE 2019, STARTING OUT AS A MEMBER, LIVING INTO A LEADER ROLE.
AND NOW I WORK AS A STAFF MEMBER.
SO PUTTING HLC EFFORTS, EACH OF WE'LL SEE WHAT WAS FUNDED TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF THE, OF WHERE I FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY COVID, WHETHER THEY LOST THEIR JOB OR HAD REDUCED HOURS.
OUR GOAL IS TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN WITH A GATEWAY TO GET INTO GREEN JOBS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY BEFORE MANY OF THE MEMBERS THAT COME THROUGH OUR PROGRAM ARE SWITCHING CAREERS OR DO NOT HAVE COLLEGE DEGREES.
THEY WANT TO WORK IN THE CONSERVATION CONSERVATION FIELD, BUT MANY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO GET INTO THE FIELD WITHOUT A DEGREE OR ANY EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR MANY GREEN JOBS, LIKE A CITY PARK RANGER, A TRIPLE C IS A PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE EXPERIENCE.
AND WE OFFER SO MANY TRAININGS AND A LOT OF HANDS ON EXPERIENCE.
WE BUILD NEW TRAILS, REPAIR, OLD TRAILS, REDUCE WILDFIRE, RISK, REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES THAT HAVE MADE A WILDLIFE SPECIES AND MUCH MORE.
I CURRENTLY HAVE 18 ENROLLED MEMBERS SPLIT INTO TWO CREWS THAT GO INTO THE FIELD AND WORK IN OUR AUSTIN GREEN SPACES, WORKING TO REHABILITATE NEGLECTED AREAS TO CREATE CLEANER PARKS FOR EASIER ACCESS.
ONE OF MY CREWS IS DEDICATED TO THE EASTERN CRESCENT AREA OF AUSTIN, WHICH IS KNOWN TO BE NEGLECTED AND OVERLOOKED BY THE CITY BECAUSE OF THIS, THE PARKS IN THE AREA ARE OVERGROWN, TREATED AS LANDFILLS, DANGEROUS AND AVOIDED ENTIRELY.
WE GO INTO THESE PARKS TO RESTORE THEM FOR THE COMMUNITY'S ENJOYMENT.
MANY OF THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM ARE RESIDENTS OF THESE AREAS.
SO THEY, SO THEY GET TO COME IN TO NOT ONLY DEVELOP MORE SKILLS, BUT ALSO THEY GET TO DIRECTLY AND POSITIVELY IMPACT THE COMMUNITY.
THEY REPRESENT ONION CREEK, METRO KENDRA, PAIGE MABEL DAVIS AND MONTOPOLIS ARE JUST SOME OF THE PARKS THAT MY CREWS WORK IN.
RESTORING THESE PARKS NOT ONLY BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT ALSO BENEFITS OUR ENVIRONMENTS.
OUR EFFORTS MAY SEEM SMALL TO OTHERS, BUT OVER TIME WE CREATE A LARGE AND HEALTHY IMPACT WHERE ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE ARE CRUISED, DO GOOD WORK THAT WE LOVE.
AND OFTEN THIS WORK GOES UNNOTICED, BUT WE ENJOY IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT WE HAVE SOME, UM, WE'VE REMOVED BRUSH.
UM, WE'VE WORKED ON 30 ACRES OF LAND IN THE WHOLE OF AUSTIN AND OUR PROJECT PARTNERS HAVE MANY TIMES CONGRATULATED US AND WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH US AND HIRING MY PEOPLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS HARRIS AND THEN ANDREW HORNEMAN.
I'M WITH AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION AND EQUITY ACTION.
AND, UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE BORN EVIL AND YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE'S ACTIONS IN LIFE ARE LARGELY THE PRODUCT OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND UPBRINGING AND THINGS THAT THEY ENCOUNTER AND THE SITUATION, THEN IT BEHOOVES US TO ENSURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE CREATE, THAT THE SOCIETY THAT WE BUILT, THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE INVEST IN, UH, IS STRONG AND ONE THAT SUPPORTS, UH, PEOPLE LIVING THEIR BEST LIVES AND ONE IN TOUCH WITH AND CARING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AND FOR THEMSELVES.
AND THIS BUDGET REPRESENTS PROBABLY THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU ALL HAVE TO HELP MAKE THOSE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS TO BUILD THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE STRONG AND SECURE, NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
UH, YOU KNOW, MY ORGANIZATION IS ONE OF THOSE THAT SIGNED ON TO THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AND WE'VE HELPED DEVELOP AND PUSH AND ORGANIZE FOR THIS, UH, WITH THIS MINDSET, UH, THAT, UH, ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO BUILD THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT, UH, AND THAT WILL PRODUCE THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLE AND THE BEHAVIORS AND THE SOCIETY THAT WE ALL ENJOY AND WANT TO LIVE IN.
UH, OUR MAYOR, UH, RECENTLY ADORNED, UH, ANGELA DAVIS, WHO WAS BROUGHT TO OUR CITY BY MY ORGANIZATION, UH, WITHIN OUR OWN OFFICIAL DAY, MUCH
[01:45:01]
TO MY DELIGHT.I APPRECIATE THAT SHE FAMOUSLY SAID THAT BEING RADICAL SIMPLY MEANS GRASPING THINGS BY THE ROOT AND THE ROOT OF THE INSECURITY AND, UM, AND CRISIS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE IN OUR CITY IS NOT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF PUNITIVE RESPONSES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE INSECURE IN THEIR HOME.
UH, THEY'RE UNABLE TO STAY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OR THEY'RE UNABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN OR FIND CHILDCARE FOR THEM.
UH, THEY'RE ONLY THERE TO PAY THE BILLS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A JOB UNABLE TO FIND, UH, ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES OR ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE THAT THEY NEED.
UM, THESE ARE THE ROOTS OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BY FULLY FUNDING, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET TO MAKE A REAL COMMITMENT, TO ADDRESSING THOSE ROOT CAUSES, THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE ACTUALLY AT THE CORE OF, OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY COMING OUT OF AND, AND CONTINUING TO BE IN, UH, NOW NOT ONE BUT TWO PANDEMICS.
SO AGAIN, UH, URGE YOU SO STRONGLY TO FULLY INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, UH, TO FULLY FUND THAT RATHER, UH, IN PARTICULARLY, UM, SO TO LOOK AT THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED AT ALL, UH, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT BASELINE PROPOSAL, UM, WHERE THERE WAS TALK ABOUT THE CARVER MUSEUM, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT, UH, UH, SERVICES FOR BLACK FOLKS WHO ARE UNHOUSED REPRESENT THE VAST MAJORITY OR PLURALITY OF AN OVEN HOUSE FOLKS.
UM, THESE ARE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO NEED TO LOOK AT.
SO AGAIN, PLEASE LOOK AT THAT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME.
THANK YOU, ANDREW HORMAN AND THEN CATHY MITCHELL, UH, MAYOR ADLER, UH, COUNCIL AND, UH, PRETEND, UH, UH, UH, MAYOR, UH, SARAH, I DON'T KNOW.
ANYWAY, UH, I'M, I'M HERE, UH, BECAUSE, UH, UM, I'M, UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I'M A MEMBER OF DSA AUSTIN CHAPTER, AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN, BUT ONE, ONE, UH, ONE ITEM THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IS MONKEYPOX, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY IN AUSTIN, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAVELING HERE.
THERE IS A, UH, UH, ACL IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN OCTOBER.
LIKE WE, THERE, HERE IN AUSTIN, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE COULD BE A SUPER SPREAD LIKE THAT.
THERE IS A CHANCE TO HAVE SUPER SPREADER EVENTS JUST LIKE THAT.
UH, I KNOW RIGHT NOW IN THE MEDIA, THIS IS AFFECTING, UH, MOSTLY GAY AND QUEER MEN, BUT, UH, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONNA, THAT'S GONNA CHANGE SOON AND I DON'T WANT IT TO GET WORSE.
LIKE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LIKE CRACK DOWN AND GET VACCINES AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AND GET THE FUNDING AND GET TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT RIGHT NOW WITH THAT SAID, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S, UH, UH, THERE'S GAY PRIDE HAPPENING IN AUGUST AND ALSO WE'RE IN AUSTIN.
THERE IS THIS, THERE SEEMS TO BE SUPER SPREADER EVENTS HAPPENING AT LEAST LIKE THREE TIMES A WEEK.
LIKE THERE'S ALL THESE CONCERTS, PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWN FOR ALL THESE CONVENTIONS.
SO THAT IS A CONCERN THAT I HOPE THAT, UH, Y'ALL CAN MAKE PA CAN MAKE POLICY AND PUT FUNDING INTO THAT ALSO, UH, UH, JUST KIND OF LIKE SOME POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN BETTER BEEN MADE BY OTHER PEOPLE.
I, UH, LIKE GIVING WORKERS $22 AN HOUR, CITY WORKERS, $22 AN HOUR, ALSO EMS WORKERS.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, I'M AGAINST, UH, AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS AND, UH, ANY FUNNY FOR THE POLICE.
AND AT THE VERY LEAST PLEASE INVEST, UH, THE FULL $75 MILLION ON THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.
THANK YOU, KATHY MITCHELL, AND THEN CHAZ MOORE, UH, HEY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH CAUSE YOU HEARD EVERYTHING, UM, FROM ALL THESE AMAZING PEOPLE BEHIND ME IN ONLINE, I JUST WANTED, UM, I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO HEAR MYSELF SPEAK CAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU ALL FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND ALSO I THOUGHT THE MAYOR WAS GOING TO TOUCH YOU ON WHERE THE IS THE WHOLE MEETING.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY, PRETTY DOPE.
UM, BUT, BUT ALL SERIOUSNESS, UM, ALL JOKES ASIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF, UM,
[01:50:01]
FEMINISM BOOKS LATELY, FEMINIST BOOKS, I'VE READ BELL HOOKS, FEMINIST THEORY.AND, UM, I'M ALSO READING, UM, MICKEY KINDLES, HOOD FEMINISM, UM, AND THESE BOOKS THAT REALLY HELPED ME AS A, AS AN ORGANIZER ACTIVIST AND JUST AS A, AS A MAN, UM, COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WHEN WE GET TO SOCIETY WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE MOST IN NEED OF TAKING CARE OF, UM, THEN WE CAN SAY WE TRULY MADE IT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN WITH YOU ALL THROUGH SOME OF THEM, PRETTY INTERESTING JOURNEYS AND, AND, AND FIGHTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS, THROUGHOUT YOU ALL SENIOR, THROUGHOUT MY TENURE AT AJC.
UM, AND, AND ONE THING I'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS IS ONE THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS COME DOWN TO LIKE A LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
UM, AND I SAY THAT TO BRING UP THIS POINT AND MAYBE THIS WILL WON'T MAKE SENSE, BUT, UM, YOU ALL HAVE A LOT OF CRITICS, UM, MAYBE RIGHTFULLY SO.
UH, I DON'T REALLY KNOW, BUT, UM, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT EACH OF YOU RAN FOR YOUR SEAT ON HIS DIET BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT, BUT, UM, THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU ARE, UM, AND YOUR POSTERITY AS A, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ALTHOUGH YOU WANT TO REPRESENT AND TALK TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, YOU JUST CAN'T, UM, YOU CAN'T TALK TO EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND OTHER THING THAT GETS TRICKY IS THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE ON A COUNCIL WITH 10 OTHER PEOPLE, IS THAT NOT LIKE NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT HAVE TO, UM, WORRY ABOUT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU HAVE TO SOMEHOW FIND A WAY TO FORGE THROUGH AND WORK THROUGH VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER AT TIMES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GREATER COMMUNITY, THE COLLECTIVE OF AUSTIN IS GOOD AS WELL.
UM, AND COLLECTIVELY AS A COUNCIL, A LOT OF YOU, THE ONLY TIME YOU GET TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CITY, UM, IS WHEN YOU'RE ON A DIET AND THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE, RIGHT.
UM, I COULD TALK ABOUT THE LICENSE PLATE READERS AND ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THIS BUDGET IS A KEY INSTRUMENT, A KEY WAY FOR YOU TO COMMUNICATE, WHATEVER YOUR, WHATEVER YOU ALL'S MESSAGE IS GOING TO BE.
UM, ONCE YOU DECIDE ON HOW YOU CARE ABOUT THIS CITY AND HOW YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, UM, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HOTTEST SUMMERS.
SO I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT MANY AS, AS SOME, AS MANY AS SOME OF YOU AND SOME OF THE FOLKS BEHIND ME.
UM, BUT IT'S SO HOT THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
IT WAS SO COLD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING.
UM, BUT, AND WE'RE ALSO LIVING IN A TIME WHERE BEYONCE IS SELLING PEOPLE TO QUIT THEIR JOBS BECAUSE EVERYBODY HATES WORKING BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID.
UM, SO I REALLY HOPE YOU ALL TRULY CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, UM, BUDGET.
I TRULY HOPE YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE, THINGS LIKE PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT WON'T CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNOR, SOME OF YOU ALL PROBABLY VOTED FOR, AND ALSO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS BUDGET, LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, IT'S A MORE DOCUMENT AND WHAT YOU DECIDE REFLECTS HOW YOU FEEL AND HOW YOU THINK AND HOW YOU TREAT THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
SO IT WAS GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL, I'M OUT HARK SMITH AND THEN KATRINA WHITE HAIR.
UH, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
I'M CEO FOR AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS.
I'M IN DISTRICT TWO, UH, AND AS IS AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS.
THAT'S WHERE I LIVE AND THAT'S WHERE I WORK.
UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR OVER 30 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, WHERE TOGETHER WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN SERVICE EDUCATION AND PAID JOBS TRAINING.
UM, EACH YEAR WE'RE SERVING OVER 300 YOUNG PEOPLE, GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BY BUILDING HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS AND CONSERVING OUR PUBLIC LANDS AND DOING DISASTER RELIEF AND WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORK.
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MAKING A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, AND, UM, AND Y'ALL ARE A BIG PART OF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.
YOU HEARD FROM MARY GRACE A FEW MINUTES AGO, AND ALEX LUNA, ANOTHER CURRENT MEMBER WHO SERVING IN OUR PARKS, UH, UNDER THIS AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, UH, FUNDING PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT TOGETHER, WHICH IS THE ONLY GREEN FORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT'S BEING SUPPORTED UNDER YOUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.
IT'S THE FASTEST GROWING, UH, INDUSTRY, UM, RIGHT NOW, THIS GREEN JOBS INDUSTRY.
AND, UM, AND WE'VE RECENTLY HAD 33 YOUNG ADULTS, UH, WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC, BE ABLE TO GET A LIVING WAGE JOB WHILE DOING CRITICAL WORK THAT THE CITY NEEDS.
WHAT WE WANT TO ASK FROM YOU IS THAT YOU SEE THIS THROUGH, THIS
[01:55:01]
IS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.IT'S RECENTLY WON A NATIONAL AWARD, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, OUR AUSTIN, UH, AND, AND THE INNOVATIVE SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BY THIS PROGRAM, UH, FOR OVER 250 PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE VOTED THIS AS ONE OF THE, UH, TOP PROGRAMS FOR PROJECT OF THE YEAR, UH, THROUGH THE NATIONAL COORDINATE WORK.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU GUYS MAKE THIS A PERMANENT PART OF THE BUDGET.
UH, THE CITY STAFF RIGHT NOW THAT ARE SUPPORTING IT ARE IN INTERIM ROLES AND THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, FOR PERMANENT FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
THOSE FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO SECURE ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING.
AND YOU'VE INVESTED A LOT ALREADY, ALREADY IN TRYING TO SEE THAT A AND D TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM.
AND YOU'VE GOT STAFF IN PLACE WHO COULD MOVE THIS THING FORWARD, AND FOR YEARS TO COME, UM, IT'S EMPLOYING PEOPLE WHO NEED THE JOBS WHO WANT TO SHIFT INTO CAREERS IN CONSERVATION AND WILDFIRE, FUEL MITIGATION.
WE'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK FOR YOU GUYS, UM, IN THE WHOLE REGION, IN SUPPLYING BOTH WORKFORCE, UH, FUTURE WORKFORCE FOR THE AREA AND GETTING THE CRITICAL WORK DONE THAT'S NEEDED.
UM, SO WE'RE ASKING TO SEE THIS, A TRIPLE C UH, STAFF FUNDED IN THE, IN THE FINAL BUDGET.
UM, CURRENTLY THERE'S MORE WORK NEEDED IN THE CITY.
THEN, THEN THE CITY STAFF CAN MANAGE.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE READY TO DO THE WORK, BUT WHAT'S NEEDED IS THAT INTERNAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU GUYS CAN PUT IN PLACE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO HAVE THE FULL-TIME STAFF ROLES, TO HELP SECURE THESE GRANT FUNDS AND COORDINATE PROJECTS GOING FORWARD.
AND WE HOPE TO SEE, UH, IN THE FUTURE KATRINA WHITE HAIR, AND THEN SHIMMER ROWAN GIBSON.
HELLO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK AS A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN ROLLER DERBY COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE ABOUT EIGHT LEAKS FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT BARTHOLOMEW ROLLER DERBY TRACK.
WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THE CITY INVEST CAPITAL FUNDING TO PROVIDE A SHADE OVER THE ROLLER DERBY TRACK AT THE PARK.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE RISING TEMPERATURES.
UM, I'VE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED HEAT EXHAUSTION, AND IN THE WINTER MONTHS WITH COLD WEATHER TRENDS, THE CITY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING, THIS IS AN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLANS.
SHADE WOULD HELP PREVENT HEAT RELATED ILLNESS.
UM, THERE'S A MINIMUM OF AT LEAST 20 HOURS A WEEK OF SCHEDULED PRACTICES.
THE ENTIRE SKATE COMMUNITY USES THIS TRACK DAILY.
IT'S A VERY HIGH TRAFFIC PARK.
A ROLLER DERBY IS A SKATER FUNDED SPORTS.
SO WE PAY TO PLAY THE FUNDS WE RAISE.
WE USE TO RENT SPACE TO HOLD GAMES AND SELL TICKETS AND CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT THE GROWING COMMUNITY.
SO LONG-TERM, WE NEED INDOOR SPACE, BUT THE CITY'S FUNDING WOULD REALLY HELP THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
AND IT WOULD ALSO IN TURN HELP SUPPORT A HISTORICALLY AUSTIN SPORT.
UH, AUSTIN WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MODERN DAY ROLLER DERBY, AND IT'S NOW A WORLDWIDE AND, UH, IT'S A SPACE FOR SKATERS, VOLUNTEERS AND FANS TO COME TOGETHER.
IT PROVIDES PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL STRENGTH AND IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO A SHADE OVER THE TRACK, UH, WOULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING CAPITAL FUNDS FOR THAT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHAMBER ON GIBSON AND THEN GUS PENYA, ALEX LUNA, AND THEN ERIC BIRD, MAYOR COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME IS ALEX LUNA AND I'M THE CREW LEADER FOR THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, UH, PARKS AND PRESERVES CREW.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING BOTH PARTS.
SMITH IS NO LONGER HERE, BUT MARY GRACE, CLARK, UM, PLEASE FORGIVE BY FIELD CASUAL ACTUALLY CAME HERE STRAIGHT FROM THE ONION CREEK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.
UM, I WAS GOING FOR BUSINESS, BUT, UH, YEAH, I CAME HERE STRAIGHT FROM THE FIELD.
UM, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, UH, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, UM, 2020 ORIGINALLY STARTING AS A CREW MEMBER, UM, ON THE FIRST PARKS AND PRESERVES CREW, UM, FOR MYSELF AND MY CREW MATES, UH, WE WERE MAKING SERIOUS CHANGES IN OUR CAREERS IN THE FACE OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
UH, MANY OF THEM, UH, EXPLORING A FIELD WITHOUT A DEGREE.
UM, IT FIELDS IT'S TYPICALLY INACCESSIBLE.
UM, DO YOU MEAN THIS IS LIKE AN EQUITABLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM? ATRIAL C ALLOWED US A FOOT IN THE DOOR, UH, TO DO WORK IN THE GREEN INDUSTRY THAT RESONATED WITH US, UH, OFFERING VALUABLE EXPERIENCE THAT LENDS ITSELF TO BOTH GREEN JOBS IN A WAY FORWARD.
UM, AS A CREW, WE DID EXTENSIVE
[02:00:01]
WORK THROUGH DIFFERENT PARKS AND PRESERVES, UH, AN AUSTIN SCREEN SYSTEM GOING FORWARD, UH, IN AN IDEAL SITUATION.I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS PROGRAM TO EXPAND PERMANENTLY NOT ONLY FOR THE ORGANIZATION, AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, BUT TO CREATE SUSTAINABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT PEOPLE SUCH AS MYSELF WHO COME FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS ASSOCIATED, ASSOCIATED ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS AND WALKS OF LIFE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE KIND OF WORK THAT WE DO AROUND THE CITY.
WE'VE HAD MANY RETURNING MEMBERS FROM OUR 33 PARTICIPANTS, UH, MYSELF INCLUDED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND THE REALITY IS, IS WE'RE OUT IN THESE PARKS AND PRESERVES, UH, EVERY DAY.
AND I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND WHAT KIND OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, IN ALL OF OUR GREEN SPACES.
AND THERE ISN'T A SHORTAGE OF AVAILABLE WORK.
UM, BUT THERE IS A TRUE NEED FOR IT.
IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW DO WE GET OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS INTO THIS WORK? SO THE WORK CAN BE COMPLETED.
AND BEYOND THAT THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM NEEDS TO BE A PIPELINE INTO PERMANENT STAFFING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, THIS, THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN SEASONAL WORK AND CON CONTRACTUAL WORK.
I HAVE A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROGRAM FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND IT'S ALLOWED ME, UH, HEALTHCARE, AN AMAZING WORK, UH, CULTURE AND CONSISTENT SCHEDULING, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
I'VE ALSO BEEN ALLOWED A VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE IN A FIELD I CARE ABOUT AND A CITY THAT I LOVE AND HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S GONE FROM A CREW MEMBER, UH, TO NOW A LEADERSHIP ROLE AND HOPEFULLY A STAFF POSITION IN THE FUTURE, UM, I ONLY WANT THE BEST GOING FORWARD FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, AND I BELIEVE DEEPLY IN IT, AND I WANT OTHERS TO EXPERIENCE IT AND DECIDE FROM THE MOORS OF LIKE EVER LOOMING CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND OUR GREEN SPACES IN AUSTIN ARE NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
UH, I'M IMPLORING YOU GUYS TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS A, AN EQUITABLE INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY AND ITS WORKFORCE THINKING ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY GRATITUDE TO ALEX CLARK AND MARY GRID OR ALEX LUNA AND MARY GRACE CLARK, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
IT'S EXCITING TO HEAR YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN ZOO.
THANK YOU, ERIC BIRD, AND THEN QUINCY DUNLAP, GOOD EVENING.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, AMERICAN BIRD.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DISTRICT ONE.
I WORKED FOR THE JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY DIVISION OF THE AUSTIN AREA, URBAN LEAGUE, AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, SPECIFICALLY THE 300,000 ALLOCATED TO THE CARVER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE CARVER RECENTLY, BUT THERE'S AN AMAZING DISPLAY.
UH, IT'S SORT OF LIKE A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME, RIGHT JOURNEY THROUGH BLACK HISTORY.
SO IF YOU TURN TO YOUR LEFT, YOU SEE A PICTURE OF LL COOL J AND SOME, SOME EIGHTIES ENTERTAINERS, THAT THINGS, UH, YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT.
UM, ACTUALLY I HAVE PICTURES ON MY PHONE.
I CAN SHOW YOU AFTER YOU GET OFF THE DIET, BUT, UM, YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT AND THEN YOU SEE A SIGNIFICANT BLACK AUSTINITES.
WHO'VE HAD AN EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY MOST THROUGH FIGHTING OPPRESSION, DATING BACK FOR MANY DECADES.
UH, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE CARVER.
IT ENCAPSULATES OUR HISTORY BEAUTIFULLY.
SO IN ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES, UH, THE POPULATION OF BLACK AUSTINITES, UH, SHOULD NOT BE STAGNANT.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT KEEP BLACK FAMILIES IN THE CITY.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN PLACES OF BELONGING, WHERE WE CAN TEACH AND LEARN ABOUT OUR HISTORY.
SO IN ADDITION TO MY ROLE WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BLACK PROFESSIONAL ALLIANCE.
I REGULARLY SPEAK WITH BLACK PROFESSIONALS.
WHO'VE MOVED TO AUSTIN FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEY'RE LEAVING JUST AS QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND COMMUNITY.
THEY CAN'T FIND SPACES, UH, WHERE WE EXIST.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A JOKE ONLINE IS WHERE ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, IT'S NOT A JOKE TO ME, BUT, UM, IT'S USED AS, UH, AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW FEW OF US THERE ARE.
UM, AND A LOT OF THE REASON IS WE DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T HAVE SPACES WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND MEET AND, AND MEET WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHARED CULTURAL VALUES AND HISTORIES AND UNDERSTANDINGS.
AND THAT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IF YOU HAVEN'T FACED THAT PROBLEM, IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, THEY CONSIDER YOURSELF FORTUNATE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN D ONE, WELL, GROWING UP, I HAD DREAMS OF BUYING A HOUSE IN AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE, MAYBE WITH MY COUSINS ALL AROUND.
UM, NOW NONE OF MY COUSINS LIVE IN AUSTIN.
UM, MY GRANDMOTHER HAD 14 CHILDREN HAVE 50 PLUS COUSINS ON SIDE, AND NONE OF THEM LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, UNLESS THEY'RE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT GETS REALER THAN THAT, THE REALIZATION THAT YOU CAN INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AND LAY ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU WERE BORN IN.
[02:05:06]
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAN ADLER, UH, ESTEEM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND DISTINGUISH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON, I'LL BE BRIEF.UM, I THINK FUNDING SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO THE HIGHEST AREAS OF NEED TO EVOLVE, UH, AND ADVANCED THE CARVER INSTITUTIONS, THE STAFF, THE PROGRAMS, THE RESOURCES, AND THE LIKE, UH, WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER SUPPORT FOR MULTIFACETED INSTITUTIONS LIKE HOUSTON TILLOTSON.
I KNOW IT'S NOT A CITY INSTITUTION, BUT IT PRODUCES SOME OF THE HIGHEST INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL IN THIS REGION.
UM, SO I I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT CONSIDERED, UM, ALSO WANT US TO, UH, THINK THROUGH THE BUDGET.
I HAVE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED THE BUDGET ALONG WITH MY TEAM AND THE JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY VISION FOR THE AUSTIN AREA, URBAN LEAGUE.
AND WE FULLY SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, UH, BUDGET ALLOCATION.
I THINK IT'S $75 MILLION, BUT I, WE FULLY SUPPORT THAT.
AND I, I ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, TO, TO RECONSIDER FUNDING IT AT 100%.
UM, ALSO WE'VE LOOKED AT, UM, SOME OF THE BUDGET INFORMATION CONTAINED THERE IN, BEFORE WE GET TO A VOTE ON THE BUDGET AND ANALYZING IT AND HAVING A TEAM THAT ANALYZES IT, SOME OF THE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE TARGETS, UM, THAT THAT WERE FAILED TO ACHIEVE AND HOW IT'S INTERPRETED BY THE COMMUNITY, UM, IS DISHEARTENING AND DISCOURAGING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE TARGETS THAT WERE MISSED OR NOT ACHIEVED BY THE VARIOUS ENTITIES DIVISIONS OF DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE FUNDED.
AND, UH, WE LIKED THE PARTNER AND SUPPORT IN ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS.
SO PART OF WHAT WE DO AT THE AUSTIN AREA, URBAN LEAGUE IS NOT JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO PISS AND MOAN AND COMPLAIN, BUT WE OFFER SOLUTION AND WE COME TO PARTNER, UM, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE CITY.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE HERE AND WE ARE HERE TO SERVE.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE DYES, MUCH RESPECT TO YOU ALL.
MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM THE POLICY OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN AND THE RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSIONS, $300,000 BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO FUND AN EXECUTIVE STRATEGY EXECUTION STRATEGY FOR THE EQUITY-BASED HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN.
THIS FUNDING IS CURRENTLY NOT INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, PUT FORTH BY THE CITY MANAGER, AS YOU ALL LIKELY KNOW FOR THE LAST YEAR CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH A WORKING GROUP OF DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING MYSELF TO DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AUSTIN'S FIRST PRESERVATION PLAN.
IN 40 YEARS, THE EQUITY-BASED HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN SEEKS TO CREATE NEW PROACTIVE TOOLS TO PRESERVE OUR CITY'S HERITAGE AND EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY TO DEFINE WHAT MATTERS TO THEM AS AUSTIN EVOLVES AND GROWS THE PLAN CHARTS, A STRONG COMMUNITY ORIENTED VISION FOR PRESERVATION THAT AUSTIN DESPERATELY NEEDS, AND IT CAN NOT SUCCEED WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
IT'S 109 RECOMMENDATIONS ADDRESS THE IMMENSE ISSUES OUR CITY IS FACING, INCLUDING AFFORDABILITY, DISPLACEMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, AND MORE, AND MEETS THESE CHALLENGES WITH INNOVATIVE TOOLS.
THIS $300,000 FOR THE PLANS EXECUTION STRATEGY WILL GO TOWARDS HIRING A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT, PAYING COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND FUNDING FOR A FULL-TIME STAFF POSITION TO ENSURE THE PLAN SUCCESS, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THE PLAN WILL PRIORITIZE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED IN THE PUBLIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, AS WELL AS UNDERREPRESENTED IN HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
THIS INCLUDES BLACK, LATINO AND LGBTQ AUSTINITES AMONG OTHERS.
THIS WILL ALSO, THIS WORK WILL ALSO INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF A TIMELINE METRICS AND COST ESTIMATES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS FOR THESE REASONS THAT PRESERVATION AUSTIN ASKS YOU TO SUPPORT THIS $300,000 FUNDING REQUESTS AND ENSURE A STRONG COMMUNITY ORIENTED FUTURE FOR PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME MAYOR.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE YOU IS THERE ANYBODY WHO HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO? HI COLLEAGUES THAT GETS IT BACK UP TO US AT THE, UH, DAY S
[02:10:03]
ITEMS TWO AND THREE WERE JUST TO HEAR THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM.
OH, TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THESE IN ORDER.
[1. Approve a resolution adopting a maximum proposed property (ad valorem) tax rate that will include an increase of 3.5% for the operations and maintenance of the City that the City Council will consider for Fiscal Year 2022-2023; and setting the date that the Council will hold the hearing and adopt the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 property (ad valorem) tax rate (Suggested date, time, and location: August 17, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., Austin City Hall, 301 West Second Street, Austin, Texas and via videoconference, as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act).]
ONE.WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM ONE RELATED TO THE MAXIMUM PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AND THE DATE ON WHICH THE COUNCIL ADOPT THE TAX RATE.
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A MAXIMUM PTOS PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 2023.
AND TO SET THE DATE THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 2023 PROPERTY TAX RATE UNDER STATE LAW, A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE MAXIMUM PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER REQUIRES A ROLL CALL VOTE.
THE MAXIMUM THAT THE CITY CAN ADOPT AND NOT EXCEED THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE SET BY STATE LAWS, 46.27 CENTS PER $100 VALUATION.
IF WE GO ABOVE THAT RATE, WE MUST CALL IN THE ELECTION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION SETTING TO OPPOSE PROSED MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 AT 46.27 CENTS PER $100.
VALUATION COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, MESA MOTION, COUNCIL MEMBER RENT, THE REIA SECONDS.
SO IT IS MOVED AND IT IS SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS RESOLUTION WHERE THE CURLER PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON COUNCIL MEMBER FLINT.
WHAT'D YOU SHOW IS YOUR VOTE TALLY NINE 11 WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY VOTING.
WITH THE VOTE BEING NINE IN FAVOR, ONE AGAINST COUNCIL MEMBER, CORRECT.
NINE VOTES IN FAVOR, ONE AGAINST AND ONE MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER POINT THIS OUT COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON OFF THE DYE AS THE VOTE IS 9 1 1, AND IT IS APPROVED THE MAYOR.
UH, THE MOTION TO ADOPT A MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX RATE HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
WE'RE NOW TURNED TO, UH, THE, THE NEXT PART OF THIS RESOLUTION.
THE COUNCIL WILL ADOPT THE ACTUAL FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 PROPERTY TAX RATES.
THE PROPOSED TIME DATE AND LOCATION IS AUGUST 17TH, 2022 HERE IN CITY HALL, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS AT 10:00 AM WITH THE VOTING TO CONTINUE TO AUGUST 18TH AND 19TH, IF NECESSARY AS AUTHORIZED BY STATE LAW, PEOPLE MAY PARTICIPATE REMOTELY OR IN PERSON.
IS THERE A MOTION TO SET THE TIME, DATE AND LOCATION AS PROPOSED TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 PROPERTY TAX RATE NEAR, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS MOTION? THAT'S A MEMBER.
WELL, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TOLD WILL MAKE THE MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WAS SECOND.
WE SET THE DATE AND TIME, AS YOU INDICATED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, RATHER THAN ADOPT THE BUDGET, I'M TRYING TO DRIVE IT.
WASN'T IT WAS SUE TO ADOPT AND THAT'S UH, DID I READ IT WRONG? NO, I WAS JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO USHER IN A CHANGE OF LANGUAGE, BUT, AND WE HAVE TO TALK TO COUNCIL BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE FOLLOWING THE STATUTORILY PRESCRIBED LANGUAGE.
[02:15:02]
IS THERE A MOTION JUST AT THE TIME DATE, LOCATION AS PROPOSED TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22 23 PROPERTY TAX RATE COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO MAKES THAT MOTION.IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER, ELLIS SECONDS.
THAT MOTION, UH, WE'LL NOW TAKE A, VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY WANT TO DISCUSS THAT, THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IT JUST TO THE TIME AND DATE THOSE OPPOSED.
I'M SHOWING YOU IT UNANIMOUS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON OFF THE DIOCESE.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL, I DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO ITEM
[2. Set a public hearing to receive and consider public comment on the proposed rate and fee changes for Austin Resource Recovery as part of the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Proposed Budget (Suggested Date: August 17, 2022, at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second Street, Austin, TX).]
NUMBER TWO ON THE, UH, UH, AGENDA.WE ARE TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED RATES AND FEE CHANGES FOR THE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 PROPOSED BUDGET.
UH, THE DATE WOULD BE, UH, AUGUST 17TH, 2022 AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
IS THERE SOMEONE TO MAKE THAT MOTION? THE MAYOR PRO TEM MAKES THAT MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH TOVO I NEED DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT ITEM.
I HAVE IT, UH, UNANIMOUS ON THE DIOCESE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON OFF.
[3. Set a public hearing to receive public comment on the proposed rate and fee changes for Austin Energy as part of the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Proposed Budget. (Suggested date: August 17, 2022, at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second Street, Austin, TX.).]
THE PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES FOR AUSTIN ENERGY AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, AS AUGUST 17TH, 2022 AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS HAS POOL MAKES THAT MOTION.IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER READ 38 SECONDS THAT EDIT DISCUSSION, UH, CATEGORY TOVA YES.
MAYOR I'VE ASKED OUR FINANCE STAFF TO, TO HAVE THIS AS A PART OF OUR CONVERSATION.
I THINK MR. CYRUS REED RAISED THIS IN HIS TESTIMONY TODAY AND IN HIS EMAIL TO US THIS WEEK.
AND IT'S A QUESTION THAT I KNOW SEVERAL OF US HAVE ASKED ABOUT HOW, HOW THE ONGOING RATE PROPOSAL IS GOING TO WEAVE ITS WAY INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SIGNAL TO THE PUBLIC THAT OUR VOTE TODAY IS NOT, IS NOT, UM, CIRCUMVENTING THAT PUBLIC RATE PROCESS RATE MAKING PROCESS IN ANY WAY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THOSE TWO THINGS ARE GOING TO ARE GOING TO INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER, HOPEFULLY AFTER OUR, OUR CONVERSATION NEXT WEEK, IF NOT TODAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION COUNCIL MEMBER.
TOVA ALL WE'RE DOING NOW IS JUST SETTING A DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, ALONG VERY SIMILAR LINES.
I WANTED TO ASK STAFF IF WE COULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER TOPO MAY HAVE ALREADY ASKED FOR IT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET CLARITY.
UM, SINCE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT RATE WE'RE GOING TO LAND ON, UM, WITH THE RATE CASE, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE GREATER CLARITY ON HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.
UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S AMONG THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT THE STAFF WILL DO.
DEEP DIVE, DEEPER DIVE ON WITH THAT'S.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S TAKE A, VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM.
NUMBER THREE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT WAS OPPOSED I'M SEEING IT AS UNANIMOUS ON THE DYES, BUT AGAIN, TO COUNCIL HARPER, MADISON GONE 10 0 1.
IT, UH, IT PASSES, UH, COLLEAGUES.
WE HAVE, UH, JUST OUR GENERAL DISCUSSION ABOUT PROCESS AND PROCEDURES.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, UM, WE'VE ALSO CONDUCTED A COMMUNITY INPUT SESSION TO RECEIVE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, UH, COMMENT.
AND WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH TWO ITEMS. I THINK THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL GO REALLY QUICKLY, UH, IN THIS REGARD, UM, WE COULD EITHER JUST START DISCUSSING AMONG OURSELVES IF PEOPLE HAD STUFF THEY WANTED TO DISCUSS, UH, OR WE COULD BREAK AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, OR WE COULD CHECK FIRST TO SEE IF PEOPLE HAD ITEMS THEY WANTED TO DISCUSS PEOPLE, HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANTED TO DISCUSS DURING THIS DISCUSSION PERIOD.
GREG, I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THINGS I CAN DISCUSS TODAY OR I HAVE THINGS I CAN DISCUSS NEXT WEEK.
TO ME, IT'S NOT CLEAR SORT OF HOW MUCH TIME OUR, OUR COUNCIL HAS ALLOCATED FOR
[02:20:01]
IT.SO I WONDER IF WE COULD, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT MAYBE WE DO HAVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE SEE HOW MUCH TIME THAT TAKES AND THEN COME TO AN AGREEMENT ABOUT HOW MUCH LONGER WE WANT TO SPEND DISCUSSING TODAY THAT MIGHT HELP US KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE TIME TO UNDERTAKE TODAY.
DOES THAT WORK FOR PEOPLE THAT WAY, IF ANYBODY NEEDED TO LEAVE, THEY ACTUALLY COULD.
[Executive Session]
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP TWO ITEMS PURSUANT TO 5, 5, 1 0 7.ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED ITEMS SIX, WHICH IS THE LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM AND LICENSE SEVEN.
I WISH CONCERN BUDGET MATTERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT OUR, UH, LEGAL STAFF HAS ANYTHING BEYOND THE MEMO THAT WAS SENT OUT TO OUR OFFICES ON THURSDAY.
UH, SO THERE'S NO FURTHER PRESENTATION.
SO MOSTLY I THINK IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS SINCE THERE'S NO STAFF PRESENTATION.
I JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR YOU AS WE GET READY TO HEAD BACK, BUT I'M CALLING IT AS PART OF AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, A MAYOR PRO TEM, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE LICENSE PLATE READER OR THE BUDGET QUESTIONS? THE LICENSE PLATE READER.
I SAW A PRESENTATION TODAY FROM STAFF ABOUT THE LICENSE PLATE READERS.
AND SO I BELIEVE THEY DO HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US LEGAL DOES, BUT THAT'S PRESENTATION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION, NOT PRESENTATION.
IT'S A PRESENTATION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
LET'S GO ON EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT WHEN WE'RE ALL TOGETHER THERE.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, UH, LET'S ALL GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, LET'S DO THIS REMOTELY AGAIN AS WE HAVE, UH, SOME OF US THAT ARE NOT PHYSICALLY WITH US, UH, IN FIVE MINUTES, UH, GIVE THAT PEOPLE TAKE A REST STOP ON THEIR WAY.
WE'LL CONVENE, UH, UH, AT, UH, 20 TIL, UH, THIS IS KATHY WAS COMING DOWN.
THIS IS THE, UH, CONTINUED, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, THE TIME IS 7 45 AND WE'RE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AND CLOSED SESSION.
WE DISCUSSED LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO ITEMS. UH, SIX AND SEVEN, UH, COLLEAGUES WERE DOWN TO THE DISCUSSION
[4. Discussion regarding the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Proposed Budget, including process and procedures.]
ITEMS, UH, BUDGET, UH, ITEMS, PROCEDURE, OR WHATEVER PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT.UM, WOULD YOU TELL US, UH, GENERALLY, UH, THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU'VE HEARD SO FAR FROM COUNCIL OFFICES, UH, THAT YOU INTEND TO DISCUSS FOR LAND AT THE COUNCIL BRIEFINGS? SURE.
I'M CARRIE LANG BUDGET OFFICER FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND SO FAR WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS, UM, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS.
AND TO DATE, WE'VE HEARD POTENTIAL TOPICS OF, UM, PARKLAND, DEDICATION, RESIDENTIAL FEES, OR FEE INCREASES OVERALL, UM, STAFFING FOR DSD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT INFORMATION ON PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, ON THEIR PROGRAMS AND LIFEGUARDS AND PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR, AS WELL AS, UM, CLEANUP IN PARKS TO ADDRESS THE, UM, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ENCAMPMENTS IN PARKS.
UM, MORE INFORMATION FOR, UM, NINE 11 CALL TAKERS, UM, CODE RELATED TO STR ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL AS, UM, THE PLAN AND CONCRETE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY'RE IMPROVING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY ON THEIR INCREASED FEES, AS WELL AS, UM, POTENTIAL, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF WORKFORCE FIRST SUPPORT AND, AND AR ARR, UM, MORE FUNDING OR FULL-TIME FUNDING FOR A TRIPLE C LIVING WAGE POLICY, AS WELL AS, UM, INCREASED PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.
GOODNIGHT RANCH ARE THE FIRE EMS STATIONS AND FUNDING FOR THOSE STATIONS.
UM, THE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING FOR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS IN SOURCING CONTRACT LABOR, UM, FOR THE CITY, UM, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON AES RATE REVIEW PROCESS AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE BUDGET OR HOW APPROVING THE BUDGET INTERTWINES WITH AES RATE PROCESS AND, UM,
[02:25:02]
MORE INFORMATION ON PARK RANGERS IN PART RESOURCES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MARKET STUDY, UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY, KNOWING GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGETS, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FIRE EMS STATIONS THAT'S REMAINING OKAY.AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEGOTIATIONS POTENTIALLY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, WE HAD CODE ENFORCEMENT, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING SDRS, UM, COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN, COUNCILMEMBER
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS, CARRIE, THAT I MENTIONED, ALTHOUGH ACTUALLY WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR MEETING YET, BUT, UM, THE, UM, I HA I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN THE SENIOR TAX EXEMPTION INFORMATION COMING OUT, SO WE MAY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND ARE THESE, THESE ARE TOPICS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO FILL THE TWO DAYS THAT ARE NOT FILLED, BUT TO DISCUSS DURING THE TWO DAYS.
UM, THE HEAL INITIATIVE WOULD BE ANOTHER ONE.
I HAVE A, I HAVE SPECIFIC, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
I MIGHT NEED TO BRING THAT UP.
IT MAY BE A SHORT CONVERSATION, BUT I'M GOING TO NEED TO BRING THAT UP.
I'M HESITATING A LITTLE, BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I NEED TO BRING UP, BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN IF, IF THEY REALLY RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A LONG CONVERSATION OR NOT, YOU KNOW, SO, SO MAYOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, UH, I THINK YOU, I THINK YOU SAID, AND WE'VE DONE BEFORE IS WE'VE ALLOWED SOME TIME DURING THESE TWO SESSIONS FOR EACH OF US TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BRINGING.
IS THAT THE THINKING ALSO? OKAY, WELL THEN I'LL JUST SAY INTERPRETS IT FOR, AT THIS POINT ANYWAY.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE THINGS THAT CARRIE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED, WHICH ARE OF INTEREST TO ME ALSO THEN, UM, I, I WOULD, UM, I THINK I'LL NEED TO ADD TO THAT THE SENIOR TECHS EXEMPTION AND HEAL, AND THEN I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH THE OTHER THINGS WHEN, WHEN IT COMES OUR TIME TO LIST THINGS.
SO, AND NO ONE SHOULD FEEL LIKE TODAY'S MEETING IS YOUR EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK CARRIE TO BRING STUFF YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, QUICK QUESTION FOR THE CONVERSATION AROUND LIVING WAGE AND PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.
SHOULD WE EXPECT TO HAVE THAT ON TUESDAY OR IS THAT A THURSDAY TOPIC? SO WE HAVEN'T SET THE AGENDA FOR EITHER DAY YET.
THE HOPE WAS TO GET, UM, A CLEAR IDEA FROM THE COUNCIL TODAY ON WHAT THE MAJOR TOPICS THAT YOU ALL WOULD WANT.
AND THEN WE WILL BEGIN SETTING THE AGENDA BASED ON, UM, THE, THE HIGHER PRIORITY TOPICS THAT YOU ALL WANTED US TO DISCUSS OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
IF YOU, UH, WHEN YOU DO DECIDE, YOU CAN LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE IN ADVANCE OF THAT SESSION.
UH, AND I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB COVERING THE ONES THAT I, THAT WHEN WE MET AND WE TALKED ABOUT, I WOULD JUST ADD JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDING AND TO THE EXTENT THAT STAFF CAN TALK US THROUGH TENANT RELOCATION SERVICES IN ANY PATHWAYS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
UH, THANK YOU, CARRIE LANG, AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING US WITH OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL YESTERDAY.
AND I THINK IT WAS INFORMATIVE TO THE CONSTITUENTS.
THAT IS A REALLY GOOD LIST OF TOPICS, UM, THAT OVERLAPPED SOME OF THE AREAS THAT I'M WORKING ON.
I CARE A LOT ABOUT THE DISCUSSION AROUND THE LIFEGUARD PAY, UM, THE ABILITY TO DO ANY SORT OF EXTENDED HOURS OR DAYS FOR OUR LOCAL POOLS.
UM, AND TO LOOK INTO CONTINUING THE BONUSES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR FOR PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP TO BE LIFEGUARDS, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING OF, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO THEM AGAIN IN YEARS TO COME.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THOSE WOULD BE.
I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN, UM, ADDING A FEW MORE PARK RANGERS AS I'VE DONE A COUPLE OF YEARS THROUGH AND THROUGH.
UM, I WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE SAFE STORAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THE FREE GUN LOCKS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO FIND MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, I KNOW WORKFORCE FIRST PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT I AND COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAVE, HAVE WORKED ON TOGETHER IN THE PAST.
AND SO I'D WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AT LEAST MAINTAINING THAT FUNDING FOR THEM OR INCREASING IT.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THIS IS ONLY GOING TO BE DIRECTION UNLESS THERE'S A BUDGETARY IMPACT, BUT KNOWING THAT WE'VE CHAMPIONED THE ABORTION LOGISTICS AND ACCESS
[02:30:01]
PUBLIC HEALTH LINE ITEM FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RIGHT SIZE THAT FOR THE SERVICES NEEDED FOR FOLKS AND MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER PROTOCOL WE'RE FOLLOWING IS IN LINE WITH CURRENT, YOU KNOW, STATE OR FEDERAL LAWS AS WELL.SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I'M KEEPING MY EYE ON AND WE'LL WORK ON GETTING ANY AMENDMENTS OR DIRECTION POSTED BY THE 12TH, WHICH WAS THE DEADLINE THAT WE HAD SET.
AND THERE MAY BE A COUPLE MORE, BUT I WILL MAKE SURE TO REACH OUT TO YOU ON THE BACKEND IF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M READY, I'LL POST AMENDMENTS TO THE MESSAGE BOARD, BUT I HAD SEVERAL TOPICS THAT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE SOME BROADER DISCUSSIONS SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT A COUNCIL IF WE ARE, UM, INVESTING APPROPRIATELY IN AREAS.
UM, SO THE FIRST AREA, I THINK WE MADE AS A PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL TO, UM, YOU KNOW, INVEST IN OUR STAFF.
AND I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF STEPS THAT ARE IN THE BASIC BUDGET.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE IS, I'M PLEASED THAT WE HAVE THE LIVING WAGE, BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPRESSION AND HOW THAT WAS HANDLED, UM, AND SORT OF HOW THIS IS PLAYING OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PARTICULAR AREAS THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UM, AS PROBLEMATIC AREAS FOR HIRE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DISCUSS, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CDL DRIVERS ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT YOU KNOW, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, WE NEED TO HAVE THE TRASH PICKED UP.
UM, AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IF THESE CHANGES OR WHATEVER'S IN THE BUDGET, UM, BEYOND THAT IS IMPACTING THEM.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN MENTIONED THE 9 1 1 AREA.
THERE, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DONE ACTUALLY ADDRESSES SOME AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE PROBLEMATIC.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S THIS COMPRESSION QUESTION THAT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, SUFFICIENT INVESTMENTS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AN OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FIREHOUSES.
UM, WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED THAT THE BUDGET IS FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE, ET CETERA, BUT IT TAKES OUT TWO FIREHOUSES.
UM, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER IT'S TAKEN OUT OF THE CAPITOL, IT DOESN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING FOR THEM.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CLARITY OVER WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THOSE, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S A, THAT'S A HUGE SHIFT, UM, FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE CLARITY ON OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO EPIDEMICS, BOTH COVID AND MONKEYPOX, UM, WE, WE NEED TO, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, PARKS, IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYONE HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT PARKS, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY PARKLAND DEDICATION, UM, WOULD NEED TO DO THAT.
UM, I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND PARTICULARLY THE SECTION ON GREEN JOBS, WHICH IS THE ONE OF THE KEY OVERARCHING STRATEGIES.
AND IT'S HARD TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THE OTHER PIECES OVER TIME IF YOU DON'T DO THAT.
UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY THIS ONE I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE ON THE 11TH.
UM, YOU GUYS MAY RECALL THE SEXUAL ASSAULT, COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION FROM THE POLICE ECONOMIC RESEARCH FORUM.
I HAD A BRIEFING, I GUESS IT WAS YESTERDAY WITH THEM ON THAT REPORT.
UM, AND A LOT OF THINGS ARE PROCESS ORIENTED AND I THINK IT'S VERY CONSTRUCTIVE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT WE'LL NEED, UM, BUDGET INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT OUR SEX CRIMES UNIT AND SUPPORT OUR VICTIM SERVICES UNIT.
UM, AS THEY TAKE THE NEXT STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY IN.
AND THAT WILL LEAD US TO BE THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF A FUNCTIONING DEPARTMENT WITH RESPECT TO SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE.
UM, BUT THAT REPORT IS NOT, I DON'T KNOW, THE REPORT WILL EVEN BE OUT, UM, OFFICIALLY BEFORE BUDGET.
SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET SOME SORT OF INFORMATION BACK, UM, FROM STAFF ON THOSE PIECES AND I'LL BE WORKING ON A BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, FOR THOSE PIECES.
UM, IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM WHAT WE CAN AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN THE SCHEME OF THE BUDGET, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE SOME RESOURCES.
AND WE DID MAKE COMMITMENTS, UM, AS THE COUNCIL TO THE SURVIVORS WHEN WE DID THE SETTLEMENT AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIVE UP TO THOSE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS IN ADDITION TO THE RATE CASE, WHICH YOU MENTIONED AS WELL, THAT I THINK ARE SORT OF SOMEWHAT WITH PERHAPS THE EXCEPTION OF THE LAST ONE ARE, ARE SOMEWHAT HIGHER LEVEL ONES THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME BROAD DISCUSSIONS ON AND, AND UNDERSTAND BETTER.
I WOULD ADD TO THE LIST, UM, UM, DOING SOMETHING WITH THE ADC FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM AND JUST TO BE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT.
[02:35:01]
UM, AND, AND, UM, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A, UH, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCE ON THAT.UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S NOMINAL ON THE TERRORS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET AT LEAST SOME MONEY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT COLONY PARK, THE FINANCING GAP.
UH, WE HAD FOLKS COME IN AND WE DIRECTED THEM TO COME UP WITH THE PLAN, UH, TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR INVESTMENT MIGHT BE.
UH, BUT I THINK THEY'VE GOTTEN TO THE PLACE NOW FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO WHERE NOTHING'S HAPPENING AND WE PROBABLY LOSE, UH, THE BENEFIT OF THAT WORK IF WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT A PROCESS OR A, OR A, OR A PATH, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE SHOULD SET IN POD AND OR WHAT, JUST SOMETHING THAT TALKS ABOUT THOSE, UM, UH, FUNDING, UH, PATHWAYS
SO THAT LIST REFLECTS A FEW OF THE AREAS THAT I FORWARDED ON.
I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND WE'VE HAD A FEW MEETINGS WITH SOME OF, SOME OF THE FOLKS ON THAT AND HAVE A COUPLE IDEAS ABOUT FUNDING STRATEGIES.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE WE'LL LOOP YOU IN ON THOSE.
UM, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME PARTICULAR PROPERTIES THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER GETTING, GETTING THE AGC WORKING ON.
SO THAT'S OF HIGH INTEREST FOR ME, YOU CAPTURED CODE.
AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAD REFERENCED THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS, I THINK WHAT MIGHT BE PRODUCTIVE TODAY IS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR PROCESS IS GOING TO BE LIKE FOR THAT TUESDAY AND THURSDAY.
I KNOW WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN IN DIFFERENT YEARS BETWEEN PRESENTATIONS, FROM STAFF AND KIND OF Q AND A FROM COUNCIL.
SO WHAT, I DON'T KNOW, CARRIE, IF YOU HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO STRUCTURE THAT TIME, OR IF YOU'D LIKE SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT, WHAT I DO WANT TO BE SURE OF IS THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR Q AND A AND, AND REALLY POINTED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THOSE TOPICS.
I THINK MOST OF US HAVE, HAVE IDENTIFIED THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, I PICK CODE BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S A VERY SIMILAR BUDGET REQUESTS THIS YEAR THAT THERE WAS LAST YEAR, UM, WHICH CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE TO FUND ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
AND WE STILL REALLY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, I WOULD SAY, IN USING OUR STAFF RESOURCES IN THAT DEPARTMENT EFFECTIVELY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON I PUT THAT ON THE LIST.
SO I, I WONDER IF IN ADDITION TO JUST PICKING WHICH DEPARTMENTS IN WHICH SUBJECTS, IF WE CAN PROVIDE OUR STAFF WITH AS MANY, WITH AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE ABOUT WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IN EACH OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES DOING THAT NOW ABOUT SOME OF THESE BIG TOPICS.
CAUSE WE HAVE, IF WE HAVE, IF WE HAVE 15 MINUTE PRESENTATIONS ON ALL OF THOSE TOPICS, WE'RE SOON GOING TO BE OUT OF TIME TO REALLY DISCUSS AND ASK QUESTIONS AND, AND MAKE, HAVE, HAVE USEFUL DIALOGUES.
I MEAN, I, A GENERALIZED DISCUSSION, LIKE WE'VE HAD SOME YEARS ABOUT DEPARTMENTS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE BUDGET.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE BEST USE OF OUR TIME.
I THINK GETTING TO THE QUESTIONS IS, IS BEST.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS LIST AS IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU AS MORE THAN JUST A GENERAL QUESTION, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A QUESTION BEHIND THE, THE, THE SUBJECT HEADACHE THAT YOU'VE CLICKED ON HERE, UH, SO THAT YOU COULD BE TARGETED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT I WOULD SEE THAT HAPPENING.
I WOULD SEE STAFF COMING IN AND SAYING, THESE ARE THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD, UH, IN THESE AREAS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH THOSE, UH, DEPARTMENTS OF THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT THE TUESDAY AND THURSDAY WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, THE ISSUES OR QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED BY COUNCIL.
AND I AGREE, I THINK, UM, IF, IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL, WE CAN DEFINITELY SET IT UP, WHEREAS MORE OF A DIALOGUE AND QUESTION RESPONSE TO THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS INSTEAD OF A BACK-TO-BACK PRESENTATIONS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN, IN THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS, UM, AN EXTENSIVE LIST THAT WE'LL HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MANAGE THAT TIME APPROPRIATELY TO GET AS MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION TO YOU ALL AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE'LL WORK OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT, UM, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT I THINK WE WOULD LEAN TOWARDS MORE OF A QUESTION AND ANSWER DIALOG VERSUS A, UH, SET OF PRESENTATIONS FROM COUNT FROM, FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.
IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, JUST QUICK OVER BRUSHING FOR SOME OF THOSE, BUT FOR MOST OF IT WILL BE SOME DIALOGUE, MOSTLY DIALOGUE.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE AS PART OF THAT OVERVIEW IN THE BEGINNING, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO KNOW WHAT WAS ADDED, UM, WHAT WAS ADDED, WHAT IS PROPOSED TO BE ADDED AND WHAT IF ANYTHING WAS TRIMMED FROM, FROM PREVIOUS BUDGET.
[02:40:01]
KIND OF A GOLDEN BOOK ON THIS DEPARTMENT AND WHAT IT DOES AND HOW IT SPENDS ITS FARMING, RIGHT.CHANGES THAT WOULD HELP US IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THERE IS A RE UH, REDOING A PRIORITY PRIORITIES THAT IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL'S DIRECTED AND THEN, AND THEN KIND OF MOVING TOWARD, MOVING TOWARD THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT, THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT LED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS PULLING IT.
SO ARE THERE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU KNOW OF, OR, OR ITEMS ON THAT LIST AT THIS POINT THAT ARE LACKING THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY IN TERMS OF WHY, WHY SOMEBODY WANTS TO DISCUSS IT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TALK ABOUT NOW? NO, I THINK, I THINK WE CAN, UM, DEFINITELY WORK WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
AND I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH INFORMATION.
UM, AS FAR AS THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THOSE APARTMENTS, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT LIST, UM, IN INSIDE THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, BUT WE CAN GO INTO THE DETAIL OF THAT, UM, AND KIND OF TALK THROUGH THOSE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UM, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, I GUESS I JUST MEANT FROM, FROM COUNSEL, DO YOU NEED, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE FROM THE COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS KIND OF WHY THOSE ITEMS ARE ON THE LIST OR WHERE IT COULD, OR SHOULD WE USE IT, MAYBE YOU SHOULD SUMMARIZE FOR ME? NO, NO.
I MEAN, I'M STRUGGLING TO WHERE YOU HAVE A TOPIC LIKE LIVING WAGE.
SOMEONE PROBABLY HAD A QUESTION ASSOCIATED WITH LIVING WAGE.
SO RATHER THAN 15 MINUTES ON LIVING WAGE AND HOUR GENERALLY APPLY, JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE QUESTION THAT THEY HAD ON LIVING WAGE.
AND, AND WITH THE, I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH, UM, FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK TO KIND OF FINALIZE AND GET SOME OF THAT DETAIL QUESTION.
BUT WITH THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD, I THINK I'VE CAPTURED THE QUESTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH THOSE SUBJECTS.
AND SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT DEPARTMENTS ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, UH, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED IT, BUT ACC, UH, LAST NIGHT VOTED A $20 MINIMUM WAGE FOR THEIR, UH, EMPLOYEES OR STAFF.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT SETS THE BAR FOR US.
AND, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO A $20, UH, MINIMUM WAGE.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE CITY MANAGERS PROPOSAL FOR $18.
UH, BUT I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LIKE TO MATCH, UH, ACC IN THEIR PROPOSAL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW MY THOUGHTS AND MY GOALS.
SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT COST NUMBER JUST CAUSE I KNOW THE COMMUNITY'S ASKING FOR IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET AND THE STAFF IS EVERY COUNSELOR IS DOING THAT WELL, WE ENDED UP WITH, I THINK OVER THE YEARS IS KIND OF AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET THAT HAD EVERYBODY'S AMENDMENTS.
EVERYBODY'S A BUDGET WRITERS ON A KIND OF A SINGLE PAGE OR IF THIS IS THE BEST IT COULD BE.
I HAVE THE EXAMPLE AND THE LINK TO WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, BUT IT WAS NOT AN EDITORIAL EYES.
IT WAS EVERYBODY'S ITEM ON A, ON A LIST, NOT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT CAUSE PEOPLE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THAT WAS ON THE OTHER SHEETS, BUT HAVING SOMEBODY ON STAFF THAT MIGHT BE THE KEEPER OF THAT RATHER THAN HAVING IT SOURCED THROUGH A COUNCIL OFFICE, UH, I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO BUILD THAT INTO THE PROCESS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY ON THE AEDC I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU MAYOR AND, AND YOU COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO, UH, ON THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I'LL SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, MAYOR ON THAT ONE.
AND, UH, WE CAN LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT AEDC HAS SUFFICIENT FUNDING.
SO, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL SHARE WITH YOU KATHY, THE KINDS OF THINGS I HAD TALKED TO ANNA ABOUT.
SO IT ALSO OCCURS TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR OUR STAFF IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO IT.
I THINK THAT MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED COMPRESSION AND PRO I CAN'T REMEMBER IF HE MENTIONED SOME OTHER STUFF TOO.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE MINIMUM WAGE THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE, THIS IS THAT WHOLE TOPIC AREA IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
SO YOU MAY GROUP IT ALL TOGETHER.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE USEFUL CAUSE THERE'S SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN SOME OF THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TELEGRAPH TO THE COMMUNITY A FEW WEEKS AGO, THAT THAT WAS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF THE COUNSELOR GOING INTO THE BUDGET SESSION.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE GOOD ON THAT.
IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THE MEETING HERE AT, UH, 8 0 8.
UH, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.