[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
IT'S 10 O'CLOCK AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.IT IS AUGUST 16TH, 2023, AS I INDICATED, AT 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE ARE MEETING AT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN AUSTIN CITY HALL, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, MEMBERS, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS RUN THROUGH THE ORDER OF THE DAY, BOTH FOR YOU AND THE PUBLIC.
UH, I POSTED THIS ON THE MESSAGE BOARD YESTERDAY, AND I THINK IT, IT STILL HOLDS TODAY.
UH, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX.
WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX, ITEM EIGHT, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL BUDGET ITEM AND THE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL.
WE WILL THEN TAKE UP VOTES ON ITEMS, AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE UP IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
THIS WILL BE AT THE COMPLETION OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
ITEM THREE, ITEM SEVEN, AND BY THE WAY, ITEM SEVEN INCORPORATES ACTION FROM ITEMS 2, 4, 5, AND SIX.
AS I INDICATED, ITEM EIGHT IS THE BUDGET, AND I'LL CALL IT UP NEXT.
THERE WILL, UH, THERE'S AN, UH, UH, ATTACHMENT IN THE BACKUP THAT REFLECTS ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO THE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED TO COUNCIL, AND THAT'S THE ONE WE'VE BEEN WORKING FROM SINCE THE CITY MANAGER PROVIDED IT AS A DRAFT BUDGET ON JULY 14TH.
THE MOTION I WILL SEEK WILL BE TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 BUDGET, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX.
UH, I'LL NOTE THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IF THERE ARE AMENDMENTS TO THE MAIN BUDGET MOTION, WE'LL TAKE THOSE UP AT THAT TIME.
I WILL ALSO CALL FOR COMMENTS, UH, AFTER THE MOTION SECOND, AND IF THERE ARE AMENDMENTS AFTER THOSE AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, DEBATED, AND EITHER ADOPTED OR NOT, AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET AND ADDRESS ANY ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS THAT, UH, MAY HAVE BEEN OFFERED AND ARE NOW PART OF THE, UH, APPENDIX OR ATTACHMENT.
ONCE ITEM EIGHT IS FINISHED, WE WILL ADDRESS ITEMS NINE, THEN 10 AND 11.
ACTUALLY, I'LL PROBABLY ASK FOR ALL THOSE TO BE TAKEN UP TOGETHER.
HOWEVER, IF THERE'S AN AMENDMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE PROPOSED FOR ANY OF THEM, THEN THAT ITEM WILL BE CARVED OUT AND I WOULD, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY INDICATION THAT THERE IS AN AMENDMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE OFFERED TO ITEMS NINE, 10, AND 11, SO IF YOU DO ANTICIPATE THAT YOU WILL DO THAT.
AFTER WE DO NINE, 10, AND 11, WE WILL THEN TAKE UP ITEM 12 FOLLOWED BY ITEM ONE.
THEN WE WILL GO TO ITEM 13 AFTER ITEM 13.
WE WILL TAKE UP ITEMS FROM COUNSEL.
WE WILL TAKE THOSE ITEMS UP AS A CONSENT AGENDA.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO PULL ONE OF THE ITEMS FROM COUNSEL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE.
UH, IF SOMEONE HAS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN ADVANCE.
I WILL CALL FOR COUNCIL COMMENTS ON THE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL AFTER A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OF IFCS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE IFCS, I'LL RECESS THE COUNCIL MEETING AND WE WILL CONVENE THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE A H F C AGENDA, WE WILL ADJOURN THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
I WILL THEN CALL TO ORDER THE MILLER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION MEETING.
AND WHEN THAT AGENDA IS COMPLETE, WE'LL ADJOURN THAT MEETING, AT WHICH POINT I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND AT THAT TIME, WE HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE, WHERE WE ADJOURN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
ANYBODY ANY QUESTIONS OF THAT? OKAY, UM, AS LONG AS I, I HAVE IT ALL WRITTEN DOWN HERE, SO IF EVERYBODY NEEDS IT, I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU.
[Items 1-6]
RIGHT, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THEN I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX.ITEM ONE IS THE PROPOSED PROPERTY, A VALOREM TAX RATE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ITEM TWO IS THE PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
ITEM THREE IS THE WATER AND WASTEWATER IMPACT FEE, LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
ITEM FOUR IS THE PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
ITEM FIVE IS THE PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES FOR AUSTIN WATER ITEM SIX, A DRAINAGE CHARGE RATE CHANGE FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION FOR THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
[00:05:01]
I'VE INDICATED, WE WILL ALSO, WE WILL HAVE TESTIMONY ON ALL OF THESE ITEMS, AND WE WILL ALSO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, INCLUDING ITEM EIGHT, WHICH IS THE BUDGET ITEMS FROM COUNCIL AND ANY OTHER ITEMS. SO WITH THAT, UM, I WILL TURN[Public Comments]
TO OUR CITY CLERK AND CALL ON YOU TO HELP US GET THROUGH THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND PUBLIC COMMENT.WE DO HAVE SOME SPANISH SPEAKERS TODAY, SO I'D ASK IF THE INTERPRETER COULD PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM.
WE DO HAVE A SPANISH SPEAKER THAT IS CALLING IN REMOTELY, SO I'M GONNA CALL THAT SPEAKER FIRST AND THEN MOVE TO THE FEW IN PERSON.
I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FOUR WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VAR.
I AM MEMBER OF THE ALLIANCE OF, UH, TENANTS AND NEIGHBORS, UH, HOMELESS TENANTS AND NEIGHBORS.
WE ARE SU IN SUPPORT OF AVA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY TO FINANCE THE RELOCATION FUND OF $500,000 FOR, UH, TENANTS THAT ARE DISPLACED BY DEVELOPERS LIKE MY NEIGHBORS AND MYSELF WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT MOMENT.
AUSTIN DOES NOT HAVE AFFORDABLE PLACES FOR PEOPLE THAT EARN LITTLE MONEY.
LAST YEAR WE WENT THROUGH EVICTION AND WE FOUGHT THIS CASE, UH, THANKS TO, UM, THANKS TO CARMEN AND SOL AND OTHER PEOPLE.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO WIN THE CASE, BUT EVEN THEN, RENTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
WE LOOKED FOR CITY FUNDS, BUT WE COULDN'T FIND ANY FOR HOMELESS TENANTS.
WE PULLED THROUGH WITH EFFORT.
WE PLEASE, WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT AVA'S PROPOSAL, SO THERE'LL BE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR, UH, HOMELESS TENANTS.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO,
[00:10:02]
BECAUSE WE TRUST THAT YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF US AND SUPPORT US.THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, MAYOR IMM GONNA MOVE.
OH, MAYOR, I'M GONNA MOVE INTO THE IN-PERSON SPANISH SPEAKERS.
THERE ARE THREE, I'M GONNA CALL YOUR NAMES.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME DOWN TOWARDS THE FRONT, NEAR THEIR INTERPRETER.
BERTHA HERNANDEZ, JUDITH DIAZ, MARY LOU FRUCTOSE, BERTHA HERNANDEZ, JUDITH DIAZ, MARY LOU FRUCTO, FRUCTO OSO.
SORRY IF I SAID THAT WRONG PROBLEM.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND BLESSINGS FOR ALL.
MY NAME IS BERTE HERNANDEZ AND I LIVE IN DOVE SPRINGS.
MY REPRESENTATIVE IS VANESSA FUENTES.
I WAS ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THE GUARANTEED COMPILER PROGRAM, AND I WOULDN'T SAY WHAT A GREAT BLESSING IT WAS IN MY LIFE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED HELP, PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
MY SON WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HELPED ME WITH EVERYTHING, AND HE HAD A STROKE THAT AFFECTED HIS MOBILITY.
HE WAS THE ONE WHO PROVIDED FOR THE HOUSEHOLD, AND HE DID EVERYTHING, AND HE DID NOT HAVE ANY HELP EXCEPT FOR THE HELP OF THE FAMILY STABILIZATION FUNDS, WHICH WAS A BIG HELP FOR ME SINCE I DID NOT WORK EITHER TO TAKE CARE OF HIM SINCE I DID NOT WORK EITHER TO TAKE CARE OF HIM AND HIS CHILDREN.
I HELP HIM BY SELLING TAMALES AND OSAS.
I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE BLESSING I RECEIVED FROM THE GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT PROGRAM, AND I HOPE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE GRANTED AGAIN TO CONTINUE HELPING FAMILIES IN NEED.
PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE FAMILY STABILIZATION FUNDS THAT HELPED MANY FAMILIES WHO ARE NOW STRUGGLING TO THE, TO THE HIGH COST OF RENT, ELECTRICITY, AND FOOD.
AND ALSO, PLEASE ASSIGN FUNDS FOR ROOFS ON BUS STOPS AND FOR WATER PARKS THAT CHILDREN NEED AND ALSO FOR DISASTER PREPARATION.
AND PLEASE ALSO SUPPORT GAVA PROPOSAL.
[00:15:02]
MAYOR.IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE HERE.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPANISH SPEAKERS, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE IN.
ROBERT LILY SPEAKING ON ITEM ONE AND FOLLOWING ROBERT PAUL ROBBINS SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO REMOTE AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO IN PERSON.
WHAT DID SHE SAY? MARIA? MARI, SORRY.
MARIA ROMERO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UM, MY FAMILY AND I WERE DISPLACED FROM DISTRICT THREE, WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE RENTERS AND UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ALLIANCE.
WE'RE PER, WE'VE, UH, PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THE RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT EQUITY ACTIONS, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AND GABA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY TO PUT ASIDE $500,000 IN THE TENANT RELOCATION FUND FOR RENTERS FOR DISPLACED BY DEVELOPERS.
UM, THIS CITY NEEDS TO PUT THE MONEY UP FRONT SO RENTERS DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR DEVELOPERS TO ADD FUNDS.
WITH SO MUCH DISPLACEMENT GOING ON AND THE RISING RENT PRICES, I FEEL LIKE THE LEAST WE COULD DO IS A FUND RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND THE TENANT RELOCATION FUND FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY FRIEND JOSE, WHO JUST SPOKE, WHO WAS DISPLACED FROM OLD HOMESTEAD LAST YEAR, HE HAD TO ORGANIZE FOR COMPENSATION.
I FEEL LIKE COMPENSATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GIVEN.
IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN HIM LIKE ORGANIZING AND HAVING A FIGHT AS THEIR COMMUNITY WAS ABOUT TO BE TORN DOWN.
IT SHOULD HAVE THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UM, IN PLACE.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT WAS SHAMEFUL THAT THE CITY DID CREATE A FUND, BUT THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THOSE FUNDS.
THAT FUNDING NEEDS TO BE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WON'T END UP HOMELESS AND HAVE TO SUFFER OR HAVE ANXIETY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY'RE GONNA LIVE, WHETHER THEY HAVE TO CUT DOWN ON THEIR GROCERY MONEY TO AFFORD RENT.
I FEEL LIKE WE LIVE IN THE, ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTRIES AND CITIES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD TO BE IN THIS SITUATION.
AND I ASK THAT YOU, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, UM, LISTEN TO GOD'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY TO PUT $500,000 IN THE, UM, FIVE, UH, $500,000 IN THE TENANT RELOCATION FUND FOR RENTERS WHO ARE DISPLACED BY DEVELOPERS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF US LIKE THAT OUT THERE, AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ON ITEM EIGHT AND 21, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU DIDN'T ADD ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET REQUESTED 11.6 MILLION MORE FOR THIS, AND YOU DIDN'T ADD ANY MONEY AT ALL.
EVERY, WHEN THESE EVENTS HAPPEN, AND WE'VE HAD TWO VERY SERIOUS EVENTS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR SAY, THIS IS HORRIBLE.
AND EVERY YEAR AT BUDGET TIME, YOU DON'T ALLOCATE ENOUGH MONEY.
AND WHEN THESE EVENTS HAPPEN, WE ARE ALWAYS UNDER PREPARED.
I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S RESOLUTION, BUT THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL MONEY INCLUDED IN IT.
AND I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU OWE THE COMMUNITY AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY YOU ARE NOT ADDING ANY MONEY FOR THIS.
THOSE, UH, EVENTS ARE LIFE OR DEATH SITUATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREET AND ALSO FOR MANY OTHERS WHO LOSE POWER ARE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE, DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
THOSE ARE VERY SERIOUS EVENTS AND SHOULD BE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
I ALSO SUPPORT MOVING 9 1 1 OUT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND INCREASING SALARIES FOR E M S AND I OPPOSE THE RATE INCREASES.
WE HAD HIGH RATE INCREASES LAST YEAR.
MONICA GUZMAN, ITEM EIGHT, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'VE GOT A YES MA'AM.
[00:20:01]
YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M MONICA GOSMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA.
WE START BY THANKING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH WHOM GAVA AND GAVA RESIDENTS MET OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, MOVING FORWARD OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER REGARDING WAIVING POOL FEES.
UM, OUR RESIDENTS CLEARLY REALIZED THEY WERE BEING LISTENED TO AND HEARD, AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHOSE AMENDMENTS MAKE IT CLEAR THEY WERE LISTENING.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES VELAZQUEZ.
AND, UH, SORRY I DON'T HAVE THE FULL LIST OF THE OTHERS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN OUT ILL, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMENDMENT.
MAKING IT CLEAR YOU HAVE LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU'VE LISTENED TO THE GAVA RESIDENTS, AND I HOPE THAT WE SEE THAT COME THROUGH IN THE END WHEN YOU APPROVE THIS, THAT WE CAN SEE ACTUAL MONEY IN PLACE FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE RISKING DISPLACEMENT DUE TO REDEVELOPMENT THAT WE SEE MONEY AN INCREASED AMOUNT FOR A I S D PUBLIC SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, WHETHER THEY ASK FOR IT OR NOT.
MONEY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE PROVIDERS AS WELL AS THE PARENTS.
WHILE I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER WITNESSES AMENDMENT ABOUT WAIVING FEES TO, FOR EXPANSION OR BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP, THAT UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT HELP THE HOME-BASED PROVIDERS.
SO WE ARE HOPING TO SEE FUNDING COMING THROUGH FOR THEM AS WELL.
JUAN BENITEZ, ITEM NINE, EIGHT.
I AM THE CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER FOR TEXAS HEALTH ACTION AND OUR PROGRAM KAI CLINIC.
WE HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN SERVING AND PROVIDING HEALTHCARE TO LGBTQIA PLUS PEOPLE AND PEOPLE IMPACTED BY H I V COUNCIL.
MEMBER VELASQUEZ FILED AN AMENDMENT TO NEXT'S BUDGET TO FUND COMMUNITY H I V AND F T I TESTING AND TREATMENT INVESTING.
AND COMMUNITY TESTING ISN'T JUST A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, IT'S ALSO AN EQUITY ISSUE.
LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY H I V AND STIS.
SO FOR US TO LIVE UP TO OUR VALUES OF BUILDING AN EQUITABLE CITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WE MUST ALSO INVEST IN ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING F T I TESTING AND TREATMENT.
LAST YEAR, K CLINIC PROVIDED FRUIT TESTING FOR STIS TO OVER 11,000 AUSTINITES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY WALK-IN TESTING PROGRAM.
AND THIS WAS A 176% INCREASE FROM 2021.
WHAT'S EVEN MORE ALARMING IS THAT ONE IN FIVE PATIENTS COMING THROUGH WALK-IN TESTING CAME BACK REACTIVE FOR AN S T I AND WHILE STI CONTINUE TO RISE, UNFORTUNATELY HELP ISN'T COMING.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO ADDITIONAL FEDERAL OR STATE RESOURCES TO COMBAT RISING RATES OF STIS.
SO IT'S ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO FUND THIS WORK AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ON THE FRONT LINES THAT ARE PROVIDING TESTING.
I, I ASK THAT YOU ENSURE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ'S AMENDMENT TO FUND COMMUNITY H I V AND AND F T I TESTING AND TREATMENT IS ADOPTED INTO THE BUDGET.
I'M CALLING TO PLEASE ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GO AUSTIN.
AUSTIN, PLEASE INVEST 500,000 FOR TENANT NOTIFICATION AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO HELP LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN VOLUNTARILY DISPLACED BY REDEVELOPMENT.
INVEST $3.5 MILLION FOR FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANTS TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AT RISK OF INVOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT.
INVEST 1.25 MILLION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT TO HELP OUR CHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS INVEST $2 MILLION FOR HEAT MITIGATION AND HEAT AND COOLING CENTERS TO HELP FAMILIES ENDURE EXTREME WEATHER.
PLEASE SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER VELAS SHADE STRUCTURE AMENDMENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER'S AMENDMENT TO WAIVE POOL FEES OUTSIDE THE BUDGET PROCESS.
PLEASE SUPPORT THESE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
$800,000 FOR THE EQUITY OFFICE, $300,000 FOR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, $11.6 MILLION FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER, WILDFIRES AND CRISIS COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE, 4% WAGE INCREASE FOR E M S WORKERS, $5.9 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, $2 MILLION FOR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND FOOD FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, 300,000 FOR ESTATE AND PROBATE PLANNING FOR SENIORS, $1 MILLION FOR PARKS, MAINTENANCE, EQUITY, SAFETY AND RESTORATION.
AND PLEASE MOVE THE 9 1 1 SERVICE FROM A P T A P D TO AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[00:25:02]
HI, THIS IS NOELLE DAVIS.I'M IN DISTRICT TWO AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE MADE, UH, AMENDMENTS, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT ARE IN LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU AND I WANNA URGE COUNCIL TO FULLY FUND THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND ALL THE PIECES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED YET, INCLUDING THE WAGE INCREASES FOR E M S, THE RESILIENCE HUBS, UM, MAKING THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER INDEPENDENT OF AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S A WHOLE WONDERFUL BUDGET I KNOW COUNCIL IS FAMILIAR WITH AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE FULLY FUND THAT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
HI, MY NAME IS REBECCA ELIZONDO.
I'M A SENIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR ANY BABY CAN.
ANY BABY CAN IS A CENTRAL TEXAS NONPROFIT THAT PARTNERS WITH FAMILIES TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE WELLBEING.
OUR AGENCY'S MAIN OFFICE IS LOCATED WITHIN DISTRICT FOUR.
HOWEVER, AS A HOME VISITING ORGANIZATION, OUR SERVICES STRETCH ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
TODAY I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE READY FAMILIES COLLABORATIVE, WHICH INCLUDES ANY BABY CAN AUSTIN P B S AVAN CAMPFIRE, CENTRAL TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS JEREMIAH PROGRAM, THE LITERACY COALITION OF CENTRAL TEXAS SAFE ALLIANCE, THE WYOMING STATE OF AUSTIN, AND THE SUCCESS BY SIX COALITION.
WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBER'S BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE A 20% COST OF LIVING INCREASE TO ALL EARLY CHILDHOOD CONTRACTS FOR F Y 24 AND THE UPCOMING SOLICITATION.
RAISING A FAMILY IS HARD AND EVERYONE REACHES A POINT WHERE THEY NEED HELP.
THAT'S WHERE OUR COLLABORATIVE COMES IN.
LAST YEAR, THE COLLABORATIVE SERVED OVER 2000 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY UNDER THE AGE OF SIX, ALL LIVING BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES.
OUR SERVICES SPAN FROM PARENT EDUCATION, PRENATAL SUPPORT, EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTIONS, MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS, ADULT EDUCATION, AND MUCH MORE.
UM, OUR SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE HOME AND ALL ACROSS LOCATIONS CONVENIENT TO FAMILIES.
OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACT HAS REMAINED FLAT FUNDED SINCE 2018.
DESPITE A 30% INCREASE IN PROGRAM COST, WE ARE DOING MORE, MUCH MORE WITH LESS, AND THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL INCLUDE A COST OF AN INCREASE IN OUR, OUR SIX MONTH CONTRACT FOR F Y 24.
ALONG WITH, UH, 20% INCREASE TO THE UPCOMING SOLICITATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES, WE MUST ENSURE OUR STAFF ARE ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED.
UM, LAST YEAR OUR TURNOVER RATE WAS 24%, WHICH LED TO MUCH LESS STAFF DELIVERING SERVICES.
PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES WERE, UH, MET, UM, AND AN INCREASE WILL HELP US OVERCOME THE TURNOVER RATE, PROVIDE COMPETITIVE WAGES TO ATTRACT AND MAINTAIN.
JESSICA ROBERTSON, ITEM EIGHT.
UM, I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND WORK ON THE AMENDMENTS THAT THE CITY OR THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND ITS COLLABORATORS AND STAKEHOLDERS ARE BROUGHT FORWARD.
WHAT I HOPE IS THAT THERE IS STILL ROOM IN OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND IN THE CITY TO CONSIDER FULLY FUNDING THE OTHER PIECES SO THAT WE CAN MEET REAL IDENTIFIED AND IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF OUR OF AUSTINITES.
AND THAT WOULD COME FROM NOT INCREASING OUR RESERVE.
THAT IS MONEY THAT WE NEED NOW.
THAT IS MONEY THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED COULD BE PUT TO USE TO INCREASE, TO HELP, UH, INCREASE THE VALUE, EXCUSE ME, THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED.
UM, AND I ALSO SEVERELY SUPPORT MOVING 9 1 1 OUT OF A P D ALIGNING POLICE PAY WITH THE COUNCIL DIRECTION AND PULLING EXCESS CIVILIAN TRAINING POSITIONS OUT OF A P D.
UM, ANY POLICE, ANY INCREASE IN POLICE SPENDING THAT IS NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED AT THIS TIME WILL BE LIKE THROWING WATER ON A GREASE FIRE.
AND I THINK THAT A P D HAS A LOT MORE THAT THEY CAN DO INTERNALLY TO CORRECT THEIR, TO COURSE CORRECT RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE MAKE ANY MORE CONCESSIONS TO THEM THAT WE CAN'T REVERSE.
UM, SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS AND FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, PREVIOUSLY IN DISTRICT THREE, I SUPPORT THE, UM, THINGS THAT GAVA IS, UH, PROPOSING THE TENANT NOTIFICATION AND RELOCATION.
[00:30:02]
I WAS ALMOST DISPLACED, BUT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CAME IN AND, UM, GAVE MONEY FOR TO RELOCATE US AFTER WE WERE DAMAGED DURING THE URI STORM.THAT PROCESS HAD A VERY NEGATIVE EFFECT, AND IF THERE HAD BEEN FUNDS AVAILABLE, IT WOULD'VE MADE IT A LOT EASIER FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES.
THE GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAM IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT HELPS A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE WHEN DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN AND DISPLACING PEOPLE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL PUT AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE 500,000 OR MORE IN THERE TO HELP PEOPLE, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD FEELING BEING DISPLACED AND HAVING NO MONEY AND KNOWING AND GOING, BEING POTENTIALLY HOMELESS.
KATINA KISSINGER, ITEM EIGHT, UH, KATINA KISSINGER FROM DISTRICT THREE.
UM, I AM CALLING IN TO OPPOSE THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET FOR ITEM EIGHT.
UH, I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD PUT MONEY INTO OUR RESERVES WHEN THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM MONEY DIRECTLY IN, IN A REALLY IMMEDIATE WAY.
I THINK IT'S ALSO RIDICULOUS THE IDEA OF INCREASING THE POLICE BUDGET.
UM, I CHOOSE SUPPORT RELOCATING 9 1 1 AWAY FROM A AND, UH, YEAH, MAKING DECISIONS THAT SERVE THE REAL NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN INSTEAD OF, UM, YEAH, LINING OUR FOR THE FUTURE.
HI, I AM, UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE AND I WORK IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, I ALSO WORK WITH A J C IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'VE MADE THE AMENDMENTS, UM, TO THE CITY BUDGET, BUT WE STILL NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO NOT INCREASE A PT BUDGET BY 26 MILLION AND TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CRISIS ORIENTED SAFETY AND SECURITY, SEVERE WEATHER AND COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE.
AND, UM, IN SUPPORT OF MOVING THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER, UM, RESPONSE OUT OF A P D, WE NEED TO KEEP MAKING THE RIGHT AMENDMENTS TO BETTER SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET AND NEED TO KEEP WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THERE.
HI, MY NAME'S VICTORIA MILLER AND I AM FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND AGAINST INCREASING THE POLICE BUDGET AND THE BUDGET RESERVES.
UM, I HAVE SOMEONE IN MY OWN FAMILY WHO FACED ADDICTION AND INCARCERATION AND HOMELESSNESS, UH, IN THAT ORDER, AND SHE HAD A VERY HARD TIME RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN.
ONCE SHE WAS IN THE MENTAL SPACE TO GET HER LIFE ON TRACK, SHE HAD A VERY HARD TIME FINDING THE HELP THAT SHE NEEDED AS FAR AS FINDING REHAB AND A JOB AND A PLACE TO LIVE.
AND SO, UH, TO ME IT WOULD FEEL LIKE A BIT OF A SLAP IN THE FACE TO GET SUCH A HIGH PERMANENT INCREASE FOR POLICING WHEN THE ALLOCATIONS FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS ARE SO MUCH LESS AND THERE IS SUCH A NEED FOR THOSE.
UM, ALSO JUST KNOWING THAT AUSTIN VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT, I WOULD JUST ASK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STAND BEHIND THE PEOPLE AND THE VOTERS, UM, OF THE CITY THAT YOU REPRESENT.
UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE RENTERS AND UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ALLIANCE.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT EQUITY ACTIONS, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AND AVA'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CITY TO PUT 500,000 IN THE TENANT RELOCATION FUND FOR RENTERS WHO ARE DISPLACED BY DEVELOPERS.
WHEN THE NEIGHBORS AT OLD HOMESTEAD DEMANDED THAT JOURNEYMAN GROUP DEVELOPER DISPLACING THEM, GIVE THEM COMPENSATION TO AVOID HOMELESSNESS, THE CORPORATE REPS TOLD THEM TO APPLY FOR THE CITY'S TENANT RELOCATION FUND.
OF COURSE, THE CITY HAD CREATED A FUND WITHOUT A FUNDING MECHANISM, SO THE RENTERS HAD TO FIGHT FOR COMPENSATION FIRST.
THE DEVELOPER SAID A THOUSAND PER HOUSEHOLD WAS FAIR, AND SOME CITY STAFF TOLD THE RENTERS TO ACCEPT THE OFFER.
SO WHILE DEALING WITH SEVERE STRESS FROM THE DISPLACEMENT THAT CAUSED ONE ELDERLY IMMIGRANT RENTER TO PLUNGE INTO A DEPRESSION, THE NEIGHBORS ORGANIZED TO DEMAND FAIR HOUSING AND OR FAIR COMPENSATION.
TO BE HONEST, WE SHOULDN'T BE DISPLACING PEOPLE, PERIOD.
[00:35:01]
CITY SHOULD HAVE COLLABORATED WITH A NONPROFIT TO BUY THE PROPERTY AND KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.HOWEVER, SINCE THE CITY COUNCIL SEEMS TO BE BENT ON FACILITATING THE DISPLACEMENT OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE OF COLOR, THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO STAY IN THE CITY WITH SOME COMPENSATION.
AND GIVEN THE TRACK RECORD OF FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS, THE CITY NEEDS TO FUND $500,000 UP FRONT UP UPFRONT, RATHER THAN PUT RENTERS IN THE POSITION OF WAITING FOR THE DEVELOPERS TO ADD FUNDS.
UM, I ALSO WORK IN THE STREETS AND THE IMPACT OF HAVING NO RENTAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES AND TOO LITTLE ACCESS TO RESILIENCE HUBS FOR SO LONG HAS BEEN DEATHS, HOMELESSNESS AND FAMILY SEPARATION.
ONE FAMILY WHO LIVED IN MUELLER FLATS HAD NO HELP BEING BEHIND ON RENT AND LIVING IN MOLD INFESTED CONDITIONS THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO OWE THEM RENT, BUT THEY WERE EVICTED WITH DEBT OWED TO THE PROPERTY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME RIGHT BEFORE THE EVICTION AND WE CONTACTED EVERY LOCAL NONPROFIT AND AGENCY AND THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, AND OTHER CITY COUNCIL AFTER WE WENT TO FOUNDATION COMMUNITY, THEY WERE TOLD ALL THAT WAS AVAILABLE, UM, WAS HELP FOR THEM TO LEARN TO BUDGET THEIR FINANCES.
I FUNDRAISED FOR A SHORT TIME SO THEY COULD HAVE A HOTEL THROUGH MUTUAL AID, BUT IT'S LIKE, UM, THEY WERE POSSIBLY GONNA GET HOUSING OR SHELTER.
UM, HOWEVER, THE LIST WERE TOO LONG AT FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, HAKA AND OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING.
SO THIS COUPLE, THEIR KIDS AND THEIR DOGS WENT TO THE STREET.
THEY WERE IN BRUTAL HEAT FOR A WEEK.
UM, THEY WOULD COME GET SHOWERS AT COMMUNITY MEMBER HOME.
AND, UH, ONCE, WHEN THEY WERE DOING THAT, THANK YOU.
THEIR DOG DIED FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION.
UH, I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN AGAINST THE CITY MANAGER'S ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET AND IN FAVOR OF THE C I B AND SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED RECENTLY BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M URGING CITY COUNCIL TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, SUCH AS HEALTHCARE AND HOUSING FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, AS WELL AS NOT ALLOWING POLICE TO SKIRT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OVERSIGHT THAT WAS, UH, VOTED ON BY THE COMMUNITY, UM, BY ABSORBING JOBS AND INFLATING THEIR BUDGET, BUT INSTEAD USING THOSE FUNDS TO BOLSTER MORE APPROPRIATE AND SAFER CRISIS INTERVENTION METHODS, INCLUDING PARAMEDICS AND MCO.
UH, AS WELL, THE FUNDING SHOULD BE USED FOR INCREASED CASE MANAGEMENT AND HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WOULD PREVENT MANY OF THESE EMERGENCIES AND CRISES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY I'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT TWO AMENDMENTS THAT WERE PROPOSED BY, UH, MY DISTRICT'S CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE NATASHA HARPER MADISON, UH, SPECIFICALLY HER AMENDMENT, UH, TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, AS WELL AS THE MOBILE COURT PILOT PROPOSAL FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, WHICH AIMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CASE MANAGERS AND PREVENT OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS FROM ENTERING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THESE AMENDMENTS DIRECTLY REFLECT THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY, UH, WOULD PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SERVICES THAT WOULD INCREASE THE, THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE EVERYBODY SAFER AND HAPPIER.
THANK YOU, MAYOR GUMBO, VERAS.
HEY, GOOD MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. GARZA.
MY NAME IS MAYOR OR I USE THEY THEM PRONOUNS.
I'M A MEMBER OF AUSTIN D S AME 1624, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF MYSELF AGAINST ITEM.
UH, I'M DISAPPOINTED I CAN'T JOIN Y'ALL ON THE CHAMBERS TODAY, BUT I'M EVEN MORE DISAPPOINTED THAT WE KEEP DOING THIS SONG AND DANCE AND IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE THE COMMUNITY'S STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD AT THIS POINT.
CALLING AND DEMANDING AN END TO AUSTERITY IN THE CITY BUDGET WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY MORE PRESSING ISSUES AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE PINCHING PENNIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
INVESTMENT BUDGET AD'S, HISTORY OF POLICE BRUTALITY HAS COST US TAXPAYERS OVER $73 MILLION, BUT YOU WANT TO INFLATE THEIR BUDGET BY ANOTHER 32, WHICH IS MONEY WE CAN NEVER GET BACK FOR DESPERATELY NEEDED SOCIAL PROGRAMS. YOU TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, THEN YOU WANNA MOVE $39 MILLION TO THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES, BUT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THAT ON 7.8 MILLION FOR TENANT STABILIZATION.
1.3 ON FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANTS ON DRINK SPIKING TEST KITS AND S T I TESTING ON HOMELESS SERVICES AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ON SHELTERED BUS STOPS AND HEATING AND COOLING SHELTERS DURING EXTREME TEMPERATURE.
AND YOU WANNA SPEND ANOTHER 7 MILLION ON A DOWN PAYMENT FOR AN INACCESSIBLE BUILDING OFF A BUSY HIGHWAY THAT NO ONE ASKED FOR.
JUST SO YOU CAN FORCE CITY EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE RIGHT BEFORE TEX DOT BLOWS UP 35 FOR THE EXPANSION PROJECT.
THAT'S NOT EVEN PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT'S JUST A WASTE OF MONEY.
YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PACKAGE WITH ADDED PERSONAL HOLIDAYS AND A BETTER COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
PLEASE STOP BEING ANTI-WORKER.
PLEASE STOP BEING ANTI HOMELESS.
PLEASE STOP BEING AUSTE, START FUNDING REAL NECESSITIES, REAL PUBLIC SAFETY AND REAL PROGRESS.
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FRANK NESTOR, ITEM EIGHT.HI, MY NAME'S FRANK LAB, PROUD DISTRICT ONE MEMBER OF D S A HOMEOWNER AND, UH, UNION MEMBER.
AND I'M ALSO CALLING TO MENTION THAT THESE, UH, BUDGET PROPOSALS THAT, UH, INVOLVE THROWING MONEY INTO A GENERAL FUND, THROWING MONEY INTO THE POLICE OR IGNORING, UH, THINGS LIKE RENT STABILIZATION AND HOUSING STABILIZATION AND AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE.
THIS ALL SEEMS LIKE THE KIND OF BUDGET THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER AT THE STATE.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE KIND OF BUDGET THAT GREG ABBOTT WOULD PUT TOGETHER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHERE YOUR EXPERIENCE MOST RECENTLY HAS BEEN FROM, BUT WE NEED TO IMPROVE.
THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF BUDGET WE WANNA RUN.
EVERY TIME WE THROW MONEY INTO GENERAL FUNDS THAT IT, UH, TAKES, IT TAKES THEM AWAY FROM CITY SERVICES.
EVERY TIME WE THROW MONEY INTO POLICING, IT TAKES MONEY AWAY FROM CITY SERVICES POLICE THAT HAVE ONCE AGAIN SHOT A CHILD POLICE THAT HAVE ONCE AGAIN PLEDGED TO NOT USE, UH, WHEN THEY KEEP USING THEM, PLEASE SET UP ONCE AGAIN RATED THE WRONG HOUSE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO CHANGE.
RIGHT NOW IN THIS MEETING, I WANNA THANK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSING AMENDMENTS THAT FOLLOW THE, UH, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BOND, UH, BUDGET.
AND UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE IN PASSIVE AMENDMENTS.
THANK YOU, YOU MAYOR, MAYOR PROM, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M JACKIE GOODMAN SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF TWO BUDGET AREAS ON ITEM EIGHT, SUPPORTING COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
ITEM 15, I SUPPORT A FULLY FUNDED AND STAFF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, SO I HOPE THAT'S REALITY THIS YEAR.
THE CITY CHARTER MANDATES ONGOING PLANNING WITH A MASTER PLAN INITIATIVE THAT'S REVISITED NO LONGER THAN A 10, 10 YEAR SPAN AND WE'RE AT THE END OF THAT TIMEFRAME.
IT REQUIRES COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN CRITICAL STAFF SUPPORT THAT INCLUSION HASN'T HAPPENED IN A VERY LONG TIME AND IT'S GENERATED POLARIZATION AND AN UNINFORMED GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE ARE STILL THOUGH A CITY OF PROBLEM SOLVERS WITH EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, LONG UNWELCOME AND UNTAPPED.
SO WE NEED TO USE THIS INITIATIVE NOT ONLY TO WORK OUT A SUSTAINABLE LIVABLE URBAN FUTURE, BUT TO PUT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE INTERACTION AND NAME CALLING BEHIND US.
WE ACTUALLY ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE NEED RESPECT THAT AND RESPECT EACH OTHER.
SECOND, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT ALL OF AVA'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU, INCLUDING THE FAMILY STABILIZATION FUND.
IT'S A DIRECT APPLICATION OF ACTUALLY A VERY SMALL GRANT THAT'S SO VALUABLE TO LOWER INCOME ECONOMIC PRESSURE.
THEN THIRD, THANKS TO ALL THE CO-SPONSORS ON COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
ITEM NUMBER 15, THIS IS THE ARMADILLO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ARMADILLO ROAD WATER TOWER MURAL PROJECT, FOCUSING ON THE SYMBOL AND CONNECTION TO THE LEGENDARY VENUES, THE JI MUSICIANS AND MUSIC ARTISTS AND ART OF A BREAKOUT RENAISSANCE.
THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY IS WAS HERE WHERE MINNIE CALLED HOME IN OLD BAR SOUTH AUSTIN.
SO I'M ASKING YOU THAT FROM MAYOR.
IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL AS WELL.
JAKE WEBER, COULD YOU PLEASE UNMUTE? SORRY IF I TOLD YOU TO HITCH JORDAN MIDDLEBROOKS SPEAKING ON ITEM 14 15 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, AND 21.
HI THERE, MY NAME'S JORDAN MIDDLEBROOKS.
I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND I WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALREADY FILED AMENDMENTS TO FUND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES ALIGNED TO THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET LIKE COUNCIL MEMBERS, HARPER MADISON, FUENTES VELA, BRIAN ER, ALLISON LER AND BILL QUADRI.
THESE AMENDMENTS ARE IMPROVEMENTS, HOWEVER, THEY'RE STILL NOT ENOUGH AND I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE SPONSOR, FUND, AND TAKE ACTION TO SUPPORT MOVING THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER OUT OF A P D TO SUPPORT SEVERE WEATHER AND COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE, WHICH HAS BEEN INCREASING EVERY YEAR, UM, TO SUPPORT CRISIS ORIENTED SAFETY AND SECURITY AND
[00:45:01]
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN AUSTIN, AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL HISTORIES.I'M ALSO ASKING FOR THERE TO BE NO INCREASE TO THE POLICE BUDGET AS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN NEVER UNDO.
AND I'M ASKING THAT WE MAINTAIN THE 14% GOING INTO THE RESERVE INSTEAD OF INCREASING IT TO 17% IF WE'RE WILLING TO DECREASE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN'S, ESPECIALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVAL AND ABILITY TO THRIVE IN AUSTIN LONG TERM BY DEFUNDING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ALIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET OR NOT PUTTING THE PEOPLE'S BEST INTERESTS FIRST.
SO IN SUMMARY, I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE FUND THESE PROGRAMS PROPOSED BY THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET TO NOT INCREASE THE POLICE BUDGET AND TO NOT INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO RESERVES SO THAT WE CAN FUND AND KEEP SUPPORTING THE THRIVING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR OUR CITY.
AND I WAIVE THE REST OF MY TIME.
JAKE, ARE YOU THERE? COULD YOU PLEASE UNMUTE? MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE.
SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND TRANSITION BACK TO IN PERSON IF YOU'D LIKE.
PLEASE, SINCE THE INTERPRETER IS STILL HERE, I WANNA GIVE ONE MORE CHANCE TO THE TWO OTHER SPANISH SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP.
JUDITH DIAZ, MARY LOU FUSO, STAN, JUDITH DIAZ, MARY LOU FRUCTO FUSO.
ROBERT LILY, ITEM ONE, FOLLOWED BY PAUL ROBBINS.
PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT OF YOUR NAME'S CALLED GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAYOR AND IT'S ALL GUS BODY.
ONCE AGAIN, I COME BEFORE YOU TO MAKE MY SENTIMENTS KNOWN.
I'M WITH GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP, TEXAS ADVOCATES FOR JUSTICE, AND I'M A FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSON WHO IS NOW TRANSITIONING BACK INTO SOCIETY AND MAKING THE BEST GOAL OF THAT THAT I POSSIBLY CAN.
WITH THE HELP OF MY ORGANIZATION AND THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT ME IN THIS COMMUNITY, I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE THUS FAR MADE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE REFLECT A SENSITIVITY TO THE POPULATION AND TO THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXPRESSED IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
I WANT TO AGAIN THANK YOU FOR SHOWING COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO SUPPORT OR ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD JUST WANT TO QUICKLY STATE THAT COMING FROM NEW YORK CITY BORN IN THE 1970S, I WAS VERY TAKEN ABACK BY THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH I WAS FORCED TO LIVE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHY MY COMMUNITY LOOKED AS RAVAGED AS IT DID.
I LEARNED LATER THAT THERE WAS ONE GENTLEMAN THAT HO JESUS GARZA REMINDS ME OF, AND HIS NAME IS ROBERT MOSES.
ROBERT MOSES WANTED TO INVEST IN PROPERTY, WANTED TO INVEST IN PROJECTS, AND DID NOT INVEST IN THE PEOPLE.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, I GREW UP IN A COMMUNITY THAT LOOKED LIKE BEIRUT LEBANON.
I URGE YOU FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO SHOW INTEREST IN THE PEOPLE INVEST IN THOSE ELEMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN FUNDED AND DO NOT, I URGE YOU DO NOT GIVE ANY MORE FUNDING TO THE POLICE.
THE POLICE ONLY RESPOND AFTER CRIME.
IT IS CONDITIONS AND POVERTY AND CIRCUMSTANCES AND POLICY THAT CREATES THOSE VERY CONDITIONS OF POVERTY.
PAUL ROBBINS, ITEM FOUR, FOLLOWED BY PHYLLIS EVERETT AND JEN RAMOS, AS YOUR NAME IS CALLED, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME DOWN, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT THE THE ONE THAT'S SPEAKING, PLEASE COME DOWN AND TAKE ONE OF THESE SEATS UP FRONT SO THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE, UM, AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW YOU AS SPEAKERS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE, UM, MORE EFFICIENTLY.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU MR. ROBS FOR WAITING WHILE I SAID THAT MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, THOUGH THE SUMMER STATISTICS FOR AUSTIN ENERGY ARE NOT COMPLETE, IT IS LIKELY THAT DUE TO THE INCREASE IN ELECTRIC RATES AND BRUTALLY HOT RECORD, HOT SUMMER, MANY AUSTINITES MAY SEE THE HIGHEST ELECTRIC BILLS, AT LEAST IN NOMINAL DOLLARS IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.
I HAVE TWO SUGGESTIONS FOR RATE RELIEF.
THE FIRST IS TO THE EXTENT LEGALLY POSSIBLE STOP PAYING FRANCHISE FEES
[00:50:01]
TO WEALTHY CITIES OUT OF SIGHT OF AUSTIN THAT DO NOT NEED THEM.UH, SECOND, IF THERE IS A SURPLUS OF REVENUE OVER WHAT IS ANTICIPATED, GIVE HALF OF IT BACK TO RATE PAYERS IN THE FORM OF RELIEF.
I AM ALSO HERE TO ASK AGAIN FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT OF THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS EXPERIENCED REPEATED PROBLEMS SINCE IT WAS CHANGED IN 2013.
RECENTLY YOU RECEIVED A GLOWING LETTER FROM AUSTIN ENERGY SINGING ABOUT THE DRAMATIC INCREASES IN PARTICIPATION DUE TO CHANGES IN THE COMPUTERIZED ENROLLMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME, I GOT CONTACTED BY A FRIEND OF MINE CAUGHT UP IN THE NEW ENROLLMENT ASKING ME WHY ON EARTH SHE WAS ENROLLED.
AND IT TOOK HER A LONG BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS TO GET UNENROLLED.
THIS IS THE SECOND PERSON WHO HAS CONTACTED ME, UH, TELLING ME ABOUT THIS KIND OF SITUATION.
AND THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
THE PROGRAM IS NOT TRANSPARENT.
THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE PROGRAM ARE COMPLACENT AND IT NEEDS AN AUDIT.
THANK YOU, MR. ROBS PHYLLIS EVERETT AND THEN JEN RAMOS.
PHYLLIS EVERETT SAFFRON TRUST WOMEN'S FOUNDATION.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF SUPPORT OF COUNCIL WOMEN'S FUENTES FAMILY STABILIZATION PROGRAM UP TOGETHER, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN WORKING FOR OVER TWO DECADES TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY BY PARTNERING WITH GOVERNMENTS, PHILANTHROPY, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THEIR APPROACH IS UNIQUE AND REVOLUTIONARY.
THE DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE STRATEGY FOR SAFFRON TRUST, WHOSE AIM IS TO CYCLE FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY.
THE INTERSECTION OF FINANCIAL STRESS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IS A CRITICAL AREA OF CONCERN, PARTICULARLY AMONG, AMONG BLACK WOMEN IN AUSTIN.
THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO EXPLORE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FINANCIAL STRESS, THE AESTHETIC LOAD, AND THE NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES TO FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.
THE PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW US TO INVESTIGATE THE FAMILIES.
THE THE PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW US TO INVESTIGATE THE FAMILY'S GRANTED FINANCIAL RELIEF.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE FINANCIAL STRESS ON THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CREATED CHRONIC STRESS KNOWN AS THE AESTHETIC LOAD.
WE AIM TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC STRESSES CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ISSUE AND DEVELOPING TO TARGETING INTERVENTIONS TO ALLEVIATE THEM.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, THE WOMEN WHO HAVE ENROLLED IN THE 2022 AND THE 2023 DIVERSION PROGRAM WITH FUNDS FROM UP TOGETHER AND THE CITY HAVE EMBRACED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, ATTENDED FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS, CHANGED FOOD PATTERNS AND EATING PRACTICES, EMBRACED ARTS CULTURE, AND HAVE A STRONG DESIRE TO HAVE A, TO HAVE A MORE OF A LIFE OUTCOME.
UP TOGETHER HOLDS THE BLUEPRINT TO REDUCING POVERTY IN AUSTIN THROUGH ITS UNIQUE APPROACH TO POVERTY ALLEVIATION.
BY FOCUSING ON THESE THREE, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS, WHICH ARE UNDERPRIVILEGED FAMILIES, COMMUN COMMUNITIES LACKING ACCESS TO BASIC HEALTHCARE AND INDIVIDUALS WHO LACK RESOURCES OR KNOWLEDGE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UP TOGETHER IS ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY IN A COMPREHENSIVE MANNER.
MAYOR, WE JUST RECEIVED WORD THAT THERE ARE SPANISH SPEAKERS THAT HAVE ARRIVED.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA ASK THE INTERPRETER, COME BACK TO THE PODIUM AND THEN I BELIEVE JUDITH DIAZ AND MARY LOU FUSO ARE HERE.
I BELONG TO DISTRICT NUMBER THREE AND MY REPRESENTATIVE IS JOSE MIGUEL, AN VELASQUEZ THANKS TO EACH ONE OF YOU HERE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN TO ME REPRESE.
[00:55:07]
I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY COMMUNITY AND PARTICULARLY THE ORGANIZATION.MISMA, WHICH STANDS FOR IN SPANISH, STANDS FOR WOMEN INSPIRED BY DREAMS, GOALS, AND ACTIONS, WHICH IS BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF WOMEN, DOMESTIC WORKERS WHO ARE EMPOWERED WITH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT LABOR RIGHTS, THE FAMILY STABILIZATION.
I AM HERE WITH THE SO MISSION OF MAKING YOU AWARE OF THE IMPORTANT HARD WORK YOU'RE DOING BY SUPPORTING THE FAMILY STABILIZATION PROGRAM AND ALSO FOR ITS CONTINUITY, WHICH WAS, WHICH HAS HAD A GREAT IMPACT IN MY COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THEM IS MISMA, WHO WAS A CHANNEL TO CAREFULLY CHOOSE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE IN FINANCIAL STRESS.
AND THANKS TO THIS FUND WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE WITH THE NEEDS ALREADY MENTIONED.
AND AS YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT, THE PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY GROWTH STRONGER, UH, WE KNOW THAT THIS BUDGET CONCERNS EACH ONE OF US, BUT THERE'S ONE THING I WISH YOU WOULD NOT FORGET, AND THAT'S THE IMPACT THAT THEY'RE HAVING ON EVERYONE.
SO I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS, UH, GENTLEMEN.
MAY WE MAY, THE GREAT MISSION THAT FALLS UNTO EACH OF YOU WHO ARE SEATED HERE CONTINUE, AND THAT IS TO EXERCISE THE LAW AND THE WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE WHO ENTRUSTED YOU WITH YOUR, WITH THEIR VOTE.
I ALWAYS REPRESENT MISMA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NUMBER TWO, VANESSA FUENTES.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT WHAT MY FRIEND JUST SAID, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT THE UH, AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VANESSA FUENTES TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY STABILIZATION PROGRAM.
I'M HERE TO ASK TODAY THAT YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDMENT.
PADO, YOU HAVE HEARD FROM OTHERS, FROM OTHER MEMBERS THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD IMPACT SUCH AS BEING ABLE TO KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS AND FOOD ON OUR TABLES.
WE NEED THAT THIS, UH, FAMILY STABILIZATION TO CONTINUE AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE BEING A CITY THAT IS KNOWN FOR BEING INNOVATIVE, PROGRESSIVE, AND CLEAN.
[01:00:01]
YOU THAT ARE HERE IN THE NAME OF THE AUSTIN TEXAS COMMUNITY, AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK VA VANESSA FOR YOUR SUPPORT.AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, I'M GONNA CALL SEVERAL NAMES.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN AND TAKE A SEAT IN ONE OF THE SEATS IN THE FRONT AND HEAD UP TO THE PODIUM.
JEN RAMOS, ROBERT CORBIN, SABRINA FULLER.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS SABRINA FULLER AND MY FAMILY ARE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT NINE.
I'M HERE AND SPEAK OF SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET PROPOSED BY EQUITY ACTION AND URGE YOU NOT TO SACRIFICE VITAL COMMUNITY SERVICES BY PUMPING MORE AND MORE MONEY INTO THE ALREADY OVERINFLATED A P D BUDGET AND GENERAL RESERVES FUND.
I AM CURRENTLY DISABLED, UM, AND IF I WERE TO CALL 9 1 1 RIGHT NOW, I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I WOULD RECEIVE HELP.
WHAT IS EVEN WORSE IS THE COST OF DIVERTING FUNDING AWAY FROM PUBLIC SERVICES TO FUND 32 MORE MILLION DOLLARS OF POLICE SPENDING AND THE ALREADY $73 MILLION THE POLICE THAT POLICE MISCONDUCT HAS ALREADY COST AUSTIN.
THERE IS IRREPARABLE HARM TO MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHOSE VARIOUS EXISTENCE IS CRIMINALIZED BY NOT FUNDING NEEDED SERVICES.
INSTEAD OF INVESTING IN THESE CURRENT SERVICES, AUSTIN HAS CONSISTENTLY CONTINUED TO WASTE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON INEFFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS POLICING.
SO I ASK YOU, DO YOU TRULY REPRESENT THE AUSTIN PEOPLE OR ARE YOU COMPLICIT IN THE GENOCIDE OF MY MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS? THANK YOU.
ROBERT CORBIN, AIS HASSAR, DANIELLA SILVA.
A T X PUT OUT PAGES OF TALKING POINTS ABOUT MOSTLY GOOD IDEAS, BUT OMIT THE GOOD IDEA OF INCREASING APDS BUDGET.
EQUITY ACTION AND COUNCIL CAN GET MONIES FOR ALL GOOD IDEAS BY ONE, ELIMINATE OUR CITY'S UNFAIR TAXING POLICY THAT REWARDS HALVES AND INSULTS HAVE-NOTS SUBSIDIZES RICHER AND SCREWS POOR.
THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ALLOWANCE HAVE-NOTS ARE STRUGGLING.
RENTERS WHO PAY THAT PORTION OF THEIR LANDLORD'S TAXES FROM WHICH PRIVILEGED HALVES HOMEOWNERS ARE EXEMPTED.
TWO, ELIMINATE ANIMAL SERVICES, COSTLY, DESTRUCTIVE, PRO KILL, NO KILL POLICIES.
EQUITY ACTION DECLARES A BIZARRE DESIRE TO MAKE SURE WE REMAIN A NO KILL CITY.
TO IMPROVE EQUITY, ONE WOULD PRESUME HOGWASH NO KILL DOES NOTHING FOR IMPROVING EQUITY UNLESS YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE INCREASING STOCK EQUITY OF SHAREHOLDERS IN AMERICA'S PET INDUSTRIES WHO APPRECIATIVELY GIVE BACK BY AUTHORING AND FINANCING NO KILL AND OTHER PRO DOG LEGISLATION.
TAKING OUR CITY, OUR PARKS, OUR WATERS, THE WORLD'S POOREST AND THE PLANET OFF THE CLIFF.
EQUITY ACTION SHOULD GET UPSET THAT BY MY ESTIMATES WITHIN AUSTIN, 20 TO $40 MILLION EACH YEAR IS SPENT TO SAVE DOGS WHO THEN GET FED BY COMPETING WITH THE WORLD'S POOREST PEOPLES FOR THE CHOICES CHOPS, WHICH DRIVES UP COST, HUNGER, MALNUTRITION, AND BURDENS, THE PLANT IS POOREST.
ADD TO THAT THE BURNING OF RAINFOREST LANDS IN THEIR ANIMAL INHABITANTS.
I ONCE READ THAT 20% OF ALL MEAT RAISED IS FED TO OTHER ANIMALS.
NO KILL IS WAGING WAR AGAINST THE POOREST AND MOST VULNERABLE EQUITY ACTION SHOULD WISE UP AND WAKE UP.
DEMAND THAT A AUSTIN'S NO KILL POLICY BE KILLED.
RECOGNIZE THE REAL GREEDY GORILLAS IN THE ROOM AND IT IS NOT OUR POLICE PROTECTORS.
KATHLEEN MITCHELL, PLEASE COME DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MAYOR, CITY MANAGER.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE, THEY, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE WORKED SO DILIGENTLY TO DO THE HEAVY LIFT OF ADVOCATING FOR THE VARIOUS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET FUNDED TO THEIR HIGHEST EXTENT.
I KNOW THAT THIS WAS NOT AN EASY LIFT AND I JUST WANT TO BEGIN WITH GRATITUDE.
THAT BEING SAID, THIS BUDGET POSES A STARK CONTRADICTION.
IT ALLEGES A NEED TO INCREASE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY THROUGH THE RESERVE FUND AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT PROPOSES A LARGE INCREASE TO THE POLICE BUDGET, WHICH CAN
[01:05:01]
NEVER BE REVERSED DUE TO STATE LAW THAT WOULD DECREASE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY.SO, WHICH IS IT? BECAUSE THE MATH ISN'T MAPPING THERE.
WHILE I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE AMENDMENTS THAT VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE PROPOSED, GOLD STARS WERE SYMBOLICALLY GIVEN OUT FOR CUTTING THE FUNDING AMOUNT OF THEIR AMENDMENTS FROM THE BEGINNING.
MANY AMENDMENTS DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT INTO THE BUDGET VIA BASELINE OR AMENDMENT.
UM, INCLUDING AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, FUNDING FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-LED INCLEMENT WEATHER RESPONSE.
THESE ARE THINGS, THESE ARE EMERGENCIES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TODAY, NOT NEXT YEAR WHEN MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER EMERGENCY OR THE YEAR AFTER THAT.
PEOPLE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SUPPORT NOW.
SO HOW CAN WE BE ADVOCATING FOR SQUIRRELING AWAY $40 MILLION WHEN AT LEAST $12 MILLION IN COMMUNITY NEEDS REMAIN COMPLETELY UNADDRESSED? IT IS IMPERATIVE TO LOWER THE PERCENTAGE THAT IS SET ASIDE IN RESERVES TO 16 AT THE VERY MOST TO FUND WHAT REMAINS UNFUNDED.
AND THAT BEING SAID, THESE ITEMS MUST BE ADDRESSED TODAY, NOT IN SIX MONTHS, NOT IN A MID-YEAR PROCESS.
THESE ITEMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A CONTINUITY IN FUNDING AND A CONTINUITY IN SERVICES MUST BE FUNDED TODAY.
WE, THE COMMUNITY WANT TO GIVE YOU A GOLD STAR AND YOU HAVE TO EARN IT.
KATHLEEN MITCHELL CORBY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M KATHY MITCHELL WITH EQUITY ACTION.
SO I GUESS YOU'RE HEARING FROM US ALL AT ONCE.
UM, I WANT TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF PROCESS ISSUES.
THIS BUDGET PROCESS HAS BEEN UNIQUELY DIFFICULT BECAUSE VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN HEARD FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.
UH, BECAUSE FROM THE BEGINNING THIS WAS SORT OF LAID OUT AS A NO GROWTH DEPARTMENTAL PROCESS.
THE DEPARTMENTS WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, UH, BEFORE A CERTAIN POINT WHEN THEY STOPPED.
AND I WAS AT A COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE, UH, LIBRARY FOLKS, PROBABLY NOT THE DIRECTOR, KIND OF OPENLY SPOKE ABOUT THE RIDICULOUS WAIT TIMES FOR EBOOKS OUR CHILDREN.
AND IF YOU'VE MET ANY OF ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, THEY READ ON DEVICES.
I ACTUALLY HAVE STARTED READING ON DEVICES.
MY HUSBAND ONLY READS ON DEVICES.
PEOPLE ARE WAITING WEEKS AND MONTHS FOR A BOOK LICENSE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT IS SIMPLE TO SOLVE.
IS IT GREAT THAT THE CURRENT ECONOMY OF BOOKS REQUIRES LIBRARIES TO PAY FOR EBOOK LICENSES? NO, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT GENERAL ECONOMIC FOUNDATION.
BUT DO I THINK THAT OUR LIBRARIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUY ENOUGH LICENSES SO THAT CHILDREN ARE NOT WAITING WEEKS AND MONTHS AND PARENTS ARE NOT HAVING TO FIND ALTERNATIVES FOR BOOKS THAT THEIR CHILDREN NEED TO READ? NO.
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS CUT FROM THE BEGINNING.
WE PUT A MILLION, HAVING HEARD THAT 2 MILLION WOULD BE BETTER.
WE PUT A MILLION AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION TO ALL THE OTHER UNMET NEEDS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE BROUGHT IT TO YOU AND SAID, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING YOU SHOULD BE FUNDING.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO STOP THE PROCESS WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
MR. MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY AND RECONSIDER, CAN WE ALLOW HER TO COMPLETE HER STATEMENT PLEASE? THANK YOU.
WE BELIEVE THAT WHERE THIS BUDGET IS THIS MORNING, THERE ARE EVEN MORE UNMET NEEDS THAN THERE WERE LAST NIGHT.
AND THAT YOU ALL NEED TO TAKE A PAUSE.
AND THE VERY BEST STARTING POINT FOR THAT PAUSE IS TO GO BACK TO THAT RESERVE FUND CONVERSATION THAT WAS NEVER HAD.
REDUCE THAT RESERVE FUND PERCENTAGE TO SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS YOU TO FUND THE MOST IMPORTANT UNMET NEEDS IN THIS COMMUNITY TODAY.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR MORE OF THOSE NOW AND THEN RECONVENE.
AND THEN I'LL OASIS ARE, UH, GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CORBY GASTRO, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10, PAST PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER OF THE GREATER AUSTIN CRIME COMMISSION.
THE GREATER AUSTIN CRIME COMMISSION
[01:10:01]
ENCOURAGES ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE FUNDING INCREASES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET.UNDERSTAFFED E M S FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS PUT OUR COMMUNITY AT RISK AND THIS BUDGET INCREASES MUCH NEEDED FIRST STEP TOWARD ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.
THIS BUDGET INCREASES OUR PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENTS, IMPROVES PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES, INCREASES TRANSPARENCY, AND CONTINUES TO HELP ADDRESS OUR ONGOING PUBLIC SAFETY STAFFING NEEDS.
AGAIN, A P D HAS 331 TRUE VACANCIES AND E M S HAS 113 OPERATIONAL VACANCIES.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO KEEP THIS CITY SAFE.
AND THE CRIME COMMISSION WILL ALWAYS ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONTINUE TO GIVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THE RESOURCES TO DO THEIR JOBS.
VOTING FOR THIS BUDGET IS A STRONG FIRST STEP TOWARD ADDRESSING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF AND NEEDS.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS BUDGET INCREASE.
PAM MADEIRA, A WEIS AZAR, AND THEN SENECA SAVOY.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL PAM MEIR.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10 AND I'M THE CURRENT VICE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN CRIME COMMISSION.
THANK YOU, UH, TO THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF FOR WORKING SO HARD THIS SUMMER TO PROPOSE ESSENTIAL INVESTMENTS NEEDED IN, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WHO IS, UM, SO DESPERATE FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND HELP RIGHT NOW.
SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET WILL INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
RESTORING HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE POSITIONS FOR DATA REPORTING WILL IMPROVE THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S EFFICIENCY AND LEAD TO MORE TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT FOR BOTH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, THESE POSITIONS WILL NOT IMPACT THE INVESTIGATIONS BY THE AUSTIN, UM, OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT, WHICH GO THROUGH INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE FACING HISTORIC STAFFING ISSUES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE UNPRECEDENTED, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO VOTING FOR THE MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET REALLY SIGNALS THAT, UM, THAT THIS COMMUNITY STANDS BEHIND, UM, THE CITIZENS WHO DESPERATELY NEED THE A P D AND OTHER SUPPORT, UM, OF THE VARIOUS RESOURCES.
SO WE, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME ON THIS AND ENCOURAGE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
O WEISS, SENECA SAVOY, AND THEN CATHERINE ARDAL.
AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
MY NAME IS VASHAR AND I SERVE ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OF PLANNING OUR COMMUNITIES TODAY.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU THAT WE NEED TO FUND AT LEAST $4.2 MILLION TOWARDS COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA'S TENNIS STABILIZATION FUNDS ITEM.
CURRENTLY, AS I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S ONLY 1.6 MILLION THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
THIS DOES NOT EVEN GET US THROUGH TO THE END OF THE YEAR BY OUR OWN STAFF'S UNDERSTANDING.
IF YOU FUND 4.2 MILLION THIS YEAR, WE CAN COMBINE IT WITH FUNDS FROM LAST YEAR TO EXTEND IT.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT, BUT LET ME BE CLEAR, I HAVE DEEP CONCERN ABOUT THAT FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST, OUR STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANTS ARE GOING TO SPREAD THE MONEY.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT TO FULL FILL GAPS.
WE WILL STRETCH THOSE DOLLARS FURTHER, WHICH MEANS WE WILL PAUSE INTAKE AT TIMES.
CLIENTS WHO WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDS, WHO WILL NEED THE FUNDS DESPERATELY, WILL NOT GET THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED BECAUSE WE DID NOT BUDGET THOSE FUNDS TODAY.
SECONDLY, EVEN AS OF LAST YEAR THOUGH, YOU ALL, SOME OF YOU ALL WORK TO GET $8 MILLION FOR THOSE FUNDS IN THE PAST YEAR.
WE HAVE FIVE MONTHS WHERE INTAKE HAS STOPPED BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET OUR CONTRACTS DONE ON TIME.
I JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR WITH AVAILABLE FUNDS WE HAVE HAD SERVICE THAT ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED.
WHAT FAITH CAN WE HAVE THAT WE WILL SOMEHOW BE ABLE TO GET A MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT, MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE, AUTHORIZE THE CONTRACT, WORK ON IT, AND SIGN THE CONTRACT, AND MAKE SURE OUR CONTRACT CAN GET THE MONEY DONE WITH A MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT IF WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF FUNDS? I KNOW THESE ARE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME, KNOW THAT I TAKE THESE CONVERSATIONS VERY SERIOUSLY AND I'M NOT EMOTIONAL ABOUT THESE THINGS, BUT FOCUS ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I'M SADLY HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT 1.6 MILLION AS PROPOSED WILL HARM PEOPLE.
HOW WILL WE TELL PEOPLE THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE, THOSE WHO NEED SERVICES, THAT THEIR NEEDS WERE PAUSED BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO PUT FUNDS IN THE RESERVE? THANK
[01:15:01]
YOU ALL VERY MUCH.SENECA SAVO, CATHERINE MCCARDLE, JAMIE KIM, I KEEP ON, I'M FORGETTING IF THERE'S A START.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FOUR, UM, RESIDENT OF AUSTIN FOR ALL BUT THREE YEARS OF MY LIFE.
UH, AND THIS, UH, ALREADY STARTED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAME FIRST TO MIND.
UM, ULTIMATELY A HUGE AMOUNT OF THE EXPANSIONS BUDGET IS THE AMOUNT GOING INTO RESERVE FUNDS.
THE IDEA OF COURSE, TO SAVE UP FOR A RAINY DAY.
HOWEVER, THE COMPOUNDING INTEREST OR THE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS YOU GET OFF OF THIS IS NOT REALLY COMMENSURATE TO WHAT WE'RE CUTTING.
UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CUTTING FIRST AMONGST THEM, P H SS, UH, AS WELL, UH, SORRY, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, AS WELL AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE ARE THINGS THAT PRODUCE GREATER COSTS DOWN THE LINE.
AND THE COMPOUNDING COST ARE GREATER THAN THE RATES OF SAVINGS, RIGHT? SO THE, THE COST TO REHOUSE SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS IS 10 TIMES HIGHER THAN RAPID REHOUSING.
RIGHT? AND IT'S EVEN GREATER SAVINGS IF YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE RENTAL RENTAL STABILIZATION TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM NEEDING TO BE REHOUSED IN THE FIRST PLACE, THE THAT FIVE MONTH BACKLOG HE'S TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S PUTTING PEOPLE INTO STATES OF CRISIS WHERE THEY CAN EVENTUALLY BECOME CHRONICALLY HOMELESS IN WAYS WHERE IT'LL COST US TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE PER PERSON TO GET THEM REHOUSED.
THAT'S NOT FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, THAT'S JUST STICKING YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND.
CHIA MEMBER VELAS AMENDMENTS ARE INTELLIGENT, RIGHT? AS ARE, UH, ONES FROM MANY OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CHIEF AMONG THEM, UH, FUENTES, YOU KNOW, BY TARGETING SOME OF THE MONEY UPFRONT DIRECTLY AT PEOPLE WHO WE KNOW ARE HIGH RISK, WHO ARE LIKELY TO BECOME COST TO BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY BEFOREHAND.
WE NOT ONLY SAVE MONEY THE LONG TERM BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE CHEAPER THING INSTEAD OF THE EXPENSIVE THING, RIGHT? BUT THE HUMAN COST, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALMOST GETTING EVICTED, BEING EVICTED AND THEN SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN 110 DEGREE WEATHER ARE PRETTY DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THE PSYCHIC COST TO THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED, RIGHT? SO, BUT EVEN BEFORE YOU CONSIDER, THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH TERRIBLE SUFFERING, YOU'RE SAVING MONEY BY JUST KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.
CATHERINE MCCARDLE, JAMIE KIM, AND THEN CRYSTAL MAYER.
HI, MY NAME IS CATHERINE MCCARDLE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO URGE COUNCIL TO ADOPT AS MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU TO THE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DO THIS IN RECENT WEEKS BECAUSE OF THAT WORK, THE BUDGET HAS ALREADY COME FAR FROM THE INITIAL PROPOSED VERSION THAT SOUGHT TO UNDERMINE AUSTIN'S ADVANCES IN EQUITY AND JUSTICE, BUT THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.
SPECIFICALLY, I URGE COUNCIL TO REJECT THE PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE CITY'S RESERVE FUND, WHICH WOULD COST ALMOST $40 MILLION THAT COULD OTHERWISE BE SPENT ON PROGRAMS THAT WOULD DIRECTLY BENEFIT AUSTIN RESIDENTS, AS MANY OTHER SPEAKERS TODAY HAVE ASKED FUND FOR FUNDING FOR, WE ALREADY HAVE THE LARGEST RESERVE IN TEXAS.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE PADDED FURTHER.
SECOND, I PLEAD FOR YOU TO MOVE THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER OUT OF AD'S OVERSIGHT.
THE BUDGET IS ALREADY PROVIDING A P D FAR MORE THAN IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND YOU'RE ALL WELL AWARE THE INCREASES TO A P D CAN NEVER BE REVERSED.
PLEASE KEEP AD'S BUDGET THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
MOVING THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER UNDER A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT CAN HELP DO THAT, AND A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP OF THE CALL CENTER CAN GO A LONG WAY TO ALLEVIATING THE MANY CHALLENGES THE CENTER HAS BEEN FACING.
IF I HAVE TO CALL 9 1 1 FOR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR A FIRE, I WANNA BE SURE THAT MY CALL WILL BE TAKEN QUICKLY AND THE E M S OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO COME HELP ME QUICKLY.
I'VE BEEN HEARING THAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN HAPPENING WITH THE CALL CENTER UNDER A P D AND IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.
FINALLY, I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER VAIL'S AMENDMENT TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR FREE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES FOR AUSTIN PETS.
DUE TO THE VERY POOR LEADERSHIP AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, THE CRI, THE SHELTER HAS BEEN IN CRISIS MODE FOR YEARS.
FREE SPAY AND NEUER SERVICES WON'T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT IT CAN AT LEAST HELP REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PUPPIES THAT END UP AT THE SHELTER.
AND AT THIS POINT, ANYTHING HELPS THEM.
THANK YOU, JAMIE KIM, CRYSTAL MAYER, ALICIA CASTILLO.
IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
[01:20:01]
STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM AS WELL.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO TALK TODAY.
I'M AN UNHOUSED AUSTINITE AND I'M 68 YEARS OLD.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU SOME GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR CITY, AND I NEED YOUR HELP.
I HAVE A DEAR FRIEND RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW WHAT'S COMING ABOUT AND I DON'T WANT TO PLAN HER FUNERAL AND I NEED TO GET HER HELP.
I NEED Y'ALL'S HELP TO DO THAT SO I DON'T HAVE TO PLAN HER FUNERAL.
SHE'S HEAVILY ADDICTED TO NARCOTIC THAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO 'EM.
I HAVE A KIT THAT I CAN SAVE HER LIFE IF AT THAT MOMENT THAT SHE OWED THESE.
AND THIS IS ABOUT OVERDOSE DEATHS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN OUR CITY, AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WE ALLOW THEM TO DIE WHEN WE CAN SAVE THEM WITH THAT NARCAN KIT.
I'VE GOT SEVERAL OF 'EM RIGHT HERE AND IT'S SAVING PEOPLE'S LIVES AND I'M TRYING TO SAVE COVID.
I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH HER DEATH AND I CAN HELP HER.
AND I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP ME GET OUT THERE WITH HARM REDUCTION LINES.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS TRYING TO SAVE LIVES.
AND I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP ME SAVE KOBE'S LIFE AND OTHERS LIKE HER BY SUPPORTING ME, SUPPORTING US AS THE, AS THE PEOPLE THAT'S BEHIND ME DO.
AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS PERSONAL TO ME.
ALL THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE, IT'S ABOUT ME.
AND I ASKED YOU TO REALLY HAVE A, HAVE A THOUGHT IN YOUR HEAD THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING TO HELP SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
PLEASE OPEN THE DOORS AND GET MORE PEOPLE TO SIT THERE AND HELP US SAVE OTHER PEOPLE.
ARE YOU HERE? KY I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MUNG CHI AND I'M WITH UP TOGETHER A NONPROFIT THAT TRUST AND INVEST IN COMMUNITIES AND WITH UNRESTRICTED CASH PAYMENTS.
I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM.
UP TOGETHER IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT FOR OVER TWO DECADES HAS PARTNERED WITH GOVERNMENTS, PHILANTHROPY, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE CASH DIRECTLY TO FAMILIES WHILE LEARNING HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.
WE BEGAN INVESTING IN INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS IN 2018, AND SINCE THEN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PHILANTHROPY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE INVESTED OVER $18 MILLION IN MORE THAN 8,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN AUSTIN.
AT THE START OF THE COVID TO 19 PANDEMIC UP TOGETHER PARTNERED WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO DISTRIBUTE EMERGENCY RELIEF.
CASH PAYMENTS TOTALING OVER $11.2 MILLION TO OVER 5,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
OVER TWO WEEKS UP TOGETHER, RECEIVED OVER 50,000 APPLICATIONS, AND FROM THAT POOL, UTILIZED A LOTTERY SYSTEM TO SELECT HOUSEHOLDS BASED ON THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA SET BY THE CITY.
THIS CRITERIA INCLUDED ZIP CODE INCOME COVID 19 RELATED HARDSHIP AND OTHER ASSISTANCE RECEIVED FROM THE EXISTING GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT THAT THE CITY IS FUNDING.
THE EVALUATION IS REVEALING A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT ON FACTORS SUCH AS HOUSING, FOOD, AND MENTAL HEALTH.
SIX MONTHS IN MOST PILOT PARTICIPANTS USE THE FUNDS TO PAY, RENT AND MEET OTHER BASIC NEEDS.
MANY PILOT PARTICIPANTS CAUGHT UP ON RENT AND WERE LESS LIKELY TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT EVICTION.
THEY ARE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS THEIR LONG-TERM GOALS, AND PARTICIPANTS ARE MAKING PLANNED SHORT-TERM TIME SWAPS TO GAIN LONGER TERM FINANCIAL AND HOUSEHOLD STABILITY.
ONCE THE PILOT ENDS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ARE SHOWING POSITIVE RESULTS, AND WE EXPECT RESULTS TO ONLY BECOME MORE SIGNIFICANT AS THE PAYMENTS CONCLUDE.
THE FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANT IS A VITAL TOOL TO ADDRESS POVERTY AND MAKE SURE AUSTIN RESIDENTS CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES, REACH THEIR GOALS, AND THRIVE WITH THE COST OF LIVING INCREASING SHARPLY IN OUR CITY.
FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP NEED DIRECT ASSISTANCE.
NOW, I URGE YOU TO ADOPT THE BUDGET TO INCLUDE $1.3 MILLION TO THE FAMILY STABILITY GRANT PROGRAM.
CHRISTINA GARZA, EDWARD FRANZ, SEAN OLIVER.
[01:25:02]
GOOD MORNING.UM, I WAS LATE WHEN YOU FIRST CALLED ME, UM, BUT UM, YEAH, MY NAME IS ALICIA, I'M A POLICY ANALYST AND, UM, I'M HERE TODAY.
I, I A REPRESENTATIVE OF EQUITY ACTION.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN SPENDING THIS MORNING CRUNCHING NUMBERS.
THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, NEW THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT AND SO I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF MATH.
I JUST RAN OUT FROM DOING THAT HERE.
AND SO I'M SEEING, UM, THAT YOU ALL HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE EFFORTS AND PRESENTED REALLY WONDERFUL AMENDMENTS AND SHOWN THAT YOU REALLY HAVE HEARD US.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND TESTIFIED ABOUT THE ITEMS THAT THEY CARE MOST ABOUT.
AND WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT IN HERE.
UM, AND WE'RE STILL SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORTFALL, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
NUMBER ONE, UM, IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR REPORT ON THE RESERVES, UM, THAT 16.7% RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I WANNA NOTE THAT THE, THE AUDIT REPORT ITSELF SAYS THAT CITIES THAT THEY REVIEWED WITH RESERVE POLICIES THAT WERE LOWER THAN THAT, UM, IT SAYS A FEW THINGS, BUT THEY MAY HAVE WISHED TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING ON RESIDENT SERVICES.
SO THAT IS ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S BEFORE US RIGHT NOW.
IF WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF TWEAKING OF THAT RESERVE FUND PERCENTAGE, UM, TO KIND OF COMPROMISE HERE AND BRING US DOWN TO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT, UM, THAT WILL FREE UP JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO SERVE SOME OF THOSE REALLY PRESSING NEEDS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
UM, SOMETHING CLOSER TO 15 OR 15.5 RATHER THAN THIS FULL, UM, YOU KNOW, NEARLY 17% AMOUNT.
UM, THAT WOULD DO A LOT TO HELP.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT HASN'T BEEN TALKED A LOT ABOUT TODAY, AND THAT'S, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP THE POLICE BUDGET AS FLAT AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE DUE TO STATE LAW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN NEVER CHANGE AND LEAVES US A LITTLE BIT INFLEXIBLE IN THE FUTURE.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT AND HELP KEEP IT COST NEUTRAL IS BY MOVING THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER OUT OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE CALL CENTERS FOR THREE ONE ONE FOR E M S AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS CALL CENTER WHEN FOLKS ARE WAITING ON THE LINE FOR 10 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES TO GET TO SOMEONE WHEN THEY'RE IN AN EMERGENCY.
MANY OF THOSE BEING MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
WHAT IF WE HAD A CALL CENTER THAT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UM, THAT HAD THE STAFFING THAT THEY NEED AND PERHAPS IS INDEPENDENT OR RUN BY A DEPARTMENT THAT ISN'T STRUGGLING AS MUCH WITH STAFFING AND RECRUITMENT AS A P D IS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
CHRISTINA GARZA, EDWARD FRANZ, SEAN OLIVER, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
MY NAME IS EDWARD FRANZ AND I'M REPRESENTING A T X PEACE AND DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LETTING US SPEAK ABOUT, UM, UM, I'M PERSONALLY SPEAKING FOR ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS TO INCREASE THE, UH, THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTIONS FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT AND, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE THINK THAT THIS FUNDING SHOULD BE INCREASED IS BECAUSE WE HAVE STORY AFTER STORY AFTER STORY ABOUT WHAT THIS IS DOING IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FACING THE MOST VIOLENCE AND THE MOST GUNS AND THE MOST HOMICIDES, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT.
AND I WANNA TELL YOU THE STORY OF A MAN NAMED GUZMAN.
GUZMAN GOT SHOT IN A DRIVE-BY IN AUSTIN AT A CAR SHOW WHERE HE WAS JUST HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS.
HE WAS SURROUNDED BY OTHER HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS AND TOOK A, A, A BULLET INTO THE STOMACH AND IT IS STILL LODGED IN HIS HIP TO THIS DAY.
THEY CANNOT REMOVE IT FOR FEAR, IT MIGHT HURT HIM.
HE LOST HIS JOB WAS GONNA BE HOMELESS.
WE MET UP WITH HIM AFTER THE SHOOTING BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE VICTIMS AND THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE ONE NO RETALIATIONS IN THIS, IN THIS EVENT, BUT TWO, WE WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF THE VICTIMS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECOVERED WELL.
WE MET GUZMAN, HELPED HIM GET TEMPORARY HOUSING ON HIS WAY TO GET PERMANENT HOUSING.
WE PROVIDED HIM WITH WORK, WE PROVIDED HIM WITH A JOB.
WE PROVIDED HIM WITH THE ABILITY TO GET HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE, WHICH HE HAD NEVER HAD AT THE AGE OF 39.
SOMETHING SMALL LIKE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE TO HIM.
HE WAS SO INFLUENTIAL IN THOSE HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS BE WHEN WE WERE HANGING AROUND HIM, WE REALIZED HOW INFLUENTIAL HE WAS AND WE GRABBED HIM AND SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT ATX PEACE? HE SAID, I NEVER THOUGHT ANYBODY WOULD ASK ME TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT SPECIAL TO HELP PEOPLE STOP FROM GOING DOWN THE ROUTE.
I WENT, THIS MAN SOLD DRUGS HIS ENTIRE LIFE, AND NOW HE'S A TRUSTED MESSENGER AT ATX PEACE AND HAS BROUGHT IN SEVEN HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN SHOOTERS OR WOULD'VE BEEN SHOT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I JUST ASK THAT YOU WILL, UH, VOTE FOR THIS AMENDMENT.
SEAN OLIVER, MYRTLE CARTER, SHERWIN PATTON.
IF, IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT OUT OF RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING AFTER YOU,
[01:30:01]
IF YOU'LL BE HERE.THAT WAY WE CAN OPERATE AND MORE EFFICIENTLY FOR, FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE FOLLOWING YOU.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME INTERRUPT YOU.
MY NAME IS SEAN OLIVER AND I'M HERE AS A COMMUNITY COORDINATOR FOR LIFE AND NEW REPRESENTING THE A T X PEACE AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILMAN VELAZQUEZ VELA AND COUNCILWOMAN HARPER MADISON, MYSELF, BEING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SERVED OVER 27 YEARS OF INCARCERATION AFTER HAVING COMMITTED AN ACT OF GUN VIOLENCE, BEING AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AROUND AUSTIN, ON THE EAST SIDE AND THE SOUTH SIDE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT I INTIMATELY UNDERSTAND.
SINCE COMING TO AUSTIN, I'VE SEEN THE LANDSCAPE, I'VE SEEN THE MUSIC FESTIVALS, BUT I'VE ALSO SEEN GENUINELY GOOD PEOPLE WHO WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE CONCERNING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.
EVERY DAY WE WAKE UP AS A TEAM OF A T X PEACE.
THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A LIFE? THERE ARE NOT ONLY PEOPLE BEING KILLED, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE BEING AFFECTED BY WATCHING PEOPLE BEING KILLED.
WE HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO GET AHEAD IN SOME INSTANCES, AND WHEN WE DO OUR JOB WELL, NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT.
TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY NOT ONLY SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT, BUT ACTUALLY PUTTING FACES TO PEOPLE THAT YOU MAY NEVER SEE, BUT ZIP CODES THAT YOU REPRESENT.
PEOPLE WILL STOP VIOLENT ACTS WHEN PROVIDED THE RESOURCES, WHEN THEY COME INTO CONTACT WITH MEN LIKE MR. GUZMAN, MYSELF AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT MAKE UP AND A T X PEACE.
BUT THERE'S A NECESSITY FOR RESOURCES.
THERE'S A NECESSITY TO PUT PEOPLE FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO WORK.
AND THE SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN FORMALLY INCARCERATED CAN RETURN TO THESE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS I HAVE BEEN AFFORDED BY THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TO CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
ANY VOTE THAT YOU MAKE CONCERNING THIS AMENDMENT IS A LIFE SAVED AND WHAT VALUE DOES THAT HAVE? THANK YOU.
MYRTLE CARTER, SHERWIN PATTON, RICHARD ROBINSON.
I'M WITH LIFE ANEW AND I ALSO, UM, WORK WITH AT X PEACE.
UM, I SPEAK TODAY IN THE NEED OF A T X PIECE FROM THE DISTRICTS AND THE SCHOOLS AND FROM THE CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY SEE GUN VIOLENCE BEING USED AND THEN THEY TOO THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD HAPPEN AND THAT THEY, THE GUNS ARE BEING PLACED IN THEIR HANDS BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THEY KNOW.
SO I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US, US TO SEE THIS AMENDMENT PASSED SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE STUDENTS AND ALLOW THEM TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SOLVE VIOLENCE BESIDES GUNS.
UM, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO ROB, KILL, STEAL, KILL EACH OTHER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING MOSTLY, MOSTLY NOW.
AND, UM, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT THEY CAN BE DOING BESIDES, UH, GUN VIOLENCE.
SHERWIN PATTON, RICHARD ROBINSON.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA START OFF BY, UH, SAYING THAT I HAVE MY, MY BROTHER AND FRIEND, UM, PASTOR ALAN RAMIREZ, STANDING WITH ME.
UM, HE'S NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEED, BUT WE'RE STANDING TOGETHER BECAUSE BOTH OF US, UM, CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS CITY AND WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE IN THIS CITY.
AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AS A PART OF A T X P.
SO I WORK WITH LIFE OF NEW RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, BUT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH JAIL TO JOBS AND IT'S BECAUSE OF, UM, JOSE VASQUEZ ALSO, UH, COUNCILMAN VELA AND ALSO HAR, UH, NATASHA HARPER MADISON, UM, WHO CO-AUTHORED OR CO-SPONSORED THIS AMENDMENT, UM, FOR US TO ACTUALLY GET MORE FUNDING FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
AND NOW I'M GONNA SHARE WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO THIS.
UM, WE ARE IN SCHOOLS, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS CITY AND IN ONE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR THAT'S IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
WE HAVE HAD FOUR GUNS REMOVED FROM STUDENTS AND NOT FORCIBLY, BUT BECAUSE THEY DISCLOSED TO US, UM, THAT THEY HAD THOSE GUNS AND HAD INTENT TO USE THEM.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD TRUSTED MESSENGERS THAT ARE ON THOSE CAMPUSES THAT ARE EVERYDAY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN ORDER TO PREVENT VIOLENCE FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NOW, IF WE DON'T TAKE STEPS INTENTIONALLY TO PREVENT VIOLENCE, THEN VIOLENCE WILL HAPPEN AND WILL HAPPEN IN OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES AND IN OUR SCHOOLS.
NOW, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO LIST OUT
[01:35:01]
REAL QUICKLY THAT WE WOULD USE THIS FUNDING FOR ONE MORE TRUSTED MESSENGERS IN THE STREETS AND IN OUR SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A LARGER FOOTPRINT AND PREVENT VIOLENCE BEFORE IT HAPPENS.THE SECOND THING IS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE ALREADY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS, UM, BUT WE WANT TO PROVIDE MORE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT TO DO ALSO IS WE WANT TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRANSITIONED FROM A LIFE OF VIOLENCE WHO WANT TO PREVENT VIOLENCE, AND THAT IS WHAT ATX PEACE IS ALL ABOUT, IS HOW CAN WE BRING THE HEART OF GOD INTO THIS CONVERSATION AND PREVENT VIOLENCE FROM HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, RICHARD ROBINSON, SELENA ROBERTSON AND RICHARD SANDERS.
AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME OF THE PODIUM AS WELL.
GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR THE A T X PEACE'S COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INITIATIVE, A GROUNDBREAKING MOVEMENT TAKING ROOT RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
THIS INITIATIVE ISN'T JUST A FLEETING IDEA, IT'S A COMMUNITY DRIVEN FORCE FIELD BY COM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE THE DESIRE TO SEE CHANGE.
TODAY, I INVITE YOU TO ENVISION THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT C V I CAN HAVE ON OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU VIEW IT THROUGH THE LENSES OF OUR VITAL CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
CONSIDERING FOR A MOMENT THE PULSE OF THE THRIVING CITY, ITS ECONOMIC VIBRANCY AND THE TAPESTRY OF LIFE.
IT WEAVES EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ARE THE VERY ARTERIES THAT NOURISH THE PULSE, PROPELLING GROWTH, FOSTERING CONNECTIVITY, AND OPENING THE DOORS TO THE WORLD'S OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE SEAMLESS FLOW OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO THE STEADY RHYTHM OF COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT.
EVERY MODE IS A CORNERSTONE OR CORNERSTONE OF OUR CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, ENSURING WE'RE NOT LIMITED BY GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES.
NOW IMAGINE AUSTIN WITHOUT A BUSTING CONNECTION, WITHOUT THE SEAMLESS MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE AND GOODS THAT REACH FAR BEYOND OUR GRASS.
IT'S A VISION OF ISOLATION, A MISSED POTENTIAL, A CITY CONSTRAINED BY ITS OWN LIMITATION.
NOW LET'S BRIDGE THE VISION WITH THE PURPOSE OF ATX PEACE.
JUST AS A CITY, ECONOMICS THRIVES WHEN TRANSPORTATION THRIVES, SO DO OUR COMMUNITIES FLOURISH.
WHEN VIOLENCE REDUCES A T X PEACE IS THE CATALYST FOR CHANGE.
A POWERFUL VEHICLE STEERING US AWAY FROM THE PATH OF DISCOURSE TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF UNITY AND SAFETY.
THROUGH THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVE, WE ARE NOT JUST REDUCING VIOLENCE, WE'RE ENGINEERING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN THRIVE, WHERE THEIR FAMILIES CAN FLOURISH WITHOUT FEAR, AND WHERE EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY BECOMES A CANVAS FOR GROWTH.
IN ESSENCE, AT AT T X, PEACE IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF HOPE, SOLIDARITY AND PROGRESS IS JUST NOT A PROGRAM.
IT'S A LIFELINE, ONE THAT PAVES THE WAY FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU HELP JOIN US TO TRANSFORM THE JOURNEY TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN BUILD A CITY WHERE EVERY STEP FORWARD IS A STEP TOWARDS PROSPERITY AND PEACE.
SELENA ROBINSON, RICHARD SANDERS, BARRY JONES.
I'M ONE OF THE, UM, TENANTS THAT, UM, A T X PIECE HAS HELPED OUT.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, IF YOU HELP OUR MOVEMENT, IT'LL HELP OUT AS FAR AS IN, UM, OUR YOUTH.
UM, THERE'S HAVE BEEN A LOT OF GUN.
THEY'VE SAVED US FROM A LOT OF GUN VIOLENCE AS RECENTLY, UM, WHEN WE HAD TO SWAT OUT, I THINK A WEEK AGO AND, UM, THEY WERE HIDING A FUGITIVE.
THEY CAME TO OUR AID AND HELPED US OUT.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, THEM JOINING OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE A GREAT HELP.
THEY'VE HELPED OUT, UM, NUMEROUS OF STUDENTS THAT IS IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT HAD, UM, SELLING DRUGS AND, UM, NUMEROUS OF THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING THERE AS FAR AS IN, UM, OTHER PEOPLE, UM, THERE THAT HAD JUST MOVED OUT DUE TO THEIR HELP BECAUSE OF THE GUN VIOLENCE THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY WE NEED, UM, AT XPS AND I, I ASK THAT YOU HELP THEM, HELP US, UM, FUND THEM SO THAT THEY CAN HELP OUT MORE OF THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL.
RICHARD SANDERS, BARRY JONES, MICHAEL HALLIBURTON.
[01:40:01]
MEMBERS.I'M A VOLUNTEER LEADER WITH TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE, WHICH IS A PROJECT ORGANIZED PEOPLE LIVING ON OUR STREETS.
UH, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT, UH, A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS AND A RESOLUTION.
THE, UH, UH, AMENDMENT IS BY RYAN ALTER NUMBER FOUR, AND THE RESOLUTION IS BY ZOE CADRY.
BOTH OF THESE SUPPORT PERMANENT HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS.
UH, I'M ALSO ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR AN AMENDMENT BY RYAN ALTER NUMBER THREE, WHICH INCREASES FUNDS FOR HOUSING CASE MANAGERS.
SO I, I BECAME HOMELESS, UH, ALMOST NINE YEARS AGO.
IN THAT TIME, I SLEPT OUT VIRTUALLY EVERY NIGHT.
I'VE BEEN ON THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT LIST FOR MORE THAN SIX YEARS.
I'VE APPLIED FOR MULTIPLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL HOUSING PROJECT LISTS.
IN SPITE OF ALL THIS, I'M STILL HOMELESS AND HAVE LITTLE PROSPECT OF HOUSING IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HOMELESS.
LAST NIGHT THE TEMPERATURE WAS 101 DEGREES AFTER SUNDOWN IN THIS KIND OF HEAT, MANY OF MY NIGHTS ARE SPENT LYING, AWAKE IN A POOL OF SWEAT, TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP SO I CAN GET UP AND DO WHAT I NEED TO DO THE NEXT MORNING.
PEOPLE DIE FROM THIS KIND OF HEAT AS EVERYBODY WELL KNOWS PEOPLE DIE FROM THE KIND OF COLD THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING RECENTLY IN OUR WINTERS.
HYGIENE IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE, AND I'VE HAD GUNS FIRED CLOSE TO MY CAMP SEVERAL TIMES THIS SUMMER.
I KNOW THE SITUATION IS THE SAME FOR, UH, MANY OF YOUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS.
AUSTIN DESPERATELY NEEDS MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
ALSO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS ISSUE OF HOUSING CASE MANAGERS.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HOW THE CASE, UH, HOUSING CASE, UH, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HOW THE HOUSING PROCESS WORKS, YOU NEED TO HAVE A CASE MANAGER BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN START APPLYING THE, THE VERY LENGTHY PROCESS TO OBTAIN HOUSING.
AND IN FACT, MOST PEOPLE FIND OUT VERY LITTLE ABOUT HOUSING PROCESS BEFORE THEY GET A CASE MANAGER.
MANY OF AUSTIN'S HOMELESS ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR CASE MANAGEMENT.
UH, I'M SORRY SIR, BUT THANK YOUR TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, RICHARD SANDERS, MICHAEL HALLIBURTON, VERNON HARMON.
UM, MY NAME IS MICHAEL HALLIBURTON.
TODAY I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT, UH, A SOLUTION, THE SOLUTION FOR AUSTIN, AUSTIN, TEXAS, HOMELESSNESS ISSUES.
I'M HERE TODAY TO OFFER SOLUTION FOR THE UNHOUSED PROBLEM OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND OUR NATION AS A WHOLE.
WHAT $32 MILLION INVESTMENT IN HOMELESSNESS AND HARM REDUCTION CAN GENERATE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SAFETY, SECURITY, AND A LARGE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN THE UNHOUSED POPULATION OF AUSTIN.
MY SOLUTION NOT ONLY SOLVED THE ISSUE OF TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS, BUT IN ADDITION, WILL GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, CREATING JOBS, DELIVERING A SUBSTANTIAL EQUITY STAKE IN A CORPORATE SOLUTION.
FOR THE UNHOUSED, PLEASE VISIT HALLIBURTON ENTERPRISES.COM.
WHAT IS HALLIBURTON ENTERPRISES? IT IS A RENT TO INVEST WEALTH BUILDING STRATEGY THAT CREATES, UM, THAT INCORPORATES RENTING AS AN INVESTMENT FOR OUR CLIENTS.
WE LIVE TO NO RISK TO THEIR MONTHLY INVESTMENT.
THIS WEBSITE ENVISIONS A CLEAR PATH TO THE SOLUTION OF HOMELESSNESS, TEMPORARY HOUSING, AND INSECURITIES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN FACES.
IF THIS COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE FURTHER DETAIL PROPOSAL LAYING OUT THE STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO MITIGATE THESE ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS AND HARM REDUCTION, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME.
THE EARLIEST CONVENIENCE LET US WORK TOGETHER TO PUT THE SCOURGE OF HOMELESSNESS BEHIND US.
THANK YOU MAYOR PERIM, CAN WE GET SOMEBODY TO ADJUST THE MIC SITUATION? THANK YOU.
IS, UM, RICHARD SANDERS HERE? OKAY, I'M GONNA MOVE ON.
PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
I'M ONE OF THE LEADERS IN THE T H R A ORGANIZATION.
[01:45:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THESE AMENDMENTS THAT Y'ALL WILL BE VOTING ON.BE VOTING ON AMENDMENTS BY CERTAIN, BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MR. VALESQUEZ.
ONE TIME I WAS GETTING ON OFF THE BUS AT ST.
DAVID HOSPITAL AND ME AND THE BUS DRIVER STARTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS WOMAN LAYING ON THE HIGH PAVEMENT.
I TOLD HIM SINCE HE WAS ON A THREE MINUTE BREAK, I THINK THIS WOMAN IS DEAD, BUT DON'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE OF US CALLED 9 1 1.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT GOT ME WAS HOW LONG SHE BEEN THERE AND NOBODY NOTICED HER THERE.
AND WITH THIS AND WITH THIS AMENDMENT, IT WOULD HELP WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, H I V AIDS AND HOMELESSNESS AND THE OTHER AMENDMENT I OTHER A MEMBER, UH, AND THE OTHER A MEMBER IS AMENDMENT THREE BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MR. RYAN ALTER.
THIS AMENDMENT WILL HELP WITH GETTING THE NEED TO ASSIST IN FINDING PERMANENT HOUSING FOR THE, FROM THE WAREHOUSE THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO PUT PEOPLE IN TO LIVE AND THAT THE PROGRAM THAT POINT TO HOMELESSNESS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK KIRK MARY WATSON FOR CLEANING UP ST.
JOHN AND BUILD THAT NEW HOUSING PROJECT FOR, FOR THE HOMELESS PROJECT OUT THERE.
MY NAME IS JULIA HATCH AND I'M A HEAD GUARD WITH CITY OF AUSTIN LIFEGUARDS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO IMPLEMENT LEADERSHIP COURSES FOR HEAD GUARDS, MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS FOR INCREASED EXPER EXPERTISE.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE PROTECTION OF JOB SECURITY FOR LIFEGUARDS AS IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE AS CURRENTLY WE'RE AT WILL EMPLOYEES.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO GET TERMINATION APPEALS PROCESSES AS WELL.
A MAJORITY OF LIFEGUARDS ARE ABOUT TO BE OR ARE IN COLLEGE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF QUALIFIED LIFEGUARDS IN NEED CAN GET ED EDUCATION ASSISTANCE, ESPECIALLY WITH A C C.
LASTLY, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR SUBMITTING THE PROPOSAL FOR MORE FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS.
I SUPPORT THIS THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVING FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS LAST YEAR BONUSES AND RAISE LIVING WAGE SO AS TO HIRE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS TO OPEN ALL OF CITY AUSTIN POOLS TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS HEAT WAVE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS EIGHT TRACK, EXCUSE ME.
HELLO, MY NAME IS EIGHT TRACK.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
ALMOST THREE WEEKS AGO NOW, I SAVED MAN'S LIFE AT REPUBLIC SQUARE.
DIDN'T KNOW HIS NAME, JUST ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE FROM THE SKATE PARK.
HE FELL OUT AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK OFF TO GET SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS HAVE ON ME, BUT NOT THAT DAY.
IT TOOK ALMOST FIVE MINUTES FOR A MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN, A LOST AUSTIN ALLIANCE TO GET A DOSE.
AND RIGHT AS I'M FINISHING ADMINISTERING THAT FIRST DOSE, I SEE AN OLD MAN RUNNING TOWARDS ME WITH WHAT I REGISTER LATER AS A BOX OF NARCAN.
SO I HIT HIM AGAIN IN THE OTHER NOSTRIL, AND AS I'M PULLING BACK, I SEE A P D COMING UP TO TAKE OVER E M S OVER THERE UNLOADING EVERYTHING.
I ENDED UP TELLING FOUR DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN SOME KIND OF UNIFORM AROUND ME THAT I ADMINISTERED TWO DOSES OF NARCAN ALL THE WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN MY HEART RATE BECAUSE I KNEW THIS WAS NOT THE TIME FOR AN ANXIETY ATTACK AND I HAD TO KEEP IT TOGETHER JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
AS SOON AS I HEARD E M SS SAY, OKAY, HE'S WAKING UP NOW.
I GRABBED MY THINGS AND I LEFT.
I WENT TO A LITTLE SPOT OFF SHOAL CREEK, SMOKED THE LAST OF MY WEED AND MY CIGARETTES, AND I CRIED.
I CRIED FOR SEVERAL REASONS, MOST OF WHICH WAS THE ADRENALINE DUMP, BUT THE MAIN REASON WAS IT WAS TOO CLOSE.
SOMEBODY ALMOST DIED AND CRAP, MY TABLET, I'M SO SORRY.
I SAW JASON ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER.
HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THREE DAYS.
HE BEGGED TO SEE SOCIAL SERVICES, BUT BECAUSE HE WENT TO DEL SETON ON A DRUG OVERDOSE AND ALL HE HAD WAS MAPPED, THE ONLY THING THE HOSPITAL GAVE HIM WAS A LIST OF COOLING CENTERS, WHICH FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, IS JUST A LIST OF REC CENTERS AND LIBRARIES THAT STAY OPEN JUST A LITTLE BIT LATER.
I SPOKE LAST TIME ABOUT HOW I BECAME HOMELESS, THAT THE NEED FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT FOR NOT JUST ME, BUT HUNDREDS OF UNHOUSED AUSTINITES, WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER JUST NEEDS SOME STABILITY IN THEIR LIVES BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING STABLE ABOUT BEING ON THE STREETS.
THAT IS WHY THE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR PUT FORTH BY RYAN ALTER AMENDMENT NUMBER SIX AND ITEM 17 PUT FORTH BY ZEL QUADRI MEANS SO MUCH.
[01:50:01]
Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S TIME.ELI CORTEZ, JANICE BOOKOUT, CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON, IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND DON'T FORGET TO STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
UM, THIS IS TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE AND WE'RE, WE HAVE A LETTER THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DELIVERING TODAY.
COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? I'M SORRY.
UH, MY NAME IS ELI CORTEZ AND WE ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
WE ARE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE DRUG WAR, UM, AND MASS INCARCERATION.
OVER THESE LAST FEW WEEKS, YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR LEADERS, UM, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE NEED RIGHT NOW FOR MONEY, FOR HOUSING, MONEY FOR HARM REDUCTION AND MONEY TO END OVERDOSES IN AUSTIN.
UM, WITH 600 HOUSEHOLDS FACING EVICTION IN AUSTIN, FIVE OVER 5,000 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND, UM, 417 OVERDOSE DEATHS LAST YEAR.
UH, WE KNOW THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT WE TAKE ACTION NOW.
UM, WE WANT TO BE HERE AND SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, RI ALTER, RYAN, ALTER VELAZQUEZ, UH, FUENTES AND HARPER MADISON FOR LISTENING TO THE THINGS THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR, UM, PUTTING FORWARD AMENDMENTS THAT, UM, VELA, I APOLOGIZE, UH, THAT REFLECT THE NEEDS THAT WE'VE BEEN MENTIONING AND BRINGING UP THESE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DELIVER A LETTER WITH SIGNATURES FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED OUR LAST TOWN HALL, ASKING Y'ALL TO PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS.
UH, THEY ARE DETAILED IN THAT LETTER FOR YOU SO THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR, UM, AND JUST TO REALLY, REALLY ENCOURAGE Y'ALL, UM, TO DO THAT.
UM, AND A SECOND PIECE OF THAT IS, UH, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED THOSE INVESTMENTS TODAY, AND THERE'S TWO WAYS THAT Y'ALL CAN TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY TO FIND THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
UH, WE DON'T NEED TO SEE ANOTHER 32 MILLION GO TO THE POLICE FORCE THAT ALREADY HAS $444 MILLION AVAILABLE TO THEM.
WE DON'T NEED TO ADD MORE MONEY TO A RESERVE FUND.
THAT IS A FOR A LATER RAINY DAY.
UH, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT BEHIND ME HOW IT'S RAINY DAY AND, AND WHY WE NEEDED THINGS THAT WE NEED IMMEDIATELY.
SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR COLLABORATION AND FOR LISTENING TO YOUR COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT BY, UH, CONTINUING TO, UM, SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE LISTED IN THAT LETTER.
THANK YOU, JANICE BOOKOUT, CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON, STEVEN TE MAYO.
IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AT THE MIC.
JANICE BOOKOUT, DIRECTOR OF EARTH DAY AUSTIN AND CO-FOUNDER OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TRUST.
IN MY THERAPY SESSIONS, I'VE LEARNED THAT I'M NOT A WARRIOR, I'M A TRUTH TELLER.
I DON'T COME HERE TO FIGHT, BUT I DO COME TO HOLD UP A MIRROR.
SO I WANNA START BY THANKING COUNSEL FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE TO CHAMPION THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
WE SEE IT AND I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEE IT THROUGH WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO DETERMINES WHAT YOU'LL BE WHEN YOU CAN NO LONGER HELP IT.
THE TRUTH TRANSCENDS THE AUTHOR, AND THIS TRUTH APPLIES HERE.
IT IS MUCH MORE HUMANE AND ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE TO NURTURE A CHILD THAN IT IS TO IMPRISON.
THEN THE DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL LIFEBLOOD OF A COMMUNITY IS LOST THROUGH DECISIONS MADE WITH SHORT-TERM POLICIES AND PRIORITIES.
AND COMMUNITY TRUST IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU HAVE TO BUY IT RATHER THAN HAVE IT ALREADY.
THERE ARE SO MANY GROUPS STANDING TOGETHER HERE MAKING SURE YOU HEAR EVERY POINT, AND MINE IS TO FOCUS ON PARKS.
ANOTHER TRUTH TO TELL IS THAT CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE BASICALLY, UH, NOT TO SPEAK UNTIL SPOKEN TO.
SOME CAN'T EVEN COMMENT DIRECTLY ON THE COUNCIL Q AND A.
WHEN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS ASKED FOR INPUT, IT WAS NOT CLEAR THAT PARK MAINTENANCE WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
SO PLEASE ADD 500,000 FOR PARK MAINTENANCE.
IF THEY HAD BEEN ASKED, UH, THEY WOULD'VE SAID, UH, THEY WOULD'VE UNDERSCORED THE THE MISSING PIECES TO THEIR BUDGET AND HOW IMPORTANT PARK MAINTENANCE IS.
NOW I'M GONNA QUOTE MYSELF BECAUSE I HAD TO SAY IT TOO FAST LAST TIME.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY ENERGY SPENT ON THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, I HOPE YOU SEE THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, AND COMMITMENT TO A CITY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
WE ARE ALSO AN EXTENSION OF YOUR CAPACITY TO SERVE.
WITH THE PRESSURES OF CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASING, WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR RESILIENCE.
THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET DOES THAT.
THANK YOU EVERYTHING FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING TO SUPPORT IT.
CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON, STEVEN TE MAYO.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10 AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
[01:55:01]
OFFICER OF THE NONPROFIT TEXAS HEALTH ACTION.AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF COUNCIL MEMBER OF VELAZQUEZ'S AMENDMENT FOR INCREASED S T I TESTING AND TREATMENT.
WE OPERATE THE KIND CLINIC AMONG OTHER PROGRAMS IN TEXAS THAT PROVIDE HEALTH SERVICES.
KIND CLINIC FOCUSES ON SEXUAL HEALTH AND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TESTING AND TREATMENT FOR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS AS WELL AS OTHER SERVICES LIKE H I V PREP.
THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PATIENTS WE TAKE CARE OF RESIDE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
IN JULY, WE SHARED OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH REPORT DETAILING ACTIVITIES OF OUR WALK-IN TESTING CENTER.
WE PROVIDED OVER 11,000 S T I TESTING VISITS LAST YEAR UP 176% FROM THE YEAR PRIOR.
20% ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE TESTED REACTIVE FOR AN S T I AND THAT'S HIGH.
THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM, WE ARE CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD DIFFICULTY ACCESSING HEALTHCARE AND THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY STIS AND H I V.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT TODAY, AND WE ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT AS PART OF OUR CITY'S HEALTH, A CORE PART OF OUR CITY'S HEALTH, AND TO CONTINUE TO BUILD IN AUSTIN THAT DOES NOT LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND AND STRIVES TO OFFER THE BEST QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OUR RESIDENTS.
THE DEMAND FOR S T I TESTING AND TREATMENT IN AUSTIN IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING ACROSS TEXAS AND ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, COMPOUNDED WITH THE POPULATION GROWTH OF OUR CITY.
AMID ALL THIS INCREASE IN DEMAND IS A DECLINE IN FUNDING AT FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS.
IT IS GOING TO BE AUSTIN THAT HAS TO STEP UP AND TO CARE OF AUSTINITES AND ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU, STEVEN TE, BETHANY CARSON, GINA HARMONY.
I AM A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR TEXAS HEALTH ACTION.
IN OUR PROGRAM KIND CLINIC, I OVERSEE KIND CLINIC'S WALK-IN CENTER WHERE WE OFFER FREE H I V S T I TESTING AND TREATMENT.
AND LAST YEAR WE PROVIDED FREE TESTING AND TREATMENT TO OVER 11,000 AUSTINITES, WHICH IS AN INCREASE IN 176% FROM THE LAST YEAR.
I'VE WORKED IN H I V PREVENTION FOR OVER A DECADE NOW, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN NUMBERS LIKE THAT FROM ONE SINGLE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION AND WE PROBABLY ANTICIPATE EXCEEDING THAT NUMBER AGAIN THIS YEAR.
THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN DEMAND FOR TESTING AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN POSITIVITY RATES AT KIND CLINIC.
20% OF OUR PATIENTS TEST POSITIVE FOR STIS AND MOST OF THESE INFECTIONS ARE IN YOUNG BLACK AND LATINO LGBTQIA PLUS PEOPLE, PEOPLE FROM COMMUNITIES THAT CONTINUE TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.
H I V IS A MANAGEABLE CONDITION, YET THERE IS STILL SO MUCH STIGMA AND SHAME IN JUST GETTING TESTED, LET ALONE TESTING POSITIVE AND THERE IS A LACK OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
MOST FULL PANEL SS T I TESTING COSTS UPWARDS OF AT LEAST $150, IF NOT MORE.
COUPLE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN WITH WORSENING SYMPTOMS INFLICTING PAIN ON PEOPLE'S BODIES AND YOU HAVE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.
WE ARE THE ONLY PLACE IN AUSTIN WHERE PATIENTS CAN GET TESTED AND TREATED FOR STIS FOR FREE THE SAME DAY WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT.
AUSTIN NEEDS TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY S T I TESTING AND TREATMENT.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO ADDITIONAL FEDERAL, STATE, UH, RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO COMBAT RISING RATES OF INFECTION.
IT'S ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LIKE THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO STEP IN AND FUND THESE SERVICES.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ'S AMENDMENT TO FUND COMMUNITY H I V AND SS T I TESTING AND TREATMENT IS ADOPTED INTO THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU, BETHANY CARSON, GINA HARMONY.
MY NAME IS BETHANY CARSON WITH GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP AND TODAY I WANT TO ADDRESS THE CITY MANAGER'S NORO PRONOUNCEMENT FROM THE WORK SESSION.
INSTEAD OF $40 MILLION TO INCREASE THE RESERVE FUND, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN CRISIS IN AUSTIN.
NOW THIS IS THE RAINY DAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN HOUSING PRICES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, INCREASING THE RESERVES.
WHEN YOU'VE HEARD THESE HEARTBREAKING STORIES FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND CITY STAFF TODAY ABOUT RESIDENTS PRESENT NEEDS, RAISES THE QUESTION, WHOSE CRISES MATTER? IS IT ONLY THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO INVEST IN THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE STOCK MARKET OR DO THE PEOPLE STRUGGLING NOW ALSO MATTER TO THIS CITY? ADDITIONALLY, WE SHOULD NOT BE REWARDING AN AGENCY THAT HAS COST TAXPAYERS $73 MILLION THROUGH THEIR ILLEGAL VIOLENT CONDUCT TOWARD PEOPLE WHO THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT BY INCREASING THEIR BUDGET BY $34 MILLION.
I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK INTO THE CORE BUDGET OF A P D AND FIND PLACES WHERE CONSTITUENTS HAVE ALREADY SUGGESTED CUTS THROUGH THE REIMAGINED PUBLIC SAFETY PROCESS SO THAT AT THE VERY LEAST BUDGET IS NOT INCREASED.
[02:00:01]
TOGETHER, THESE CHANGES WOULD FREE UP OVER $70 MILLION TO FUND AMENDMENTS ALIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.IN OTHER WORDS, C ID NERO, WE MUST FULLY FUND THESE AMENDMENTS, INCLUDING THE FA FAMILY STABILIZATION FUND, IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES, TENANT STABILIZATION AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT.
THANK YOU GINA HARMONY, SHAMAN PERKIN GARRETT NEVES.
HI, COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESS MEDIA CITY MANAGERS AND ALL PEOPLES IMPACTED BY THE HOMELESS EPIDEMIC HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AND ADVOCATES TO REDUCE THE FALLOUT FROM THE OPIOID CRISIS NOW TURNED DEADLY WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF FENTANYL AND EVEN MORE DEADLY CAR FENTANYL.
I'M A LEADER AT THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO I CHANGED MY LIFE AROUND BECAUSE OF THE MONIES ALLOCATED BY THIS CITY.
SOMETHING IN ME CHANGED AND UM, I WANT TO ADVOCATE THAT, UH, I'M SORRY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER TALKED
UM, I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HOMELESSNESS, MASS INCARCERATION, AND WAS CURED OF HEP C BY THE UNABLE TO OBTAIN TREATMENT BY HAVING MAP AND UM, UH, INSURANCE THAT ALLOWED ME TO, TO GET GET THE CURE.
PLEASE SUPPORT CMM BLAST QUEST'S AMENDMENT NUMBER SIX AND ALLOCATE THE $604,000 FOR SUBSTANCE USE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES.
I PERSONALLY WAS ABLE TO, UM, STOP 83 OVERDOSES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
THAT'S 83 FAMILIES THAT ARE STILL TOGETHER.
THAT'S 83 LIVES THAT ARE INTACT AND ABLE TO PERHAPS PULL TOGETHER.
THAT'S 83 FUNERALS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR.
THAT'S 83 VOTES THAT YOU STILL HAVE.
THAT'S 83 PEOPLE I BROUGHT BACK FROM DEATH.
WE HAVE TO HAVE NARCAN, WE HAVE TO HAVE HARM REDUCTION.
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S OUT THERE, WHAT IT'S LIKE OUT THERE TO HAVE PEOPLE SCREAMING AND YELLING.
GIGI MAMA GIGI, PLEASE COME HELP 'EM.
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO GIVE C P R.
YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE HOW TO GIVE PROPER C P R.
YOU CAN'T CALL 9 1 1 TO BE CHARGED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
MAY I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND THE BRAVERY AND THE COURAGE IT TOOK TO STEP TO THAT PODIUM AND SPEAK FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THERE'S A LOT OF FACES IN THIS ROOM THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THE USUAL CAST OF CHARACTERS ARE NOT TAKING UP CHAMBERS TODAY.
I LOVE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, WHO TOOK THE TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE COURAGE IT TAKES TO STEP TO THAT PODIUM.
GOOD TO BE HERE TODAY WITH YOU.
I AM A, UH, LEADER AT THE HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE AND I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET I HAVE BEEN HOUSED IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
SO ON A P H S VOUCHER, IT SAVED MY LIFE AND ALLOWED ME, UH, MORE INDEPENDENT, MY INDEPENDENCE IN CHARGE OF MY LIFE AND AS A TAXPAYER SUPPORTING PH P SS H VOUCHER PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE UNDERFUNDED, SEEING WE DON'T SEEM TO EVER HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE NUMBER 17 IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
I BELIEVE THAT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SERVICES INCLUDED, INCLUDING THE INNER WORKINGS OF P SS H HOUSING SUCH AS PROPER STAFF SUPPLIES AND CASEWORKERS NUMBER SIX OF CADRE, UH, P H S SERVICES FUNDING.
AND THE, UH, LET'S SEE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER FOR THE 1.5 MILLION ALL GO TO P C P S H AND THESE PROPOSALS ARE AMENDMENTS BY ALTER CADRE ARE A GOOD START PASSING THE AMENDMENTS.
AND I DID, I I HAD STATED MY, MY, UH, ANGER LAST WEEK AND I SAID, THIS IS A MESS.
YOU ARE LEADERS, YOU NEED TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS, BUT IF YOU GIVE US THE CHANCE, WE CAN HELP YOU.
[02:05:04]
ALICIA TORRES.RYLAND MAXO JIAO, PAULO NEELY.
UM, I JUST WANNA START WITH NAMING.
BEFORE YOU WERE REPRESENTATIVES, YOU WERE, PEOPLE PROBABLY CAME TO A COUPLE OF MEETINGS LIKE THIS.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS THAT, UM, TODAY THAT HAVE, UH, THAT WE SHOULD NOT NORMALIZE HEARING.
AND I'M GONNA TAKE UP A WHOLE MINUTE JUST REALLY HONORING THE BRAVERY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE, UH, BROUGHT UP HERE ABOUT THE HARMS, UM, THAT HAPPEN WHEN WE CHOOSE TO PRIORITIZE AND INVEST IN THINGS, UM, OTHER THAN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SHOW YOU THE POWER OF, OF TIME AND OF YOUR VOTE.
THAT IS A MINUTE, A MINUTE THAT CAN MAKE A BIG, A MINUTE, THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
WE SHOULD NOT BE NORMALIZING THE HEARING OF PEOPLE DYING BECAUSE OF HEAT RELATED ISSUES BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
WE ARE NOT, I HAD A WHOLE THING, BUT I WILL LEAVE IT WITH WE ARE NOT IN A DEFICIT.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE SO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LIE.
WHAT WE ARE IS A CITY THAT IS CHOOSING TO CONTINUE TO JUMP ON THE HAMSTER WHEEL AND CHRONICALLY NOT INVEST IN SOLUTIONS THAT GET AT ROOT CAUSE AT ROOT CAUSES OF ISSUES AND SEND THE WELLBEING OF ALL PEOPLE AND JUST A SELECTIVE FEW.
IS SHOW US WHAT YOUR VOTE, SHOW US WHAT YOUR VOTE TODAY, WHOSE INTERESTS YOU REPRESENT.
WHO YOU BELIEVE BELONGS AND HAS A PLACE IN THE CITY.
VOTE IN ANYTHING THAT REPRESENTS AND GETS US CLOSER TO THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
JOE PAUL CONNOLLY, JOE BLAND, MAYOR WATSON, ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
WHY DON'T YOU STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS MEETING YESTERDAY.
IF YOU'RE VOTING TODAY, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK FOR WHATEVER, UM, 27 YEARS AS OF JULY 21ST, I'VE BEEN TRAVELING THIS GREAT NATION RESEARCHING HOMELESSNESS.
COULD YOU STATE I CHIEF, COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME? COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME? NAME? ALAN CULP.
HE'S NOT BEEN REGISTERED VOTING ON THIS.
I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I'M, I'M SORRY IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO OR IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO SPEAK.
WE, WE, WE, WE, WE, WE REALLY NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
WHEN YOU HAVE THIS MANY PEOPLE.
WELL, REAL QUICK WALK EXAMPLE.
YOU JUST NEED TO REGISTER WHEN, WHEN YOU WANT SPEAK.
I WOULD TRY JOE POWELL CONNOLLY.
JOE BLAND, RIGHT, AND THEN PETE INMAN, OFFICER COUNCIL SYSTEMS ARE BROKEN IN THIS TOWN.
UM, MY NAME IS DRAW PAULO CONNOLLY.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK, UM, THE COUNCIL OFFICES THAT WORKED HARD ON COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET PRIORITIES AND THAT REALLY FOUGHT FOR THEM.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UM, FOR CHAMPIONING OUR UNHOUSED BROTHERS AND SISTERS, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, THE EFFORT PUT INTO, UM, FIGHTING FOR PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS SO THAT OUR P S H INVESTMENTS
[02:10:01]
CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY FOR FIGHTING FOR SERVICE DOLLARS FOR P S H, WHICH ARE A MAJOR NEED AND WILL BE A GROWING SYSTEM NEED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THOSE CANNOT BE POSTPONED OR PUT OFF, UM, TO A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON FOR FIGHTING FOR NEW ENTRY BEDS, UM, UH, WHICH WILL PROVIDE RECOVERY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN EAST AUSTIN.
A DESPERATE NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE OFFICES THAT CHAMPIONED CRUCIAL NEEDS IN THE BUDGET.
THE ONLY GOLD STAR YOU SHOULD BE TRYING TO WIN IS THE GOLD STAR GIVEN TO YOU BY THE COMMUNITY AND BY THOSE WHO VOTED FOR YOU AND ELECTED YOU.
THAT IS THE GOLD STAR THAT THIS COUNCIL SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR, AND THAT IS THE GOLD STAR THAT SOME OF Y'ALL WILL WIN TODAY.
BUT COUNCIL MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP IN PROVIDING THE SOLUTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR.
SO SAYING CENTRAL HEALTH OUGHT TO BE PAYING FOR THIS AND HUD WILL PAY FOR THAT.
AND A I S D OUGHT TO BE PAYING FOR THIS AND THE COUNTY SHOULD BE DOING MORE IS TO PERPETUATE A POLITICS OF BUCK PASSING.
AND WHEN YOU PERPETUATE A POLITICS OF BUCK PASSING, ALL THOSE OTHER ENTITIES CAN DO THE SAME.
WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS IS NOT BUCK PASSING.
WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS IS LEADERSHIP.
AND THE FUNDAMENTAL ASSIGNMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO DECIDE WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DOING WITH ITS BUDGET.
THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE ELECTED FOR, NOT TO DECIDE WHAT CENTRAL HEALTH IS GONNA DO OR WHAT THE COUNTY IS GONNA DO OR WHAT HUD OUGHT TO BE DOING.
SO DON'T MISS THE ASSIGNMENT THAT HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TODAY.
WHAT WILL ENABLE THIS COMMUNITY TO SURVIVE A CRISIS IS NOT A LARGE MOUNTAIN OF RESERVES, BUT THE LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS THAT WILL MAKE THIS COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT AND PREPARED FOR CRISIS.
INCREASING RESERVES DOES NOT MAKE THIS COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT.
PETE INMAN, PASTOR BILLY MCLENDON, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE A T X PIECE INITIATIVE.
UH, THERE'S TWO ENTITIES INVOLVED JAIL TO JOBS AND LIFE ANEW.
I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH, SERVED WITH, SUPPORTED BOTH THOSE ENTITIES FOR APPROXIMATELY A DECADE HERE IN AUSTIN.
I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE WORK THEY DO, UH, TAKING YOUNG KIDS OUT OF THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM AND GIVING 'EM JOBS, JOB TRAINING, UH, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, UH, GIVING THEM A A A START.
UH, THE SAME THING FOR LIFE ANEW, UH, BEING PREEMPTIVE IN OUR SCHOOLS, TALKING TO THE TEACHERS ABOUT THE KIDS THAT MAY BE AT RISK AND, UH, GETTING INVOLVED WITH THEM AND THEIR PARENTS.
AND, UH, SO THESE ARE GREAT MEN, GREAT ENTITIES THAT DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT AND WILL DO A GREAT JOB FOR OUR CITY PREEMPTING CRIME.
PETE INMAN, PASTOR BILLY MCCLENDON, SCOTT FLACK, AND PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T COME DOWN HERE VERY MUCH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LOVE AND ADMIRE AND RESPECT Y'ALL AND PRAY FOR Y'ALL.
AND, UH, I I THINK THIS IS ONE THING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IN THIS ROOM AND THAT IS FULLY SUPPORTING A T X PIECE.
UM, WE ARE, I THINK AS A COMMUNITY VERY EXPECTANT OF, UH, THE SUCCESS THEY ARE HAVING, HAVING AND WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE IN LIFE ANEW AND JAIL TO JOBS THAT HAVE ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DONE THE WORK IN THE BACKGROUND OFF CAMERA FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AS, AS BROTHER BLAND SAID, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN IN THIS FOR DECADES.
IT'S HARD WORK AND THEY DO IT BEHIND THE SCENES AND I THINK WE NEED TO HONOR THEM BY INVESTING IN 'EM.
UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO, UH, RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NOT A BETTER ONE THAN THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, PLEASE FULLY FUND THIS MASSIVELY IMPORTANT, UH, C V I MOVEMENT AND, UH, I'M KIND OF TEMPTED TO TURN OVER THE REST OF THE TIME TO THAT MOMENT OF PEACE AND JUST MIMIC THAT SISTER THAT TURNED OVER THE MIC BECAUSE IT FELT PRETTY GOOD.
THANK YOU PASTOR BILLY SCOTT FLACK.
MY NAME IS BILLY MCCLENDON AND I AM THE SENIOR PASTOR OF THE ST.
JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN THE CITY FOR NOW 30 YEARS.
AND I'M ALSO A CHAPLAIN AT A P D FOR NOW, 10 YEARS.
AND I STAND IN CO COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PASTORS.
I HAVE LETTERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE A T X C I V A C V I, UH, INITIATIVE TO HELP SAVE OUR PEOPLE.
UH, THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
[02:15:01]
THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVE IT IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLAST IN LIFE.JAMES, WE HAVE AN INITIATIVE CALLED GOD IS IN LOVE WITH YOU NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE OR WHAT YOU ARE DOING, GOD DIED FOR THE LEAST AND THE BEST.
AND SO THIS PROGRAM WILL HELP OUR PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ALL PEOPLE TO STAY OUTTA JAIL TO PREVENT VIOLENCE.
I'VE BEEN PREACHING NOW 51 YEARS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT THE GOSPEL OF LIBERATION WILL DO, BUT THE BIBLE SAYS FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
AND SO WE NEED FINANCING TO HELP THESE PROGRAMS. AND I KNOW YOU WILL DO THE BEST.
AUSTIN IS IF NOT THE GREATEST CITY, IF ONE OF THE GREATEST CITIES IN THE WORLD AND THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU OUR, OUR OUR COUNCIL PERSON, MS. MADISON.
AND I KNOW YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND HELPING THESE INITIATIVES THE BETTER HELPS AUSTIN BE AND CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB AND WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU.
THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH IS PRAYING FOR OUR CITY THAT GOD WILL INTERVENE AND GET THE GLORY.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
THOMAS DOWNING, EBONY HARDWAY.
I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE RACIAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE OF UNIVERSITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE JEWISH SCRIPTURE COMMANDS US TO GIVE OPEN HANDEDLY TO THOSE IN NEED.
CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE PROCLAIMS THAT WHATEVER WE DO FOR THE PERS AMONG US SHOWS WHAT WE TRULY FEEL FOR THE GOD WE CLAIM TO WORSHIP.
MUSLIM SCRIPTURE WARNS US NOT TO CLAIM TO BE RELIGIOUS WHILE WE DENY OUR NEIGHBORS THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE.
I COULD QUOTE SIMILAR TEACHINGS FROM ALL THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS AND FROM COMPASSIONATE NON-BELIEVERS AS WELL.
THE 15 AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY BUDGET PROPOSED BY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL MAKE A GOOD START AT CARING FOR THE MOST DISADVANTAGED AMONG US.
THEY PROVIDE AID FOR SCHOOL, CHILDREN AND PARENTS IN UNDERPRIVILEGED NEIGHBORHOOD FOR FAMILIES AND DANGER OF EVICTION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL OR PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY, BUT THERE'S MORE TO BE DONE.
THREE IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS FOR COMMUNITIES STILL REMAIN WITHOUT ADEQUATE FUNDING, SEVERE WEATHER AND COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAMS BEYOND WHAT COMMUNITIES, GROUPS CAN PROVIDE RESILIENCE HUBS IN DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROVIDE SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY SUCH CRISES AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PERSONS WITH CRIMINAL HISTORIES SO THEY CAN FIND EMPLOYMENT WHICH MAKES USE OF THEIR TALENTS AND BENEFITS US ALL.
WHAT WE NEED MORE THAN A CUTBACK TO BASICS.
A BIGGER POLICE BUDGET OR AN OVERGROWN RESERVE FUND IS A BUDGET THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE THE COMPASSIONATE AND CARING PEOPLE WE ARE CALLED TO BE.
SCOTT FLACK JUST HAD TO LEAVE OUT A FEW MOMENTS AGO, BUT HE DID A RECORDING AND THAT IS, CAN'T DO IT.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? MICHAEL HARGIS BY THE WAY.
UH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR THE TIME TO PRESENT TODAY IN FRONT OF YOU ALL.
I'M JUST SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SUPPORTING AT X PEACE, UH, LIFE OF NEW RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND JILL TO JOBS.
I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ACTUALLY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORTING THEM, AND I TRULY BELIEVE WITH THE, UH, GROWTH THAT WE ARE SEEING HERE IN AUSTIN, I BELIEVE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND RESOURCES CAN BRING MORE GREATER THINGS TO AUSTIN.
I KNOW WE'RE KNOWN FOR BEING NUMBER ONE IN THIS AND THAT, AND WE, IT WOULD BE AMAZING TO KNOW THAT WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES HERE IN AMERICA.
SO I TRULY HOPE THAT WE ALL CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AT XPS BECAUSE I, UH, I'M ACTUALLY A, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.
I'M FROM AUSTIN, BORN AND RAISED, BEEN BACK THREE YEARS, AND I, I, LIKE I SAID, I TRULY BELIEVE WITH, AS YOU HEARD FROM EVERYONE TODAY, THE WAY THAT THE ECONOMY IS CHANGING AND WITH INFLATION, WE'LL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO SEE A RISE IN VIOLENCE, BUT IF WE COME TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE UNITY AS THEY SAY, I, I HEARD THAT SAYING IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
THE MORE WE COME TOGETHER AS A VILLAGE, THE MORE WE CAN PREVENT THE VIOLENCE THAT WE SEE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME.
[02:20:01]
SHARON BAIN.MY NAME IS SHARON VAIN AND I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF A T X KIND.
A GRASSROOTS, GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY GROUP ORIGINALLY FORMED TO ORGANIZE THE 2021 RALLY FOR KINDNESS AT THE CAPITOL IN RESPONSE TO A GROWING SPIKE IN HATE INCIDENTS IN AUSTIN.
THANK YOU TO THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO APPROVED INITIAL FUNDING LAST YEAR FOR THE CITY'S WE ALL BELONG CAMPAIGN, WHICH LAUNCHED JULY 21ST AND CONTINUED WITH THE LAST WEEKEND'S PARTY AT THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE EVENT.
I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THIS INITIATIVE THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER'S BUDGET AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD PRESERVE EXISTING FUNDING FOR THE EFFORTS.
SIMPLY PUT, THE WORK HAS JUST BEGUN.
WE NEED MORE REFINEMENTS TO THE CITY'S REPORTING PORTAL AND CONTINUED MONITORING VIA THE CITY'S NEW HATE CRIMES DASHBOARD.
CONTINUED PERCEPTION SURVEYS OF ALL COMMUNITIES AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY, ADDITIONAL OUTREACH THROUGH DISTRICT EVENTS, AS WELL AS FAR BETTER ENGAGEMENT OF ALL MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS HERE IN AUSTIN IN THIS WORK.
AND BETTER TRAINING AROUND FAR RIGHT GROUPS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO SPREAD THEIR MESSAGES OF HATE AND RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS.
WE'VE JUST HAD A VERY PUBLIC LAUNCH AND COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY, AND HATE IS NOT GOING AWAY HERE IN AUSTIN.
JUST RECENTLY, WE'VE SEEN SWASTIKA GRAFFITI AT A HISTORIC BLACK SCHOOL IN MONTOPOLIS AHEAD OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION VANDALISM AT AUSTIN'S NAACP OFFICES, AND MOST RECENTLY ANOTHER ANTISEMITIC FLYERING EVENT IN A NORTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD.
I IMPLORE YOU TO PRESERVE THIS FUNDING AND KEEP THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
GOING TO FIGHT THESE KINDS OF INCIDENTS AND SUPPORT AUSTINITES FROM ALL MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
PLEASE FOLLOW UP THE PLEDGES OF WE ALL BELONG WITH ACTION.
THANK YOU, SUSANNA CARRANZA, CHAZ MOORE, MICHAEL WARD.
IF I'VE CALLED YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS SUSANNA CARRANZA.
UH, I ACTUALLY HAVE LIVED IN DISTRICT NINE, UH, SINCE, UH, 2005, UM, AND BEEN CALLING MY AUSTIN MY HOME EVER SINCE.
I'VE SEEN THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, UH, THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED, AND, YOU KNOW, WITH AND WITH IT THE GROWING PAINS.
I OPPOSE BUDGET, UH, ITEM NUMBER 18, UH, BECAUSE IT REALLY FAILS TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
I SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS THAT MY COUNCIL MEMBER AND MANY OTHERS HAVE PUT THAT TRY TO BRIDGE THE GAP WITH THE PROJECTS PROPOSED IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
YOU REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AUSTIN A MORE EQUITABLE CITY BY INVESTING IN THINGS THAT HELP THE PEOPLE THAT NEED MOST IN THE CITY.
TWO THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO FIND MORE MONEY IS REALLY DO NOT INCREASE THE POLICE BUDGET AND ALSO DO NOT INCREASE THE RESOURCE, UH, RESERVE, UH, ALLOCATION.
SO WE HAVE CRISIS NOW, LET'S USE IT NOW.
AND THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS, MANY MORE PROGRAMS, UH, PROPOSE IN THE COMMUNITY, INVESTED INVESTMENT, MUCH B BUDGET, INCLUDING, UH, THINGS THAT PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, THINGS THAT HELP PEOPLE IN CLIMATE AND OTHER CRISIS SITUATIONS.
THAT, AND, AND WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE CLIMATE EMERGENCIES MORE OFTEN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WE REALLY TO REALLY NEED TO PUT A LOT OF MONEY THERE.
AND RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF IT IS LEFT TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, I ALSO APPLAUD, UH, THE WORK OF REENTRY OF CITIZEN CITIZENS IN, IN THE SOCIETY.
AND AUSTIN WOULD DO WELL IF COULD FUND THAT FULLY.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REALLY HELP THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE MOST.
IF I'VE CALLED YOUR NAME, CAN YOU PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE FRONT? LET'S TRY ONE MORE TIME.
[02:25:01]
KIM PATTON.I'M GONNA KEEP GOING UNTIL I SEE SOMEONE STAND UP.
MA'AM, ARE YOU COMING DOWN TO SPEAK? YES.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
MY NAME IS REBECCA AGUILAR AND I AM ONE OF THE TRUSTED EMPLOYEES, UM, WITH LIFE ANEW THAT WORKS INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, I AM CURRENTLY IN ONE OF THE EAST SIDE, UM, HIGH SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF GUN VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE ALREADY HAD FOUR REMOVALS LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
WE'RE ALREADY INTO THE SECOND SCHOOL YEAR, THE SCHOOL YEAR, SECOND DAY, AND WE ALREADY HAD ONE REMOVAL OF A WEAPON YESTERDAY.
SO, UM, WE COLLABORATE AND WE PARTNERSHIP A LOT WITH A T X.
WE WORK, UM, COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY INSIDE OF THE SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO OUTSIDE IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS FROM THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE TO THE PIPELINE OF SUCCESS.
SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO, UM, FUND US AND, UM, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO STOP THE VIOLENCE AND KEEP OUR CHILDREN, UM, FROM THE JAILS.
I'M WITH LIFE IN NEW AND A T X PIECE, AND I COME TO SPEAK AS WELL IN AGREEMENT WITH ALL THE OTHERS WHO SPOKE ON, ON A T X PIECE.
UM, MY JOURNEY STARTED INSIDE OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL, WORKING WITH MEN WHO WERE VIOLENT MEN, UH, GUN VIOLENCE, MURDER ASSAULTS.
AND SO I SO WHOLLY AGREE WITH FUNDING MORE FOR A T X PEACE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN THAT JAIL, I SAW THE 17 YEAR OLDS TO 24 YEAR OLDS WHO HAD NOT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL, BUT HAD THESE VIOLENT CHARGES ON THEIR BACKGROUND.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND SO IN ORDER TO STOP THIS VIOLENCE, WE HAD TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE CONVERSATION.
AND SO WITH ME WORKING IN THERE BY MYSELF, I HAD TO BRING IN VOLUNTEERS TO COME IN AND HELP ME WITH HELPING THESE INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTAND THAT VIOLENCE IS NOT THE WAY.
AND SO NOW THAT I'M OUTSIDE OF THE JAIL STARTED THE NONPROFIT LIFE ANEW, UM, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE MESSENGERS, BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE MORE INCREDIBLE MESSENGERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDING.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE FUNDING IS, IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO COME BY, BUT IN ORDER TO STOP THIS VIOLENCE, WE DO HAVE TO BUILD MORE RELATIONSHIPS, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK.
AND SO THAT'S WHY A T X PIECE IS HERE.
WE ARE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK, AND I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR EVEN THINKING ABOUT FUNDING US EVEN MORE.
I'M GONNA REPEAT SOME OF THE NAMES I CALLED EARLIER.
CHAZ MOORE, MICHAEL WARD, BRIAN REGISTER, AND PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU START SPEAKING.
UM, I'M, UM, CHAZ MOORE, UM, AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION.
UM, I WAS GONNA DO SOME TALKING POINTS LIKE EVERYBODY DOES WHEN IT COMES TO THESE THINGS.
UM, YOU ALL ARE GONNA DO THE THING WHERE YOU JUST LOOK AT ME AND ACT LIKE YOU CAN'T HAVE HUMAN EMOTION BECAUSE THAT'S THE GAME WE PLAY AT CITY COUNCIL.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T, I, I'M, I JUST, I JUST DON'T CARE.
UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, I THINK IT'S REAL SIMPLE.
UM, THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CITY, UM, AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF, NOT THE ONLY WAY, BUT ONE OF THE ONLY, UM, WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THIS STUFF IS BY SPENDING MONEY.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW IN A TIME WHERE WE KNOW WE NEED HOUSING, WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING BECAUSE OF DRUG OVERDOSES AND WE CAN, UM, SAVE LIVES WITH NARCAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE THINGS, THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO SAVE FOR A RAINY DAY BECAUSE JUST LIKE SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER, THAT RAINY DAY IS TODAY.
UM, ALSO, I'VE BEEN HEARING RUMORS THAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO RUSH PEOPLE OUTTA HERE AND VOTE ON THIS BUDGET TODAY.
UM, I, I PRAY TO BEYONCE THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
UM, I HOPE YOU ALL TAKE THE TIME NEEDED TO MAKE SOUND JUDGMENT, UM, AND TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU POSSIBLY HAVE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS ANOTHER THREE DAYS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MOST MORALLY, ETHICALLY SOUND BUDGET, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, OR AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY, UM, AT LEAST 84% OF, OF OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY HAVE THE THINGS THEY NEED.
UM, AND THEN I'LL JUST LEAVE ON THIS NOTE 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT.
UM, AND I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY NERD.
UM, IN FIVE YEARS WILL BE THE CENTENNIAL OF THE 1928 MASTER PLAN.
UM, MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
THAT'S WHEN THE CITY OR FOLKS THAT OCCUPIED SEATS SIMILAR TO YOURS, UM, MADE A DEAL THAT THIS WAS THE SIDE FOR BLACKS AND, UM, LATINOS AND EVERYTHING ELSE WAS FOR THE POWERS THAT BE.
A LOT OF THE 1928 MASTER PLAN HAPPENED BECAUSE OF BACKROOM DEALS
[02:30:01]
AND A BUNCH OF SHADY S**T GOING ON.AND I THINK, UM, I, I REALLY HOPE WE CAN KIND OF AVOID SOME OF THAT BY NOT DOING THE SAME AND MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES, UM, BACK THEN, UM, TODAY.
RIGHT? SO I HOPE YOU ALL LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE WORKING VERY HARD, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SOUND AND EQUITABLE AND JUST BUDGET TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T KEEP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES AS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST A HUNDRED YEARS.
I HAVE SOME DOCUMENTS I'LL LIKE TO GIVE TO COUNSEL.
JUST A ONE PAGE, COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AS WELL? YES.
I AM THE PRESIDENCY OF AUSTIN URBAN TECHNOLOGY MOVEMENT.
I PREDOMINANTLY FOCUS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION, AND DIGITAL EQUITY.
AND I SIT ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT BOARDS THAT DO JUST THAT.
UH, RIGHT NOW WHAT THE CLERK IS PASSING OUT IS THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOBS REPORT THAT WAS JUST RELEASED FOR JULY.
UH, SO JULY WAS RELEASED LOOKING BACK AT THE PREVIOUS YEARS, AND THERE'S TWO MAIN THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU ALL.
THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO SAY IS THANK YOU FOR THE WORK I'VE PUT ON THE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY BUDGET.
I SEE THE WORK FOCUSED AROUND HEALTHCARE, AROUND HOUSING, AROUND HOMELESSNESS, AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD.
HOWEVER, A LOT OF THOSE SERVICES I SEE IN THE AMENDMENTS ARE SHORT-TERM FIXES.
UM, SO I WANNA REMIND MAYOR WATSON A CONVERSATION THAT YOU AND I HAD, I WANNA SAY LAST YEAR BEFORE YOU WERE IN OFFICE ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO NOW I WANTED TO SHARE WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SOME STATS TO KIND OF BACK THAT UP.
SO LOOK IN THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THE LEADING INDUSTRIES, I I CIRCLE TWO SECTIONS FOR YOU.
ONE IS INFORMATION, THE OTHER ONE IS PROFESSIONAL BUSINESSES AND SERVICES.
I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT THOSE THAT ARE TWO LARGEST SECTORS THAT HAVE HAD A PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS ALL OTHER SECTORS.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT INFORMATION, YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN PERCENT CHANGE IN AUSTIN FOR 3%.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT TEXAS, IT'S CLOSE TO 6%, BETWEEN SIX AND 7%.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THEY MIRROR THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFORMATION TODAY, IT'S A VERY NARROW SCOPE IN THE EYES OF THE GOVERNMENT.
THEY THINK OF INFORMATION AS IT, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR DOES.
PRIVATE SECTOR LOOKS AT IT AS JUST A SUB COMPONENT OF TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE THAT INCREASE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS SKYROCKETING.
ANY OTHER INDUSTRIES, BECAUSE STARTUPS HERE IN AUSTIN, THEY'RE GROWING TECH INDUSTRY, THEY'RE IN PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHART BELOW, IT SHOWS YOU THE MONTHLY JOB GROWTH BY SECTOR.
IT SHOWS YOU PRIVATE GOODS PRODUCING, PRIVATE SERVICE, PROVIDING, AND GOVERNMENT.
IF YOU LOOK FROM JULY OF LAST YEAR TO JULY OF THIS YEAR, THE BIGGEST CHANGE ACROSS EVERY SINGLE MONTH EXCEPT FOR TWO, HAS BEEN PRIVATE SERVICE.
SO I URGE YOU TO PLEASE INVEST IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE AFTER ALL THIS WITH THE BUDGET, THANK YOU.
WE'LL BE BACK HERE NEXT YEAR ASKING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO FUND THOSE PEOPLE.
MARIA REZA, ANTHONY CARILLO, ANGELA VALENZUELA.
HOW YOU DOING? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE OPENING A DAYCARE CENTER HERE IN AUSTIN.
COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME? UH, MY NAME IS ANTHONY CARILLO.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BUDGET ADOPTION AMENDMENT THAT WILL ALLOCATE FUNDING TOWARDS HELPING WITH CITY FEES ASSOCIATED WITH OPENING A CENTER HERE.
THE IDEA OF OPENING OUR OWN LITTLE SCHOOL SPARKED IN 2017 BY THE VERY TOUGH TIME THAT MY WIFE AND I HAD FINDING A CHILDCARE CENTER FOR OUR, OUR DAUGHTER.
WE SAW A NEED FOR QUALITY CHILDCARE HERE IN AUSTIN, AND WE WERE VERY SURPRISED THAT THERE WERE NOT MORE OPTIONS IN A THRIVING CITY LIKE OURS.
THE PROBLEM OF FINDING CHILDCARE IN AUSTIN HAS NOT JUST PERPETUATED SINCE WE HAD THE IDEA.
IT'S ACTUALLY GOTTEN HARDER FOR MOST PARENTS TO FIND AFTER SEEING, EXCUSE ME.
AFTER SEEING MANY DAYCARE CENTERS IN OUR AREA THAT USED TO BE RESIDENCES, WE DECIDED TO BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION AND BOUGHT A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
OUR INTENTIONS WERE TO CREATE THE BEST QUALITY CHILDCARE THAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR OUR OWN CHILDREN AND ALL THEIR AND OTHER NA NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILIES.
UPON EMBARKING ON THIS JOURNEY, WE WERE BLINDSIDED BY TWO UNKNOWN BARRIERS TO ENTRY THAT TOOK US BY COMPLETE SURPRISE.
THE FIRST WAS THE CITY REGULATIONS THAT MAKE IT MADE IT EXTREMELY HARD TO START A DAYCARE CENTER.
I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN MULTI-LOCATION RE RETAIL, AND IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO NAVIGATE MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT THE HELP OF PERMITTING CONSULTANTS AND OTH OTHER CON OTHER COUNCIL.
IF SOMEONE FROM MY BACKGROUND AND BUSINESS HAD A HARD TIME, A CAREER TEACHER
[02:35:01]
WHO DREAMS OF OPENING THEIR OWN CENTER HAS VER A TOTALLY VERTICAL WALL TO CLIMB.THANKFULLY, THIS CENTER TOOK A HUGE, THIS COUNCIL TOOK A HUGE STEP TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE FIRST BARRIER BY MAKING THAT PROCESS SO MUCH EASIER.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY WAS SO NEEDED AND IT WILL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR THE CAREER TEACHER WHO DREAMS OF BUILDING THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESS IN AUSTIN.
THE SECOND BARRIER TO ENTRY, ENTRY THAT I ALLUDED TO ARE THE CITY FEES THAT MAKE IT COST PROHIBITIVE TO OPEN A SMALL CENTER.
THE ECONOMICS ONLY MAKE SENSE IF YOU'RE A BIG COMPANY WITH LOTS OF STUDENTS IN A COMMERCIAL SPACE.
A QUICK EXAMPLE OF COSTS WE SAW FOR AN EXISTING STRUCTURE WITH NO PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION TO ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO $22,000 IN CITY FEES ALONE FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR A REZO.
UM, THAT INCLUDES LIKE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT, CITY INSPECTIONS, ET CETERA.
UM, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU DON'T WORK AT THE CITY ZONING COMMISSION EVERY SINGLE DAY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY A LOBBYIST OR A LAWYER OR A, OR A CONSULTANT TO HELP YOU WITH THE PERMITTING.
ENCOURAGE THE THE CITY TO VOTE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK IN SUPPORT OF THE BUDGET.
A MANAGEMENT AMENDMENT FOR ACADEMIC LY LY MEANS EAGLE IN NAWAT, AND IT IS A SATURDAY ACADEMY AND A SUMMER PROGRAM THAT IS NOW ENTERING ITS 10TH YEAR.
WE THANK IN PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND CO-SPONSORS VELA AND KADRI FOR THEIR ENDORSEMENT OF THIS AMENDMENT.
WE'RE ALSO THANKFUL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, FUENTES VELASQUEZ AND KADRI FOR ATTENDING OUR AZTEC KIDS CODE CAMP AND THEIR STAFF AS WELL.
UM, ATTENDING THE LAST OF THREE, THREE WEEKS SUMMER CAMP GRADUATIONS THAT WE HAD THIS SUMMER.
MANY THANKS AS WELL FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, HARPER MADISON, UM, AND ATLER FOR THEIR ENCOURAGING WORDS OF SUPPORT AND, AND MAYOR WATSON AS WELL.
I'VE ENJOYED OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CODING AND HOW IT CAN LEAD TO CAREERS IN TECHNOLOGY.
UM, JUST ABUNDANT THANKS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR WORKING WITH US.
WE'RE A FORMAL THREE-WAY LEGAL CONTRACT, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE, UM, MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION THAT IS, UH, CALLED
WE WERE FORMED IN 2013 TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF BILITERACY, UM, PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD IN, IN, IN OUR SCHOOLS IN, IN PARTICULARLY IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND WE ARE ALSO ADDRESSING THE ISSUE, THE POLICY ISSUE OF TEACHER RETENTION IN A I S D IN 2014.
WE'RE, UM, SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY LOCATED AND, AND IDENTIFIED WITH THE MAC.
UM, UH, ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW, UM, DURING THE RESTORATION, WE'RE AT SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY.
KAIA GUZMAN IS OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AND MARIA UNDA IS OUR PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
WE, THIS IS A GROUNDBREAKING, GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAM THAT SERVES, UH, A LOW INCOME, LARGELY IMMIGRANT YOUTH IN AUSTIN WITH CER UH, BILINGUALLY CERTIFIED A I S D TEACHERS.
THE BENEFITS TO THE CITY, UH, ARE CULTIVATING A DIVERSE AND TALENTED WORKFORCE THAT'S CREATIVE, TECHNOLOGICALLY SAVVY, AND CULTURALLY AWARE.
WE'RE ALSO ABOUT STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BONDS, BRINGING TOGETHER FAMILIES, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND SOLIDIFYING AUSTIN'S REPUTATION AS THE HUB FOR INNOVATION AND CUTTING EDGE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.
I'M WITH AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION AND EQUITY ACTION.
THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL, WE NOW HAVE A BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT INCLUDES COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANT FUNDING, CARVER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM FUNDING, EXPANDED AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, LANGUAGE ACCESS, IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES, EXPANDED H I V AND S T I, TESTING AND TREATMENT, RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT SERVICES, SPAY AND NEUTER FUNDING SHADE STRUCTURES, MAINTAIN VICTIM SERVICES, COUNSELORS, AND MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION.
AND THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL, WE NOW HAVE A BUDGET THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE SIDELINING AND DISEMPOWERING THE OFFICES OF EQUITY, CIVIL RIGHTS, SUSTAINABILITY, AND RESILIENCE.
THESE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND SHOULD BE CELEBRATED.
AND WHILE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A BUDGET THAT THREATENS TRANSPARENCY BY MOVING HR AND P I O POSITIONS INTO A P D AND THAT ADDS DATA POSITIONS INTO A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT THE TRUST OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE MUST CALL THIS BUDGET MISGUIDED WHILE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A BUDGET THAT DOES NOT ADEQUATELY FUND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BOTH VOUCHERS AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES, RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND TENANT STABILIZATION, PARK MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION, INCLEMENT WEATHER RESPONSE, EBOOKS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, RESILIENCE,
[02:40:01]
SUBS, ESTATE AND PROBATE PLANNING FOR SENIORS AND MANY OTHER PRIORITIES.WE CANNOT CALL THIS BUDGET A SUCCESS.
AND WHILE WE HAVE A CITY BUDGET THAT FAILS TO FUND ALL OF THESE IMMENSE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHILE PUTTING UPWARDS OF $70 MILLION INTO RESERVES AND A, AND POLICE PAY AND BENEFITS, WHERE IT CAN NEVER AGAIN BE USED FOR RESIDENT SERVICES EVER AGAIN, WE MUST CALL THIS BUDGET UNJUST.
I URGE YOU TO PUSH BACK ON INCREASING THE RESERVE FUND PENDING A REAL PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MERITS OF AN INCREASE.
AND I URGE YOU TO OFFSET ANY REQUIRED RAISES TO THE POLICE BUDGET TO KEEP IT AS FLAT AS POSSIBLE.
AND I URGE YOU TO LEAN IN TO YOUR BOTH YOUR IMMENSE POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY YOU HOLD AS ELECTED OFFICIALS CHARGED WITH DISTRIBUTING OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE LIVES, MAINTAIN AND RESTORE DIGNITY, AND CREATE A SAFER AND MORE JUST CITY FOR ALL.
I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF ACADEMIA LY.
TODAY I'M HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES TO EXPAND FUNDING FOR ACADEMIA LY.
I WANT TO EXPAND MY GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT GU AND AZTEC KIDS CODE THIS SUMMER, AND ALSO TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBERS VELASQUEZ ENTENTES AND KADRI FOR ATTENDING OUR GRADUATIONS AND THE REMAINING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH US DURING TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
AZTEC KIDS CODE CODE, SO SERVES AS A INDEPENDENT AND INDIGENOUS STEM PROGRAM CATERING TO SECOND TO EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ATTENDING AUSTIN I S D SCHOOLS.
STUDENTS ARE ACQUIRING CO CODING SKILLS, DESIGNING THEIR OWN VIDEO GAMES, EXPLORING PATHWAYS IN TECH, ALL WHILE IMMERSING THEMSELVES IN INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL HISTORY.
FROM THE PILOT FUNDING OF $215,000 WE RECEIVED LAST SUMMER, 170,000 WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SUMMER INITIATIVE.
THIS FUNDING ALLOWED US TO ENGAGE 150 STUDENTS, PRIMARILY COMING FROM AN INDIGENOUS IMMIGRANT, LATINX, BLACK AND EMERGENT BILINGUAL BACKGROUNDS.
WE WERE ABLE TO BUY COMPUTERS, INCREASE STAFF FROM FOUR TO SIX TEACHERS PROVIDE FIVE DISTINCT FIELD TRIPS, COVER FOOD AND CLASS MATERIALS, AND HOST THREE GRADUATIONS.
ACCORDING TO SURVEY RESULTS FROM THE SUMMER, 74% OF STUDENTS STATED THAT THIS WAS THEIR FIRST SUMMER CODING CAMP, AND 91 EXPRESSED THEIR INTEREST IN CONTINUING THE PROGRAM.
LASTLY, AUSTIN, I S D USED TO FULLY FUND ACADEMIA
HOWEVER, DUE TO GENTRIFICATION, SCHOOL DISTRICTS GET A REDUCTION IN FUNDS WHEN ENROLL ENROLLMENT RATES DROP DUE TO PARENTS NO LONGER ENROLLING THEIR STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AUSTIN, I S D INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MATHIA URA WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTS ACADEMIA,
SO I ASK THAT YOU VOTE IN FAVOR FOR THE INVESTMENT OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ACTIVELY EMPOWERING CHILDREN AND EDUCATORS IN AUSTIN.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL HELP US REIMBURSE THE COMMITMENT AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE FORMED WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
SAVANNAH LEE, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY, THE NEXT FEW SPEAKERS ARE SPEAKING ON MULTIPLE ITEMS, XENOBI JOSEPH EIGHT 17 AND 21, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT COBB FOR EIGHT AND 18.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
AND IF YOU JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND THE MICROPHONE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I'M THE, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AFSCME 1624.
THAT'S THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS THE WORKERS AT CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND I WANTED TO THANK THE SPONSORS AND CO-SPONSORS OF THOSE ITEMS. 18, 19 AND 20.
JUST BRIEFLY, UM, YOU KNOW, 18 PROVIDING, UH, A THIRD PERSONAL HOLIDAY TO CITY WORKERS.
AS A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, I GET THREE PERSONAL HOLIDAYS.
UM, IT IS A WAY TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH THE, UH, OTHER MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN OUR AREA, UM, FOR 19, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ELIMINATING WAITING PERIODS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR ACCRUED VACATION.
UH, ONE OF THE WAYS GOVERNMENT PAYS THEIR PUBLIC SERVANTS IS YES, THROUGH SALARIES, BUT ALSO THROUGH, UH, VACATION TIME AND BENEFITS.
UH, THE CITY WOULD NEVER DREAM OF PAYING SOMEONE AND THEN TELLING THEM, WELL, YOU CAN'T SPEND YOUR MONEY YET.
UH, WHY DO WE DO IT WITH, UH, WITH VACATION AND ACCRUED TIME? UH, AND FOR 20, UH, THIS IS THE ONE THAT REALLY EXCITES ME.
LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO S SUPPORT OUR WORKERS WHO HAVE CHI, WHO HAVE CHILDCARE NEEDS.
UH, FINDING, UH, THAT, THAT INFORMATION THAT HELPS MAKE
[02:45:01]
THIS, UH, HAVE WELL-INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING THAT VERY CRITICAL NEED THAT AS WE KNOW, UH, WHO IT IMPACTS IN OUR WORK, IN OUR SOCIETY.SO, UH, YES, PLEASE, UH, DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT STUDY FOR INCREASING, UH, CHILDCARE STIPENDS, LOOKING FOR WHERE THERE'S A NEED FOR CHILDCARE AMONGST YOUR WORKFORCE.
JOSEPH SCOTT COBB FOR ITEMS EIGHT AND 18.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SCOTT COBB AND I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN BAYLA FOR THE, UM, PROPOSAL TO ADD SEVEN MORE ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS.
IT MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN OPENING ALL THE POOLS THIS YEAR.
NEXT YEAR WE'RE GONNA OPEN TWO ADDITIONAL NEW POOLS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA NEED EVEN MORE LIFEGUARDS.
SO SEVEN MORE FULL-TIME, WE'LL HELP.
WE ALSO NEED BONUSES, TRAINING BONUSES THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.
AND I ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT CONCERNS A LOT OF OUR LIFEGUARDS.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE STAFF TOILET AT BARTON SPRINGS.
YOU SEE THIS SIGN RIGHT HERE THAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE BILINGUAL LIFEGUARD PROGRAM AT BARTON SPRINGS.
IT IS A SIGN THAT HAS SOME SPANISH TO ENGLISH PHRASES THAT ARE USEFUL AT THE POOLS.
TEMPORARY LIFEGUARDS DO NOT GET BILINGUAL PAY, ALTHOUGH EVERY DAY WE INTERACT WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, 10,000 PEOPLE AT BARTON SPRINGS EVERY DAY.
I HAVE RESCUED SOMEONE I COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH EFFECTIVELY.
I HAD TO GET A COWORKER TO COME OVER AND DO IT.
THAT COWORKER SHOULD GET BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE BILINGUAL STIPEND PAY.
IF YOU HAVE 100 LIFEGUARDS NEXT SUMMER, IT WOULD COST YOU $41,583 TO FUND BILINGUAL STIPEND PAY.
THEY COULD TEACH BILINGUAL LESSONS, TEACH THOSE LITTLE 10 LITTLE CHILDREN IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE HOW TO SWIM.
IF YOU HAVE MORE LIFEGUARDS, YOU ADVERTISE FOR BILINGUAL LIFEGUARDS, YOU'LL HELP THE CHILDREN AT THE POOLS WHO WILL LATER GROW UP TO BE LIFEGUARDS AND THEY'LL LATER LEARN HOW TO SWIM AND SAVE THEIR LIVES.
THERE'S AN AMENDMENT FOR HOLIDAY PAY AN EXTRA HOLIDAY FOR REGULAR EMPLOYEES.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT ABOUT THE BILINGUAL PAY.
IF YOU DON'T PUT IT INTO THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, I SUGGEST YOU DO WHAT YOU DO WITH DENTAL INSURANCE.
LAST YEAR YOU COULDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS.
YOU DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO FIND THE FUNDS.
THANK YOU SAM KERSH, SPEAKING FOR 14 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, AND 21.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE.
I MEANT TO SIGN UP ON ITEM EIGHT.
I DO SUPPORT ALL THOSE ITEMS. UM, WHEN INTERIM CITY MANAGER GARZA WAS C E O OF ASCENSION, THE AUSTERITY HE IMPOSED ON WORKERS THERE LED TO CONDITIONS SO HORRIFIC THAT UNION THAT NURSES SAW NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO UNIONIZE, TO FIGHT FOR THEIR OWN BASIC DIGNITY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS NOT ANOTHER BUSINESS FOR JESUS GARZA TO DESTROY, NOR IS IT A SLUSH FUND TO HELP OUT HIS REAL ESTATE BUDDIES WITH A $7 MILLION DOWN PAYMENT ON AN OFFICE BUILDING WITH POOR TRANSIT ACCESS WHILE HE IS TRYING TO UNNECESSARILY FORCE CITY WORKERS INTO OFFICE, BUIL OFFICE BUILDINGS.
FURTHERMORE, INCREASING THE RESERVES FROM 14 TO 17% IN ONE YEAR IS A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO WITHHOLD OUR TAXPAYER MONEY FROM SPENDING THE COMMUNITY DESPERATELY NEEDS.
EVERY SINGLE PERCENTAGE POINT IS $13 MILLION THAT CANNOT BE SPENT ON FULLY FUNDING REAL PUBLIC SAFETY AMENDMENTS.
AUSTIN HAS THE LARGEST RESERVES IN TEXAS, AND THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
THE ONGOING ZONING REFORMS WILL BRING IN MORE REVENUE.
KEEPING THE RESERVES AT 14% WILL NOT HARM THE CITY'S CREDIT RAVING.
THERE'S NO EXCUSE, ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE, NO VALID REASON TO INCREASE THE GENERAL RESERVES.
JOSEPH, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY, THE NEXT FEW SPEAKERS ARE SPEAKING ON ITEM 21, YASMINE SMITH, LUKE CURRY, PETER CARTWRIGHT.
IF YOU'RE HERE, CAN YOU PLEASE COME ON DOWN? LET ME TRY THOSE ONE MORE TIME.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME OF THE PODIUM.
JUST COME FORWARD AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR US.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? MY NAME IS LUKE CURRY.
[02:50:01]
Y'ALL BEFORE.I'VE SEEN SOME OF Y'ALL FACES.
I'M WITH THE AUSTIN URBAN LEAGUE.
I'M A U C C MEMBER, UNHOUSED COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
I GO OUT IN THE WOODS, I GO OUT IN THE STREETS.
I GO OUT IN THE PARKS, I GO OUT AND WE DELIVER WATER FOR DEHYDRATION.
UM, WE PASS OUT SO MUCH WATER PER DAY.
UM, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE COLD WINTER, UM, RESILIENT THAT WE HAD WHEN WE HIT THE COLD WINTER SHELTERS.
WE DID GOOD LAST YEAR FOR THAT.
DURING THE WINTER, I SEE MORE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION PART OF TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TO THE CENTERS, TO THE REC CENTERS.
I SEE MORE THAT WE NEEDED MORE BLANKETS, MORE FOOD, MORE WE NEEDED MORE IN GENERAL.
IN SPEAKING, I'M, I'M, I'M ON HANDS WITH EVERYTHING I TALK ABOUT AND I HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE DID NEED MORE HELP.
WE NEEDED MORE FUNDING BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE COMMITMENT TO AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, I'M A TRUE AUSTIN KNIGHT.
THE, AND I SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS CITY.
AND MOST OF THE TIME WE WONDERING WHY THE HOMELESS JUST IS, KEEPS COMING AND KEEPS COMING AFTER REHOUSED SO MANY PEOPLE OVER HERE AND HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE OVER HERE.
YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS LIKE THAT.
IT BRINGS IN TOURISTS, IT BRINGS IN PEOPLE BEING A TRUE AUSTINITE.
I KNOW THIS, I HAVE EXPERIENCE.
I GO OUT IN THE FIELDS EVERY DAY AND I DO THE WORK.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I DO KNOW THAT DURING THE COLD WINTER SHELTER WE DID, WE DID REAL GOOD.
BUT I SEE THAT WE COULD HAVE USED A LITTLE BIT MORE HELP.
WE, WE, WE REALLY HAD THE TRANSPORTATION, WE WORKING WITH THE CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ROADS WERE SLIPPERY.
SO MORE HELP, MORE BODIES, MORE FUNDING WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL IN THAT, IN THAT AREA.
WE COULD HAVE DONE A LOT MORE, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, WITH THE WATER RIGHT NOW, AND IN THE HEAT, DURING THE HEAT, WE GO OUT EVERY DAY AND PASS OUR WATER ALL OVER AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY.
AND I MEAN, IT IS NOT, AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.
BUT THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE.
YASMINE SMITH, PETER CARTWRIGHT, PAUL KING.
AND THAT'S FOURTH GENERATION AUSTINITE, RIGHT? LUKE? YES.
FOURTH GENERATION AUSTIN TONIGHT.
UM, WHO'S OUT HERE DOING Y'ALL'S JOB, RIGHT? MAKING SURE YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
UH, AGAIN, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL LOOKING AT ME THIS TIME.
UH, YASMIN SMITH, VICE PRESIDENT OF JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY, AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, STANDING IN, UH, COLLABORATION AND COALITION, UH, WITH THE EQUITY ACTION PACK.
UM, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TONS OF THINGS TODAY ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE SHOULD BE SPENDING OUR MONEY FROM OUR COLLEAGUES.
UM, BUT AS LUKE JUST MENTIONED, AND WHERE WE HAVE BEEN CEMENTED FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS AND THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE STORM MUY, UM, I'M GONNA PULL OVER AGAIN ON INCLEMENT WEATHER RESPONSE.
OKAY? YOU HAVE PEOPLE DYING ON YOUR STREETS WHEN IT IS TOO COLD AND TOO HOT.
AND IT IS US THE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE LEFT TO DEAL WITH THAT DEVASTATION.
ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS FOR YOU TO FUND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
OKAY? NOW I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE EVOLUTIONS IN THE BASE BUDGET.
OKAY? I WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, BUT IT STILL FALLS SHORT.
ALRIGHT? YOU GUYS SITTING UP HERE PLAYING WITH THIS BUDGET, LIKE YOU'RE PLAYING HOUSE WHEN SOME OF US DON'T HAVE HOUSES, IT IS YOUR CONSTITUENTS DYING ON THE STREET.
IT IS YOUR CONSTITUENTS SUFFERING FROM HEAT STROKE IS YOUR CONSTITUENTS PLEADING AND BEGGING AND SOBBING WHEN WE ARRIVE FOR THEM WITH WATER? IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
DON'T INCREASE OR RETRACT THE PROPOSAL FOR THE INCREASE TO RESERVES.
AND INSTEAD, I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE CONTROVERSIAL.
INSTEAD OF PLANNING FOR A CRISIS, FOR THOSE WHOM YOU BELIEVE ARE WORTHY, I WOULD ASK YOU TO, TO FOCUS ON THE CRISIS OF TODAY INSTEAD OF INCREASING THE RESERVES.
WHY DON'T YOU USE OUR MONEY ON OUR PEOPLE, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY SO THEY AREN'T DYING IN DUSTY TENTS BY THEMSELVES.
PETER CARTWRIGHT, PAUL KING, MARSHA COLLARD.
I'M PAUL KING, A CITIZEN OF DISTRICT THREE, AND, UH, A VOICE FOR THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY COUNCIL AT THE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE.
WEATHER IS KNOWN FOR ITS EXTREMES, UH, AND ON UNPREDICTABILITY MAKING A DIRE EXISTENCE EVEN MORE DIRE.
I'VE WORKED IN THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS AND WARMING STATIONS AND BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF AA UL'S EFFORT TO DONATE OVER 2000 GALLONS OF WATER THIS SUMMER TO THE OUT
[02:55:01]
UNHOUSED POPULATION.SADLY, IT'S NOT ENOUGH AS IT'S NOW STANDS.
WE ARE SLAPPING A BANDAID ON A BULLET WOUND AND REASSURING OURSELVES THAT WE HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
IT'S TIME TO STOP PRETENDING OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND DOES NOT WORK WHEN THE REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF UNHOUSED HUMAN BEINGS IN OUR CITY.
AND THAT YOU COULD EVEN FA AND MORE THAN YOU CAN EVEN EVEN FATHOM, PUSHED RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF THAT CLIFF AT THIS VERY MOMENT, JUST ONE BAD WEEK AWAY FROM THE SAME PREDICAMENT.
I WAS ONE OF THEM PRICED OUT OF MY APARTMENT, UH, AFTER MY RENT.
MORE THAN DOUBLED WITH NO WARNING.
AND MY JOB CEASED TO EXIST DURING THE PANDEMIC.
$7.1 MILLION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND MANY OF THE LIVES OF THE UNHOUSED BY EASING THE BURDENS IN THE EXTREMES OF TEXAS.
WEATHER AWARENESS, COMPASSION AND COMMUNITY IS THE SOLUTION.
WE WANT SHELTERS FOR THE FREEZING COLD AND DESOLATE NIGHTS.
MORE PLACES TO STAY OUT OF THE SWELTERING HEAT WITH ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER.
BUS TICKETS FOR THE UNHOUSED, UH, FROM BEING STRANDED FAR FROM HELP AND A WAY TO TRACK WHO'S GETTING THE HELP.
A WARM MEAL, A SAFE PLACE TO STAY.
UH, AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, UH, SUPPORT ARE ALL AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT COULD BE OFFERED.
AUSTIN USED TO BE A CITY WHERE WE DUG DEEP TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.
IT'S TIME TO BRING THAT BACK OR WE RISK FOR EVER LOSING THE SOUL OF WHAT THIS CITY WANTS WAS.
HUMAN BEINGS DESERVE BETTER THAN BEING SWEPT UNDER THE RUG.
NO MATTER THEIR SOCIO, SOCIOECONOMIC, STANDING OR WHATEVER ELSE IS INVOLVED, THEY ARE STILL PEOPLE IN NEED.
PETER CARTWRIGHT, MARSHA COLLARD.
ARE EITHER OF YOU HERE? OKAY, THEN ON ITEM 20, I HAVE HARVEY FRANKS.
HARVEY FRANKS, ARE YOU HERE? YES, I AM.
GOOD EVENING, HONOR ROLL COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY.
I'M A MASTER GARDENER, AND I'M SPEAKING AS A STEWARD OF THIS PLANET, AND I'M SPEAKING AS AN ORIGINAL CITIZEN OF AUSTIN.
UH, AND THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY SPEAKING ON TODAY IS, UH, IN SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY BUDGET, UH, INITIATIVE.
IN PARTICULAR, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, ALL RACES.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IN PARTICULAR TO EVEN CITY OF AUSTIN WORKERS THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN WITHIN THEIR CITY AND BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS.
ANOTHER THING THAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR IS FULL-TIME, UH, POSITIONS FOR COMMUNITY GARDEN COORDINATION.
BECAUSE TEACHING ABOUT HORTICULTURE, SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND HELPING PEOPLE TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR, UH, FOOD, UH, AND THEIR INCOME BY BEING ABLE TO GROW FOOD AT HOME, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I'M ALSO AN ADVOCATE FOR THE CARVER MUSEUM CARVER LIBRARY, BUT IN, IN PARTICULAR THE CARVER MUSEUM.
IT IS SUCH A BENEFIT TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY PROVIDING SERVICES, EDUCATION, UH, GARDENING CLASSES, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREATIVE CLASSES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK EACH AND ONE OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, WE ALL ARE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT A BETTER AUSTIN.
AND I WANNA EMPLOY, UM, UM, SAY I APPRECIATE YOU ALL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, AND JUST HELP US ALL TO BE A BETTER CITIZEN FOR AUSTIN.
WE ALL WANT AUSTIN TO BE SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE A PROUD OF.
AND IF WE CAN HELP PEOPLE HAVE BETTER SERVICES, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER AUSTIN FOR US ALL.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS AGENDA.
UM, WE'VE NOW HEARD FROM ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP EITHER FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS OR PUBLIC COMMENT ON OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION THAT WE, UH, ENJOYED TODAY.
UH, WITH, UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND SIX.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE CLOSED ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER THREE TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE UPDATE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATER AND WASTEWATER IMPACT FEE, LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WE ALREADY CONDUCTED AS WE JUST COMPLETED THE CONDUCTING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ON THIS ITEM, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATER AND WASTEWATER IMPACT FEE, LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? THE MAYOR PRO TEM MOVES ADOPTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA.
[03:00:01]
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UH, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? ANY OBJECTION TO THE ITEM WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER THREE IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN VOTING NO.[7. Approve an ordinance authorizing fees, fines, and other charges to be set or charged by the City for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, beginning on October 1, 2023, and ending on September 30, 2024.]
MEMBERS, AS I POINTED OUT EARLIER IN THE DAY, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN INCLUDES THE ACTION FOR ITEMS 2, 4, 5, AND SIX.WE JUST CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ITEMS 2, 4, 5, AND SIX.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING FEES, FINES, AND OTHER CHARGES TO BE SET OR CHARGED BY THE CITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 TO 2024.
IS THERE A COUN COUNCIL MEMBER? POOLE MOVES, UH, ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE FOR FEES, FINES, AND OTHER CHARGES? IT IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO.
TIM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, I WOULD LIKE TO BE SEEN AS VOTING NO ON THE PROPOSED RATE AND FEE CHANGES FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO YOU'LL BE SHOWN VOTING NO IN THAT REGARD.
AND I'M VOTING NO ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, WHAT WE'LL DO IS, BY THE WAY, AS I JUST INDICATED, THIS IS A ROLL.
WE, WE, WE ARE REQUIRED BY TEXAS LAW TO HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
SO, UM, MADAM CLERK, I'D ASK YOU TO CALL THE ROLL.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY PART? YES.
ON THE REST, FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER IS BEING SHOWN VOTING AYE.
ON ITEMS TWO, FIVE AND SIX AND VOTING NO AS IT APPLIES TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THERE BEING NINE AYES IN FAVOR, ONE IN OPPOSITION, AND ONE IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.
[8. Approve an ordinance adopting the City of Austin Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, beginning on October 1, 2023, and ending on September 30, 2024.]
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS THE BUDGET.AND BEFORE WE, UM, GET INTO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET, UH, I THOUGHT I'D TAKE JUST A SECOND FOR US TO REVIEW LAST WEEK'S MEETING, INCLUDING, UH, THE FRAMEWORK THAT WAS, UH, CREATED TO HELP US GET TO THIS, UH, SPOT TODAY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO, UH, THE COUNCIL, THANKS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND OUR FINANCE STAFF.
ACTUALLY THANKS TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY HOW THE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK, WHERE THE MAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE, WHERE THE MANAGER LAYS OUT A PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THEN, UM, THE BUDGET IS, IS DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL.
UH, WE'VE HAD A, A TRANSPARENT PROCESS WHERE WE LAID OUT POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS WHERE WE COULD HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM.
AND THEN THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT IS THERE A WAY TO, TO GET THOSE, UH, CHANGES, UH, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE INTO THE BUDGET.
AND THEN LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO DID WAS FINANCE STAFF IDENTIFIED FINAL CHANGES TO THE PROJECTED REVENUES FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THESE CHANGES FELL INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET THESE RIGHT 'CAUSE WE, WE TEND TO, BUT 7.3 MILLION WAS INCREASED IN ONGOING REVENUE, OR IS THAT THE 7.7? I'VE SEEN IT BOTH WAYS.
7.7 IS ONGOING AND 7.3 MILLION IS AN, WAS AN INCREASE IN ONE-TIME REVENUE.
AS I INDICATED JUST A SECOND AGO, COUNCIL MEMBERS SUBMITTED NUMEROUS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET AND EACH OF THOSE AMENDMENTS WAS LAID OUT IN OUR, UH, MEETING LAST WEEK, DISCUSSED BY COUNSEL.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING THE AMENDMENTS.
[03:05:01]
THE FOLLOWING DECISION TREE.WE WOULD IDENTIFY OVERLAP BETWEEN BUDGET, PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND CRITICAL UNMET, OR PARTIALLY MET DEPARTMENT NEEDS.
AND THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME AREAS THAT THIS COUNCIL IDENTIFIED THAT MATCH PREVIOUSLY KNOWN UNMET ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS.
WE ALSO SAID THAT WE WOULD CRITICALLY EVALUATE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS TO ASSESS WHICH AMENDMENTS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE NEED TO APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
IN CASES WHERE AMENDMENTS NEEDED ADDITIONAL REVIEW, UH, WE, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR PARTIAL YEAR FUNDING OR A MID-YEAR CHECK-IN TO DETERMINE IF THE NEED WERE STILL UNMET AND TO IDENTIFY THE HIGHEST IMPACT AMENDMENTS WITHIN THE COUNCIL, PRIORITIES OF AFFORDABILITY, RESILIENCY, HOMELESSNESS, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
OVER THE LAST WEEK, OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF HAS ANALYZED EACH OF THE COUNCIL'S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AGAINST THIS FRAMEWORK.
AND THEY LAST NIGHT SENT OUT, UH, THEIR FUNDING RECOMMENDATION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY MET WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER INDIVIDUALLY TO DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDATION AND INCORPORATED FEEDBACK INTO THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION WHERE IT WAS POSSIBLE.
STAFF'S FUNDING RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN BACKUP AS ATTACHMENT A.
I ALSO WANNA CALL ONE IMPORTANT NOTE THAT APPLIES TO SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS.
THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE A PROPOSED AMENDMENT POINTS TO A SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR OR PROVIDER FOR WHOM ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS INTENDED.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF AN AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED, WE ARE AGREEING TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR THE PURPOSE THAT IT STATED IN THE AMENDMENT.
BUT THE SELECTION OF A SPECIFIC VENDOR OR CONTRACTOR OR SUPPLIER WILL BE SUBJECT TO A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
IS THERE ANYTHING THE CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO ADD TO ANY OF THIS? NO, SIR.
UM, MANAGER, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU OR YOUR STAFF WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT AND CONSIDERING THE BUDGET? NO, I THINK, UH, WE'VE HAD A, A LONG WEEK OR, UH, THREE DAYS OF DISCUSSION WITH, UH, BOTH NOT THE STAFF INTERNALLY AS WELL AS WITH MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
AND I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, TO, ONCE THE, UH, THE MOTIONS ON THE TABLE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TO, UH, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE ELEMENTS AND ALL THE AMENDMENTS AND HOW THE BUDGET WORKS.
COUNSEL, AS I INDICATE, THANK YOU MANAGER, AS, AS I INDICATED BEFORE, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, IF, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION IS GET AN AMENDMENT, I'M SORRY, MOTION.
YOU GUYS GOT ME ALL THINKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS ALL THE TIME.
AND THE MOTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 BUDGET, INCLUDING APPENDIX OR, UH, UH, ATTACHMENT, ATTACHMENT A, WHICH YOU HAVE ALL BEEN PROVIDED.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON MOVES ADOPTION.
IT IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM THAT WILL THEN TAKE US TO, IF THERE ARE ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO DO THE MOTION.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE IN THE ORDER THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE AMENDMENTS, UH, MAY HAVE COME FORWARD, INCLUDING EVEN AS WE SIT HERE TODAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, I WOULD RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST.
UM, I WOULD JUST A, A CLARIFICATION ON THESE ARE AMENDMENTS TO THE ATTACHMENT.
THE, WHAT WE NOW HAVE ON THE, THE, THE TABLE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, INCLUDING THE ATTACHMENT A.
SO ANY AMENDMENT THAT YOU WANNA MAKE COULD BE MADE TO, UH, EITHER ATTACHMENT A OR THE BUDGET.
AND YOU'D BE, I MEAN THE, THE ORIGINAL BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT WE WERE GIVEN BACK ON THE 14TH.
UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, FOR STAFF BEFORE I WOULD THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT.
LAY OUT, UH, AN AMENDMENT OF THE, THE FIRST, UH, ONES WOULD BE WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, THE SOBERING CENTER AND, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I WAS WONDERING IF, UH, WE COULD, UH, CHAT ABOUT THOSE FUNDS.
GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR QUESTION AND WE'LL SEE IF THEY CAN BE ANSWERED BY THE PEOPLE IN
[03:10:01]
FRONT OF US, AND IF NOT, WE'LL GET OTHERS HERE.UH, I, WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, WITH REGARD TO AN ADDITIONAL $149,000, I WOULD GO TOWARD THE SOBERING CENTER FOR A CAPACITY BUILDING, UH, AND TO HELP THEIR, THEIR HOLDOVER PROGRAM.
UH, THERE ARE POTENTIALLY GRANT FUNDS AVAILABLE BOTH THROUGH AN EARMARK THAT CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, UH, SECURED, UH, WITH REGARD TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UH, POTENTIALLY ALSO WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE DISCUSSION WAS, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD A FUND THAT $149,000 FOR THE SOBERING CENTER WITHOUT TAPPING, UH, THE GENERAL FUND? AND THE GUIDANCE OR THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT FROM, UH, STAFF WAS ESSENTIALLY YES, BUT THE DETAILS WERE STILL PENDING WITH REGARD TO KIND OF THE LIMITATIONS, THE POTENTIAL KIND OF THE, THE, UH, ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND OR THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS WITH REGARD TO THOSE TWO SOURCES OF FUNDS.
SO I JUST REALLY WANTED TO GET A, UM, ASK STAFF A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THAT AND JUST GET A COMMITMENT.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT EXPLICITLY IN THE BUDGET, BUT, UH, UH, IF WE COULD JUST GET A COMMITMENT THAT WE WOULD USE, UH, EITHER THE, UH, DOGGETT EARMARK, UH, AND OR THE, UH, OPIOID SETTLEMENT MONEY.
UH, AND, AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, I DID SPEAK TO, UH, CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT'S OFFICE.
UH, THE EARMARK WAS NOT ORIGINALLY TARGETED TOWARD, UH, THE SOBERING CENTER, BUT HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE SOBERING CENTER'S WORK.
HE SUPPORTS THE SOBERING CENTER'S WORK, AND HE IS FINE WITH, UH, THE $149,000 GOING TOWARD THE SOBERING CENTER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND I, UH, IF I NEED A LIFELINE, HAVE, DO YOU HAVE THE ANSWER, ED? I, I SEE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF IS COMING.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S, THERE'S A GRANT.
I THINK THE ANSWER, EXCUSE ME, I HAD TO RUN FROM THE SECOND FLOOR
ADRIAN STIR OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I DIDN'T TAKE MY STEP CLASS THIS MORNING, BUT I THINK I JUST GOT IT IN
UM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY FUNDS IN OUR EXISTING ALLOCATIONS TO SUPPORT THE SOBERING CENTER.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT, A COMMITMENT FROM STAFF WITH THAT.
UH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, WORK ON THAT AS A, AS A, YOU KNOW, THE, THE YEAR GOES ON.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? UM, THERE IS THE, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS'S APPROPRIATE TIME OR NOT.
UH, I HAVE DIRECTION THAT I ACTUALLY WE'RE STILL FINALIZING ON THE TENANT, UH, STABILIZATION, UH, FUNDS THAT ARE, ARE THE $1.6 MILLION THAT, UH, IS IN ATTACHMENT A.
UH, I ALSO HAVE, UH, SOME QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, MOVE OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, UH, FOLKS TO A P D.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD TACKLE THAT.
THE, THE, THE QUESTIONS AROUND THE OPEN RECORD STUFF MAY BE A KIND OF A LONGER CONVERSATION.
UH, SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD TACKLE THAT.
LEMME LEMME MOVE THROUGH POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS.
AND, UM, AND, AND I'LL DO THAT AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK IF THAT'S THE, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT NOW OR MAYBE EVEN AT A, AN ADDITIONAL, A DIFFERENT MEETING.
THE, THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS AN AMENDMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
AND THE DRAFT THAT WE HAVE IS, UH, LABELED DRAFT R ALTAR EIGHT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S THE ONLY ONE HE HAS.
UM, IS THAT A SIGN THAT YOU DON'T EITHER? OH, THAT'S IT.
UM, SO I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
THIS IS THE ITEM I POSTED ABOUT LAST NIGHT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
UM, IT CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH A SAFE PLACE TO GO WHEN SHELTERS LIKE SAFE ARE FULL.
AND THE FUNDING THAT WAS ANTICIPATED FOR THIS ITEM FELL THROUGH LATE IN THE PROCESS.
AND, BUT AS I MENTIONED IN MY POST, I WAS, WOULD NOT HAVE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD IF, IF IT, IF I'D ANTICIPATED THAT IT WAS GONNA COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT EVERYONE OFFERED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BUT IN TALKING WITH THE MANAGER, UH, HE HAS INDICATED THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FUND THIS OUT OF APDS, UH, BUDGETED AMOUNT.
AND SO IT WILL NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON, UH, ANYTHING IN THE EXHIBIT A SPREADSHEET.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I APPRECIATE THE MANAGER'S HELP WITH THIS AND, AND MOVE ADOPTION OF OUR ALTER EIGHT.
LET ME, LET ME ASK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, IF I COULD, JUST A SECOND.
TALKING TO CARRIE EARLIER TODAY AND, AND ED IN AS MUCH AS YOU'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE FOLDING IT INTO THE APPROPRIATION THAT'S ALREADY BEFORE YOU, THAT IS THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
RIGHT? I THINK WE GET DIRECTION, WHAT YOU JUST SAID, DIRECTION IN TERMS OF TRUCK TO FUND THIS WITHIN THE EXISTING ENVELOPE.
AND AN AMENDMENT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY, BUT I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO THE EXPERTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER IN FACT IT'S COMPLETELY NECESSARY.
[03:15:01]
YOU MANAGER.CARRIE LANG, BUDGET OFFICER, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I THINK WHEN WE BEGAN LOOKING AT THIS ITEM, UM, AND WAS INFORMED OF THIS ITEM, WE THOUGHT THAT THERE WILL BE SAVINGS IN ANOTHER AREA WITHIN THE A P D BUDGET.
HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS REALIZED THAT WE WERE INITIALLY LOOKING AT, UM, THE CALCULATIONS OF SOME OF THE PROPOSED ITEMS. AND WE DO NOT HAVE THAT SAVINGS IN THOSE CALCULATIONS.
UM, I, I THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL MEANS WITH THE NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE'RE ASKING A P D TO COVER IN THEIR BUDGET AT THIS TIME.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT MONEY IN THE APDS BUDGET TO COVER IT OR, YES.
MY UNDERSTANDING IT RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, NOW IS IT WITH, WITHIN THEIR CURRENT APPROPRIATION, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR THIS FULL TWO 50.
THERE MAY BE DOLLARS FOR A PORTION OF IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT FULL PORTION IS AT THE MOMENT.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN RYAN, I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT THE, ABOUT THAT AND, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I'M NO, THAT'S FINE.
I MISSED IT WHEN YOU LAID IT OUT.
BUT, UM, IF A PORTION OF THAT CAN BE ABSORBED, BUT NOT ALL OF IT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD REVISIT AT A LATER POINT IN TIME AND, AND WHAT, WHAT PART OF WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND, AND IS, WOULD BE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO BUDGETING AND DIFFERENT ABOUT HOW WE'VE DONE BUDGETING, BUT IN ORDER TO AVOID HAVING TO PUT FULL MONEY INTO SOMETHING THAT THEN CAN'T BE SPENT, RIGHT? UH, OR, UH, WELL, FOR WHATEVER REASON IT ISN'T SPENT THAT WHAT I, WHAT WE'VE CONSIDERED DOING IS THAT AT MIDYEAR, JUST AS IT APPLIES TO THIS BUDGET, NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A, A WHOLE NEW BUDGET PROCESS, BUT AS IT APPLIES TO THIS BUDGET, THIS COUNCIL THROUGH THE MANAGER AND THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF WOULD LOOK AT ITEMS TO SEE IF THEY, IF WE NEED COURSE CORRECTIONS AS WE GO FORWARD AND ACTUALLY HAVE A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS TO THAT.
UM, AND, AND I'LL COMMIT AS THE, AS THE MAYOR AND PRESIDING OFFICER THAT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THAT HAPPENS AND THE MANAGER IS ALSO COMMITTED.
BUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S PARTIALLY FUNDED AND CAN BE LOOKED AT LATER IN THE YEAR, DO WE NEED THE AMENDMENT RIGHT? THIS, THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WHERE I, WHAT I WAS FINALLY TOLD ON, ON HOW THIS WOULD WORK AND THAT I WAS, UH, ONLY OFFERING THIS BE AS A, UH, 'CAUSE THAT WAS HOW IT WAS INSTRUCTED TO ME, UH, TO DO SO THAT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GIVE DIRECTION AND DO THAT WAY, UH, FOR IT TO BE NOT THROUGH AN AMENDMENT IS THE SHORT ANSWER.
SO, UH, I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THE MANAGER WILL HELP US GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO ON THIS.
YES, THERE'S NO MOTION ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT OR ALTER NUMBER EIGHT.
THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT THAT I THINK I HAVE IN THE RIGHT ORDER IS AN AMENDMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER, A PROPOSED AMENDMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
THE, THE DOCUMENT THAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME, UH, THAT I BELIEVE IS THE UPTODATE DOCUMENT IS LABELED VELASQUEZ FOUR BUDGET AMENDMENT VERSION TWO, AND IT SHOWS THE SPENDING OF MONEY IN THE ONE TIME CATEGORY AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE'D SEEN EARLIER IN THE ONGOING CATEGORY.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ ON HIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, SO VELASQUEZ AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR, THE AMENDMENT PROPOSES AN INCREASE OF $613,942 TO SUPPORT, UH, PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
UM, I WOULDN'T BE ASKING TO DIP INTO STABILIZATION RESERVE FUNDS IF I DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW VALUABLE THIS RESOURCE IS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH THE WITHDRAWAL OF ESSER FUNDS IMMINENT, EIGHT OF THE 73 EXISTING PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WILL NOT BE FUNDED BEYOND THE YEAR 2324.
AUSTIN, I S D PARENT SUPPORT, SPECIALIST SUPPORT THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS AUSTIN BECOMES INCREASINGLY UNAFFORDABLE, UNAFFORDABLE, PARTICULARLY FOR FAMILIES, THE ROLE OF A P SS S ONLY BECOMES MORE CRUCIAL.
MAKING RETAINING QUALIFIED STAFF ESSENTIAL THE NEED FOR PSSS HELP WITH HELP WITH MOST FREQUENTLY OUR HOUSING SUPPORT AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, ACCESS TO FOOD AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
ALL OF THESE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS CAN DETERMINE OR CHANGE A CHILD AND FAMILY'S TRAJECTORY IN LIFE, BOTH IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE.
THE CITY PROVIDES A RANGE OF SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS FOR LOWER INCOME AUSTINITES, BUT GETTING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST COMES WITH A RANGE OF CHALLENGES,
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INCLUDING TIME NAVIGATING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, LANGUAGE, ACCESS, LITERACY, AND SOCIAL CAPITAL.PSSS ARE THE TRU, OUR TRUSTED COMMUNITY MES MESSENGERS WHO BRIDGE THE GAPS BETWEEN PEOPLE IN NEED AND THE SERVICES DESIGNED TO HELP THEM.
THIS WEEK, A I S D SENT $854 MILLION BACK TO THE STATE IN RECAPTURE.
WE AS A CITY, COUNTY, AND DISTRICT, NEED TO STEP UP AND STAND IN THE GAP BY FUNDING THIS RESOURCE, FUNDING RESOURCES LIKE PSSS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES FACED BY INNER CITY KIDS AND FAMILIES.
ALSO, UM, EVERY, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER DIRECT, UH, FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, UM, CONFIRMING THIS ASK COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ MOVES ADOPTION OF VELASQUEZ PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, NUMBER ONE, IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, YOUR HONOR.
I THOUGHT YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
UM, BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT, I'LL CALL FOR DISCUSSION, BUT I WOULD ALSO WANT TO ASK A QUESTION OF OUR FINANCE STAFF IN ATTACHMENT A IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE PROPOSED WORK FROM LAST WEEK AND, AND PROPOSALS FROM LAST WEEK.
THE RESERVE FUND WAS DROPPED FROM 17% TO 16.7, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HELP ME DO SOME MATH HERE.
AND THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR BOTH OF US.
UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, 1%, UH, UH, A 10TH OF OF A PERCENT GIVES US $1.3 MILLION.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO IF WE WERE AT SIX, IF WE'RE AT 16.7 AND IT'S REDUCED TO 16.6, THAT WOULD MEAN THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $1.3 MILLION, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
MEMBERS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE HAVE THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH IS $613,942.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE'S PROPOSED AMENDMENT NEXT, WHICH IS, YEAH, GET, GET, GO, GET OVER THERE.
UM, WHICH IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
MY MATH PUTS US AT 713 9 AT THAT POINT.
UM, THAT WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO PAY FOR THE 250 THAT'S IN COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTERS FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S COVERED.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT ARE GONNA COST MONEY, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT ARE GONNA COST MONEY, BUT, UM, WHEN I SAT DOWN TODAY, I DIDN'T KNOW OF THESE AMENDMENTS.
SO, UM, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
BEFORE I MAKE A SUGGESTION, IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS OTHER THAN THE VELASQUEZ AMENDMENT WE'RE CONSIDERING THE CADRE AMENDMENT THAT I WILL CALL UP NEXT.
AND THEN IF WE WANTED TO GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTERS, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, MAYOR, I DO HAVE, I KNOW WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT IT BRIEFLY WITH SOME DIRECTION ON THE, THE, THE 1.6 UH, MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S IN THE BASE BUDGET WITH REGARD TO, UH, UH, COMING BACK AND LOOKING AT IT.
WE'RE FINALIZING THAT RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT NEW MONEY.
IT WOULD JUST BE DIRECTION TO STAFF.
IT WOULD JUST BE THE WAY YOU WANT THE MONEY SPENT.
AND, AND INSTRUCTIONS TO COME AND REPORT BACK.
I'D LIKE TO JUST CLARIFY ONE MORE TIME ON 9 1 1 THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING, UM, THE WAGE INCREASES.
UM, BUT I DON'T, I THINK IT'S ADDRESSED, SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED MONEY, BUT, BUT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE BUDGET, THAT'S GOOD.
WE DO WANNA HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'VE SET IT UP THIS WAY.
SO PLEASE, OR WHOEVER HAS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, DEFERENCE TO EXPERTISE OR MILLS.
UM, I JUST, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AS A DIOCESE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE FULL STAFFING IN OUR 9 1 1 COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
YOU AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND I UNDERSTAND THINGS ARE IN THE WORKS, BUT AS WE ADOPT THE BUDGET TODAY, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU SOME FINAL ASSURANCES BEFORE WE DO SO THAT WE ARE, WE ARE TAKING THE STEP, THE NEXT STEPS NECESSARY THAT WE THINK WE'LL MAKE
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A DIFFERENCE SO THAT WE CAN REDUCE THOSE VACANCIES.I THINK, UH, OUR CONVERSATION YESTERDAY DID FOLLOW UP AND IF WE ARE PROBABLY DAYS AWAY NOW, MAYBE TWO OR THREE DAYS AWAY FROM FINALIZING THE, UH, STEPS WE'VE TAKEN FOR THE, UH, PAY PROGRESSION, UH, WE CALLED IT A CAREER PROGRESSION.
UM, WE KNOW WE CAN ABSORB THAT IN THIS, IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, AND I THINK, WE'LL, AS I SAID, I THINK I SAID IT LAST WEEK, THAT WE'RE PROBABLY SIX TO SEVEN, MAYBE EIGHT MONTHS AWAY, DEPENDING ON, UH, OUR RECRUITING AND OUR SUCCESS AND RECRUITING AND RETENTION, UH, TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT STAFFED, UH, IN THAT CENTER.
TIM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THESE, UH, TWO AMENDMENTS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US IS, IS THERE ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT SOME OF THIS COULD BE INCORPORATED WITH THE DOLLARS CURRENTLY ALLOCATED? THAT'S A REASONABLE QUESTION.
HAVE WE, HAVE WE TURNED OVER EVERY COUCH CUSHION BEFORE WE GO INTO THE STABILIZATION RESERVES FOR THESE TWO? SO, LOOK, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I, I'LL ASK THE QUESTION THIS WAY OF, OF THE MANAGER AND STAFF ON THE VELASQUEZ AMENDMENT PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH IS AT 613 942, UH, DOLLARS, IS THERE A WAY FOR A ALL OR PART OF THAT TO BE ABSORBED? OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES THAT IT BE FULLY FUNDED AND WE FIND FULL FUNDING AT THE TIME OF THE AMENDMENT, ED OR CARRIE? YEAH, SURE.
I MEAN, AND THIS IS ALWAYS THE, THE, THE CONCERN OF US CONSERVATIVE FINANCIAL STAFF, ONCE WE START DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK IN THIS BIG BUDGET OF OURS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPENSE.
I THINK THAT'S MOST LIKELY ASKING A LOT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO COMMIT TO $613,000 IN THEIR EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT A 50% INCREASE IN WHAT WE CURRENTLY FUND FOR THE PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
BUT THAT, THAT IS JUST OFF THE CUFF WITHOUT GOING BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS ABOUT HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR BUDGET OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
SO THE MORE AND MORE THINGS THAT, THAT THE DEPARTMENTS AGREE TO, JUST, WELL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT LOOKS PRAGMATICALLY IS, WELL, I'VE GOT A POSITION THAT JUST CAME VACANT.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO HOLD IT, HOLD IT VACANT FOR ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO TO FREE UP THE MONEY TO, TO COVER WHAT I COMMITTED.
SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF JUST HOW DO YOU ACTIVELY MANAGE YOUR BUDGET AND IT JUST CREATES MORE LIMITATIONS ON, ON WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS CAN DO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S A, A LOT TO ASK OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO ABSORB.
BUT OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE EITHER, AND THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S A BIT OF A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
BUT WHEN WE START DOWN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE COUNCIL'S DIRECTIONS WITHIN THE RESOURCES WE HAVE, BUT NOT GETTING OUR NECK OUT THERE TOO FAR WHERE WE CAN'T LIVE UP TO THOSE COMMITMENTS OR WE HAVE TO MAKE BAD DECISIONS IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, HOLDING POSITIONS VACANT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
LET ME ASK A QUESTION ALSO AS WE GO FORWARD ON THIS.
UM, I, I'VE, I'VE PLAYED WITH THE NUMBER PURPOSELY SO THAT WE WOULD ALL KNOW THE NUMBERS, BUT THE OTHER DAY, UH, MR. PANINO, YOU WERE ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE 17%, AND I, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE QUESTION WAS, BUT I DO REMEMBER WHAT THE ANSWER WAS.
AND THE ANSWER, UM, WAS THAT, UH, YOU COULD HAVE AT 1.67, YOU, YOU REACHED THE, THE, WHAT WAS THE, THE ACTUAL STANDARD, UH, FOR THE, THE, THE STANDARD THAT IS USED IN YOUR PROFESSION AND, AND IN, IN MUNICIPALITIES ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL FOR A RESERVE.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, IS DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? AND IS 1.67 THE NUMBER THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE AT AND NOT DROP BELOW IN ORDER TO MEET THE STANDARDS? YEAH, THE, THE STANDARD IS NOT LESS THAN TWO MONTHS, WHICH EQUATES TO 16.67%.
UM, I, YEAH, I'M SAYING THAT MY NU SO I TOLD YOU THE MATH WOULD GET MESSED UP.
THE, THE OTHER THING THAT, THAT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT IS ON THIS, I, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING BELOW 16.7, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT DOING THINGS RIGHT NOW, UM, AND WE'VE HEARD SOME OF THAT TESTIMONY TODAY, AND I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THAT IN ANY WAY, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, PART OF THE REASON TO HAVE A RESERVE AT 16.7 IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REPORT Y'ALL GAVE US, UH, LAST WEEK ON SALES TAX AND THE FACT THAT WE SAW A PRETTY DRAMATIC DROP IN THE RECOVERY OF SALES TAX REVENUE AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR THE, THE ECONOMY.
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WE HELD A, A, A PRESS CONFERENCE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, AS MAYOR, I DECLARED, UH, AUSTIN IN A DISASTER MODE WITH REGARD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR WILDFIRES.AND THAT WOULD, IF, IF WE NEEDED TO, AND WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THAT, THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE RESERVE AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT FALL ON THE HARDEST ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MANY FOLKS TODAY TESTIFIED THEY WANT US TO HELP ADDRESS.
WOULD YOU COMMENT ON THAT? SURE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE HITTING ON SEVERAL OF THE THINGS FOR WHY WE HAVE RESERVES AND WHY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO INCREASE THEM.
ONE IS JUST THAT THE, THE REVENUE INSTABILITY OF SALES TAXES, WHICH IS OUR SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE, AND IT GOES UP AND DOWN WITH THE ECONOMY, WE CAN'T CONTROL THAT IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE CAN CONTROL OUR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS THROUGH THE TAX RATE THAT Y'ALL SUPPORT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MITIGATE AGAINST THAT, WE HAVE A BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE FUND.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT IN, IN TERMS OF THE, UM, 3.5% REVENUE CAP, UM, WE'RE VERY LIMITED IN HOW WE WOULD ADJUST OUR BUDGET SPENDING.
UM, IF, IF WE DO HAVE A RECESSION IN SALES TAXES DECLINE.
OF COURSE, THE, UM, INCREASED, UM, FREQUENCY OF DISASTERS THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND THROUGH THE WINTER STORMS, THE ICE STORMS AND THE COST OF RESPONDING TO THOSE STORMS, AND THE LENGTHY TIME IT TAKES TO GET REIMBURSED FROM FEMA WHEN THERE IS A DISASTERS DECLARATION.
THAT INCREASED FREQUENCY WAS ANOTHER PART OF OUR THINKING TO RECOMMENDING TO INCREASE THE RESERVES.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE, UM, GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION OF NOT LESS THAN TWO MONTHS WOULD GETS YOU TO THAT 16 POINT, UH, 7%.
UM, AND THEN THE RATING AGENCIES JUST TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST CREDIT RATING THAT WE CAN.
WE HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DOWNGRADED BY TWO RATING AGENCIES AND, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT INCREASING OUR RESERVES WILL HELP US, UM, AT LEAST MAINTAIN THE, THE RATINGS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND HOPEFULLY SOMEDAY GET BACK TO THE HIGHEST RATING THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE, WHICH WOULD BE AAA.
UM, SO IF THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE REALLY THE, THE, THE REASONS THAT WE PROPOSE THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, LET ME ASK, IS ANY, IS THE AMENDMENT FORM THAT YOU'VE COMPLETED SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE PROPOSED SOURCE OF FUNDING WOULD COME FROM THE, UH, STABILIZATION RESERVE FUND THAT'S PART OF YOUR MOTION, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE VELASQUEZ AMENDMENT? UH, NUMBER ONE, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO, TO FINAGLE