[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THE SEPTEMBER 13TH MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.
UH, FIRST ORDER ON THE AGENDA IS TO, UH, REQUEST IF THERE ARE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
SEEING NONE, UH, WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD REGULARLY MEETING ON AUGUST 9TH, 2023.UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO I MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHAN, I'LL SECOND AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER PIAN, UM, DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE MINUTES FROM, UH, AUGUST 9TH, 2023.
COMMISSIONER RE, IS THAT AYE? AYE.
UH, THE MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 9TH, 2023.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, SHE'S ONLINE, BUT SHE'S OH, OKAY.
UM, IT SEEMS, ADAM, I, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON.
ONE COMMISSIONER EILEEN BISON, THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE A PANELIST.
[2. Staff briefing regarding commission announcements and vacancies by Felicia Ojeda, Staff Liaison]
NEXT ORDER OF AGENDA.UH, WE HAVE ORDER OF BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA RATHER, IS, UH, FELICIA AJERA, STAFF LIAISON, UH, TO SPEAK TO ANY BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS SHE MAY HAVE REGARDING THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD.
UM, WE HAVE NO NEW ANNOUNCEMENT OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A FULL ROSTER NOW.
UH, DISTRICT SIX, I BELIEVE IS BISHOP, UM, CHAPPELLE.
AND IF YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WE CAN DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION, PLEASE DO EVERYONE, UH, BISHOP CHAPPEL.
BISHOP CHAPEL REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX, OR NOMINATED FROM DISTRICT SIX.
AND IF WE'D LIKE TO GO QUICKLY DOWN THE LINE, WE CAN SAY WHO WE ARE AND WHAT DISTRICT WE REPRESENT.
HI, RACHEL MCGEE, REPRESENT DISTRICT FOUR.
MY NAME'S DANIEL RONAN, AND I AM DISTRICT NINE.
ED BAILEY, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE, ANNA PINOC, REPRESENTING FOR THE MAYOR GREG SHANNON, REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO CHRISTIAN SHAY REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE.
I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT TODAY.
UM, CAN WE GET THE TWO COMMISSIONERS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES ONLINE? UM, JOHN REEDY, DISTRICT SEVEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONERS, AND WELCOME TO BISHOP CHAPPELLE HERE.
UM, MAY THE, UH, UH, RECORD BE CORRECTED TO SHOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER FROM, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT, STEPHANIE MATHIS.
[3. Discussion and possible action of the Tourism Commission Board of a proposal recommendation of the Austin TPID to Council]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM OF THE AGENDA.ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD OF A PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATION OF THE AUSTIN TEPID TWO COUNCIL.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT RACHEL, UH, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER MCGEE HAD PROPOSED, UM, SOME ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AS MOTIONS TO THIS BODY.
UH, AND I'LL GIVE HER THE FLOOR TO DISCUSS THOSE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS OR MOTIONS FOR RECOMMENDATION, POSSIBLY.
I WANNA DEAL WITH THESE SEPARATELY.
SO MY FIRST MOTION IS THAT THIS BODY RECOMMEND A COUNCIL, UM, THAT THE COUNCIL PUT IN PLACE MECHANISMS TO ENSURE ALL FUNDS RECEIVE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT REVENUE BE, BE USED SOLELY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
AND I'LL WAIT FOR A SECOND BEFORE I SPEAK FURTHER.
UH, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE HAVE A SECOND FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER SHEPE.
SO, UM, I HOPE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE CAN REACH CONSENSUS ON.
WE'VE SORT OF TALKED ABOUT HOMELESS REVENUE BEFORE.
[00:05:01]
I'VE LEFT THIS VERY GENERAL, IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO SPECIFIC AMOUNTS, UM, AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE PASSAGE OF THE TID, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO AFFECT THE PASSAGE OF THE TID.IT'S REALLY, UM, JUST SPEAKING TO THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE, UM, OF THE CITY RECEIVING TID REVENUE.
IT'S, IT SORT OF CODIFIES THE ORIGINAL VISION.
AND SO IT'S SORT OF A MINI REFERENDUM WHERE VOTING ON THIS KIND OF PUTS, UH, PROVIDES A PUBLIC RECORD OF WHERE THIS BOARD, THIS BODY STANDS ON THE ISSUE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, NO AMOUNT IS SPECIFIED, BUT THE WORD SOLELY IS INCLUDED FOR A REASON.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE INTERESTS OF HOTELS AND OTHER TOURISM BUSINESSES TO TACKLE HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE HOMELESSNESS HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE CITY.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S IN LINE WITH OUR MANDATE AS A BOARD BECAUSE IT, BECAUSE ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS DOES, UH, OR IMPROVING THE SITUATION WITH HOMELESSNESS DOES BENEFIT TOURISM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, OUR MANDATE TO SORT OF LOOK AT.
UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD KIND OF ASK WHY WOULD WE ALLOW THE MONEY TO GO ELSEWHERE? BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL VISION, UM, AND SUPPORT FROM THE HOTELS IN CREATING THE T I D AND ALLOWING SOME REVENUE TO GO TO THE CITY WAS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, WHICH AS I SAID, THEY AS A TOURISM INDUSTRY WOULD BENEFIT FROM.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
CAN YOU REREAD THE MOTION PLEASE, COMMISSIONER? CERTAINLY, IT'S THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL PUT IN PLACE MECHANISMS TO ENSURE ALL FUNDS RECEIVED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT REVENUE BE USED SOLELY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
UH, DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER BAILEY? SORRY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M REALLY CLEAR ON THE, THE WORD SHARE.
YOU'RE USING ALL FUNDS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AND SOLELY SO IS, BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NOT A SPECIFIED AMOUNT, BUT YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT ALL THE MONEY FROM THE TID GO TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, I'M NOT SPECIFYING, YOU KNOW, WHAT SERVICES, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT GETS TOO MUCH INTO THE DETAILS AS WELL.
WELL, I I'LL SUBMIT TO SOMEONE ELSE'S QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER CHA? SO, UM, I, I WOULD OPPOSE, I, I WOULD OPPOSE THE MOTION.
I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS ON THE TPI HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SIX YEARS.
UM, I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE PASSED COUNCIL, PASSED THE TPI THAT, UM, I DON'T, IT'S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE TO TELL CITY COUNCIL WHAT TO DO WITH ITS FUNDS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS MAY BE A BIG ISSUE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BIG ISSUES ARE GONNA BE IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, DEALING WITH TRAFFIC, WHO KNOWS ALL THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, AFFECT, UM, TOURISM.
AND, UM, I WOULD RATHER THAT THOSE FUNDS BE GENERAL REVENUE AND THAT THEY JUST GO TO THE CITY.
WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS, IF ONE OF THE THINGS I WORRY ABOUT IS, WELL, OKAY, WE GIVE THIS LARGE POT OF MONEY FOR HOMELESSNESS.
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN CITY COUNCILS DO IN THE PAST IS WE'VE GOT THIS NEW SOURCE OF FUNDING, SO THEY, IT'S JUST A SHELL GAME.
THEY CUT BACK, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE OTHERWISE GETTING AND THEY PUT IT.
OTHERWISE, I WOULD JUST RATHER BE MUCH MORE DIRECT ABOUT IT.
AND WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL IS PASSING ITS ANNUAL BUDGET, THEY DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY ON.
THAT'S WHAT WE ELECT THEM FOR.
CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? COMMISSIONER MCGEE? UM, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND AND SAY THIS IS NOT DESIGNED TO AFFECT THE PASSAGE OF THE TPI AT ALL.
THIS IS SPEAKING TO THE TPI HAPPENS.
THIS IS SPEAKING TO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REVENUE WHEN IT'S COLLECTED.
UM, WE HAD SPOKEN LAST TIME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SENDING A LETTER TO COUNCIL RECOMMENDING THAT THEY AMPLIFY HOMELESS OR WHATEVER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE IT'S NOT, I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT CONNECTED, UNDERSTAND.
AND RACHEL, SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOUR MOTION IS JUST, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE MONEY THAT THE CITY GETS BACK FROM THE T ID FUNDS, IT'S NOT ALL THE TAX REVENUES FROM THE TID THAT IS CORRECT.
IT'S THE MONEY THAT THE CITY RECEIVES FROM THE TID PER THE SERVICE AGREEMENT ARRANGEMENT.
ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER EE, THREE YEARS AGO, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAD ROUGHLY 3,500 HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND TODAY WE HAVE ALMOST 5,000.
SO JUST DURING THE COURSE OF COVID UNTIL NOW, THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN AUSTIN'S INCREASED BY ABOUT 50%.
LESS THAN 10 YEARS AGO, WE HAD LESS THAN $10 MILLION, UM, FROM THE CITY BEING PUT TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS.
EVERY YEAR WE'VE CHRONICALLY DISINVESTED FROM HOMELESSNESS.
[00:10:01]
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A SOLID STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO ENSURING THAT WE DO SOMETHING AS A CITY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS LONG TERM.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHEPE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR, UH, COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, CHAPEL, SORRY.
UH, JUST CLARIFYING, IS IT THE PERCENTAGE OF AVAILABLE FUNDS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS OR THE TOTAL SUM GIVEN TO THE CITY FOR HOMELESSNESS? DIRECTLY? IT'S THE TOTAL SUM OF WHATEVER THEY RECEIVED FROM THE TEPID WHEN THEIR TE I WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED.
THE, THE PROMISE WAS THAT, UH, MONEY WOULD BE, WOULD COME EITHER, WELL, BOTH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY.
NOW, IT ONLY COMES INDIRECTLY, UM, THROUGH THE TP REVENUE TO THE CITY.
SO THE CITY COULD SPEND IT ON HOMELESSNESS.
SO THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO UNDERSCORE THAT PROMISE AND KEEP THAT PROMISE THAT IT IS USED INDEED FOR HOMELESSNESS AND IT'S NOT FARM, YOU KNOW, UH, DIVERTED TO OTHER THINGS.
THE, THE PIECE OF THE THE PUZZLE PLAN WE REFERENCING? YES.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, UM, UH, WE'D LIKE TO MOVE TO A VOTE.
UM, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED RE RESOLUTION TO I CAN READ IT, RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNSEL PUT IN PLACE MECHANISMS TO ENSURE ALL FUNDS RECEIVED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AT BID REVENUE BE USED SOLELY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
THOSE IN FAVOR, THOSE OPPOSED? UM, THE MOTION PASSES.
I THINK THIS ONE WILL BE, COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE, UH, CONTENTIOUS.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, IN SIMILAR VEIN AT PREVIOUS, UM, UH, MEETINGS.
BUT I WANTED TO PUT THIS FORTH.
SORRY, I'M SPEAKING ON THE MOTION BEFORE I'VE MADE THE MOTION.
AND THEN I WILL JUSTIFY THE MOTION.
UH, I MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL INCLUDE LANGUAGE IN THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE FOR DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUSTIN TID REVENUES AS AND WHEN STATE LAW ALLOWS AT THE LEVELS PRESENTED DURING THE AUGUST 31ST, 2017 COUNCIL MEETING.
WE HAVE A SECOND WITH COMMISSIONER.
UM, SHAPEY, DO WE HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, CAN I SPEAK FROM IT FIRST? OH, ACTUALLY, UH, COMMISSIONER
LET ME SPEAK TO IT SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
UM, AS I WAS SAYING, I THINK THIS IS LARGELY SYMBOLIC.
UM, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THIS, IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THIS, IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT UNLESS STATE LAW CHANGES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WON'T EVER HAPPEN.
UM, I'M CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR A DELAY IN THE SERVICE AGREEMENT BY INTRODUCING THIS.
UH, AS WE'VE SEEN, UM, COUNCIL, UM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE RECOMMEND, THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE ACTION ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS CORRECT.
RIGHT? WE'VE SEEN THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT DELAYED TWICE NOW BY COUNCIL.
UM, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA VOTE ON THE SERVICE AGREEMENT, NOT US.
SO THEY'RE THE ONES WITH ANY LEVERAGE TO BARGAIN FOR ANYTHING, NOT US.
UM, SO I DON'T IF WE APPROVE THIS, I DON'T ANTICIPATE, UM, COUNSEL TAKING THIS RECOMMENDATION AND INCLUDING IT IN THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT.
MAYBE IF WE APPROVE IT, IT GETS INCLUDED IN A FUTURE SERVICE AGREEMENT.
UM, THIS IS REALLY ABOUT, IN MY VIEW, SOMEBODY IN THIS ENTIRE PROCESS NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VERY PUBLIC PROMISES THAT WERE MADE IN 2017, UM, WHICH WERE TO INCENTIVIZE EXPANDING THE CONVENTION CENTER AND CREATE A TPI.
UM, THERE WERE VERY PUBLIC PROMISES ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THAT TPI WAS GONNA COME BACK TO THE CITY.
UM, SO I BELIEVE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS BODY TO GO ON RECORD, UM, EITHER SUPPORTING THE ORIGINAL INTENT AND VISION OF THE T ID, UM, BY RECOMMENDING TO COUNCIL THAT THEY HONOR THE ORIGINAL DEAL IF THE OPPORTUNITY EVER ARISES.
UM, IN MY OPINION, VOTING IT DOWN IS TO SUGGEST THAT HOTELS WERE NEVER COMMITTED TO THE WIDELY PUBLICIZED PLAN, UM, AS WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER CHAAN, SO FAR, SO FAR, I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE HOTELS ARE COMMITTED TO THE CURRENT PLAN.
IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY, I THINK IT'S WHAT, 60%? MAYBE 65%.
UM, THERE AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR
[00:15:01]
SIX YEARS, JUST AS CURRENT DELAY THAT WE'VE HAD IN APPROVING THE TPI, I UNDERSTAND IS COST THE, UM, THE CITY A MILLION DOLLARS OR LESS REVENUES THIS PHYSICAL YEAR.UM, AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, I THINK DO NOTHING BUT MUDDY THE WATER, UM, AND GETTING THE T PIT A PASSED AND GETTING IT IMPLEMENTED SO THAT WE CAN PROMOTE TOURISM WITHIN OUR CITY, WHICH IS THE, IN MY OPINION, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
I WASN'T THE BEST AT MATH, BUT, UM, THE ORIGINAL PLAN, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WAS 40% OF 1%.
THE, OF THE REVENUES, THE CURRENT PLAN IS 2% OF, OF, EXCUSE ME, 20% OF 2%, WHICH SHOULD GENERATE BASICALLY THE SAME THING.
AND IN FACT, IN THE MATERIALS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, IT EXPRESSLY STATES THAT, THAT THIS, UM, TPI AS PROPOSED.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE SOME OTHER MODIFICATIONS TO IT, AND I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, THAT WOULD GENERATE BASICALLY THE SAME LEVEL OF UNRESTRICTED ANNUAL REVENUES FOR THE CITY.
SO I DON'T ALSO, THE TPI WORKING GROUP, AS I UNDERSTAND IT IN THEIR RECOMMENDATION, ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT'S UNLIKELY FOR ANYTHING TO CHANGE THAT ALLOWS ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THAT WAS A DIFFERENT CITY COUNCIL, IT WAS DIFFERENT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE HOTELS SINCE THEN.
UM, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WOULDN'T DO THIS.
MAY I RESPOND TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER MCGEE? UM, SO WITH REGARD TO YOUR MATH, THE ORIGINAL DEAL WAS 40% OF A 1% LEVY WITH THE OPTION TO INCREASE IT TO A 2% LEVY.
SO 40% ON 2% WITH, WITH TWO THIRDS APPROVAL OF THE HOTELS, RIGHT? WELL, ANY SERVICE LUCK, ANY SERVICE AGREEMENT IS TWO IS TWO THIRDS.
AND AT THE TIME IT WAS PRESENTED, WE WERE ALL ASSURED THE HOTELS WERE ALL BEHIND THIS BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN T BID TO RAISE MONEY FOR THEIR MARKET.
DON'T, I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO STEP IN.
WE, WE CAN'T HAVE IT BACK AND FORTH ON THE DI SO COMMISSIONER TANNIN.
IN FACT, THE CITY, EXCUSE ME, THE HOTEL, YOURS DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TFI PLAN IN 2020 BECAUSE THERE WAS A PUSH TO GENERATE MORE REVENUES TO BE DIRECTED TO THE CITY.
UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE HOTELIERS GONNA AGREE TWO THIRDS OF THEM AT LEAST TO CONTRIBUTE MORE FUNDS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED COMMISSIONER IAN? I I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT I FEEL LIKE THIS, UH, SECOND MOTION, I WONDER IF WE COULD CHANGE IT TO KIND OF A STATEMENT FROM PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WERE HERE AND ON THE BOARD.
UH, I THINK A MAJORITY OF US, UH, WE'RE NOT ON THIS COMMISSION AND BOARD AND DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE HISTORY.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS COMING FROM MORE OF A HISTORICAL SENSE.
AND I'M LOOKING AT IT LIKE, WELL, HERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE HAVE AT LEAST SOME KIND OF TPI WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.
BECAUSE I'M NOT, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT HISTORICAL, HEY, THEY WERE GONNA GET 40, NOW IT'S ONLY 20 BACK AND FORTH.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS ISN'T A VOTE? AND MAYBE JUST A MEMORIALIZED COMMENT FROM
UM, COMMISSIONER EE, I THINK IT'S ONLY A MEMORIALIZED COMMENT JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT OUR VOTE IS.
LIKE, IF WE APPROVE IT, IT'S A MEMORIALIZED COMMENT.
IF WE DON'T, IT'S NOT, I MEAN, I WOULD BE WILLING, WILLING TO, UM, I'D BE WILLING TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS TO TRY AND SOFTEN IT SLIGHTLY, IF THAT MAKES IT MORE PALATABLE BY, UM, REPLACING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE, REPLACING THE WORD INCLUDE IN THE FIRST SENTENCE WITH CONSIDER, INCLUDING, BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY INTENT TO HOLD UP THE SERVICE AGREEMENT ANYMORE.
THIS IS REALLY, I JUST WANT PUBLIC RECORD OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL OKAY.
UM, COMMISSIONER MATHIS HAD A COMMENT.
UM, I'M JUST, CAN YOU HEAR ME? GO AHEAD.
UH, YOU KNOW, I DO, I WORRY, UM, THAT THE, UM, APPROVAL OF OWNERS THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO GET THIS PASSED IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S A GIVEN.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, UM, THAT YOU THINK THAT IT IS, UM, I'M SAD TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST MOTION PASSED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO TRY
[00:20:01]
TO TELL CITY COUNCIL WHAT TO DO AND, UM, HOW TO DIRECT THESE FUNDS AS THEY SEE FIT.UM, DO WE NOT TRUST THEM ANYMORE THAN THAT TO GOVERN THE CITY? I MEAN, IT'S JUST SO, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE REALLY STEPPING OUT HERE TO TRY TO TELL THEM HOW TO USE THE MONEY.
WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE TOURISM.
NOBODY HERE SEEMS TO THINK THAT IT'S A BAD IDEA TO DO THAT, AND THAT THIS IS NOT A GREAT WAY TO DO JUST THAT.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS SORT OF LANGUAGE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS UPSET THAT IT ISN'T THE EXACT SAME WORDING AS SOMETHING THAT WAS PROPOSED YEARS AGO WHEN THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT LIKE, YOUR FEELINGS ARE HURT OR SOMETHING ON HERE THAT IT, I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE DIRECTIONS THAT ARE NOT JUST LIKE, HEY, CAN WE NOTE THAT THESE FEELINGS ARE HURT BUT ARE, ARE ACTUALLY USEFUL? NO ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT A HOME PRICE FROM 2017 IS THE SAME, OR THAT YOUR MORTGAGE RATE WOULD BE THE SAME AS 2017.
THERE'S A LOT THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THAT TIME.
A WHOLE LOT AND OWNERS HAVE GOT TOGETHER AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND SPOKE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE VISIT AUSTIN AND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HAVE SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THIS IS WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN DO.
AND IT'S NOT THAT MAILABLE ANYMORE, AND IT COULD END TOMORROW.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OWNERSHIP GROUPS IN THIS CITY THAT OWN SO MANY HOTELS IN THIS CITY THAT CAN AFFORD TO FUND THEIR OWN MARKETING.
AND THAT IF WE BLOW THIS UP WITH MORE OF THESE THINGS, WE'LL HURT THE SMALL HOTELS THAT AREN'T THE BIG BOXES THAT CAN'T JUST GO AND FUND THEIR OWN MARKETING.
AND THERE IS A FATIGUE FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT WE WON'T JUST APPROVE THIS AND LET THIS MOVE FORWARD TO HELP THE CITY.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONERS WISHING TO SPEAK.
OH, I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO, UH, QUESTION THAT PREMISE OF THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER IN THAT THIS BODY WAS APPOINTED TO ADVISE COUNSEL AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND SECONDLY, WHEN IT COMES TO FEELINGS, IT SEEMS LIKE THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS VERY ANGRY.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR FEELINGS ABOUT THIS EXCEPT TO SUPPORT THE BEST DEAL I CAN.
COMMISSIONER PAAN, DO YOU WANNA COMMENT? YEAH.
LIKE I, YOU KNOW, ONLY HAVE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL FOR A BIT.
UM, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT OUR PURPOSE IS TO RECOMMEND THINGS TO COUNCIL.
AND THAT'S HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.
AND NOT ONLY US, BUT LIKE EVERY TIME THERE'S A COUNCIL MEETING, PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO COME IN AND LIKE, GIVE THEIR SUGGESTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE LIKE, COUNSELORS ARE COUNSELORS, BUT THEY WORK FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR THE PEOPLE.
UM, AND I THINK ANOTHER PIECE, UM, THAT'S ALSO KIND OF LIKE INTERESTING, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I, YOU KNOW, ALSO WORK CLOSELY ALONGSIDE LIKE HOTELS, UM, HOTEL WORKERS, HOMELESS FOLKS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HOTEL WORKERS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS AND CLEAN THE HOTEL ROOMS, RIGHT? OF THE, THESE MASSIVE HOTELS.
UM, AND I THINK I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THE FIRST, FIRST THING PASSED.
I THINK THE SECOND PIECE IS SOMETHING THAT I SEE A LOT IN CONTRACTS WE HAVE WITH HOTELS.
THE CONCEPT THAT, HEY, A LAW MIGHT CHANGE AND IF THAT LAW CHANGES, CAN YOU RECONSIDER THIS? I DON'T THINK, I THINK ASSUMING THAT THE HOTELS ARE GONNA ACCEPT IT OR NOT ACCEPT IT, SHOULDN'T MATTER, RIGHT? IT'S JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE LAW COULD CHANGE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE A, A FIGHT TO DO THAT AND IT SHOULDN'T BE.
I THINK ALSO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY KIND OF LIKE SEEMINGLY HOLDING SOME THINGS HOSTAGE AROUND LIKE HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WHEN AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S PEOPLE EXPERIENCING LIKE, REAL HOMELESSNESS AND STUFF.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE THINGS GET OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOCUSING MORE ON ONE THING THAN OTHERS.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BAILEY? YEAH, UH, I JUST WANTED TO DRAW A DISTINCTION BECAUSE IT HASN'T COME UP YET IN THIS CONVERSATION THAT I ASKED, UH, FOR, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM VANESSA FUENTES AND RYAN AL ALTER THAT WAS PUT OUT YESTERDAY ABOUT THE T I D AND ABOUT THEIR NEGOTIATION WITH THE AUSTIN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT ADVANCING AND IT, I THINK IMPROVING THE TID DEAL.
AND, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS ARE TAKING THIS INTO ACCOUNT.
AND WHAT I MEAN IS TO MORE OR LESS ALIGN WITH WHAT STEPHANIE WAS SAYING, IS THAT THERE'S A PROCESS THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK, AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON.
[00:25:01]
THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VOTES TOMORROW.AND THE, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE IS NO ACRIMONY BETWEEN THE AUSTIN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE ON TRACK TO MAKE A DEAL, WHICH IS, WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING THAT.
I THINK THE FUNCTION TODAY OF THIS CONVERSATION SHOULD BE, HEY, LOOK, A COUPLE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE MADE THIS DEAL BETTER.
WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT WHY IS THE DEAL BETTER? WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT THE EXPANSION AND THE CHANGES IN THE LANGUAGE, AND THAT WE SHOULD BE MAKING A VOTE TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE IF WE THINK IT MAKES THE TPI BETTER.
BUT WE ARE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT 2017.
I THINK WE'RE OFF COURSE AND TO SOME DEGREE, BUT I RESPECT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND AND CONCERNS.
SO I'M HERE TO VOTE MY CONSCIOUS AND TO SUPPORT, BUT I WANNA SAY TO THIS BODY, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE PRO TPI FIRST AND HOW THE MONEY GETS SPENT IS NOT UNDER ALL OF OUR JURISDICTION.
SEEING NO ADDITIONAL HANDS, UM, I'M GONNA CALL THE CURRENT, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW COMMENTS IN TERMS OF THE SECOND RESOLUTION.
THE FIRST RESOLUTION I UNDERSTAND FOR THE SYMBOLIC NATURE, UM, AS DISCUSSED, RIGHT? IT IS ALREADY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY COUNCIL TO GET IT DONE.
SO ADDING A SECOND AMENDMENT SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT FAR FOR ME.
WE MIGHT AS WELL ADD, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER BACK TO THE CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THESE THINGS ARE OUT OF OUR HANDS IN SITTING WITH CITY COUNCIL.
WE'VE ALL SHARED ARTICLES ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION.
SO THE PUBLIC RECORD, I THINK HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ADD, UM, TO IT ANY FURTHER.
UM, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH VOTING ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT'S UNEDITED.
CAN YOU HAND THAT TO ME SO I CAN READ IT? MM-HMM.
DIDN'T YOU MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO YOUR OWN MOTION? NO.
IN DISCUSSION, I SAID I WOULD CONSIDER IF IT MADE IT MORE PALABLE, THAT'S, BUT NOBODY SECONDED IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I SKIPPED IT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AROUND THAT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT ONE MORE TIME BEFORE WE VOTE? UM, ARE YOU GOOD? ARE WE OKAY? OKAY, GREAT.
ALL, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION I JUST READ? ALL RIGHT.
UM, WAIT, DO WE, I THINK THAT'S, GO AHEAD.
COMMISSIONER CHAAN, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO SUGGEST ANOTHER MOTION? UM, YOU CAN DO THAT, YEAH.
UM, MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT THIS BODY RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL PASSING THE T I D BASED UPON, WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING GOING TO BE PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER ALTER AND, UM, FUENTES WHO APPOINTED ME.
UM, THAT, UM, AND AS I UNDERSTAND THOSE AMENDMENTS, UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WITH THE CURRENT T P D WAS WHILE THE, UM, CONVENTION CENTER IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THEY WERE WORRIED THAT THE AMOUNT THAT WAS BEING GENERATED, THE TRANSFER BACK TO THE CITY WOULD FALL.
AND THAT THEIR PROPOSAL IS TO ALLOW DURING THE PERIOD, WHILE THE, UM, I I SECOND THAT MOTION.
SECONDED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER PEN.
CAN YOU STATE THE MOTION THOUGH, BECAUSE I THOUGHT WITH YOUR DISCUSSION, SO MY, MY, MY AMENDMENT, MY, MY MOTION WOULD BE IS THAT THIS BODY, UH, APPROVED RECOMMENDING TO CITY COUNCIL THE PASSAGE OF THE T JUDGE WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, OFFICER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FUENTES.
UM, AND I CAN DESCRIBE WHAT I, AS I UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE AMENDMENTS ARE.
UM, PLEASE DO COMMISSIONER CHEN.
SO, AS I WAS SAYING, THE CONCERN WAS RAISED AND IT'S RAISED IN THE ARTICLE.
YOU, YOU, YOU CIRCULATED RACHEL THAT WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS DOWN THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH GENERATED TO TRANSFER BACK TO THE CITY.
AND WHAT THE AMENDMENTS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT TO, IS THEY ADD THAT, UM, BUY DOWNS THAT COULD BE USED TO BE TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE CITY TO REIMBURSE THE CITY COULD BE USED TO PAY FOR, UH, NOT JUST THE CONVENTION.
THIS IS JUST DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, COULD BE USED NOT JUST FOR THE, UM, CONVENTION CENTER IN PALMER, BUT ALSO COULD BE USED TO REIMBURSE, UM, OR PAY FOR COSTS THAT THE CITY
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INCURS IN CONNECTION WITH BIG EVENTS SUCH AS A C L SOUTH SOUTH BY ET CETERA.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TANNON.
UM, WE HAVE A SECOND AND WE ALSO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
UH, DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MOTION? UH, COMMISSIONER BAAN? NO.
UM, SEEING NONE, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE PASSING THE TPI AS AMENDED, UH, BY VANESSA FUENTES AND RYAN ALTER.
IS THAT, AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY? OKAY.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR, THOSE OPPOSED, AND I'M ACTUALLY GONNA ABSTAIN ON THIS ONE.
UM, SO MOVING FORWARD, THEN WE'VE GOT, UH, TWO PASS MOTIONS ON THE TABLE, OR RATHER OFF THE TABLE NOW, UM, JUST PASSED THAT HAVE PASSED, RATHER, YES, THAT THEY HAVE PASSED.
I HAVE, UH, ONE MORE MOTION IF IT IS APPROPRIATE.
I WANT I HAND THIS OUT SO EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO HAVE IT IN FRONT OF THEM.
DID YOU OPPOSE THAT LAST ONE? DID I? SORRY, DID YOU OPPOSE THE LAST ONE? I ACTUALLY ABSTAINED.
DO YOU WANT A COPY OF THAT? SO, I, I THINK THAT PEOPLE WILL FIND THIS AGREEABLE.
SO I'M GONNA READ THE MOTION, AND I HOPE I GET A SECOND.
UM, RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL MANDATE ANNUAL MONITORING OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN, IN TERMS OF THE COLLECTION OF FUNDS, THE AMOUNT COLLECTED, AND THE TPIS PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO OTHER TPI DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.
I'LL SECOND AND JUST, UH, LET FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE, UM, HAVE THE RECORD NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER MCGEE MCGEE HAS SECONDED THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.
COMMISSIONER SPEAKING ON THIS.
UM, THE KEY PIT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
IT WILL BOOST LOCAL ARTS, LOCAL MUSEUMS, LOCAL BUSINESS, UH, THAT DE THAT, THAT DEPENDS ON TOURISM DOLLARS.
THE TOURISM COMMISSION SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE T BID TAX IS USED EFFECTIVELY SO THAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN WILL GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT, AND SO THAT IT WILL PROMOTE THE MOST GROWTH TO TOURISM.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUPS WHO HAVE FOUGHT TO HELP GET THE BEST TERMS FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE BUY DOWNS FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT THE CITY AND OUR MANY ADVOCACY GROUPS HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR ARE ACTUALLY SENT TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND TO BE UTILIZED TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
SO, AGAIN, WITH THE MOTION, UH, THE REASONINGS ARE TO UPHOLD ACCOUNTABILITY, TO UPHOLD TRANSPARENCY, TO UPHOLD, UH, MAKING SURE THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT PRUDENTLY.
UH, WE'VE TAKEN ABOUT SEVEN YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT, UH, TO PASS.
UH, AND WE ARE THIS CLOSE TO PASSING A T ID IN THE END.
THIS WILL HELP THE TOURISM COMMISSION AND ALL RELEVANT PARTIES EVALUATE HOW, WHERE, HOW WELL OUR TPI IS WORKING, SO THAT THE CITY AND HOTELS WILL BE HAPPY TO EXTEND THE TPI AT RENEWAL.
WITH THIS, THE CITY AND HOTELS WILL CLEARLY SEE THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF THE TPI GOING FORWARDS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHEEE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? UM, COMMISSIONER TANON.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND THE TPI HERE IS A CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE FORMATION OF THE TPI ID, WHICH SAYS A MINIMUM OF 20% OF THE TPI FUNDS COLLECTED WILL BE REMITTED TO THE CITY.
I FAIL TO SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE MONITORED, UM, OTHER THAN THE 20% GETS TRANSFERRED.
IT'S A REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, IT'S REQUIRED.
UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I JUST, I FEEL LIKE ISN'T THERE ALREADY AN ANNUAL REVIEW ON, ON IT? SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? UH, COMMISSIONER SCHEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? YEAH.
SO THE, THE POINT OF THIS IS TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE TOURISM COMMISSION, UH, FROM THE POINT OF THE VIEW OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT COUNSEL REVIEWS THIS AND REVIEWS THE, UH, HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT ON AN ANNUAL CADENCE.
WHY ARE WE DOING SYMBOLIC THINGS INSTEAD OF DOING THINGS THAT MATTER? UM, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I'M SORRY.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, JUST FOR THE, FOR THE RECORD, DID YOU WANNA REPEAT YOUR COMMENT? I
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MEAN, I, I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE SPIRIT OF IT, IT'S JUST THAT WE CAME TO SEEM TO KEEP MUDDYING THINGS, AND THIS IS ALREADY PART OF THIS TPI DEAL TO REVIEW THIS ANNUALLY.SO, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION ON SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
I I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I JUST CAN ONLY SUPPORT US SUPPORTING THE TPI THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, BEEN WORKED ON, UM, ARDUOUSLY BY, YOU KNOW, ALL STAKEHOLDERS NOW.
AND NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY? YOU HAD A COMMENT? OH, OKAY.
UM, IT'S JUST, JUST A COMMENT.
AM I ON? HELLO? UM, I JUST, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I FIND IT PHENOMENAL.
I WAS EVEN WATCHING THE CHIRON AS YOU SPOKE ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT AND THE WORD TOURISM ABOUT TOURISM, THE IMPACT OF THE TPI ON IMPROVING TOURISM TO THE CITY IS NOT MENTIONED.
AND SO I I ION IT WAS, WELL, LET'S GO BACK AND LOOK.
IT WASN'T TALKING ABOUT TOURISM BUSINESS AND TOURISM REVENUE AND RAISING THE STAKES.
CULTURAL, CULTURAL IMPACT AND USING THE MONEY AND HOW WE SPEND IT FOR CULTURAL, FOR ALL THE CULTURAL AGENCIES THAT ARE LINED UP TO GET IT.
AND I'VE, I JUST CONTINUE TO BE SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT BEING PUT IN TO HOW WE CAN HELP SHIFT DOLLARS FROM THIS PROCESS, WHICH THE HOTELS ARE GONNA DO TO DRIVE MORE VISITORS TO THIS TOWN, PERIOD.
AND I JUST HAVE TO GO ON RECORD AND REMIND THAT TO PEOPLE WHO TUNE IN AND WATCH THIS, WHO THINK THAT MOST OF THIS IS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA SPEND THE TPI DOLLARS AND TELL COUNCIL TO SPEND THE TID DOLLARS AND ALL, AND HOW WE'RE GONNA HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY DON'T SPEND IT A CERTAIN WAY.
COMMISSIONER CHAPPELLE, THANK YOU.
UM, ACTUALLY TOOK IT AS A, A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
UH, MY THINKING WAS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT ALSO PRICING STRATEGIES FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, IF YOU'RE COMPETING IN THE DARK AGAINST FELLOW CITIES, UH, I THINK THAT PUTS YOUR CITY, UH, AT A NEGATIVE ADVANTAGE.
I THINK IT HELPS WITH ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT ALSO RELIES THAT BASIS FOR FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS GOING FORWARD WHEN YOU KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE THE CONTRACT WAS.
I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT THAT I I THINK THIS GROUP SHOULD TALK ABOUT THEM IN TERMS OF HOW THAT IMPACTS BACK TO YOUR POINT ON, ON TOURISM.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT, IT GOES TO SPEAKING HOW CITY COUNCIL SHOULD SPEND THE FUNDS PER THAT CONTRACT THAT'S ALREADY BEING NEGOTIATED.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LOOKED AT THE PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO OTHER TPIS IN OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS.
SO THEY HAVE DONE THAT ANALYSIS AND, UM, HONESTLY, I LOOKED AT THIS AS KIND OF AN, YEAH, I'M A FINANCE PERSON, SO I LOOKED AT IT AS IT'S A AUDITING.
UM, I MEAN, OF COURSE THEY'RE GOING TO AUDIT IT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THEY'RE GETTING LESS THAN WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY DO THEIR JOB, THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
SO THAT'S WHY I FELT LIKE, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS A MOTION TO VOTE ON.
OF COURSE, THEY'RE GONNA AUDIT, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
UM, WELL SORT OF PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER PENOC HAS JUST SAID, AND, UM, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, IF IT'S ALREADY IN THE DEAL THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA MONITOR, THEN I DON'T SEE THIS MOTION AS BEING IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY GONNA DO.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S IN LINE, SO I DON'T SEE IT AS MUDDYING THE WATER.
AND, UH, PIGGYBACKING ON COMMISSIONER, UH, CHAPPELLE, I THINK, UM, HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THIS, THIS IS LOOKING AT, WE, AND YOU'RE CORRECT, THEY DID LOOK AT HOW THE T-BIRD WOULD PERFORM IN OTHER GROUPS, BUT THIS MOTION, AS YOU READ THIS LANGUAGE, IS TALKING ABOUT JUST MONITORING IT AS IT MOVES FORWARD, RIGHT? WE KNOW WHAT THE PERFORMANCE IS SUPPOSED, UH, GONNA PROJECTED, BUT THIS IS JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AS IT MOVES FORWARD, WE DO CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT AND ASSESS IT AND SEE IS IT PERFORMING THE WAY THAT WE ALL HOPED IT PERFORMED? BECAUSE THEN IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S A RENEWAL, WE CAN SEE WHERE THINGS MIGHT NEED TO BE TWEAKED, AND MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE NEXT, UH, TERM OR WHATEVER.
AND I DON'T THINK I KNOW HOW, UM, WE HEARD, UM, COMMISSIONER SHAPEY, UM, IDEAS BEHIND THIS, BUT WHEN YOU READ THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE, THIS DOESN'T EXCLUDE TOURISM AT ALL.
TO COMMISSIONER BAILEY'S POINT, IT SIMPLY SAYS THAT WE AGREE OR RECOMMEND, UM, THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF IT IS MONITORED REGULARLY.
UM, AND WE COMPARE IT TO HOW IT'S PERFORM, YOU KNOW, HOW OUR TID IS PERFORMING COMPARED TO OTHER TPIS IN TEXAS.
IT'S JUST THAT DATA IS USEFUL DATA, RIGHT.
FOR MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
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COMMISSIONER IAN? SORRY, I JUST WANNA COMMENT QUICKLY THAT IT JUST APPEARS LIKE WE'RE TELLING 'EM TO DO THEIR JOB AND HOW TO DO IT.I MEAN,
SO I, I WANT THIS TO BE ABOUT THE, UM, THE CITY'S DOLLARS THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S ALREADY THERE.
AND, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THERE HAS TO BE IN, UM, IN THE T BID LANGUAGE, THERE'S A YEARLY REVIEW OF THIS AND, UM, UH, VISIT AUSTIN WILL BE ADDRESSING CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND GIVING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION THAT IS THERE.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'LL BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE T P WILL COME UP FOR RENEWAL.
AND I'M THINKING THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE, UM, VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
BECAUSE WE ALL REMEMBER FROM WHEN WE HAD DIFFERENT HOMELESS, UM, ADVOCACY GROUPS HERE, WHO, UM, EACH OF THEM USED THE WORDS EVERGREEN.
WE NEED EVERGREEN FUNDING, WHICH I GUESS THAT MEANS OUR TPIS ABOUT TO, TO GET PRETTY EVERGREEN.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPPELLE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I DID THIS APPROPRIATE, UM, TIME, BUT WHAT ABOUT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION TO SET OF THAT, COMPARING DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS? YOU SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE LIKE, CITIES OF SIMILAR, UH, SIZE AND STANDARDS OF WHY COMPARE JUST WITH TEXAS.
UH, THE LEADING PRACTICES AREN'T ONLY IN TEXAS.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO COMPARE DATA OUTSIDE OF TEXAS TO SEE HOW THOSE TWO PITS ARE PERFORMING.
SO BISHOP, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROPOSE A, UM, MODIFICATION TO THE MOTION? I WOULD.
AND WHAT IS THE MODIFIED, UH, TO INCLUDE MOTION, THE, TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE, UH, TO COMPARE RTPE AGAINST, LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY? WOULD IT BE ADDING AND LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY? YEAH.
WE SHOULD BE CARRYING IT, COMPARING IT TO OTHER REGIONALITIES OF THIS SIZE.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TPIS ARE REALLY NOT THAT COMMON OUTSIDE THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I BELIEVE THERE'S TWO OTHER STATES.
UH, IT SHOULD HELP FOR DATA COLLECTION.
UH, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDED, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT THE, THAT THE TOURISM COMMISSION RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL MANDATE ANNUAL MONITORING ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, A TEPID IN TERMS OF THE COLLECTION OF FUNDS, THE AMOUNT COLLECTED, AND THE TPIS PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO OTHER TEPI DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
SO A DISCUSSION, OH, ACTUALLY WE DON'T HAVE TO DISCUSSION ON AMENDMENT.
CAN I JUST STOP YOU FOR A SECOND? YEAH.
SO COMMISSIONER SCHELL HAS PROPOSED ADDING AN AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD BE TO ADD THE WORDS AND LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE US THAT AMENDMENT HAS TO GET A SECOND.
AND WE DISCUSS JUST THAT AMENDMENT PART.
AND IF THAT PASSES, THEN WE GET THE AMENDMENT.
SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO SECOND, UM, THE AMENDED MOTION PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER CHAPPELLE? I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING TO ADD.
UM, WE ACTUALLY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND, OR WE HAVE TO DROP THIS.
THAT MOTION IS AGREEABLE TO ME.
COMMISSIONER SHAPEY, UH, AMENDS SECOND.
THE MOTION ON THE TABLE BY SECONDING.
OR RATHER SECOND THE, THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT SOME OF THE DATA THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO GET, I THINK FROM OTHER CITIES AND IN OTHER STATES, I MEAN, THIS IS FIERCELY COMPETITIVE BUSINESS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT EASY TO GET THIS DATA THAT YOU WANT.
AND IN PARTICULAR WHEN NO ONE IS GONNA WANT TO DIVULGE WHAT OUR PRICING IS AS FAR AS WHAT BUY DOWNS, YOU KNOW, WE DID FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
YOU'RE, WE ARE, WE'RE COMPETING WITH THESE OTHER CITIES.
SO IT'S NOT, I MEAN, THE ONLY REASON I WOULD SAY I, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THET PIT AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE MOVING TOWARDS AN AREA TO WHERE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UM,
[00:45:01]
COMMENTS ON THE AMENDED MOTION? WE'RE, WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT, NOT THE MOTION.SO, UM, ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT? SO, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO VOTE GREG, UH, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER.
FOR THE AMENDMENT? IT'S JUST TO INCLUDE THE AMENDMENT IN THE MOTION.
IT'S NOT FOR VOTING TO APPROVE THE MOTION, CORRECT? IT IS A PROCEDURAL VOTE FOR US TO VOTE ON THE WHOLE MOTION.
CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING? UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPPELLE.
SO, AND BECAUSE TPES ARE RELATIVELY NEW, THIS DOES GIVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE LEADING PRACTICES.
AND SO I THINK, UH, GOING FORWARD, HAVING PRICE TRANSPARENCY IS A BENEFIT AND A STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE CITY COMMISSIONER TANNIN.
WE NEED TO LOOK AS WIDE WITHIN THE COUNTRY AS POSSIBLE 'CAUSE WE'RE A NATIONAL BUSINESS.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, AND I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT, BUT I'M NOT GONNA VOTE TO APPROVE THE MOTION JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T AGREE WITH IT.
SO, ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW IS A VOTE FOR THE AMENDED MOTION, NOT TO APPROVE THE MOTION OR DENY THE MOTION, BUT TO VOTE TO AMEND THE MOTION, RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL MANDATE ANNUAL MONITORING ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AT TEPI IN TERMS OF THE COLLECTION OF FUNDS, THE AMOUNT COLLECTED, AND THE TE'S PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO OTHER TEPI DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THOSE IN FAVOR? SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS A VOTE ON JUST THE LANGUAGE.
JUST THE LANGUAGE AND LIKE CITIES ACROSS THE US RIGHT? UM, SIX IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED, TWO OPPOSED.
UM, ABSTAINING COMMISSIONER PENOC IS ABSTAINING FOR THE RECORD MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT PASSES.
UM, THE AMENDED, THE AMENDED MOTION IS NOW UP FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE VOTING, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BAILEY? I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, HERE WE GO.
UM, THE REASON I VOTED DOWN ON THE LAST VOTE FOR CHANGING THE AMENDMENT IS BECAUSE I CONSEQUENTLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WORD MANDATE FROM THE GET GO THAT WE ARE MANDATING TO COUNSEL WHAT THE, HOW TO NEGOTIATE THIS DEAL.
SO I'M JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT TO THE RECORD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER SHAY, JUST TO ONCE AGAIN, SPEAK ON THE INTENTION OF THIS, IT'S TO UPHOLD ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE, ARE SPENT PRUDENTLY.
AND I THINK THERE IS A NATURE OF, UM, BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE LEAD AS A CITY, UH, RELATIVE TO OTHER CITIES IN, IN, UH, HOW WE ARE, UH, PUTTING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO USE IN, IN THE T BID AND HOW THAT'S PROMOTING TOURISM HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, WOULD REMOVING THE WORD MANDATE FROM THE MOTION CHANGE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS MOTION? WOULD REMOVING THE WORD MANDATE AND REPLACING IT WITH CONSIDERS RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS ANNUAL MODERATE MONITORING, ET CETERA, ET CETERA? WOULD THAT CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MOTION? I, OR COULD YOU CHANGE THE TURN TO IMPLEMENT LIKE, WE'RE NOT MANDATING WHERE YOU IMPLEMENT THE, THE OPERATION PRACTICE? UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHAPPELLE.
I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE YOU TECHNICALLY.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I'M SORRY THAT I'M PROCESSING MY THOUGHT.
UM, I, I, I THINK WE CAN JUST LEAVE IT AS IS BECAUSE I, I FUNDAMENTALLY HAVE CONCERNS ACROSS THE BOARD ON HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS.
SO I, I THINK I'M GONNA END UP VOTING HOW I NEED TO VOTE, SO I DON'T THINK CHANGING IT IS GONNA CHANGE MY POSITION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED AMENDED MOTION ON THE TABLE? SEEING NONE, WE'RE, UH, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD IN VOTING ON THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL MANDATE ANNUAL MONITOR MONITORING ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AT PIT IN TERMS OF THE COLLECTION OF FUNDS, THE AMOUNT COLLECTED, AND THE T PIT'S PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO OTHER TPI DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND LIKE CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
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FIVE.UH, THOSE POSED FOUR WITHOUT A QUORUM.
ANY ADDITIONAL PROPOSED MOTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR PERSPECTIVES WITH REGARD TO THE AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
MOVING ON TO THE AGENDA DISCUSSION, UM, AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE ARTS PROGRAM FUNDING BY GENERATING QUESTIONS FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I'M GONNA PLACE THIS ONE FURTHER DOWN ON THE AGENDA WITH RESPECT TO, UM, OUR VISITOR HERE TODAY, IF THAT, UM, UH, IS PERMITTED BY MY COLLEAGUES.
[6. Community Presentation on Tourism & Philanthropy, Executive Director, Paul Scott, with Health Alliance for Austin Musicians]
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PAUL SCOTT OF THE HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, HIS WORK AND HIS TEAM'S WORK TO PROMOTE THE HEALTH OF AUSTIN MUSICIANS, UH, TOURISM AND BROADER PHILANTHROPY HERE IN AUSTIN.THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, COMMISSIONERS, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, UM, AT HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS HAM, UM, BUT ALSO HOW, UM, REALLY, UM, IT KIND OF CONNECTS WITH THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AS COMMISSION AROUND TOURISM, AND THEN ALSO THAT A LAYER OF KIND OF WHAT PHILANTHROPY MEANS, OBVIOUSLY TO A NONPROFIT, UH, IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AS AN ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO, UM, AS DANIEL MENTIONED, UM, I, UH, COMMISSIONER RONAN HAD MENTIONED, UM, I'M THE C E O OF HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN NONPROFIT WORK FOR ABOUT, UM, NEARLY 30 YEARS NOW.
PREVIOUSLY I WAS WITH AID SERVICES OF AUSTIN AS THEIR C E O HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO BE PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION WHERE OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, UM, UM, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR LOW INCOME WORKING MUSICIANS, AS WELL AS PREVENTION AND WELLNESS SERVICES FOR WORKING MUSICIANS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE A MYRIAD OF, OF SERVICES TO THEM, INCLUDING, UM, ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE, UM, PREMIUM ASSISTANCE, DENTAL CARE, UM, HEARING SERVICES, UM, LOCAL SERVICES, UM, UM, EYE SERVICES, AS WELL AS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE ALSO LAUNCHED, UM, SOME BASIC NEEDS SERVICES FOR MUSICIANS BECAUSE MANY OF OUR MUSICIANS, UM, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING SEVERAL JOBS.
MUSIC MAY NOT BE THEIR PRIMARY, UM, SOURCE OF INCOME, OR IF IT IS, IT'S A, A VERY LOW SOURCE OF INCOME.
UM, MOST OF OUR MUSICIANS EARN LESS THAN $24,000 A YEAR IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE SERVE ABOUT 3,100 MUSICIANS EACH YEAR, OF WHICH, UM, THAT'S, THAT NUMBER IS ABOUT A THIRD OF WHAT WE EX, UM, UM, THINK ARE THE NUMBER OF MUSICIANS, WORKING MUSICIANS IN AUSTIN, WHICH IS AROUND, UM, 9,000.
UM, THE OTHER QUALIFICATIONS FOR OUR SERVICES AT HAM IS YOU HAVE TO BE BELOW 4% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
UM, YOU HAVE TO RESIDE IN, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY OR ONE OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, AND THEN BE A PROFESSIONAL WORKING MUSICIAN AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU, UH, CAN CALL UP THE PRESENTATION, UM, REAL QUICKLY SO I CAN GO INTO THAT AND POINT OF ORDER COMMISSIONERS, YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PRESENTATION IN PAPER FORM, THANKS TO THANK YOU, ADAM.
UH, I MENTIONED MY MISSION EARLIER, AND SO ALSO, UM, WE, SINCE OUR INCEPTIONS IN 2005, WE HAVE SERVED OVER 6,700 MUSICIANS.
AND WITH, UH, OUR PROGRAMMING AND OUR MISSION, WE HAVE BROUGHT IN ABOUT $144 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, UM, INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT FACTORS, INCLUDING TAX CREDITS OF GETTING ONTO THE A C A, UM, AS WELL AS VALUING THE HEALTHCARE AND THAT OUR MEMBERS ACCESS THROUGH, UM, NOT ONLY HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT THROUGH SOME OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, AND THEIR PREMIUM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, OUR MUSICIANS ARE HARDWORKING.
UH, ONE THING WE ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT FOR FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT OUR MUSICIANS ARE FUELING OUR ECONOMY HERE.
UM, IT'S LATE NIGHTS, IT'S HARD ROAD WORK.
UM, UM, I KNOW COMMISSIONER BAILEY IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, UH, WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS WELL WITH, UM, HIS POSITION AT A C L I MOODY THEATER.
AND, UH, WHAT'S INTERESTING THOUGH IS THAT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF MUSICIANS IS ABOUT 25 YEARS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE POPULATION.
AND SO THERE'S SEVERAL STUDIES OUT THERE, UH, THAT HAVE INDICATED THAT BECAUSE OF, UH, THE NATURE OF THE WORK, IT'S, IT'S, UM, CHALLENGING IN TERMS OF CONTINUING
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THAT WORK AS YOU, AS YOU AGE.AND ONE THING WE DO AT HAM, OBVIOUSLY, IS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND OTHER SERVICES.
WE HELP, UM, MAINTAIN KIND OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND GIVE THEM ACCESS TO SERVICES SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, EXTEND THEIR LIFESPAN.
AND SAME TIME EXTENDING, UM, THEIR MUSIC, WHICH AT THE SAME TIME, UM, EXTENDS KIND OF THE, UH, LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL MONIKER OF HONEST, UH, OF AUSTIN, UH, WHICH DRIVES OUR TOURISM, UM, AND BRINGS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO, UM, ATTEND CONCERTS, EVENTS AND OTHER, AND VENUES WHERE LIVE MUSIC IS PLAYING.
UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT LIVE MUSIC, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO SERVE AT HAM, UH, MUSICIANS OF ALL STRIPES, ALL GENRES, ALL UM, AGES.
UM, AND MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT INCLUDES PIANO TEACHERS OR OTHER MUSIC TEACHERS THAT ARE, UH, OR SYMPHONY MEMBERS, UM, THAT ARE, THEY'RE STRUGGLING MAYBE ON THEIR INCOME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND, AND NEED A NEED ASSISTANCE.
ALSO, LIKE MANY OF OUR MUSICIANS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, TYPICAL, UM, CORPORATE BENEFITS SUCH AS LIKE 4 0 1 K, UM, AND OTHER BENEFITS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY THE HAM IS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN OUR MUSICIANS, UH, SO THEY CAN ACCESS TO SOME OF THESE, UM, SERVICES.
UM, AND SO, UH, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE, WE DO A LOT OF WORK AT HAM WITH LEVERAGING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, AND THESE ARE SOME OF OUR KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS HERE THAT WE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS.
WE ACTUALLY WERE, UH, UM, WHEN WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2005, UM, WE ACTUALLY WENT TO ASCENSION SETON.
UM, ROBIN SHIVERS WAS OUR, WAS OUR FOUNDER, AND WE PARTNERED WITH THEIR CHARITABLE CLINIC WHEN WE FIRST STARTED.
AND, UM, AND THEN WITHIN THE YEAR WE WERE SERVING 500 MUSICIANS.
UM, AND THEN OVER TIME WE HAVE BRANCHED OUT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ST.
DAVID'S FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR DENTAL PROGRAM, CENTRAL HEALTH, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL PREMIUM ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS A, A GRANT FOR OUR OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, FOR MUSICIANS OF COLOR.
UM, WE WORK WITH THE Y IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO, UM, UM, EXERCISE AND MEMBERSHIP FOR OUR MUSICIANS TO STAY HEALTHY IN THAT WAY.
UM, SS AUDIOLOGY IS ONE OF OUR LONG-TERM PARTNERS FOR, UM, HEARING SERVICES FOR OUR MEMBERS, AND THEN COMMUNITY CARE IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PARTNERS AS WELL IN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE TO OUR WORKING MUSICIANS.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, WE PROVIDE A WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES, BUT WE ALSO WORK WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, IN VARIOUS WAYS WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, ARTS COMMISSION, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND SO WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AS, AS WE LOOK AT SUPPORTING AND MUSICIANS, UM, IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW, KNOW THAT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR LIVING IN AUSTIN.
AFFORDABILITY, I'M SURE HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AMONGST ALL OF US.
AND WITH THAT, UM, COMES, UH, IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THINGS CONTINUE TO BE AFFORDABLE FOR OUR, OUR MUSICIANS, UM, AND, AND TRYING TO HELP STAY IN AUSTIN, UH, LIVE HERE IN AUSTIN AND WORK HERE IN AUSTIN AS WELL.
UM, JUST YOU, A COUPLE OF QUOTES HERE THAT I GOT SOME SPRINKLED THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
UM, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE LAUNCHED, UM, VACCINE CLINICS AND, UM, A LOT OF OUR MUSICIANS WERE WORKING, UM, BUT THAT THEY HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK.
AND SO, UH, MAMA DUKE WAS ONE OF OUR MEMBERS AND, UH, GOT THE VACCINE THROUGH ONE OF OUR VACCINE CLINICS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, OUR MODEL FIRST IS, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO CARE.
UH, WE LOOK AT AFFORDABILITY, UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE MUSICIANS THAT ARE A LOWER INCOME, UM, ARE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR INSURANCE.
UM, ROUGHLY OUR AVERAGE, UM, OUR MUSICIAN AVERAGE, UM, AVERAGE PAYS ABOUT $94 A MONTH, UH, TOWARDS THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND, UM, WE COVER THE OTHER, UM, PART OF THE PREMIUM THROUGH HAM.
UM, WE ALSO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE THEIR INSURANCE.
ONE INTERESTING THING TO KNOW ABOUT OUR MUSICIANS, UM, UM, I I, I USE MY INSURANCE AND SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
UM, BUT 89% OF OUR MUSICIANS SAY THEY ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO USE THEIR INSURANCE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR TEAM WORKS WITH THEM TO, TO DISCERN, OKAY, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO USE IT? UM, WHAT KIND OF PLAN DO I NEED? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE MY MEDICAL NEEDS COMING UP? AND SO WE WORK REALLY INTENSIVELY WITH OUR MUSICIANS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE THAT COVERAGE TO THEIR BENEFITS.
AND THEN ALSO OUR, OUR FOCUS IS AROUND OUR CULTURAL COMPETENCE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST, UM, UM, SEVERAL YEARS IN PARTICULAR TO DO OUTREACH INTO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AS WE'VE LOOKED AT BOTH THE MUSIC CENSUS, UM, 2015 AND THE MOST RECENT ONE.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE MUSICIANS? UM, NOT ONLY THAT THEY'RE NOT ENGAGING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, UM, SOMETIMES ARE, ARE NOT KIND OF LINKED INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ALSO THERE'S AN ISSUE AROUND UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAM DOES IN TERMS OF, OF THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE HEALTHCARE THAT WE PROVIDE.
EITHER IT'S EITHER ZERO COPAY OR AS I MENTIONED, UP TO $94 ON AVERAGE.
AND SO EDUCATING THEM, EXCUSE ME, EDUCATING THEM ABOUT, UH, THAT OUR SERVICES ARE ACTUALLY FREE AND THAT, OR LOW COST TO THEM, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM INTO CARE
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AND GET THEM INTO OUR SERVICES SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO STAY HERE.UM, WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THEM TO LA WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THEM TO OTHER MUSIC CITIES, UH, THAT THEY MAY BE LOOKING AT THAT MAY HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT, UM, SYSTEMS OF CARE.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT THIS SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL HERE, THIS KIND OF BREAKS IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, NAVIGATION IS, IS A KEY PART OF WHAT WE DO, UM, WITH OUR MUSICIANS, HELPING THEM GO THROUGH AND, AND FIGURE OUT KIND OF WHAT SERVICES THEY NEED, UM, HOW TO APPLY FOR DIFFERENT BENEFITS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE DO PREVENTIONS A LOT OF SCREENINGS FOR MUSICIANS.
UM, YOU KNOW, HEARING SCREENINGS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON FINANCIAL LITERACY, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, P N C BANK.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UM, WE ARE WORKING, UM, HELPING THEM KIND OF DEVELOP BUDGETS AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RUN A BUSINESS.
AND SO THAT WILL BE GOING, UM, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE FINANCIAL HEALTH.
AGAIN, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH OR CRITICAL FOR OUR MUSICIANS.
IT'S NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, THEIR HEALTH, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHERE THEY LIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, EXERCISE, UH, ABOUT, UM, THEIR FOOD, HEALTHY FOOD, UM, AND OTHER OPTIONS AROUND MAKING SURE THEY'RE LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.