* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Mayoral – Celia Israel, Kirk Watson, Jennifer Virden, Gary S. Spellman] [00:00:06] HELLO, AUSTIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR GREAT CITY AND ITS FUTURE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I AM REPRESENTATIVE CELIA ISRAEL. I'M CURRENTLY SERVING AS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND NOW I'M RUNNING TO BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF AUSTIN. I'M PROUD TO HAVE GROWN UP IN A WORKING CLASS FAMILY IN EL PASO, TEXAS. MY DAD WAS A TRUCK DRIVER AND MY MOM WAS A TEACHER'S AIDE. WHEN I WAS 18, I MOVED 550 MILES TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY. I WAS FAR FROM WHOM I GREW UP, FAR FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT I QUICKLY STARTED CALLING AUSTIN MY HOME 27 YEARS AGO. I MET MY PARTNER, SELINDA AND WE BUILT OUR LIVES TOGETHER RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN. I BEGAN MY CAREER IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING. SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATION, I WORKED FOR GOVERNOR ANN RICHARDS, THE BEST DAMN GOVERNOR WE EVER HAD. SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER WHO TAUGHT ME THE MEANING OF PUBLIC SERVICE. AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE, I HAVE BEEN A FIGHTER FOR THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN. I HAVE CHAMPION LEGISLATION FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND CHOICE VOTING RIGHTS, LGBTQ PLUS RIGHTS, GUN SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION, AND A GOVERNMENT THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON. I AM PROUD TO BE A WOMAN, A LATINA, AND A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. I REPRESENT THE BEAUTIFUL DIVERSITY THAT IS THIS COMMUNITY AND I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN DESERVE ONE OF US TO FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND INVEST IN OUR CITY. AS MAYOR, I WILL FOCUS ON HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD AND WORK IN THIS CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN IT. MY OWN RENT WAS ABOUT TO GO UP BY $300 A MONTH. I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME STRUGGLE. I HAVE A PLAN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AROUND HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY THAT HAVE BEEN PLAGUING AUSTIN FOR DECADES. WE NEED TO MOVE WITH URGENCY ON POLICIES THAT WILL HELP OUR TEACHERS, NURSES, SENIORS, MUSICIANS AND WORKING FAMILIES AFFORD TO LIVE RIGHT HERE. AS WE PUSH FOR MORE HOMES, WE MUST ALSO WORK TO CONNECT OUR CITY AND BUILD A TRUE COMMUNITY. RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS AN ESSENTIAL INVESTMENT IN A LIVABLE CITY. NOW, THIS ISSUE IS PERSONAL TO ME. GROWING UP WHEN MY DAD WAS ON THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL DAYS AT A TIME, MY MOM AND I RELIED ON THE BUS. MOM DIDN'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. TRANSPORTATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER FOR WORKING FAMILIES LIKE MINE. THAT'S WHY I WILL INVEST IN A MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SERVES EVERYONE AND CONNECTS OUR CITY. AS MAYOR, I WILL ALSO FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE WE DESERVE A STRONGER SAFETY NET AND ALL OF US DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED. AS MAYOR, I WILL INVEST IN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY SERVICES BECAUSE WE CANNOT ACCEPT PEOPLE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AS A COST OF DOING BUSINESS. AS A GAY LATINA, I KNOW TOO WELL THAT OUR RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK. I WILL CONTINUE TO PROUDLY STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL PAY PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT AND WORK TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, DOMESTIC ABUSE, AND ALL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. AS MAYOR, I WILL BE A CHAMPION FOR ALL AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN IS A HAVEN FOR GROUPS AND PERSONS WHOSE RIGHTS ARE BEING STRIPPED AWAY BY EXTREMISTS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS ELECTION IS NOT ABOUT NOSTALGIA. THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE AND WHO GETS TO DECIDE. I'M FIGHTING FOR THAT TEACHER AT BARRINGTON ELEMENTARY WHO HAS TO COMMUTE HOURS TO WORK FROM BASTROP BECAUSE THEY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE IN AUSTIN. I'M FIGHTING FOR THAT NURSE AT SETON WHO BRAVELY SERVES US EVERY DAY AND DESERVES A CITY THAT CARES FOR THEM. I'M FIGHTING FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE FOUND AN OASIS OF ACCEPTANCE IN AUSTIN. WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY BULLIES WHO SEEK TO DENY OUR RIGHT TO SIMPLY BE WHO WE ARE. I'M FIGHTING FOR WOMEN WHO REFUSE TO HAVE OUR FREEDOM AND OUR AUTONOMY STRIPPED AWAY, AND I'M FIGHTING FOR WORKING FAMILIES LIKE MINE WHO ARE GETTING PUSHED OUT INSTEAD OF INVITED IN. THE SPIRIT OF AUSTIN IS ONE OF CREATIVITY, INCLUSION AND PROMISE, AND IT LIVES IN ALL OF US WHO CALL THIS CITY OUR HOME. IT'S THAT SPIRIT THAT DREW THIS GAY LATINA TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND BECOME THE FIRST MEMBER OF HER FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE WE NEED TO KEEP THAT SPIRIT ALIVE AND INVEST IN THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE OUR CITY GREAT. SEE MY DETAILED POLICIES@FORAUSTIN.COM ME. LET'S BE THOSE WHO ENTERED. MY NAME IS CELIA ISRAEL AND I WOULD BE HONORED TO EARN YOUR VOTE THIS NOVEMBER AND BE YOUR NEXT MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HELLO, I'M KIRK WATSON AND I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR TO HELP BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AROUND A POSITIVE VISION FOR OUR FUTURE AND TO GO TO WORK WITH YOU TO [00:05:01] GET THINGS DONE FOR AUSTIN. I BELIEVE THIS CITY, THIS CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE IS AT A CRUCIAL MOMENT. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AN AFFORDABILITY. EMERGENCY HOUSING ESPECIALLY HAS BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE FROM TRAFFIC CONGESTION, SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ADDRESSING THE GROWING IN EQUITY IN OUR CITY. WE HAVE SO MANY ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO SOLVE THAT I AM ENDLESSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY CREATIVE AND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING. WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE NOT ONLY HAVE BIG CHALLENGES, WE HAVE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN CAPITALIZE ON TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE IN AUSTIN IF WE HAVE STRONG LEADERSHIP AT CITY HALL. I'M PROUD OF MY HISTORY OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN THIS COMMUNITY. GOVERNOR ANNE RICHARDS APPOINTED ME TO CHAIR THE TEXAS AIR CONTROL BOARD, THE STATE AGENCY THEN CHARGED WITH ADDRESSING AIR QUALITY IN TEXAS. I SERVED AS AUSTIN MAYOR FROM 1997 TO 2001. AFTER THAT, I WAS ELECTED TO THE TEXAS SENATE WHERE I SERVED OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 13 YEARS. I THEN BECAME THE FOUNDING DEAN OF THE HOBBY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. I'M ALSO VERY PROUD OF THE STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS THAT I'VE BUILT ACROSS EVERY PART OF OUR CITY AND REGION OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES. SOMETHING THAT I THINK PUTS ME IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CITY, BUT MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ME IS HOW MUCH I TRULY LOVE AUSTIN AND THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME. MY WIFE LIZ AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 43 YEARS AND WE'VE LIVED HERE ALMOST THAT LONG. WHEN WE FIRST CAME TO AUSTIN, EVERYONE TOLD US YOU'LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE, AND IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE CREATED A LIFE AND A FAMILY IN THIS INCREDIBLE CITY JUST LIKE SO MANY OF YOU HAVE NOW, WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE TWO PERFECT GRANDCHILDREN AND WE WANT THEM TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD A LIFE HERE THAT WE DID. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS MAYOR LAST TIME, OUR COMMUNITY WAS DEEPLY DIVIDED, SO WE MOVED FAST, BUT THOUGHTFULLY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND TO FIND COMMON GROUND. WE CREATED A DENSE DYNAMIC DOWNTOWN. WE PROTECTED THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF OPEN SPACE FOREVER. WE BUILT A DIVERSE AND FUNDAMENTALLY STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY. THOUGH SOME OF THE DYNAMICS ARE THE SAME TODAY AS THEY WERE BACK THEN, WE NOW FACE A DIFFERENT SPECIFIC SET OF CHALLENGES, MANY OF WHICH ARE ACTUALLY THE RESULT OF OUR OWN SUCCESS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS I SAID, WE'RE EXPERIENCING AN AFFORDABILITY EMERGENCY. TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE HERE CAN'T AFFORD TO AND TOO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE BEING FORCED TO MOVE OUT. WE CAN'T ACCEPT THAT AS THE STATUS QUO FOR ALMOST ALL OF US. HOUSING IS OUR BIGGEST MONTHLY EXPENSE. THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE CITY HALL'S TOP PRIORITY RIGHT NOW HAS GOT TO BE TO HELP DRIVE DOWN HOUSING COSTS IN EVERY PART OF AUSTIN. I'VE PROPOSED SPECIFIC WAYS THAT I THINK WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT FROM REFORMING THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS AND CUTTING FEES TO UPDATING OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND ZONING REGULATIONS TO HELP US GET MORE AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING BUILT QUICKLY WHILE STILL PROTECTING THE CHARACTER OF OUR EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO DO. WE CAN DELIVER BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE FOR EVERYONE IN AUSTIN. WE CAN TAKE EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND PLUG MORE OF OUR PEOPLE INTO GOOD JOBS AND THRIVING CAREERS. WE HAVE TO REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER AND ALSO FIND NEW WAYS TO PROTECT OUR CLIMATE. WHAT IT TAKES IS LEADERSHIP. WE NEED LEADERS WHO SEEK OUT NEW IDEAS AND CREATE A POSITIVE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AROUND THOSE IDEAS. LEADERS WHO REJECT ALL OR NOTHING POLITICS WHERE SOMEONE HAS TO WIN AND SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO LOSE. LEADERS WHO CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND A SHARED POSITIVE VISION FOR OUR FUTURE. WE NEED LEADERS WHO CAN GET THINGS DONE WITH YOUR SUPPORT. I BELIEVE I CAN BE THAT KIND OF LEADER IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, SO I'M ASKING YOU FOR THE JOB BACK. I LOVE THIS CITY AND YOU LOVE THIS CITY, SO LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THIS MOMENT AND CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR AUSTIN AND FOR ALL OF US WHO CALL IT HOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI, I'M JENNIFER VERDEN AND I'M RUNNING TO BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF AUSTIN TO BRING COMMON SENSE BACK TO CITY HALL AND TO RESTORE FOCUS BACK TO CORE MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND FUNCTIONS. IN [00:10:01] THE 2020 DISTRICT 10 CITY COUNCIL RACE, I MADE THE RUNOFF AND CAME VERY CLOSE TO DEFEATING THE INCUMBENT. DURING THAT RACE, I FORMED A COALITION OF DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, AND INDEPENDENTS BECAUSE MY NONPARTISAN COMMON SENSE PLATFORM RESONATES ACROSS AUSTIN AS IT DOES EVEN MORE SO. TODAY I'M A LIFELONG AUSTINITE, A UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS GRADUATE WITH A DEGREE IN FINANCE AND A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PERSON. I HAVE BEEN IN THE AUSTIN REAL ESTATE BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS AS A REAL ESTATE BROKER. I HAVE DEVELOPED IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE VERY IMPORTANT AUSTIN HOUSING MARKET AND HOW WE CAN REALISTICALLY SOLVE OUR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PROBLEMS. AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, I HAVE VAST EXPERIENCE IN COMPLICATED PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND AN IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF BUILDING, PERMITTING AND OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. I HAVE WITNESSED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AUSTIN BECOMING LITTERED IN CRIME RIDDEN. IN ADDITION TO THE SKYROCKETING COST OF LIVING, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT IF I DID NOT STEP UP WITH MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND RUN TO BE MAYOR, THE CITY, WHICH WAS SO GREAT TO ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS MIGHT NOT PROVIDE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THAT IS WHY I AM RUNNING TO BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF AUSTIN. WE ARE BLESSED WITH A DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWS THAT I WELCOME AND RESPECT. I AM NOT A CAREER POLITICIAN, BUT I AM A TEAM PLAYER AND A PROVEN LEADER. WHAT I COMMIT TO YOU IS I WILL FOCUS ON LOCAL ISSUES IN SOLVING LOCAL PROBLEMS AND DOING WHAT I SAY I WILL DO. PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE, JENNIFER FOR AUSTIN.COM TO VIEW MY DETAILED POLICY PROPOSALS. MY FIRST AREA OF FOCUS IS THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND COST OF LIVING WITH INFLATION. A TOP CONCERN FOR AUSTINITES. MY OFFICE WILL FOCUS ON LOWERING PROPERTY TAX AND UTILITY BILLS, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND REDUCING THE REGULATORY RED TAPE AND BUREAUCRACY THAT HAS STIFLED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. IN AUSTIN, I AM THE ONLY MAYOR ORAL CANDIDATE WITH A WRITTEN POLICY PAPER REGARDING HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES. FOR AUSTINITES, I WILL ADVOCATE TO FREEZE AND THEN REDUCE BY THREE AND A HALF PERCENT PER YEAR THE CITY PORTION OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH WE CAN DO WITHOUT ANY CUTS TO EXISTING SERVICES. ALSO, IMPORTANTLY, I WILL ADVOCATE TO INCREASE THE SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND BENCHMARK TO THE RISING COST OF HOUSING. THIS WILL HELP ENABLE THOSE WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ON A FIXED INCOME TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES. SECOND, WE WILL IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO ADDRESS THE CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS IN AUSTIN. THAT STARTS WITH PROVIDING NEEDED FUNDING TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCREASING THE FREQUENCY AND NUMBER OF POLICE CADET CLASSES, IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, AND CULTIVATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND POLICE THROUGH AN INCREASED FOCUS ON COMMUNITY POLICING. COMMUNITY POLICING IS IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP RAPPORT WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FOR CRIME PREVENTION. THIRD, WE WILL COMPLETELY RE-ENVISION THE CITY'S APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS TO FOCUS ON EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT BRING A TOUGH LOVE APPROACH AND FOCUS ON TREATMENT. NOT ENABLING. WE MUST FIRST FULLY ENFORCE THE CAMPING BAN, NO EXCEPTIONS. THEN WE WILL DO A FULL ACCOUNTING AND AUDIT OF OUR CURRENT SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS TO ENSURE MAXIMUM TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. RATHER THAN LETTING PEOPLE CAMP AND BUYING EXPENSIVE HOTELS, WE WILL FOCUS RESOURCES ON TREATMENT AND REBUILDING COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WHO NEED AND WANT HELP. FOURTH, I WILL FOCUS ON SPENDING CITY RESOURCES WISELY. THE CITY WILL REFOCUS ON CORE AND CRITICAL MUNICIPAL SERVICES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION, WATER, PARKS, AND TRASH. WE WILL CREATE A SUNSET REVIEW PROCESS TO IMPROVE OR ELIMINATE OUTDATED OR WASTEFUL PROGRAMS AND PLANS IN ORDER TO FREE UP EXISTING RESOURCES TO IMPROVE CRITICAL CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND FINALLY, I WANT TO RESTORE A GENUINE PUBLIC SERVICE CULTURE BACK TO CITY HALL. AS I SAID IN A RECENT FORUM, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS THE MAYOR WHO WAS ABLE TO RESTORE TRUST BETWEEN CITY HALL AND THE PUBLIC. I THINK I CAN DO THAT BY DOING WHAT I SAY I WILL DO. BEING OPEN AND TRANSPARENT, MAKING DECISIONS WITH A LONG TERM HORIZON, AND BEING DELIBERATE ABOUT PRESERVING WHAT MAKES AUSTIN UNIQUE AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO FOR ME IS THAT WE JUST NEED SOME GOOD COMMON SENSE LEADERSHIP AT CITY HALL. IF YOU AGREE, I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE FOR MAYOR THIS NOVEMBER AND IN THE RUNOFF TOGETHER WE CAN RESTORE AUSTIN BACK TO A WORLD CLASS CITY AND GET CITY HALL WORKING AGAIN SMARTLY. ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE AND FOR CARING ABOUT AUSTIN. HI, MY [00:15:01] NAME'S GARY SPELMAN AND I WANNA BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ASK ME, ARE YOU CRAZY? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR MAYOR? IT'S A HARD JOB. IT'S A FULL TIME JOB AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA SCRUTINIZE EVERYTHING YOU DO. I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE WE'VE LOST OUR DIRECTION. WE'RE SO CONFINED TO A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM THAT IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH EITHER SIDE, THEY BECOME POLARIZING OPINIONS AND WHAT I FOUND OUT IS 38% OF ALL AMERICANS AND AUSTINITES ARE IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE. ONLY 31% OF DEMOCRATS IN 26% ARE REPUBLICANS. SO IF WE START WORKING FROM THE MIDDLE, WE CAN ACHIEVE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS, BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, GET THE BEST MIND OF OUR CITIES, LEADERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, TO WORK ON PROBLEMS TOGETHER, TO BRING REAL SOLUTION. WE HAVE SO MANY CHALLENGES BEFORE US, WHETHER IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHAT WE DO WITH I 35 LAND, USE, UH, EVERYTHING TO THE HOMELESS, TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BREAK DOWN THE SILOS, AND WHEN I SAY THE SILOS, I MEAN THE REPUBLICANS AND THE DEMOCRATS, THE REDS AND THE BLUES. WE HAVE TO GET IN THE MIDDLE CUZ WHEN YOU WIN, BOTH PARTIES WIN. WHEN YOU DO IT IN THE MIDDLE, EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. I'M RUNNING AS AN INDEPENDENT UNDER THE PURPLE PARTY. MY PLEDGE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE VOICE IS HEARD AND THAT EVERY AUSTINITE HAS SAY, AND HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE AUSTIN A GREAT CITY THROUGH OUR PEACE, LOVE, AND HAPPINESS FOUNDATION AND CHARITY. WE'VE WORKED ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS ALREADY, WHETHER IT WAS HOMELESSNESS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, CHILDREN, SHELTERS, EVERYTHING, AND WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES. AND BECAUSE I'M A SELF-MADE BUSINESSMAN, I'M ONE THAT BUILDS CAMARADERIE AND TEAM. SO PLEASE, IF YOU'RE FED UP WITH THE RIGID IDEOLOGY AND YOU WANNA BE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, I'LL LET GARY SPELMAN THE NEXT MAYOR OF AUSTIN. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.