[00:00:03]
I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE, UM, MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
IT IS 10:01 AM WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, AND WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED ON 3 0 1, UH, WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, UH, AT CITY HALL MEMBERS.
UH, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, IT'S LABELED NUMBER ONE, IS GONNA BE A PRESENTATION OF DISCUSSION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S FISCAL YEAR 24 25, PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND ITEM TWO, TWO IS TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON AUGUST 1ST.
THE ORDER THAT WE WILL TAKE THOSE UP WILL BE ITEM NUMBER TWO FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER ONE SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT VOTE AND HAVE THAT, UH, OUT OF THE WAY.
UM, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UH, EACH PERSON WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, UH, WHEN WE CALL THEM UP.
UH, AND WE'LL DO THAT SHORTLY BEFORE WE START.
UH, THAT ASPECT OF THE MEETING, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS RUN THROUGH KIND OF THE BUDGET AGENDA FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UH, SOME OF THIS WILL BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS WE, UH, ARE FLEXIBLE ABOUT WHAT ENDS UP DOING THE BEST IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS AND, UH, MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT THIS IS GENERALLY THE AGENDA THAT WE WILL FOLLOW AND ON THE DATES THAT WE WILL FOLLOW.
UH, OF COURSE, TODAY IS JULY 12TH, AND THE CITY MANAGER WILL LAY OUT HIS PROPOSED BUDGET.
TODAY IS ALSO THE DAY THAT WE ARE LAUNCHING THE COUNCIL BUDGET QUESTIONS PROCESS.
THIS IS, UH, SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN ASK QUESTIONS, BUT IT'S A VERY PUBLIC FACING PROCESS.
THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM STAFF, AND THAT WILL BE A CONTINUOUS PROCESS.
ALTHOUGH, UH, AS YOU, AS THE COUNCIL ASKS QUESTIONS, SOMETIMES, UH, THE COUNCIL MAY, A COUNCIL MEMBER MAY END UP ASKING A QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN ANSWERED IN SOME WAY PREVIOUSLY, AND THERE MAY BE A REFERENCE BACK TO THAT.
BUT THE, THE PROCESS WILL BE A CONTINUOUS PROCESS.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, UM, WE'VE, I'VE SENT THAT OUT.
WE'VE SENT THAT OUT IN THE, UH, MESSAGE BOARD POST WEDNESDAY, JULY 24TH.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24TH WILL BE ANOTHER.
WE, WE WILL HAVE A WORK SESSION ON THAT DAY.
THAT WORK SESSION WILL BE ON THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
AND, AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR IS THAT THAT WILL BE A MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION.
IN OTHER WORDS, TODAY, THE BUDGET'S GOING TO GET LAID OUT.
UH, THERE'LL BE THE GENERAL STATEMENTS ABOUT THAT BUDGET, AND THEN IF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SOME SPECIFIC AREA OR QUESTION, THEY CAN ASK THAT QUESTION ON THE 24TH, WE'RE ASKING THAT ON JULY 20, BY JULY 22ND, IF COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD LET STAFF KNOW.
LET THE MANAGER AND THE BUDGET OFFICE KNOW WHAT THOSE QUESTIONS ARE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND SPECIFIC PEOPLE PRESENT.
THE MEETING WILL BEGIN ON JULY 24TH AT 10 O'CLOCK.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BEGIN AT THREE O'CLOCK.
IT WILL NOT BE LIMITED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT CAN BE ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF THE BUDGET, BUT, BUT THAT WILL BE A, A, A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AGAIN, JULY 22ND, IF YOU, IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT YOU WANT TO BE BROUGHT UP RELATED TO THE GENERAL FUND, THEN UM, JULY 24TH, WE WILL HAVE THAT MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION.
TUESDAY, JULY 30TH, WE WILL BEGIN AGAIN AT 10:00 AM THAT WILL BE A MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND CIP.
UM, WE WILL, UH, ASK THAT THERE BE A, A FRIDAY OF THE 20, THE FRIDAY THE 26TH, UH, DEADLINE IF YOU COULD, UH, OF LETTING STAFF, AGAIN, THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE BUDGET OFFICE KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU, YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT.
I'LL ALSO MENTION BY THE WAY, THAT, UH, ON THE 30TH, THERE MAY BE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON THAT DAY, DEPENDING UPON WHERE THINGS ARE WITH REGARD TO THE, THE MANAGER'S WORK ON, UH, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING A POLICE CHIEF.
UH, BUT THAT WILL BE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING SEPARATE FROM WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, THE WORK SESSION ON THE BUDGET.
BUT I MENTIONED THAT JUST FOR SCHEDULING PURPOSES, UM, AND, AND, AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW KIND OF WHERE THINGS ARE THAT THAT'S NOT SET, BUT I, BUT I'LL
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JUST LAY IT OUT THERE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 1ST, IT WILL BE POSTED FOR 10 O'CLOCK, UH, IN THE MORNING, A BEGINNING.UH, AND WE WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND HEAR PUBLIC COM COMMENT ON THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE ON THAT DAY.
WE ARE GOING TO VOTE TODAY TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT.
THAT'S ITEM NUMBER TWO ON OUR AGENDA.
LET ME BRIEFLY SAY, AND I'LL SAY THIS MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE WE GET TO THE END OF ALL THIS, ABOUT THE SETTING OF THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE.
UH, SETTING THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE'S TRUTH AND TAXATION PROCESS IN WHICH A CITY'S GOVERNING BODY, IN THIS CASE, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PUBLICLY DECLARES WHAT MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX RATE IT WILL CONSIDER FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS.
AND IT REQUIRES A VOTE OF THE GOVERNING BODY.
HISTORICALLY, UH, THE CITY HAS SET THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE AT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX RATE THE CITY MAY ADOPT WITHOUT TRIGGERING AN ELECTION.
I JUST WANT TO GET THAT OUT THERE AND EXPLAIN THAT MONDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 2024, UH, THAT THAT IS OUR GOAL DATE OF ALL PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND BUDGET ITEMS FROM COUNCIL, UH, BY SIX O'CLOCK ON AUGUST 5TH.
UH, THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT, UM, WE WOULD HAVE THOSE POSTED, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS BEING SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS AN APPROPRIATION IN THE BUDGET AND IFC BEING AN ITEM THAT, UH, APPROACH, UH, ADDRESSES A POLICY THAT A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WISHES TO BE PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, THE HOPE WOULD BE THAT BY DOING THIS MONDAY, AUGUST 5TH AT SIX O'CLOCK, IT WOULD ALLOW US GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND MORE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THESE AND BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THEM.
AUGUST 6TH IS A DATE THAT IS CURRENTLY SET ASIDE BECAUSE WE MAY NEED THAT DATE, BUT WE ALSO MAY NOT NEED THAT DATE.
AND, AND SO IT IS KIND OF AN OPEN DATE RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF WE WERE TO CANCEL THAT, UH, THAT, AND NOT HAVE A, A MEETING ON THAT, IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW STAFF GREATER TIME TO PREPARE FISCAL ANALYSES OF WHATEVER AMENDMENTS OR IFCS ARE BROUGHT FORWARD.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8TH WILL BE ANOTHER WORK SESSION, AND THAT SESSION IS, THE PURPOSE OF THAT WILL BE SO THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CAN PUBLICLY LAY OUT ANY PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENTS OR BUDGET IFCS, UH, LIKE WE DID, UH, LAST YEAR, AND THAT WORKED VERY WELL.
AND THEN WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 16TH, UH, THAT WILL BE, UH, WHEN WE VOTE ON THE BUDGET, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T NEED ALL THREE OF THOSE DAYS, BUT WE HAVE SET ASIDE THOSE DAYS AS DAYS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2024.
UH, I, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LENGTH OF THAT, BUT IT'S THE, THE FIRST TIME WE GET TO REALLY LAY IT OUT FOR THE PUBLIC, AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE AWARE OF, UM, THAT SITUATION, UH, MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US TO
[2. Set a public hearing to receive and consider public comment on the proposed budget for the City for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. (Suggested date, time, and location: August 1, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, 301 W. Second Street, Austin, Texas).]
ITEM NUMBER TWO.ITEM NUMBER TWO ON OUR AGENDA IS TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE CITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
UH, WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
SO I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
UH, MEMBERS, WHAT I INTEND TO DO IS HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS AND VOTE IMMEDIATELY AFTER ABOUT SETTING THE, THE DATE FOR THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I'LL TURN TO THE YES, COUNCIL MEMBER, FUENTES.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE LAYOUT.
WILL THE DATES AND PUBLIC COMMENT TIME PERIODS THAT YOU LAID OUT WITH ALAVI POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD? YES, THEY, IT IS BEEN PREVIOUSLY POSTED, BUT, BUT MY INTENTION WOULD BE THAT BY THE END OF TODAY, SINCE WE STARTED KICKED IT OFF TODAY, IS TO SET THAT OUT AGAIN, KIND OF THE WAY I SET IT HERE.
SO, YEAH, THANKS FOR ASKING THAT.
ALLISON, THANK YOU FOR LAYING THAT OUT.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION FOR JULY, UH, 24TH FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE GENERALLY TEND TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET HERE UNTIL AFTER FIVE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS, UM, A PROCESS SO THAT FOLKS WHO CAN'T BE HERE BEFORE FIVE ARE ABLE TO SPEAK TO US THAT EVENING? WELL, UM, WE'RE GONNA START AT THREE.
SO MY GUESS IS THAT IT, IT WILL GO AFTER FIVE IF IT LOOKS ANYTHING LIKE LAST TIME.
BUT I'LL, I'LL VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT MAKE THAT WORK.
WE'VE JUST GOTTEN FEEDBACK BEFORE.
YEAH, WELL, THAT'S, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO, UM, ARE WORKING DURING THE DAY TO BE ABLE TO COME AND VISIT WITH US.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE REASON WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TIMES FOR TWO DIFFERENT HEARINGS.
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AT THREE O'CLOCK.IT'S SO THAT IT WILL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LATER IN THE DAY.
AND THE OTHER ONE, UH, THE OTHER HEARING TIME IS AT 10 O'CLOCK.
SO, BUT WE'LL VISIT ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT MAKE THAT BETTER.
ANYTHING ELSE, COUNSEL? GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, I'LL NOW TURN TO THE CITY CLERK FOR, UH, SPEAKERS ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO.
THAT'S THE ONLY SPEAKER WE HAVE FOR ITEM TWO.
UM, MEMBERS, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR AUGUST 1ST, 2024 AT 10:00 AM AT THE AUSTIN CITY, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, THE MAYOR PRO TEM MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER TWO IS ADOPTED.
[1. Presentation and discussion of the City Manager’s Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Proposed Budget.]
TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO IS ASK THE MANAGER TO FIRST, UH, SET OUT WHAT HE FORESEES, UH, FOR THIS MORNING, AND THEN GO TO THE SPEAKERS AND THEN HAVE YOUR STAFF COME UP, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, UH, LET THE SPEAKERS IF THEY, IF THEY NEED TO LEAVE.
BUT I, I THINK IT, IT'S TIME TO TURN IT OVER, UH, TO OUR, OUR NEW MANAGER, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE YOU FEEL NEW ANYMORE.
AND GOOD MORNING, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO MAYOR, UH, WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TODAY, AND ALL THAT WAS INTENDED WAS FOR STAFF TO PROVIDE, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET.
UH, I BELIEVE COUNCIL AND THEIR TEAMS, UH, HAVE RECEIVED, UH, THE FULL COPY OF THE BUDGET, AND I THINK IT IS OUT FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE OUR RECOMMENDATION AND PREFERENCE THAT WE HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS.
AND THEN WE WOULD GET INTO, UH, THE BUDGET PRESENTATION AND SHARE, UH, WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MANAGER.
UM, MADAM CLERK, I'LL TURN TO YOU FOR, UH, HELPING US NAVIGATE THE SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE REMOTE SPEAKERS.
MONICA, CAN YOU PLEASE UNMUTE? BOBBY LEVINSKY.
UM, THIS BOBBY LAVINSKY ATTORNEY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
SOS IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, WHICH RECOMMENDS FUNDING REALLOCATION TO BETTER ADDRESS RESPONSES TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNHOUSED AND ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES THAT MAKE AUSTIN DELIVERABLE AND SUSTAINABLE.
THE CIB REFLECTS CHANGING URGENT NEEDS LINKED TO EXTREME WEATHER, EMERGENCY CLIMATE CHANGE, MITIGATION, AND HOUSING STABILITY.
IN TOTAL, THE CID REFLECTS APPROXIMATELY 5.7% OF AUSTIN'S GENERAL FUND, WHICH QUITE FRANKLY, ONLY SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY IF YOU CONTINUE TO WORK WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN ALLOCATE THE SCRAPS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I HEAR THIS YEAR'S, UM, UM, CHANGE MONEY IS ABOUT $4 MILLION.
UM, THE POWER TO APPROVE THE CITY BUDGET IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL, YET IT'S CONSISTENTLY CONCEDED TO THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
LIKE MANY PROCESSES, THE CURRENT BUDGET PROCESSES, REMNANT OF PATH RESISTANCE TO CHANGE, AND INTOLERANT OF NEW APPROACHES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RYAN ALTER RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED THE WIDE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN COUNCIL PROPEL LAND AND TO THE EXPENDITURES.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COUNCIL POLICY IS NOT OFTEN A STRENGTH OF THE CITY'S BUDGET PROCESS.
THE CONTINUED OPERATIONS OF FAYETTE AND THE RECENTLY APPROVED EXPANSION OF WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT ARE EXAMPLES OF THIS.
THAT WASTEWATER, UH, PROJECT IS THE MAIN DRIVER OF THE WATER RATE INCREASES THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, AUSTIN NEEDS TO INVEST IN PREVENTATIVE POLICY WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO REALIZE LONG-TERM SAVINGS AND CAPITAL COSTS AND RESPONSE COSTS.
THAT TALKING POINT APPLIES TO BOTH CLIMATE RESILIENCY, THE MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
PLEASE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO REIMAGINE THE BUDGET PROCESS AND INVEST IN THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
TOUGH BUDGETS ARE NOT AN EXCUSE TO TURN OUR BACKS ON URGENT NEEDS.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS WE HAVE.
SO I'LL MOVE TO IN PERSON, ROBIN RATHER, CHRIS FLORES,
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KATHY MITCHELL.IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN AND HEAD RIGHT TO THE PODIUM.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER.
UM, I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
IT'S A JOYFUL DAY TO BE ABLE TO SHAPE THIS BUDGET FOR THIS GREAT CITY IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD COME INTO WITH OUR FULL HEARTS, ALL OUR ENERGY, AND WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN PULL OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND PICTURE HOW WE'RE GOING FORWARD.
TWO WORDS ABOUT THIS, BUDGET, CLIMATE, AND EQUITY.
I'M WITH THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ALSO WITH REWILD A TX.
WE FULLY SUPPORT THE CIB, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET, AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE IDEAS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE GROUND UP, ESPECIALLY TO SUPPORT THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US.
WE'VE SPENT MOST OF THE LAST YEAR ON A HOME INITIATIVE THAT I THINK WE CAN AGREE DIVIDED US QUITE A BIT, WAS MORE TENSE AND MORE STRESSFUL THAN WE HOPED, AND PROBABLY HELPS THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY MORE THAN IT HELPS THE REGULAR EVERYDAY PEOPLE THAT NEED OUR HELP THE MOST, I HOPE IN THIS BUDGET THAT WE CAN REALLY FOCUS ON EQUITY AND NOT JUST TALK ABOUT EQUITY, BUT ACTUALLY FUND IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED OVER $1 BILLION OF CLIMATE RELATED SPENDING THAT WE'RE BEHIND ON THE NEXT FIVE YEARS REALLY MATTER.
WE'RE EITHER GONNA SET AUSTIN UP TO BE READY TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE, TO SURVIVE CLIMATE CHANGES, TO BE READY FOR DISASTER RECOVERY, OR WE'RE GONNA KEEP SLEEPWALKING THROUGH IT.
I KNOW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU RAN ON CLIMATE HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO CLIMATE IS CONVICTED, AND SURE THAT WE NEED TO BE DEALING WITH OUR CLIMATE, UH, ISSUES AS A CITY, AS A LEADER AMONG CITIES.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE TO PUT THE MONEY WHERE OUR, OUR, OUR NEEDS ARE AND TO NOT FOOL AROUND AND SLEEPWALK THROUGH CLIMATE ANYMORE.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SEPARATE SECTION OF THIS BUDGET THAT SAYS THESE ARE OUR INVESTMENTS IN CLIMATE MITIGATION, IN VULNERABILITY, IN DISASTER RECOVERY, A SEPARATE SECTION SO WE CAN ALL SEE WHAT ARE WE SPENDING, AND WE SHOULD DO THAT IN ALIGNMENT ACROSS THE CITY, ALL THE NONPROFITS, ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, AND ALL OF Y'ALL.
AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT PROCESS.
CHRIS FLORES, KATHY MITCHELL, AND THEN DANIELLA SILVA.
UM, GOOD MORNING, ELECTED PEOPLE.
MY NAME IS CHRIS FLORES OF DISTRICT 10.
I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY TO PLEAD FOR ADEQUATE FUNDING OF THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS.
BY MAINTENANCE, I MEAN CITY STAFF, THE NUMBER OF FRONTLINE PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTDOORS AND HEAT AND COLD TO PERFORM THE WORK OF GARBAGE COLLECTION, RESTROOM CLEANING, LIFEGUARDING, TENDING TO THE LANDSCAPE NEEDS AND TENDING TO THE LANDSCAPE.
THIS NUMBER OF PEOPLE NEEDS TO INCREASE AND THEY NEED TO BE PAID FULL-TIME SALARIES WITH A LIVING WAGE.
THEY ARE THE STEWARDS OF OUR PUBLIC PARKS FOR TODAY AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, UH, FOR OUR CURRENT CITY POPULATION OF 2 MILLION PLUS 23 MILLION ANNUAL TOURISTS.
I UNDERSTAND FROM LOCAL MEDIA THAT THE CITY IS CONTEMPLATING A ONE TO 2% BUDGET CUT NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF PROJECTED SALES TAX REVENUE BEING DOWN A CUT LIKE THIS WOULD BE REALLY DAMAGING TO OUR PARKS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED IN MAINTENANCE FOR MANY YEARS.
PLEASE DO NOT CUT PARK MAINTENANCE FUNDING.
ALSO, PLEASE ORDER THE CITY MANAGER PARKS BOARD AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVES TO LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO SEARCH THE WORLD FOR A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF PARK FUNDING ALTERNATIVES SO THAT OUR AUSTIN PARKS DO NOT SUFFER ANYMORE FROM CHRONIC NEGLECT.
I FOUND THESE IDEAS FROM GOOGLE SEARCHES, A LOTTERY TO FUND RESTORE VICTORIAN ERA SWIMMING POOLS IN LONDON, A BUBBLE WATER TAX IN PHILADELPHIA, A SALES TAX IN SAN ANTONIO, TOURISM TAXES IN SPAIN AND THE NETHERLANDS.
KATHY MITCHELL, DANIELLA SILVA, KAYLA REESE.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT THAT PROCESS
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HAS VERY MUCH ALREADY BEGUN.UH, YOU'VE BEEN VERY GRACIOUS AT LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ITEMS THAT CAME TOGETHER AS A RESULT OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET THAT IS A MULTI LONG MULTI-MONTH LONG PROCESS WHERE DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS DECIDE TO COME TO YOU WITH A SINGLE LIST THAT WE BELIEVE YOU SHOULD FUND IN FULL.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BASELINE BUDGET.
UH, I WANTED TO CALL OUT ONE QUESTION AT THIS MOMENT, HAVING NOW ONLY JUST OPENED THE BUDGET FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I HATE TO STAND HERE WITHOUT THE, WITH SO LITTLE INFORMATION, BUT WHAT I NOTICED IS THAT THERE IS AN, IT LOOKS LIKE ROUGHLY $18 MILLION INCREASE IN THE POLICE BUDGET, AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A CHANGES PAGE ON THE POLICE BUDGET, UH, SECTION THAT ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR 6 MILLION OF THAT.
SO THERE IS AN UNACCOUNTED FOR ROUGHLY $12 MILLION INCREASE TO THE POLICE BUDGET THAT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DISCUSS AND GIVE US MORE DETAIL ABOUT SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THAT A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES LIKE OUR CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN, OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET AND AS WELL, UH, MANY OF THE SAFETY INITIATIVES HOPEFULLY THAT, UH, FOLKS LIKE ALLISON ALTER HAVE BEEN LEADING ON ALL THIS TIME.
UH, AND THE ALTERNATIVE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONDERS THAT I KNOW YOU ALL BROADLY SUPPORT.
SO, UH, THAT'LL BE IT FOR TODAY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M THE ADVOCACY MANAGER WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, UM, AND I WANTED TO THANK Y'ALL.
FOUR YEAR ALL'S INTEREST IN THE PARKS IN THE CITY.
WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE IN THE CITY RELIES ON THE PARKS.
UM, AND AS ANOTHER SPEAKER HAS SAID THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LACKING ABOUT 20 POSITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS.
UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKS ACROSS THE CITY, AND EVERYONE RELIES ON THE PARKS WITHOUT, UM, SUFFICIENT STAFF FOR MOWING, TRASH PICKUP, GENERAL CARE OF OUR PARKS.
UM, WE WILL NOTICE THAT WORSENING CONDITION ACROSS THE CITY, AUSTINITES EXPECT THE CITY AUSTIN MAINTAINED FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WE RELY ON AND WITHOUT THESE 20 POSITIONS, THAT'S 16 FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND FOUR FOR HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS.
UM, WE WILL SEE WORSENING CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, THIS PARKS DEPARTMENT REQUEST IS ALSO IN THE, THE CIB, UM, AS WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT LETTER THAT AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS ABOUT 16 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SENT TO, UH, THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER.
SO WE HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER THESE REQUESTS AND WE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EQUITY, WE LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ACROSS THE CITY, UM, AND THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT IS NOT OVERLOOKED IN THAT.
CHAS MOORE, ROBERT ALLEN, ANDY BROWER.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, COME ON DOWN AND HEAD TO THE PODIUM.
IF SHE CALLS YOUR NAME, EVEN IF THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU DOESN'T COME DOWN, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND IF THERE'S AN O EMPTY PODIUM, IT'S ALL YOURS.
I'M THE NEIGHBORS PROGRAM MANAGER AT CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
I'M ALSO THE CO-LEAD FOR THE HOMELESS ADVOCACY PROJECT, AND I'VE SUBMITTED POLICY PRO PROPOSALS FOR YOUR REVIEW BACK IN MAY THAT WERE BACKED BY THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION, THE TRINITY CENTER, AUSTIN MUTUAL AID, AND SEVERAL CHURCHES.
UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET YET, BUT MY TESTIMONY TODAY IS ABOUT MY HOPE FOR WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO INVEST AND SPEND PRIORITIZE ON HOMELESSNESS IN THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE 6,000 PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE HOMELESS IN OUR CITY.
UM, THAT INCLUDES 1300 CHILDREN THAT WERE ASSESSED AS HOMELESS IN 2023.
FAMILY HOMELESSNESS IS THE FASTEST GROWING SUBPOPULATION OF HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN, AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR SHELTERS ARE FULL.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FAMILY SHELTERS FOR OUR CHILDREN.
I WAS A FOSTER PARENT TO A TEEN GIRL IN 2019, AND SHE HAD BEEN HOMELESS AND HAD TO ASK FOR MONEY FOR FOOD AND SLEEP IN PARKS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A LASTING IMPACT.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA LEAVE THIS PROBLEM UNADDRESSED AND HAVE A POPULATION OF CHILDREN THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE TRAUMA OF HOMELESSNESS.
I WANNA READ TO YOU THREE EMAILS THAT I'VE RECEIVED IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS FROM FAMILIES WHO ARE DESPERATE FOR HELP.
[00:25:01]
WHO HAS FOUR CHILDREN AND ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN OUR, IN THEIR CAR.THEY ARE ALREADY ON THE WAIT LIST FOR THE SALVATION ARMY FAMILY SHELTER MAY 15TH AFTER THE, THIS IS A DIFFERENT FAMILY.
AFTER THE FAMILY BECAME DISPLACED, THE MOTHER MISSED DAYS OF WORK AND HER EMPLOYER TERMINATED HER.
THE SON IS NOW LIVING WITH A MOTHER IN THEIR CAR, MAY 17TH.
I'M WORKING WITH A 61-YEAR-OLD CLIENT WHO HAS SINCE BEEN SLEEPING OUTSIDE NEAR TWO 90 AND CAMERON WHILE RECOVERING FROM SURGERY.
ALL SHELTERS ARE CURRENTLY FULL.
TURNING FAMILIES WITH KIDS AWAY SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I HOPE DOING THE MINIMUM, OPENING A NEW SHELTER FOR FAMILIES OR ALLOCATING FUNDS TO THE SALVATION ARMY OR SAFE TO, UH, ADD AT LEAST A HUNDRED BEDS FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
THE MARSHALING YARD IS SET TO CLOSE IN MARCH OF 2025, BUT WE'VE NOT FOUND ANY PLACE TO REPLACE IT.
SO WE PUT A NEW 300 BED SHELTER OUT THERE, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT AWAY.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR OR RIGHT FOR A PROBLEM THAT'S INCREASING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I HOPE THERE'S MONEY TO FIND A NEW PLACE TO SHELTER VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND TO TAKE CARE OF THESE NEEDS.
IT WE SHOULDN'T GO BACKWARDS ON OUR RESOURCES.
THE CAMPING BAN, YES, WE HAVE A CAMPING BAN, BUT STILL PEOPLE ARE CAMPING AND THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO KEEP CAMPING BECAUSE HOW CAN THEY NOT? IF THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO AND THE SHELTERS ARE FULL, WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? SO I PUT FORTH A PROPOSAL TO CREATE A SAFE OUTDOOR SPACES PROGRAM LIKE THEY HAVE IN DENVER AND ARIZONA AND MONTANA AND MINNEAPOLIS THAT RECOGNIZES THE REALITY OF THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO SLEEP IN IN TENTS.
IF I MAY, COULD THE SPEAKER CONTINUE HER THOUGHT? I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING THE REMAINDER OF HER, OF HER TESTIMONY.
HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU HAVE? BECAUSE WE TYPICALLY DON'T, WE, WE'VE NOW EXTENDED TO THREE MINUTES, MINUTES 30 SECONDS.
UM, IF WE, WE COULD, WE COULD IGNORE THE PROBLEM AND KEEP MOVING PEOPLE AND THROWING AWAY THEIR THINGS, OR WE CAN CREATE A PLACE THAT'S ORDERLY WITH ACCESS TO SERVICES AND REDUCE CRIME LIKE THEY DID IN DENVER, HELP BUSINESS OWNERS AND HELP PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
UM, THE FINAL ISSUE IS THAT THERE WE HAVE NO PLAN FOR OUR HOMELESSNESS SPENDING.
WE HAVE NO PLAN THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING.
AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, THE FUNDING IS NOT GOING TO BE SPENT WISELY.
UM, WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON A LOT OF THINGS AND WE'RE NOT DOING IT WELL.
SO I ASK THAT WE REQUIRE A PLAN BY THE END OF 2024 TO DEFINE WHAT IS OUR ROLE IN HOMELESSNESS.
AND WHAT IS THE MINIMUM WE SHOULD DO ON THIS PROBLEM? THANK YOU.
CHAZ MOORE, ROBERT ALLEN, SUSAN SPATARO.
I'M A DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENT.
I'M ALSO ONE OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.
I'M ALSO A PARENT OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT, AND SO TODAY, I'M, UH, I'VE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED WITH SOME OF THE WORK WITH THE CIB.
I'M COMING TODAY TO ENCOURAGE ALL COUNSELORS AND THE MAYOR IF THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN IT A VERY IN-DEPTH LOOK TO PLEASE DO.
THERE'S SO MUCH AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, SO MUCH CRITICAL WORK IN THERE.
UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE FOOD PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND THE PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, THOSE ARE TWO LINE ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE EASY FOR EVERYONE TO GET BEHIND BECAUSE WE ALL EAT AND WE ALL CAN RECOGNIZE EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE KIDS, THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT FAMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE THOSE RESOURCES EARLY AND OFTEN.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LOOK CRITICALLY AT THOSE.
I'M HAPPY TO BE A RESOURCE TO YOUR STAFF IF YOU HAVE ANY HESITATIONS OR RESERVATIONS OR QUESTIONS.
SUSAN SPATARO, AND THEN SCOTT COBB.
GOOD MORNING COUNSEL AND THANK YOU CITY MANAGER FOR YOUR FIRST BUDGET.
MS. PETAR, IF YOU'LL MOVE THAT MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH, I THINK IT'LL BE HELPFUL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TO LOOK AT THE PERSPECTIVE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN WHO CAN'T BE HERE TODAY THAT ARE PAYING TAXES AND PROVIDING THE MONEY FOR THIS ORGANIZATION TO GO FORWARD.
AND OFTEN THEY'RE NOT EVEN TALKED ABOUT.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT, BUT THEN THERE'S THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
AND SO I THINK THEY NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.
ONE THING I THINK THAT IS OFTEN CONFUSED IS RENTERS DON'T THINK THEY PAY PROPERTY TAXES.
AND OF COURSE THEY DO BECAUSE THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING OFTEN PASS THOSE TAXES ON TO THE RENTERS, WHETHER THEY'RE COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL.
SO EVERYONE NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE LEVEL OF TAXES.
YOU KNOW, THE MEDIA REPORTS THAT 70% OF THE POPULATION LIVES PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU GET YOUR PAYCHECK AND YOU PAY YOUR LIVING EXPENSES AND THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.
SO WHEN IN FACT, THE GOVERNMENT COMES IN WITH A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE OR MORE, OR, OR FEES, FAMILIES DON'T HAVE MANY FAM, 72%
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DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT.SO WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY CUT BACK, THEY REPRIORITIZE IF THEY'RE GONNA GO ON VACATION, CAN'T GO.
UM, AFTER ALL OF THAT'S GONE, THEN THEY'RE CUTTING DOWN ON THE FOOD THEY HAVE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AND WE KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING HERE BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSE TO THE FOOD BANK.
SO I ASK YOU TO REALLY CONSIDER THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE MARGINALLY GETTING ALONG AND TO LOOK AT THIS BUDGET LIKE A FAMILY LOOKS AT THEIR BUDGET.
UM, THE, UM, THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION I WOULD HAVE, AND IN THE OLD DAYS, I USED TO SAY, CALL IT STICK TO YOUR KNITTING.
AND THAT IS, LOOK AT THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE YOUR STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITY AND PRIORITIZE THOSE.
AND ON THE TOP OF THAT HAS TO BE PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH ROADS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.
WHEN, WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT WATER AND KIND OF AN ESOTERIC F UH, FRAMEWORK, I'M HORRIFIED WHEN I SEE THE NUMBER OF GALLONS THAT ARE BEING WASTED BECAUSE OF BROKEN LINES OR DEFECTIVE THINGS.
WE OUGHT TO BE DEALING WITH THAT.
SO I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
PLEASE EVALUATE PROGRAMS, REORGANIZE OR ELIMINATE THOSE THAT ARE NOT EFFECTIVE.
AND I DON'T AGREE WITH CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, SOME PROGRAMS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS.
JUST LIKE IN IN YOUR YOUR FAMILY, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO FEED YOUR FAMILY THAN TO GO ON A VACATION.
WELL, IT'S THE SAME THING HERE, SO PLEASE DO THAT.
THE OTHER SUGGESTION I WOULD HAVE IS FOLLOW THE LAW.
AND I'VE TESTIFIED ON THIS BEFORE BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO BE LITIGATING ALL THE TIME.
AND I HOPE YOU, YOU LOOK AT THAT AND DECIDE THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU WANT TO GO.
ONE PROBABLY CONTROVERSIAL SUGGESTION WOULD BE, UM, YOU'RE CONSIDERING A 4.5% IN, UM, INCREASE IN WAGES.
AND MAYBE WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK IS ONLY FOR THOSE THAT COME TO WORK.
CITY COUNCIL, UH, CITY MANAGER.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT AND ALSO, UH, AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET COALITION.
UM, YOU WERE PROBABLY NOT SURPRISED AND YOU WERE PROBABLY NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT THE COALITION PUT TOGETHER AS RECOMMENDATIONS AS MANY OF THEM ARE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING YEAR AFTER YEAR TO GET INTO THE BASELINE BUDGET SO THAT PEOPLE WHOSE JOBS RELY ON THIS FUNDING OR FOLKS WHOSE SERVICES RELY ON THIS FUNDING DON'T HAVE TO BE CONCERNED NEXT YEAR.
MAYBE IT'LL BE CUT AND WE WON'T HAVE THESE JOBS OR WE WON'T HAVE THESE SERVICES.
UM, WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT Y'ALL SAW THIS COMING.
EVERYBODY WINS AND GOES HOME HAPPY IN THE CASE THAT THAT ISN'T A REALITY.
WHAT I'M REALLY HOPING THAT OUR NEW CITY MANAGER LOOKS AT CITY STAFF AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE OUR CITY TAX DOLLARS, THE DOLLARS THAT WE ARE ALL PAYING FOR OUR AMAZING CITY TO ACTUALLY GO TOWARDS THE EXISTING NEEDS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES ARE LETTING YOU KNOW EXISTS.
SO LETTING YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
UM, SO MANY OF THESE ARE WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH IS COMMUNITY SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WITH HOUSING, WITH FOOD SECURITY, WITH EDUCATION FOR OUR KIDS.
WHAT COMMUNITY IS NOT CALLING FOR IS MORE MONEY TO GO INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LEGISLATIVE, UM, BILL THAT WAS PASSED THAT SAYS WE CAN NEVER LOW IT ONCE WE INCREASE THAT BUDGET.
UM, SO WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO YOU AS OUR LEADERS TO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY, TO SHOW US THAT YOU ARE HERE, THAT YOU'RE LISTENING, THAT YOU STAND FOR US.
OUR MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, THEY COME TO US WITH ISSUES OF WAGE THEFT, WHICH WITH ISSUES FIGURING OUT HOW THAT THEY, THEY CAN BE SAFE AND SUPPORTED IN AUSTIN.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT THERE IS NOT ALWAYS ENOUGH LEGAL SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE CASES THAT COME TO US.
AND SO ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE COM, ON THE COALITION'S BUDGET IS THE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, A NEED FOR THAT.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE WAY OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IS GOING, THERE WILL PROBABLY BE AN INCREASED NEED FOR THAT.
AND AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE, NOT ONLY ACROSS AUSTIN, BUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, ARE REALLY AFRAID FOR WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN, UM, IN OUR STATE, IN OUR COUNTRY IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO Y'ALL AS OUR ELECTEDS TO SHOW US THAT YOU ARE HERE FOR US, THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO US, UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT THIS BUDGET, UM, PRESENTATION IS GOING TO TELL US TO SHOW UP AT YOUR TOWN HALLS, UM, AND TO TAKE
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MEETINGS WITH YOU.UM, WE, OF COURSE, ANYONE FROM THE COALITION, BUT I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UM, AND TO WORK WITH Y'ALL.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND MY MAIN PRIORITY, UH, SEVERAL ON THIS BUDGET, I HAVEN'T READ IT, MAYBE IT'S ALREADY IN THERE, IS AN INCREASE IN THE LIVING WAGE.
I'VE MET WITH CITY MANAGER, BROAD NECK, SO, AND TALKED ABOUT REACHING THAT $22 AN HOUR GOAL.
AND, UH, LIFEGUARDS THIS YEAR, WEIRDLY HAVE TAKEN A PAY CUT.
LAST YEAR WE HAD $950 IN BONUSES AVAILABLE TO US.
THEY WERE ELIMINATED OVER 400 HOURS IN THE SUMMER.
THAT AMOUNTS TO $2 AND 37 CENTS.
EVEN IF YOU INCLUDE THE 80 CENT RAISE, IT WAS STILL CUT BY A DOLLAR AND 57 CENTS OVER THE SUMMER.
SO I HOPE THIS YEAR WE GET TO 22, WE SEE A RAISE FOR THE LIFEGUARDS NEXT SUMMER.
THOSE BONUSES THAT WERE IN PLACE LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT AMOUNTED TO UP TO $2 AND 37 CENTS EXTRA SHOULD BE INCORPORATED AS A RESTRUCTURED PAY RATE.
UH, SO THAT THERE'S A STEP INCREASE AS EACH YEAR THAT LIFEGUARDS COME BACK.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S A TWO STEP PROCESS.
AFTER ONE YEAR YOU GET A RAISE, BUT AFTER THAT IT'S NOTHING.
YOU NEED LIFEGUARDS TO COME BACK FIVE, SIX YEARS.
THEY NEED TO HAVE A STEP INCREASE.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT BILINGUAL PAY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GO TO OUR POOLS WHO DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AS THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE AND SOME PEOPLE NOT AT ALL.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE BILINGUAL PAY STIPENDS TO LIFEGUARDS.
THERE ARE SOME WHO DO SPEAK SECOND LANGUAGES, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALLOCATED AT THE PROPER POOLS AND THEY DO NOT GET BILINGUAL PAY.
EVEN THOUGH REGULAR LIFE REGULAR EMPLOYEES DO, THIS IS AN EQUITY ISSUE.
PEOPLE WHO COME TO OUR CITY OR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE POOLS, SPEAK TO A STAFF IN A LANGUAGE THAT THIS, THEY SPEAK AT HOME AND HAVE SOMEONE AT THE POOL WHO CAN SPEAK BACK TO THEM IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
I'VE RESCUED PEOPLE WHO I CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH.
I'VE HAD TO CALL OVER A ANOTHER LIFEGUARD TO HELP ME.
IT'S VERY INEXPENSIVE TO EXTEND BILINGUAL PAY STIPENDS TO LIFEGUARDS.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR CONTACTING ME LAST YEAR AFTER I SPOKE ABOUT THE SITUATION OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF LIFEGUARDS, I HAVE TRIED TO PUSH THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS.
FINALLY, I BELIEVE THAT HRD IS TAKING IT SERIOUSLY AND REDRAFTING THE POLICY TO PROTECT THOSE 15, 16, 17, 18, 19-YEAR-OLD TEENAGE LIFEGUARDS.
THANK YOU FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT H GIVE YOUR THANK YOU SIR.
MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE CALLED BACK IN, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THEIR NAMES.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA GO AUSTIN V. AUSTIN.
WHILE THE PROPOSED FISCAL 25 BUDGET WAS JUST POSTED AND WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT PRIOR TO SPEAKING THIS MORNING, WE CAN SAY THIS, IN ORDER TO HAVE AND MAINTAIN AN EQUITABLE BUDGET AS WELL AS AN ECONOMICALLY STABLE AUSTIN COUNCIL NEEDS TO ENSURE A MORE ROBUST BUDGET THAT PROTECTS VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND MINIMIZES DISPLACEMENT BY STABILIZING OUR COMMUNITY.
WE URGE YOU TO PUT AUSTIN BACK ON COURSE FOR EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY.
INCREASE YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, STARTING WITH BY INVESTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT, THE WORKFORCE BEHIND THE WORKFORCE.
FOOD ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY OWNED FOOD RETAIL INITIATIVE, FUNDING FOR PARKS AND RECREATION STAFFING NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH POOLS AND SPLASH BEDS, AND INCREASING MAINTENANCE OF THESE FACILITIES.
AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES STAFFING NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASING USE AS COOLING SHELTERS AND OTHER HEAT MITIGATION MEASURES IN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE RUNDBERG COMMUNITY IN ST.
JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCE HUBS WITH THE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS, WITH ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITIES ADJACENT TO THOSE
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RESILIENCE HUBS, EXPANSION OF THE FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANTS, AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.MANY OF THESE ITEMS ADDRESS THE CRISES OF TODAY, EXTREME WEATHER EMERGENCIES AND MOVE TO THE SYSTEMS OF THE FUTURE THAT WILL MITIGATE CRISES AND MAKE OUR CITY CLIMATE FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE.
FULL DETAILS ARE IN GAVA CITY OF AUSTIN, FISCAL 2025.
BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS EMAILED TO YOU YESTERDAY.
GAVA ALSO SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET AND ITS PRIORITIES.
INVESTMENT IN THE CIB PRIORITIES WILL ALSO MOVE AUSTIN IN THE DIRECTION OF A MORE EQUITABLE BUDGET.
MANY OF THOSE PRIORITIES WILL RELIEVE POLICE OF TASKS THEY DO NOT NEED TO DO AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO, LIKE RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT FUNDING OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN INITIATIVES BRINGS US THE CRIME REDUCTION IN SOCIAL SAFETYNESS TO TRULY KEEP US SAFE.
THIS IS YASIN SMITH, VICE PRESIDENT OF JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY FOR THE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE.
UH, WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, UH, BUDGET COALITION.
UM, AND WE ARE HERE LIKE WE ARE HERE EVERY YEAR AND SOMETIMES A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR, UM, TO ONCE AGAIN ADVOCATE FOR THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES OF OUR TAXPAYER MONEY.
AUSTIN DOES NOT NEED AN AUSTERITY BUDGET.
WHAT WE NEED IS A CITY PREPARED TO USE OUR HARD EARNED TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON THE PRIORITIES THAT UNITE PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY.
LIKE ASSISTANCE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE FUNCTIONING PARKS, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, THE RIGHT FIRST RESPONDERS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CRISES, AND LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO AN EFFECTIVE INCLEMENT WEATHER ECOSYSTEM THAT REFLECTS THE UTMOST RESPECT OF HUMANITY AND LIVED EXPERIENCE.
THESE PROGRAMS WORK, THEY STABILIZE FAMILIES AND HELP PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
IT'S TIME TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS.
IT'S TIME TO BE THE AUSTIN AUSTINITES DESERVE TO THE COUNCIL AND TO OUR MAYOR.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE REGISTERED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR EVERYBODY THAT TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK TO US.
UM, MANAGER, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING AGAIN TO YOU AND THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
I AM PLEASED TO SHARE THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE NEW APPROACH FOR OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE TAKING A MORE LONG TERM APPROACH BY PROVIDING A TWO YEAR VIEW OF THE CITY'S BUDGET.
THUS, YOU WILL NOT ONLY BE PRESENTED OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2025, BUT ALSO AN OUTLOOK FOR A PLAN FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
BEFORE I BEGIN, LET ME THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE EFFORT IN GETTING TO THIS POINT.
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, FINANCIAL STAFF ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEMBERS, AND ESPECIALLY OUR BUDGET TEAM IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION LED BY CARRIE LANG.
THIS WAS TRULY A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET IS FOCUSED ON THREE THEMES, AUSTIN FOCUSED, FRONTLINE FOCUSED, AND FUTURE FOCUSED.
WE ARE PROVIDE PRI PRIORITIZING INVESTMENTS THAT REFLECT THE PRINCIPLES OF THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, STRIVES TO BE LIVABLE, AFFORDABLE, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT, AND WELCOMING.
WE ARE IMPROVING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AUSTIN, TONIGHT'S NEED AND EXPECT THAT KEEP OUR CITY SAFE, CLEAN, AND ATTRACTIVE, AND A DYNAMIC PLACE TO LIVE.
WE ARE MANAGING FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY THROUGH STRATEGIC FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP, INCLUDING MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT RESERVES.
WE ARE CONTINUING INVESTMENTS IN GENERATIONAL PROJECTS.
VITALLY IMPORTANT TO AUSTIN'S FUTURE SUCCESS, SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, INCLUDING THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT, THE AIRPORT EXPANSION, MAJOR PROJECTS BY AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET MAKES A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN CITY EMPLOYEES.
OUR MOST ESSENTIAL RESOURCE CIVILIAN WAGE INCREASES ARE PROPOSED AT 4%.
WE ARE INCREASING THE LIVING WAGE FROM $20 AND 82 CENTS PER HOUR TO $21 AND 63 CENTS PER HOUR, AND A PLANNED ACHIEVEMENT OF $22 PER HOUR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
[00:45:01]
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER.INCOME LIMITS ARE BEING INCREASED TO ALLOW MORE EMPLOYEES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THERE IS FURTHER EXPANSION OF OUR PAID PATERNITY LEAVE FOR NON-SWORN EMPLOYEES EXTENDING PAID LEAVE FROM 10 WEEKS TO 12 WEEKS ANNUALLY.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A TAX RATE OF 0.4493, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 0.35 CENTS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
THE TYPICAL AUSTIN HOMEOWNER WILL STILL SEE A 5.7% OVERALL INCREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL, THE EQUIVALENT OF AN ADDITIONAL $8 AND 52 CENTS PER MONTH, OR $102 AND 26 CENTS A YEAR.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO ED, CARRIE AND ERIC, UH, FOR A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET, I WANNA STRESS THE IMPORTANCE FOR CONTINUED FISCAL DISCIPLINE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A PLANNED YEAR, BOTH THE PROPOSED 2025 AND THE PLANNED 2026 BUDGETS ARE BALANCED.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU, AS WE CONTINUE TOWARDS THE BUDGET ADOPTION LATER IN AUGUST, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS FISCALLY SOUND.
HOWEVER, WE MUST REMAIN COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THE STATE IMPOSED CAPS ON PROPERTY TAX REVENUES WILL CONTINUE TO POSE A FINANCIAL CHALLENGE FOR US IN FUTURE YEARS WITH BUDGET DEFICITS PROJECTED FOR THE LATER YEARS OF OUR FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
SO AS WE PROCEED THROUGH THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS THIS YEAR, IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THESE REALITIES IN MIND AS WE SEEK TO BALANCE THE FUNDING PRIORITIES OF THE PRESENT BASED ON AND GUIDED BY THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP OVER THE COMING WEEKS.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET WE'LL BE FINALIZED THAT ACCOMPLISHES THIS TASK.
AND SO I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ED KERRY AND ERIC FOR THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M KERRY LANG, THE BUDGET OFFICER FOR THE CITY, AND I'LL JUMP RIGHT ON INTO THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH, UM, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE AGENDA.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
WE'LL GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR ALL FUNDS FOR THE CITY'S OPERATING BUDGET, AND THEN WE'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND HIGHLIGHTS.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A OVERVIEW OF OUR ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS, TALK ABOUT OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, AND THEN GO THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS FOR, UM, THE BUDGET DELIBERATIONS AND ADOPTION PROCESS.
SO TODAY WE ARE, UM, PRES, WE ARE PRESENTING THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN, UM, GIVEN THE LINK IS ONLINE, AS WELL AS THIS PRESENTATION FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE, UM, AS AND UM, ON THE 24TH, AS THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED, WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL BEGIN OUR, UM, WORK SESSIONS WITH COUNCIL.
UM, WE WILL HAVE MORE WORK SESSIONS ON AUGUST 1ST, AUGUST 6TH AND EIGHTH.
UM, AND THEN THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET AUGUST 14TH THROUGH 16TH FOR THE NEW BUDGET YEAR ON OCTOBER 1ST.
SO AS WE BEGIN TALKING ABOUT THE ALL FUNDS, UM, WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT OUR OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE CITY, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS $5.9 BILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
THAT IS A FIVE YEAR A 5% INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
OUR CITY, CITY-OWNED UTILITIES ARE OUR LARGEST OPERATING BUDGET AT MAKING UP 41% OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET, FOLLOWED BY OUR GENERAL FUND AT 23%.
THEN WE HAVE OUR SMALLER ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WILL DISCUSS LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION.
OUR DEBT SERVICE AND ENTERPRISE IN INTERNAL OPERATIONS FUNDS ARE THE OTHER FUNDS THAT YOU SEE IN OUR ALL FUNDS LISTED ON THIS SLIDE.
MOVING FORWARD TO THE CITYWIDE COST DRIVERS THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION AND THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING BOTH OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND THE FOR FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 PLANNED BUDGET.
THE COUNCIL WILL BE APPROPRIATING AND APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
HOWEVER, BY SHOWING THE PLANNED YEAR IN GREATER DETAIL, IT ALLOWS FOR A SMOOTHER PLANNING CYCLE FOR THE COMING YEARS.
AS WE LOOK AT OUR CITYWIDE COST DRIVERS, THESE ARE OUR BASELINE COST DRIVERS THAT IMPACT ALL FUNDS ACROSS THE CITY.
OUR CITY CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN WILL INCREASE 10% EACH YEAR, BUT THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IN EITHER YEAR.
WE ARE PROPOSING A 4% WAGE INCREASE FOR CIVILIAN
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EMPLOYEES IN FISCAL YEAR 25, AND WE ARE ALSO, UH, PROPOSING A INCREASE TO THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM BY 1% TO 10% BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF 2025.WE ARE ALSO PLANNING A 3% INCREASE TO THE BASE WAGES FOR OUR CIVILIANS IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
A CITYWIDE MARKET STUDY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN MID FISCAL YEAR 24 WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THERE ARE VARIOUS OTHER MARKET STUDIES THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN FISCAL YEAR 26, AND ONCE THOSE ARE CONDUCTED BY OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WE WILL ANALYZE THE, UH, COST RELATED TO THOSE MARKET STUDIES AND IMPLEMENT THE, THE DOLLARS NEEDED FOR THAT.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, LIVING WAGE WILL BE INCREASED TO $21 AND 63 CENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 25 TO REFLECT THE SAME 4% INCREASE, UM, THAT THE CIVILIANS RECEIVE FOR LIVING WAGE FOR, UM, THEIR WAGE INCREASES.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE 4% A A 3% INCREASE, EXCUSE ME, IN FISCAL YEAR 26 TO LIVING WAGE THAT WILL GET THE LIVING WAGE TO $22 AND 28 CENTS.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING GOAL TO MANAGE THE CITYWIDE VACANCY RATE.
WITH THAT, WE ARE WORKING TO ADJUST DEPARTMENT'S BUDGETS TO, UM, REFLECT THE SUCCESSFUL HIRING WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE BUDGETS.
FOUR POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED BASED ON THE CITYWIDE REVIEW OF VACANCIES THAT HAVE BEEN OLDER THAN TWO YEARS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE VACANCIES THAT HAVE BEEN O THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR LONGER THAN TWO YEARS IN THE COMING YEARS AS WE CONTINUE TO SCRUB THE BUDGETS YEAR OVER YEAR.
MOVING FORWARD TO GENERAL FUND HIGHLIGHTS, THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 IS $1.4 BILLION.
WE NOW HAVE 12 DEPARTMENTS IN THE GENERAL FUND WITH THE CREATION OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY FUNCTIONS COMPRISE OF POLICE FIRE AND EMS. THEY MAKE UP 63.6% OF THE BUDGET ARE $900.6 MILLION OF THE GENERAL FUND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, LIBRARY PARKS AND RECREATION ANIMAL SERVICES, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND OUR SOCIAL SERVICES HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE AND MUNICIPAL COURT MAKE UP THE 28.4% OR $402.1 MILLION OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN FORENSIC SCIENCE HOUSING PLANNING, THEY ROUND OUT THE REMAINING 2.8% OR 38.7 MILLION OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THE INCREASE TO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS 61.3 MILLION WHEN COMPARED TO THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
THE PRIMARY COST DRIVERS FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, THAT 4% INCREASE WAGE INCREASE IS 10.1 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THE 3% INCREASE THAT IS PLANNED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 IS 6.6 MILLION.
THE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE THAT 10% CITY CONTRIBUTION IS 4.3 MILLION IN 25 IS 4.7 MILLION IN 26 CITYWIDE MARKET STUDIES THAT ARE PLANNED IS 2.5 MILLION IN 25.
BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE CITYWIDE MARKET STUDIES FOR 26, WE'LL HAVE THAT DOLLAR OR THAT VALUE AVAILABLE ONCE WE CONTINUE THAT.
ONCE HRD COM COMPLETES THOSE MARKET STUDIES AND WE'LL HAVE TO UPDATE THOSE NUMBERS ONCE WE FINISH THE PLANNED YEAR.
AND THEN THE CITYWIDE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, THAT IS THE, UM, THE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANNED FOR 25, BUT WE WILL HAVE THE 800,000 THAT WE NEED TO PAY IN 26 FOR THE LEGACY CONTRIBUTION AND THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR THE, UM, RETIREMENT SYSTEMS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THE OTHER COST DRIVERS THAT IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND INCLUDE THE SUPPORT SERVICES ALLOCATIONS.
UM, OUR, ALL OF OUR INTERNAL SERVICES ALLOCATIONS TRANSFER.
SO OUR SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, OUR BUILDING SERVICES AND COMMUNITY COMMUNITY, EXCUSE ME, COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, CTECH, UM, OUR FLEET MANAGEMENT, THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR ALLOCATIONS THAT GO ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THESE, THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE IMPACT OF THOSE INTERNAL SERVICES ALLOCATIONS TO THE GENERAL FUND, AS YOU WILL SEE IS 9.4 MILLION IN THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR OUR SUPPORT SERVICES.
UM, CTEC HAS A $3.3 MILLION AND THAT SUPPORTS OUR, UM, OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FUNCTIONS.
THE OTHER ALLOCATIONS, INCLUDING 3 1 1 FUEL AND FLEET MAINTENANCE, THAT'S A $2.9 MILLION ALLOCATION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THIS TRANSFER TO THE BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE FUND, THAT WAS A
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TRANSFER THAT WE DID IN FISCAL YEAR 24 THAT WE'RE BACKING OUT THAT 18 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 25.WE DID THAT IN 24 TO MEET THAT 17% RESERVE.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SWORN EMPLOYEES, UM, FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN EMS 2.7 MILLION FOR THE 4% WAGE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT THAT IS IN PLACE, THEY WILL RECEIVE A 3% INCREASE.
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A $4.2 MILLION INCREASE FOR THE 2,500 LUMP SUM, UM, PAYMENT THAT EACH EMPLOYEE RECEIVE.
EACH SWORN EMPLOYEE RECEIVES IN JANUARY 25 BASED ON THE FEBRUARY, 2023 ORDINANCE THAT WAS, UM, SIGNED BY COUNSEL AND, UM, THEY ALSO WILL RECEIVE A 2.8 MILLION.
WE, THE CITY ALSO PAYS A 2.8 MILLION INCREMENTAL COST FOR THE LEGAL LIABILITY PAYMENT TO THE POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN THE POLICE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
THE, THE, UM, LEGACY PAYMENT IS ALSO A $1.3 MILLION PAYMENT.
WE ARE STILL IN ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE, WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION.
AND SO THAT PAYMENT IS STILL AT THE FUND LEVEL.
THAT AMOUNT HAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO THE POLICE BUDGET.
THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS A 4% WAGE INCREASE TO THEIR, UM, SWORN EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S A $5.8 MILLION INCREASE BASED ON THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT.
WE PLAN TO BEGIN, UM, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRE ASSOCIATION BEGINNING IN SPRING OF 2025 AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT IMPACT TO BEGIN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET SWORN HEALTH INSURANCE.
THAT'S ALL A PART OF THAT 10% INCREASE, BUT THE, THE SWORN IMPACT IS $5.6 MILLION INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 26 AND, UM, $6.2 MILLION INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 20, EXCUSE ME, 5.6% INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 6.2 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
I'M STILL GETTING USED TO THE PROPOSED PLANNED YEAR TWO.
THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NEW INVESTMENTS OR SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE INVESTMENTS IN BY DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE KIND OF GROUPED THEM IN IN, UM, SERVICE AREAS.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THEY WILL BE OPENING UP THE NEW COLONY PARK POOL, UM, AND THE REBUILDING THE REBUILD, UH, AND RENOVATED GIBBS POOL AS WELL AS THE EXPANSION OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
THIS IS $1.5 MILLION OF ONGOING FUNDING AS WELL AS SIX NEW FTES THAT WILL BE PARTIALLY FUNDED IN FISCAL YEAR 25 AND $740,000 OF ONE-TIME FUNDS TO OPEN UP THESE FACILITIES.
PARKS AND RECREATION WILL ALSO BE RECEIVING, UM, $500,000 FOR STORAGE COSTS AS WELL AS, UH, VARIOUS OTHER, UM, FUNDING FOR, UM, BOARDING AND MATERIAL COSTS FOR THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS, AS WELL AS ONE-TIME FUNDING.
UM, AND THE ANIMAL SERVICE CENTER FOR BOARDING SERVICES FOR, UM, THEIR ANIMALS SUPPLEMENTAL BOARDING FOR THEIR ANIMALS.
THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE, BE, WILL BE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL OR INCREASED, EXCUSE ME, THE AN AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE RECEIVING INCREASED FUNDING FOR MATERIALS AS WELL AS ANNUALIZED FUNDING FOR POSITIONS THEY RECEIVED IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
SO THESE SLIDES IN PARTICULAR ARE SHOWING THE ANNUALIZED COSTS FOR THE POSITIONS THEY RECEIVED IN FISCAL YEAR 24 TO SHOW THAT THOSE ARE ONGOING COSTS FOR, UM, POSITIONS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THIS YEAR.
AND WE KEEP THOSE, THOSE, THOSE COSTS OR THOSE, UM, INVESTMENTS ONGOING FOR IN THE BASE BUDGET FOR THE COMING YEARS IN HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING AND HEALTH.
WITH THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE, I BELONG IN AUSTIN TENANT STABILIZATION AND EVICTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AT A LEVEL OF $3.6 MILLION OF ONGOING FUNDING.
THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE 400,000 OF ONGOING FUNDING AND ADDITIONAL $2.7 MILLION OF FUNDING THROUGH VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING THE CDBG CARRYOVER AND WATERSHED PROTECTION.
HAS, UM, SOME ONGOING OR SOME ONE TIME CONTRACTING COSTS TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 26.
AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ANNUALIZED
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COSTS FOR SEVEN POSITIONS RECEIVED FROM THE OPENING OF THE DOVE SPRINGS PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY, WHICH OPENED THIS FISCAL YEAR.AND THEN THERE ARE ONE-TIME COSTS, ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR THE FURNISHING OF THE FAMILY VIOLENCE SHELTER.
IN PLANNING AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THERE IS ONE TIME FUNDING TO IS INCLUDED FOR THE BOND DEVELOPMENT AND CONSULTING TO ASSIST THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITH PREPARATION FOR FUTURE BONDS.
$700,000 IS INCLUDED IN ONE-TIME FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY BRAND INITIATIVE LED BY OUR CORPORATE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE.
A CARRY FORWARD OF $370,000 OF THE $1.1 MILLION THAT WAS APPROPRIATED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR IS PRO IS PROPOSED TO COMPLETE THE QUALITY OF LIFE STUDIES LED BY THE EQUITY OFFICE.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS RECEIVING $590,000 FOR THE ANNUALIZED COST OF 11 POSITIONS RECEIVED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET, AS WELL AS A CONTRACT DOLLARS FOR CONSULTING SERVICES AND $150,000 OF ONE-TIME DOLLARS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE UPDATE OF THE IMAGINE AUSTIN ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS FOR THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IN REGARDS TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE, OUR CANYON CREEK FIRE AND EMS STATION WILL OPEN IN JANUARY OF 2025.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES PARTIAL FUNDING FOR 28 SWORN POSITIONS FOR THESE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS ONE-TIME FUNDING TO OPEN UP THE STATION.
IN FISCAL YEAR 24, EMS RECEIVED 10 UNFUNDED POSITIONS FOR THE COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER FUNDED FROM.
THESE FUNDING FOR THESE POSITIONS ARE ADDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS THE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT WITH CENTRAL HEALTH THAT WILL PARTIALLY OFFSET THE COST OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE PROPOSING A $1.1 MILLION INCREASE IN THE EMS BUDGET TO FUND THESE 10 POSITIONS THROUGH THE ONE-TIME FUNDS.
THE UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL RECEIVE BREATHING, UH, REPLACEMENT BREATHING APPARATUS AT $3.8 MILLION EMS WILL RECEIVE MONITORS, STRETCHERS, VENTILATORS, AND RADIOS AT A COST OF $2.6 MILLION.
IN ADDITION, THERE'S AN ANNUALIZED COST RELATED TO THE OPENING OF THE GOODNIGHT RANCH STATION AND THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION STUDY AS WELL AS THE FORENSIC CAREER PROGRESSION PLAN AND INCREASED COST RELATED TO EMS MEDICAL SUPPLIES AT A COST OF $1.6 MILLION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE AN INCREASE OF $2.4 MILLION RELATED TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT IS $9.9 MILLION IN, IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
UM, THE CONTRACT IS ALSO ADDING, UM, COUNCIL AT FIRST APPEARANCE.
THAT'S THE 827,000 INCREASE IN TWO POSITIONS FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT DEPARTMENT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO INCREASING 570,000 TO ANNUALIZE.
THE COST OF THE 11 POSITIONS ADDED IN 24 BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COURT CROW REPORT AS WELL AS $350,000 OF ONE TIME, UM, FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CITATION SYSTEM.
THIS PROPOSED BUDGET DOES ACHIEVE THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY.
UM, ENDING FISCAL YEAR 25 AT A 17% RESERVE.
$29.5 MILLION WAS BUDGETED IN ONE TIME SPENDING OF THE BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE FUND, INCLUDING $4 MILLION, A $4 MILLION PLACEHOLDER FOR COUNCIL INITIATIVES.
WE HAVE PLANNED THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A $4 MILLION PLACEHOLDER FOR COUNCIL INITIATIVES.
I'M COMING GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS MADE UP OF FOUR MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES.
PROPERTY TAX ARE MOST STABLE AT 41%, GENERATING $666.6 MILLION.
OUR SECOND LARGEST IS, AND MOST VOLATILE IS SALES TAX AT 26.6 MILLION, EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME, AT 26.6%, $383.6 MILLION, FOLLOWED BY A UTILITY TRANSFERS AND OTHER REVENUE, WHICH INCLUDES INTEREST, FRANCHISE FEES, AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES, AS WELL
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AS FRANCHISE, AS FRANCHISE FEES AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES.SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY TAX, OUR PROP, OUR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE IS 44.93 CENTS.
OUR O AND M RATE IS 28 POINT 20 POINT 27 CENTS.
PROJECT CONNECT CONTINUES TO BE A PART OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE AT 7.42 CENTS.
OUR DEBT RATE 9.24 CENTS, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR DEBT RATE HAS INCREASED COMPARED TO RECENT, UM, PREVIOUS YEARS.
OUR DEBT RATE INCREASED BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF, UH, BOND ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD AS OUR, AS OUR GO BONDS CONTINUE TO GROW.
AS WE'RE CONTINUE TO, UH, PUSH FORWARD OUR, OUR, UH, PS AND WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD OUR, OUR CIP PROJECTS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE OUR GEO, OUR BOND RATE, OUR DEBT RATE GO UP.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR PROPOSED DEBT RATE, AND OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE OVERALL IS AT FOUR FOUR POINT, EXCUSE ME, 44.93 CENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
IT'S PLANNED AND PROJECTED TO BE AT 45.28 CENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
SO, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY TAXES AND THIS IMPACT ON OUR, UM, TAX BILL, CITY COUNCIL DID INCREASE THE, UH, SENIOR AND DISABLED EXEMPTION TO $154,000 IN MAY.
OVER 70,000, 70% OF HOMESTEADS HAVE REMAINING ACCRUED TAX LIMITATION VALUE.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RESIDENTIAL MARKET, THE VALUE ACTUALLY DECLINED YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO HOMESTEADS CAN HAVE THEIR ASSESSED VALUE GO UP BY 10% EACH YEAR.
SO AS PEOPLE'S, UM, VALUE GOES UP BECAUSE THEIR TAX VALUE IS, HAS NOT REACHED THAT VALUE, THEY CAN STILL SEE THEIR ASSESSED TAX VALUE GO UP, EVEN THOUGH THEIR MARKET VALUE MAY GO DOWN.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE SENIOR HOMESTEAD VALUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, THEY WILL SEE A INCREASE OF, UM, EXCUSE ME, THE NON-HOMESTEAD VALUE WILL SEE AN INCREASE OF 5.7% OR $102 ANNUAL INCREASE.
THE SENIOR HOMESTEAD WILL SEE $1 OR 0.1% INCREASE FOR FISCAL, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
THIS NEXT SLIDE COMPARES THE CITY TO OTHER, UH, THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
AND YOU WILL SEE THAT, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 21, THAT THAT BIG INCLINE OR INCREASE REPRESENTS, UM, PROJECT CONNECT.
THAT'S WHEN PROJECT CONNECT WAS ADDED TO THE, THE TAX RATE.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE DECLINE THAT STARTED GOING DOWN BACK IN 23.
AND WE IN 20 FISCAL YEAR 24, WE ARE SHOWING THAT WE ARE, HOW WE COMPARE TO OTHER, UH, CITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
WE HAVE THE HIGHEST MEDIUM INCOME AT THE MOMENT.
UM, BUT, BUT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE, UH, CITY OF FORT WORTH, FORT WORTH, THEIR INCOMES ARE GROWING FASTER THAN OURS.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE HOW THIS TREND CONTINUES YEAR OVER YEAR AS THEIR MEDIUM INCOME RISES FASTER THAN OURS COMPARED TO, UM, OUR, OUR TAX BILL AND OUR TAX RATE MOVING FORWARD TO SALES TAX.
THIS, THIS CHART, OR THIS CHART SHOWS THE TRENDS OF OUR SALES TAX OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS AND PROJECTS OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FORCE FORECAST PERIOD.
WE'VE VOTED WELL RELATIVELY, WE'VE VOTED RELATIVELY WELL EVEN DURING DOWNTOWN DOWNTURNS.
WE HAVE QUICKLY REBOUNDED WITH SALES TAX AS WE PRINT OUT THIS ESTIMATE, A 2.9 YEAR END, UM, AND A 4% GROWTH FOR FISCAL YEAR.
AND THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD WAS WHAT WE HAVE ESTIMATED THROUGH EIGHT PAYMENTS FISCAL YEAR.
24 YEAR TO DATE GROWTH IS 2.6%, 8.2 MILLION BELOW BUDGET CURRENT COLLECTIONS, UM, WHICH EXCLUDE ADJUSTMENTS SHOW YEAR TO DATE GROWTH AT 2.4.
THE JULY PAYMENT RECEIVED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 9TH, RIGHT AFTER BUDGET WENT TO PRINT WAS 0.4% GROWTH.
OVERALL, 0.0% IN THE CURRENT, IT REDUCED OUR ESTIMATE BY $1 MILLION AND IT REDUCED OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 PROPOSED REVENUE BY $1.1 MILLION.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REEVALUATE AFTER OUR AUGUST PAYMENT AND, UM, LOOK AT WHAT OUR RECEIPT OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RECERTIFICATION IS TO
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PRESENT A STAFFED AMENDMENT ON OUR REVENUE BASED ON THE AUGUST SALES TAX, BASED ON OUR RECERTIFICATION NUMBERS TO SEE WHAT CHANGES WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE TO OUR OVERALL REVENUE, UM, AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT REVENUE.THE CITY RECEIVES A UTILITY TRANSFER FROM AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER.
OUR AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSFER IS CALCULATED BASED ON 11.6% OF THREE YEAR AVERAGE OF NONE.
AUSTIN WATER IS BASED ON 8.2% OF GROSS REVENUE THREE YEAR AVERAGE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 PROPOSED, IT'S $125 MILLION IN, UM, FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, 52.4 FOR AUSTIN WATER FOR 26 IS 133 FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, 54.4 FOR AUSTIN WATER.
AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT, THOSE TRANSFERS, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE HISTORY OF THE TRANSFERS AND WHERE WE, UM, SEE THEM GROWING OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD AND HOW THEY COMPARE TO THE REVENUE, UM, THE TOTAL REVENUE THAT THE CITY RECEIVES.
AND THIS CHART REALLY SHOWS HOW THE CITY RELIES OR IS GOING TO BEGIN TO RELY MORE ON OUR UTILITY TRANSFERS AS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE, UM, CONSTRAINTS BECAUSE OF SB TWO AND THE PROPERTY TAX, UH, CAP THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS FORECAST PERIOD, THE UTILITY TRANSFER BECOMES A LARGER PART OF OUR, UH, SOURCE OF REVENUE YEAR OVER YEAR, AND IT GROWS TO 13.5% BY THE END OF THIS FORECAST PERIOD.
OUR OTHER REVENUE IS, UM, WE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OTHER REVENUE, WHICH INCLUDES INTEREST, UM, OUR TELECOMMUNICATION GAS, OUR EMS CHARGES FOR SERVICES, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY LICENSES, FINES AND FEES AND RECREATION CHARGES FOR SERVICES.
THE ELEVATED INTEREST RATES, UM, IS WHAT WE SEE IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND FISCAL YEAR 24.
THAT'S WHY WE SEE THIS JUMP THAT YOU, THAT YOU SEE IN 23 AND 24.
AND THEN WE ESTIMATE THAT THOSE RATES WILL GO BACK DOWN, UM, BEGINNING IN 25.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE IT LEVEL OFF IN THE OUT YEARS.
MANY OF THE OTHER RATES ARE CHARGES FOR FINES AND FEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE RELATIVELY FLAT, AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE MUCH OF A CHANGE IN THE, IN THE, UM, REMAINDER OF THE OUT YEARS FOR THE REST OF OUR OTHER FEES.
AND SO THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS, UM, OUR, OUR FORECAST PERIOD, OUR OUR REVENUE GROWTH VERSUS OUR EXPENDITURE GROWTH.
AND WE SHOW THIS CHART AT THE END OF THE GENERAL FUND CONVERSATION EACH YEAR, UM, PARTICULARLY AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, OR AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THE IMPACT OF SB TWO ON THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT A BALANCED FISCAL YEAR AND FI FISCAL YEAR 25 AND FISCAL YEAR 26, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE, THE PLANNED YEAR AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED YEAR.
UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW YOU THE TWO YEARS.
UM, BUT BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR FORECAST, WE ARE ANTICIPATING $11.2 MILLION DEFICIT.
AND, UM, AS I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ALL, THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE IS HOW DO WE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS FORECAST PERIOD, AS WE'RE MAKING THESE, HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, AS FOR A PROPOSED BUDGET OR BUDGET DECISIONS THAT WE ARE, UM, MAKING SURE WE ARE CREATING A BUDGET THAT GIVES US LONG TERM, UM, STRUCTURE, FINANCIAL STRUCTURE AS A CITY.
AND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE AS WE CONTINUE THIS BUDGET DELIBERATIONS AND FINALIZING THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25.
THAT IS THE INTER THAT IS THE GENERAL FUND CONVERSATION.
DO YOU WANT TO PAUSE OR DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE TO GO? WHY DON'T YOU FINISH YOUR PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL ALLOW FOR QUESTIONS MOVING FORWARD TO ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE EIGHT ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS STARTING WITH AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL CLOSE ITS MAIN FACILITY IN MARCH, BUT MAINTAIN OPERATIONS AT PALMER EVENT CENTER AND THE PARKING GARAGE.
THE CLOSURE WILL CAUSE AN $11.6 MILLION OR 8.2% NET DECREASE IN EXPENDITURES FOR THE DEPARTMENT IN 25.
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ALTHOUGH THE CLOSURE WILL ALSO RESULT IN A DECREASE IN EVENT REVENUE OF ABOUT 4.2 MILLION.HOTEL OCCUPANCY REVENUE IS EXPECTED TO GROW 11.7% OVER THE FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET, BUT 2% OVER THE CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE SUSTAINED GROWTH OF THIS REVENUE SOURCE POST COVID, THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THE 11% HOT TAX ALSO SUPPORTS THE GENERAL, THE CULTURAL ARTS, THE, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE TOURISM AND PROMOT PROMOTION FUND.
IN ADDITION TO THE CONVENTION CENTER FUNDS, THE HOTEL, THE HOTEL, UM, OCCUPANCY REVENUE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE PERHAPS AT A SLOWER RATE, BUDGETED AT 1% FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
THE CONVENTION CENTER REQUIREMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE IN FISCAL YEAR 26 UNTIL THEY REOPEN IN FISCAL YEAR 28.
AUSTIN ENERGY, THE CITY'S LARGEST OPERATING DEPARTMENT, HAS A $1.85 BILLION BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH IS A 4.2% INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
AUSTIN ENERGY IS TRANSFERRING 11.6 OF ITS NON POWER SUPPLY REVENUE TO THE GENERAL FUND IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ADDING 9 MILLION TO THEIR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, INCREASING THE INVESTMENT TO 29 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THEY'RE ADDING 22 NEW POSITIONS.
18 ARE CONVERTING CONTRACT EMPLOYEES TO PERMANENT POSITIONS.
THE REMAINING FOUR ARE SUPPORT POSITIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO TRANSFERRING 11 POSITIONS TO THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN A CITYWIDE REORGANIZATION TO CONSOLIDATE REAL ESTATE AND REDEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS AND ONE POSITION TO MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO OVERSEE THE CITYWIDE MENTOR PROGRAM.
AE IS ALSO INCREASING ITS BASE RATE BY 2% IN FISCAL YEAR 25, ANTICIPATING AN ADDITIONAL 35.1 MILLION IN OTHER REVENUE, INCLUDING A FEMA REIMBURSEMENT FOR WINTER STORM.
AND MARA, IN FISCAL YEAR 26 AE PLANS AN ADDITIONAL 2% BASE RATE INCREASE, A 2.6% INCREASE IN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING 10, 10 NEW POSITIONS AND $8 MILLION INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER.
AE HAS APPROPRIATED $1.75 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE AUSTIN INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY.
THIS PROGRAM WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THE DEPARTMENT IS CONTINUING TO WORK ON ITS MULTI-YEAR PLAN TO RE REESTABLISH COMPLIANCE WITH ITS FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR ITS RESERVES AND DAYS CASH ON HAND WITH A GOAL TO REACH COMPLIANCE BY THE END OF THIS FORECAST PERIOD.
AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS PROPOSING A $134.5 MILLION TOTAL REQUIREMENT IN FISCAL YEAR 25, A 6.6% INCREASE OVER FISCAL YEAR 24.
THE DEPARTMENT IS INCREASING ITS CAPACITY THROUGH TEMPORARIES EMPLOYEES AND ADDING OVERTIME, AS WELL AS NINE NEW POSITIONS TO SUPPORT HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAM AND VARIOUS OTHER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THREE NEW POSITIONS FOR THE FURNITURE REUSE WAREHOUSE SCHEDULED TO REOPEN IN 2025.
THAT WILL REDISTRIBUTE PER FURNITURE TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THOSE WHO ARE, UM, RECENTLY LEAVING HOMELESSNESS.
THESE NINE POSITIONS WILL TOTAL $825,000.
THERE'S ALSO $370,000 INCLUDED FOR A STUDY ON WASTE CHARACTERIZATION.
A RR WILL INCREASE 6.9% FOR THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THE DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATE $134.6 MILLION IN REVENUE IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THERE WILL BE A FOUR 7.1% INCREASE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS THEY ADD 17 NEW POSITIONS, THEIR RATES WILL INCREASE AN ADDITIONAL 5.7%.
THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT HAS A, THEY'RE PROPOSING A 21.4% INCREASE TO $371.4 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UM, THEIR INCREASES PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR TRANSFERS TO, UH, THEIR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
THE DEPARTMENT IS EXPERIENCING INCREASED OPERATING COSTS, UM, BECAUSE THEIR EFFORTS OF HIRING HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO THEY'VE SEEN A, UH, DECREASE IN THEIR VACANCY SAVINGS RATES.
THEIR VACANCY RATES HAS REDUCED, HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 40% TO 19%.
SO THEY'VE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR HIRING EFFORTS.
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UM, AVIATION CONTINUES TO SEE REVENUE GROWTH AS THE PASSENGER EMPLOYMENT CONTINUES TO GROW.THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PLANNED YEAR REFLECTS THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN REQUIREMENTS AND REVENUE.
THEIR TRANSFER TO THEIR CAPITAL FUND CONTINUES TO INCREASE FISCAL YEAR, UH, 20 FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED HAS A 88.5 MILLION TRANSFER TO THEIR CAPITAL, AND THEY PLAN TO INCREASE TO A HUNDRED 0.3 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THE AUSTIN WATER DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS A 3.7% INCREASE TO THEIR BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 25 TO 768.6 MILLION.
THEY'RE ADDING 29 NEW POSITIONS TO SUPPORT SEVERAL FUNCTIONS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE MY A TX WATER DIFFERENT OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES.
THEIR LIFT STA THEIR LIFT STATIONS, UM, THEY'RE, UM, TRANSFERRING IN TO THE GENERAL FUND IS INCREASING 3.4 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF 52.4 MILLION.
IN FISCAL YEAR 25, THEY APPROPRIATE 3.25 MILLION TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY, WHICH AGAIN WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AUSTIN WATER PLANS TO PROPOSE, UH, A SERVICE RATES PRIOR.
THEY, THEY'RE PROPOSING CHANGES TO THE SERVICE RATES PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET TO IMPLEMENT RECENTLY, UH, COMPLETED COST OF SERVICE STUDY.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS A 7.2 RATE INCREASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
IN FISCAL YEAR 26, THEY ANTICIPATE AN ADDITIONAL 9.2% INCREASE AND ARE ADDING 36 NEW POSITIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT.
IN FISCAL YEAR 23 OR IN 2023, AUSTIN CODE AND DEVELOPMENT WERE COMBINED INTO ONE DEPARTMENT.
THESE TWO FUNCTIONS ARE SUPPORTED BY TWO SEPARATE FEE STRUCTURES.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE INCREASING AND, AND, AND PRIMARILY DUE TO THE INCREASED BASE COST DRIVERS FOR THE CODE.
DIVISION CODE IS SUPPORTED BY THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE AND IS ADDING 10 NEW POSITIONS ADDRESSING ILLEGAL DUMPING.
THE REPEATED OFFENDER PROGRAM AND CODE CONNECT THE CODE PORTION OF THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE WILL REMAIN FLAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND ANTICIPATES A 5% INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIVISION IS EXPERIENCING CONTRACTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY THAT IS DECIMATING THEIR REVENUE.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ACTIVELY IN A HIRING FREEZE FOR THE FUND AND IS ELIMINATING 20 POSITIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 25, AS WELL AS REDUCING CONTRACTUAL AND COMMODITY SPENDING TO REFLECT THE REDUCED ACTIVITY.
DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP IS DEVELOPING A PLAN TO RIGHT SIZE OPERATIONS AND WORK ON CREATING A NIMBLE ORGANIZATION THAT CAN CONTRACT AND GROW WITH THE INDUSTRY DEMANDS.
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS IS PROPOSING A NET OVERALL REDUCTION IN FISCAL YEAR 25 DUE TO A REDUCTION IN THEIR TRANSFER OUT TO CIP.
THE DEPARTMENT IS PROPOSING 22 NEW FTES FOR PARKING ENFORCEMENT, CONCRETE, PREPARE AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INSPECTION SERVICES AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONING SUPPORT FUNCTIONS TOTALING 1.7 MILLION.
TPW IS ANTICIPATE 9.2 NET INCREASE IN REVENUE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING AN 8.7% INCREASE TO THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE AND AN, UH, RIGHT OF WAY AND PERMITTING REVENUE IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE DUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT SLOWDOWN IN THE AREA.
THE DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATES A 5% INCREASE WITH 10 NEW POSITIONS AND A 7.4% FEE INCREASE.
THE WATERSHED PROTECTION ANTICIPATES A 6.9% GROWTH IN FISCAL YEAR 25 TO 122.4 MILLION WITH NO CHANGES TO THEIR FTE COUNT.
THE INCREASE IS PRIMARILY DUE TO COST OF SERVICES RELATED TO CONTRACTING INCREASES, AS WELL AS, UH, CONTRACTING INCREASES AROUND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TESTING AND CONSULTING SERVICES INCREASES TO STAFFING COSTS, UM, AND INCREASED HIRING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE DEPARTMENT.
THE DEPARTMENT IS INCREASING THE DRAINAGE, THE DRAINAGE USER FEE, 9.9% IN FISCAL YEAR 25 TO 13.28.
IN FISCAL YEAR 26, THE DEPARTMENT WILL ADD EIGHT NEW POSITIONS AND INCREASE THE FEE 4.8%.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE, UM, FEE CHANGES AND RATE CHANGES, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX BILL CHANGE, THIS IS HOW WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMPACT TO THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER.
THIS CHART HERE SHOWS ALL OF THOSE CHANGES ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, INCLUDING THE PROPERTY
[01:25:01]
TAX BILL, AND IT SHOWS A 5.4% RATE CHANGE FOR THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER 5.4 5.4% TOTALS $22 AND 70 CENTS PER MONTH FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 FOR THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER, AN ADDITIONAL $23 AND 15 CENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 FOR THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER CAPITAL BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS.SO OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 SPENDING PLAN INCLUDES A $2.2 BILLION PLAN, UM, IS PROJECTED TO BE ALMOST 40% HIGHER THAN OUR FISCAL YEAR 24 PLAN SPEND.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE, THE INCREASED SPENDING AT AVIATION AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR EXPANSION, AS WELL AS THE CONVENTION CENTER BEGINNING THE EXPANSION OF, OF, UH, THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER AND THE AUSTIN WATER, UM, AND, AND AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE UP ALMOST HALF OF THE SPENDING PLAN, UH, FOR, FOR THE CITY TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
THEY WILL CONTINUE THEIR SPENDING FOR THE 20 16 20 18 AND 2020 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEY ARE THE HIGHEST AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS.
WHEN WE LOOK OVER OUR FIVE YEAR SPENDING PLAN, IT TOTALS $10.5 BILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
OUR KEY COST DRIVERS, AGAIN, ARE AVIATION'S INCREASED SPENDING FOR THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION IS 1.7 BILLION.
SUSTAINED AUSTIN WATER IS 2.3 BILLION.
OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND IS 1.15 BILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
IT'S 11% OF THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.
YOU WILL START SEEING A DROP OFF OF THE, UM, OF OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 28.
BUT AS YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE IN PARTICULAR, YOU WILL SEE HOW THAT EBBS AND FLOWS, AND YOU'LL START SEEING THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS.
THE DIET BLUE LINES WILL START GOING DOWN BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 27 AND 28.
THIS SLIDE FOCUSES MORE ON OUR, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS AND WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN OUR PUBLIC AND OUR SPENDING IN OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND BONDS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 1.63 BILLION IN AUTHORIZED BUT UNISSUED BONDS DOLLARS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE DOOR, UH, SPENDING AS OF THE THIRD QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 24 SHOWS THE ACTIVE PROGRAMS. SO WE STILL HAVE, UM, 2016 MOBILITY 2018 COMPREHENSIVE 2020 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND THE 2022 HOUSING BOND.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT SPENDING PLAN, OUR 2016 BOND WILL BE COMPLETE 90% COMPLETE BY LATE FISCAL YEAR 26, EARLY 27.
OUR 2018 BOND WILL BE COMPLETE AT THAT SAME TIME.
OUR 2020 BOND WILL BE COMPLETE BY EARLY 20 FISCAL YEAR 28, AND OUR 20 20 22 BOND WILL BE COMPLETE BY FISCAL YEAR 27.
SOME OF OUR HIGHLIGHTED PROJECTS FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR, AGAIN, AVIATION AND THEIR EXPANSION PROGRAM, UM, THEY WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE MIDWAY TAXI CONSTRUCTION CONVENTION CENTER WILL BEGIN THE EXPANSION OF, OF, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER, AUSTIN WATER, WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION.
AUSTIN ENERGY WILL, UM, BEGIN THE NEW FIELD SERVICE CENTER AND TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
WE'LL BE WORKING ON THE MOBILITY PROJECT FOR THE 2016 BOND.
WE'LL BE WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL ON, UM, ANY DISCUSSION POINTS THAT YOU ALL WANT US TO TALK ABOUT ON OUR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS.
AND, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WE HAVE OUR NEXT, UH, WORK SESSION ON THE 24TH, AND I AM HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU DO THIS.
UM, I THINK WE ALL DO, UH, MEMBERS, SHE JUST MENTIONED THE, THE MEETING ON THE 24TH.
THE WAY WE HAD KINDA SET THIS UP WAS WITH THE IDEA THAT THE MANAGER, UH, WOULD LAY OUT THE BUDGET TODAY.
WE, HE WOULD, UH, FILE IT WITH THE CITY CLERK.
WE WOULD ALL GET COPIES OF IT.
AND THEN WHAT WE WOULD DO IS ON THE 24TH, HAVE THAT FIRST WORK SESSION WHERE WE CAN SUBMIT QUESTIONS HOPEFULLY BY THE 22ND, OR NOT NECESSARILY THE QUESTIONS, BUT HERE'S SOMETHING I'M GONNA WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
I WANNA, I'M GONNA WANT TO TALK
[01:30:01]
ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES CAN, AND, AND HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING.CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE SPECIFIC AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE A GENERALIZED DISCUSSION, UM, AND GET OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND THEN WE WOULD DO THE SAME THING ON JULY 30TH, AS IT APPLIES TO ENTERPRISE AND CIP.
BUT WITH, WITH THAT IN MIND, UH, I STILL SAY IF IF SOMEBODY HAS QUESTIONS TODAY THAT THEY WANT SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHAT WAS LAID OUT, UH, FEEL FREE TO ASK THOSE.
BUT WITH THE IDEA BEING THAT THE, THE FOLLOW-UP WORK SESSION IS ONCE EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO KINDA DIGEST WHAT, UM, HAS, HAS JUST BEEN LAID OUT BY MS. LANG.
SO WITH THAT, AND IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, HIT THAT CUE BUTTON AND, UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO RECOGNIZE YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I WAS HOPING I WOULDN'T GO FIRST.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
I WANNA FIRST THANK THE CITY MANAGER, CFO AT ED VAN ENU, CARRIE LANG, AND ALL THE CITY STAFF THAT SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS PREPARING FOR THIS BUDGET AND THEN PRESENTING IT TO THE CITY.
IT'S A MAJOR UNDERTAKING, AND THIS WILL BE MY SEVERAL INS.
I KNOW THAT IT'S HARD TO BALANCE ALL THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CITY.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL IN GREAT DETAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FANTASTIC BUDGET THAT REFLECTS ALL THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY.
I DO HAVE A FEW HIGH LEVEL QUESTIONS I'LL ASK YOU NOW, AND THE REST I'LL SUBMIT THROUGH BUDGET Q AND A.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ANY OF US IN THIS ROOM THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OUT OF CONTROL INFLATION.
FOR INSTANCE, ACCORDING TO AXIOS, CHILDCARE COSTS FOR FAMILIES INCREASED 32% FROM 2009 TO 2023.
DURING THAT SAME PERIOD, ACCORDING TO THE USDA GROCERY COSTS FOR FAMILIES INCREASED BY 25%.
MEANWHILE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS RAISED PROPERTY TAXES AND UTILITY BILLS.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A 3.5% INCREASE PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET.
AS WE KNOW, THESE INCREASES HIT OUR MIDDLE AND LOW INCOME RESIDENTS THE HARDEST THEY HEARD, HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES ALIKE.
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, I'D LIKE TO SEE A STRONG EFFORT TO FINALIZE A BUDGET THAT INCLUDES NO INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES AND UTILITY BILLS, GIVING PEOPLE A BREAK FROM THE IRREGULAR COST OF LIVING HIKES THAT ARE MAKING AUSTIN MORE UNAFFORDABLE.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT AND REMIND US ALL OF QUOTE FROM PAGE 15 OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2324 BUDGET.
IT SAYS, AFFORDABILITY IS A CRUCIAL ISSUE FOR AUSTIN.
AS MORE AND MORE RESIDENTS FACE TREMULOUS DISPLACEMENT, PRESSURE, HOME PRICES, RENTS, AND PROPERTY TAXES HAVE RAPIDLY BECOME LESS AFFORDABLE TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
RECENTLY, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A LONGTIME AUSTIN RESIDENT.
SHE TOLD ME ABOUT HOW HER FAMILY HAD LIVED IN THE SAME HOME FOR GENERATIONS, BUT NOW WITH THE RISING COST OF LIVING, SHE FEARED THEY MAY HAVE TO MOVE.
HER STORY'S NOT UNIQUE AMONG AUSTINITES.
IT'S A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE REAL IMPACT THESE FINANCIAL BURDENS HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY AND COLLEAGUES.
IT IS MY GOAL OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES LIKE THAT CONSTITUENTS CAN CONTINUE TO CALL AUSTIN HOME, AND THAT THEIR TAX BURDEN IS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
SO THE QUESTIONS I, I'M PLANNING ON ASKING, AND I'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON JUST THE TOP FOUR, I PROMISE.
I KNOW LAST YEAR I SUBMITTED WAY TOO MANY
UM, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL GENERAL REVENUE OR GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE GENERATED FROM TAXES ON NEW DEVELOPMENT, INCREASES IN SALES TAX TRANSFERS IN FRANCHISE FEES, CHARGE FOR GOODS AND SERVICES, ET CETERA, FOR THE TAX RATE THAT DOES NOT INCREASE PROPERTY TAX BILLS FROM LAST YEAR CALLED A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.
UM, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, COULD YOU PROVIDE US A LIST OF GENERAL FUND NON-EMPLOYEE COSTS AND CONTRACTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT COULD BE REDUCED TO ACHIEVE THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE? I'D LIKE A LIST THAT DOES NOT AFFECT OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UM, REGARDING UTILITIES.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE AND TOTAL DOLLARS BETWEEN THE PROPOSED UTILITY RATE AND FEE INCREASES VERSUS A BUDGET THAT HAS NO INCREASES IN RATES AND UTILITY FEES.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, AND I'LL GET YOU THESE IN WRITING, CARRIE, I SEE YOU'RE TRYING TO WRITE THOSE DOWN.
BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY, I'M WONDERING WHAT THOSE FIGURES WOULD BE LIKE FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE, DRAINAGE FEE, AND TRANSPORTATION USER FEE.
AND I'D LIKE A, A LIST OF ALL OF THE NEW OR INCREASED PROGRAMS OR EXPENDITURES THAT WOULD NOT BE FUNDED IF WE HELD UTILITY RATES AND FEES AT THE SAME LEVEL AS LAST YEAR.
I'LL SUBMIT THOSE TO YOU IN AN EMAIL, AND THEN I'LL ALSO PUT THEM IN THE BUDGET Q AND A, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ANSWERS TO THOSE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME LISTENING TO ME.
AND, AND, AND THANKS FOR REMINDING THE REFERENCE TO THE, UH, BUDGET Q AND A.
UM, WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO US.
TWO THINGS I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT IS, ONE IS IT'S IT'S PUBLIC FACING, SO THE PUBLIC CAN SEE IT.
AND WE WILL, UH, AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER
[01:35:01]
FUENTES, UH, POINTED OUT, I WILL PUT UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AGAIN TODAY, THAT EMAIL ADDRESS, UH, SO THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE IN A, OR THAT POSTING ADDRESS SO THAT YOU'LL BE IN A POSITION TO DO THAT.THE SECOND THING I'LL SAY ABOUT IT IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE SHEER NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT STAFF GETS ON THAT Q AND A, IF A QUESTION IS SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT A QUESTION'S BEEN ASKED OR WE DIDN'T SEE IT, OR, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, WHATEVER THE REASON IS, AND WE MAY SUBMIT A QUESTION THAT IS REPETITIVE OR SOMEWHAT REPETITIVE.
UH, TYPICALLY WHAT THEY DO IS THEY JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION AS THOUGH IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S EVER BEEN ASKED.
BUT THAT TAKES THEM AWAY FROM DOING OTHER THINGS.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU SEE THEM SAY, GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS, THIS, IT MIGHT ANSWER THE QUESTION.
AND IF YOU JUST, IT, IT, UH, WELL, SO THAT, THAT, JUST HOLD THAT IN MIND.
THEY'RE NOT DISSING YOU ON THAT.
THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT WITH THEIR TIME.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALISON AL ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER.
UM, CITY MANAGER, BROAD NEXT, AND THE BUDGET.
OFFICER LANG AND STAFF, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING US WITH A, A BALANCED BUDGET OVER OVER THE HORIZON.
I KNOW THAT HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY TASK IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
UM, I WANNA PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE EMPHASIS THAT'S BEEN PLACED ON OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, IN THIS BUDGET.
I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO, TO RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT IN WAYS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO.
UM, I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO THE, THE Q AND A, I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT THOSE HERE.
UM, I DO HAVE TWO QUESTIONS THOUGH, BASED ON THIS PRESENTATION FOR TODAY THAT I WANTED TO, TO CLARIFY.
ONE IS THAT, UM, WHEN YOU DISCUSS THE CITY MARKET STUDY, UM, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, I BELIEVE THAT IS TO IMPLEMENT THE FINDINGS OF THE MARKET STUDY AS OPPOSED TO CONDUCT THE STUDY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT THAT COVERED.
SO WHEN, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S MONEY.
THAT'S THEN GOING TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO GET THEM UP TO, UM, MORE MARKET RATE.
THIS IS KIND OF WHAT WE DID, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET 9 1 1 AND ADDRESS THEIR STUFF, THEIR, UM, WAGE NEEDS.
AND, AND THERE MAY STILL BE SOME STUFF THAT'S BEING FIXED WITH THAT WITHIN THIS KIND OF BUCKET.
UM, I HAVEN'T SUBMITTED THIS, BUT IF YOU COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP US UNDERSTAND FOR THAT PROJECTED 2.5 MILLION, KIND OF WHAT, WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO TELL US ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS WITH THAT MARKET STUDY? UM, IN TERMS OF DEPARTMENTS OR, OR, I'M NOT SURE WHAT LEVEL IS, IS APPROPRIATE TO SHARE PUBLICLY, BUT I'D LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION SORT OF ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, IN 2019, UM, THE COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION, UM, 78 FROM AUGUST 8TH THAT DECLARED THE CLIMATE CRISIS AS AN EMERGENCY.
UM, AND IT REQUIRED SOME THINGS TO BE REFLECTED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO THAT RESOLUTION STATED THAT BEGINNING WITH THE FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET PROCESS, THE CITY MANAGER WAS TO IDENTIFY BUDGET ITEMS THAT MIGHT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES COULD MAKE NEW OR EXISTING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS EFFORTS MORE SUCCESSFUL, UM, THAT HAS BEEN OPERATIONALIZED, UM, OVER TIME.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AT THIS TIME? YES, THERE'S BEEN, UM, SOME INVESTMENTS, UM, THROUGH OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH, UM, UM, EV CHARGING STATIONS AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL, UM, EV VEHICLE, UM, INVESTMENTS.
AND I'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE TO GET YOU A FULL LIST OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT, THAT OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT IS MAKING.
BUT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS FOR, UM, THE EMISSION OF GREENHOUSE GASES.
AND WE HAVE A FULL, UM, PAGE ON OUR NET ZERO INVESTMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET THAT LISTS OUT ONGOING INVESTMENTS.
AND THAT SHOWS SHOULD, UM, SPELL OUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
SO THERE IS A SECTION OF THE BUDGET THAT YES, WE, THAT'S WE INCLUDE, INCLUDE THAT SECTION THERE.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO JUST RAISE HERE IS, UM, AS I'M READING THIS, THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL PARK MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES.
UM, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FIVE OR SIX TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET? THE, THOSE SIX TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES WERE FUNDED WITH ONE TIME DOLLARS, AND WE DID NOT
[01:40:01]
CONTINUE THOSE ONE TIME DOLLARS IN FISCAL YEAR 25.UM, SO COLLEAGUES, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PARK MAINTENANCE.
UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING BACKWARDS IN PARK MAINTENANCE LEVELS WITH THE CURRENT PROPOSED, UM, BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND AUDIT FINANCE ABOUT SERVICE LEVELS AND WHERE WE'RE AT AND THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN BACK AT OUR 2014 SERVICE LEVELS.
WE HAVE REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, HAYDEN HOWARD, TO REALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DELIVERING IN TERMS OF SERVICE LEVELS FOR OUR PARKS MAINTENANCE WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, SO I'D LIKE THAT TO BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE ON THE, THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT WE CAN GO INTO DEPTH, AND NOT JUST THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE FUNDING, BUT WHAT SERVICE LEVELS ARE WE GETTING AND WHAT ARE WE, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT ACHIEVING HERE.
WE, WE'VE WORKED OVER THE LAST YEAR TO COME UP WITH A PROCESS TO REALLY QUANTIFY THE KIND OF SERVICE, UM, THAT WE'RE GETTING.
THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES WITH RESTROOMS ARE BEING CHANGED AND, AND TRASH PICKUP AND, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
AND IT'S NOT COMPREHENSIVE OF THE MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, AN AREA THAT, THAT WE HAVE, UM, SOME REAL DESPERATE NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
WE, WE HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY BEEN QUANTIFYING IT.
AND SO I HOPE THAT FOLKS WILL WANNA WORK WITH ME TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE ARE BETTER MEETING, UM, THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THE CLEANLINESS OF OUR PARKS.
FOLKS ARE USING THEM MORE AND MORE.
AND SO, SO I WANTED TO, TO RAISE THAT, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, I WILL HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS I GUESS YOU WANT US TO, TO SEND YOU THINGS THAT WE WANT COVERED AT THE GENERAL FUND THEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RYAN ALTER, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
I'M PICKING UP THERE AS IT RELATES TO UNMET NEEDS, UH, SYSTEM-WIDE, I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GETTING THAT LIST FOR DEPARTMENTS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT IS GOING TO BE SHARED OR PRESENTED.
WE'LL BE SHARING THAT LIST, UM, ON MONDAY, UM, WITH THE COUNCIL.
UM, THE FULL UNMET NEEDS, UNMET NEEDS LIST, UM, WILL BE SHARED.
AND I JUST HAVE A TECHNICAL QUESTION ON HOW TO READ ONE COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE CAPITAL PIECE OF A, A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT BUDGET, AND THERE'S THE APPROPRIATION COLUMN AND THEN THERE'S THE SPENDING PLAN COLUMN.
CAN YOU JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT, BECAUSE THOSE ARE DIFFERENT NUMBERS AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ARE IS THE SPENDING PLAN WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, BUT THE APPROPRIATION IS WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING? OR CAN YOU SHED LIGHT ON THAT? SURE.
SO THE SPENDING PLAN, THE APPROPRIATION OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE FULLY AVAILABLE.
AND SO WITH, WITH CAPITAL, WE USUALLY APPROPRIATE THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT, BUT WE MAY NOT, WE SPEND IT OVER TIME.
AND SO THE SPEND PLAN IS WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE BEING SPENT IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
AND YOU'LL SEE THEN THE SPENDING THAT WE ANTICIPATE OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'LL YOU GET THAT.
YEAH, I'LL PROBABLY HAVE A FOLLOW UP OFFLINE JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M GETTING IT RIGHT, BUT I THINK, I THINK I GOT IT.
I MEAN, I COULD JUST GIVE A QUICK EXAMPLE.
IF YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD LIKE, JUST TAKE ANY ARBITRARY $20 MILLION PRO PROJECT, WE BRING IT FORWARD TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL APPROVES THE PROJECT, THEY APPROVE AN APPROPRIATION OF $20 MILLION, BUT IT TAKES FOUR YEARS TO BUILD THAT PROJECT.
SO THE SPEND PLAN FOR THE FIRST YEAR WHEN WE'RE IN DESIGN MIGHT BE $3 MILLION.
AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE IT, 20 MILLION APPROPRIATION, BUT $3 MILLION SPEND PLAN, WE COME BACK IN THE SECOND YEAR, IT WOULD BE A $0 APPROPRIATION 'CAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE MONEY APPROVED AND IT MIGHT BE A $10 MILLION SPEND PLAN.
SO 'CAUSE OF THE MULTI-YEAR NATURE OF IT, THEY DON'T LINE UP.
THANK YOU Y'ALL FOR THE ANSWERS.
UM, THANK YOU TO OUR CITY STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
THANK YOU MANAGER FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M THRILLED TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE A, A PROPOSAL BEFORE US THAT, UH, HAS A BALANCED BUDGET, UH, MUCH BETTER PLACE FOR US TO BE IN, UH, TODAY THAN WE WERE PROJECTING A FEW MONTHS AGO.
UH, I'M THRILLED TO SEE THE INVESTMENTS IN OUR CITY WORKERS, INCLUDING A 4% WAGE INCREASE, THE, UH, DOUBLING OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.
THAT POLICY HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, AND THRILLED TO SERVE ON A COUNCIL THAT VALUES AND PRIORITIZES OUR WORKING FAMILIES, UM, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER, OF OTHER INVESTMENTS INCLUDING, UH, AND, AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I'M SURE YOU'RE JUST AS THRILLED AS I AM TO SEE THAT THE, THE FUNDING FOR THE TENANT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS NOW PERMANENT AND THAT THERE'S AN ONGOING ALLOCATION AND I THINK THAT'S A LARGE CREDIT TO YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN IN FIGHTING FOR THAT.
[01:45:01]
UM, WE KNOW THAT HAVING A PERMANENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUND WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING US TONIGHT.SO I'M THRILLED TO SEE THAT OUR, OUR BUDGET NOW WILL HAVE THAT AS A PERMANENT ALLOCATION.
SO LOTS OF GOOD STUFF TO CELEBRATE.
UM, LOTS OF, UH, CONVERSATIONS STILL TO BE HAD.
I KNOW FOR ME, WHAT'S TOP OF MIND IS ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IS AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR CITY SERVICES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF AUSTINITES FROM OUR PARKS TO WATERSHED, OUR UTILITY EMERGENCY SERVICES, UH, YOU NAME IT.
UH, AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW IS OUR BUDGET REFLECTING OUR COMMITMENT, NOT JUST TO ADDRESSING THE SYMPTOMS OF HOMELESSNESS, BUT TO THE ROOT CAUSES, UH, I THINK WE CAN BE DOING A LOT MORE.
AND SO I WANT US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE MAINTAIN THE RESERVE POLICY AT ITS CURRENT, AT THE LEVEL THAT WE ENDED AT LAST YEAR.
UM, HOW MIGHT THAT HELP US? I'M ENSURE THAT WE'RE ADEQUATELY INVESTING NOT ONLY IN PRIORITIES AS IT RELATES TO HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO TO THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET.
IT'S 40 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY HAVE UNITED AND HAVE SHARED WITH US, UM, MUCH NEEDED SERVICES AND PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENTS IN.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THAT PROPOSAL AND HAVE A CONVERSATION OF, UM, OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
CERTAINLY, UM, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IS TOP OF MIND FOR ME, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE HOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UM, ALL AREAS FOR US TO DIG IN IN THE COMING WEEKS.
BUT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH CITY STAFF ON THAT NOTE THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING A MAINTAINED BUDGET RESERVE POLICY LEVEL AND HOW MUCH FUNDS THAT WOULD FREE UP.
UM, JUST SINCE I HAVE YOU HERE, UH, IF WE DIDN'T MAINTAIN IT AT 16.7%, UH, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD THAT ALLOW US? HOW MUCH FUNDING? IT'S IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ABOUT 4.7, 4.8 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.
SO COLLEAGUES IN THE PRESENTATION, AND BY THE WAY, I ALSO WANNA SAY I THINK THIS IS THE BEST BUDGET PRESENTATION WE'VE HAD.
IT'S SUPER DIRECT AND SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS A TRANSPARENT, UH, BUDGET PROCESS.
IT PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE RESERVE POLICY.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHARING IT IN, IN THIS FORMAT.
UM, BUT COLLEAGUES WANTED TO FLAG THAT WE HAVE, UH, 4 MILLION TO CONSIDER, UH, FOR OUR, OUR DISTRICT PRIORITIES AND, AND OUR PRIORITIES AS A COUNCIL.
IF WE MAINTAIN THE RESERVE FUND AT ITS CURRENT LEVEL, BUT WE ENDED LAST YEAR, THAT WOULD GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL 4.9 MILLION, SO A TOTAL OF 8.9.
AND, UH, LAST QUESTION ON MY END ON THE PRESENTATION, IT HAD, AS IT RELATES TO THE RESERVE POLICY AT 18 MILLION, UM, BACKING OUT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT PIECE AGAIN? THIS IS SLIDE 10.
SO LAST YEAR, UH, AS PART OF THE BUDGET AND PART OF THE EFFORT TO GET TO THAT 17% LEVEL, WE BUDGETED TRANSFER FROM, UM, THE GENERAL FUND INTO THE BSRF.
UH, AND THIS YEAR, UM, BECAUSE OF CARRYOVER FROM LAST YEAR AND OUR PLANNING AND BECAUSE OF SOME FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS, WE DON'T FORESEE A NEED TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE RESERVES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO BACK OUT THAT TRANSFER.
SO THERE'S, IN THE FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE ARE NO FUNDS GOING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, UH, INTO RESERVES.
WELL, I, I, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF OUR, OUR WORK SESSIONS MOVING FORWARD, I THINK I FLAGGED THIS FOR THE MANAGER, BUT I WOULD LIKE A, A FOCUSED CONVERSATION ON THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES AND HAPPY TO FLAG WHICH ONES IN PARTICULAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS WAS A REALLY FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
I AM, UH, AS THINGS GO, WE, UH, WE LOST OUR FAMILY CAT THIS WEEKEND, SO I'M DEALING WITH TEENAGERS WHO LOST A CAT.
AND SO I WAS FEELING SORT OF GUILTY ABOUT NOT BEING HOME TODAY.
UM, BUT THEN I TEXTED 'EM, I WAS LIKE, YO, THEY ARE FLYING THROUGH THIS THING.
AND IT IS REALLY COMPREHENSIVE.
AND SO FOR ALL THE REASONS, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AS WE SOME OF US UP HERE START TO COUNT DOWN THE DAYS, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS MY SECOND TO LAST BUDGET PROCESS THAT I GET TO PARTICIPATE IN AND I REALLY APPRECIATE.
UM, I SPEAK IN RAP LYRICS LATELY.
I DON'T KNOW IF I MENTIONED, I HAVE TEENAGERS.
SO, UM, UH, OUR NEW MANAGER IS RIPPING US OUT THE PLASTIC, WE BRAND NEW, UM, THE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS IN A TWO YEAR SORT OF FORMAT.
I THINK THE WAY MY BRAIN WORKS, I KIND OF ADVANCE TO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
SO FOR ME, THAT PRESENTATION REALLY MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF, UM, A COMPREHENSIVE
[01:50:01]
APPROACH TO THESE LAST TWO YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS, NOBODY'S COUNTING.UM, AND SO AS I THINK THROUGH IT IN THAT WAY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I RECOGNIZE IS WE REALLY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE NAVIGATE THIS PROCESS IF WE'RE LOOKING AT OPERATING AT A DEFICIT EVENTUALLY.
UM, I PERSONALLY, I WANT THE BAD NEWS FIRST EVERY TIME.
'CAUSE HAVING GOOD INFORMATION OFFERS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE ASSETS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU AND REALLY WORK TOWARDS THE KIND OF SOLUTIONS THAT WILL, ONE, HELP YOU SURMOUNT THE CHALLENGE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO PREPARE AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE IN A WAY THAT OFFERS ME THE CHANCE TO BE RESOURCEFUL AND SELF-SUFFICIENT, FRANKLY.
BUT GOOD INFORMATION IS THE START TO SELF-ADVOCACY PERIOD, EVEN IF THE NEWS IS NOT GREAT.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE GIVEN OUR CONSTITUENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST OPERATE WITH GOOD INFORMATION.
UM, RECOGNIZING THAT THE RESOURCES ARE FINITE AND THERE WILL BE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT THAT THEY DON'T GET, MYSELF INCLUDED, BOTH BY WAY OF MY CARING CONCERN FOR THE 90 PLUS THOUSAND PEOPLE I REPRESENT IN DISTRICT ONE, BUT FRANKLY BECAUSE I'M AN AUSTINITE AND SO ARE MY 16 NIECES AND NEPHEWS AND MY MAMA AND MY SISTERS AND ALL OF THEM AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AS AN AUSTINITE AND A PERSON WHO LIVES HERE RIGHT ALONGSIDE Y'ALL AND SHOPS AT THE HEB TOO.
UM, I, I'M CONCERNED THAT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AREN'T GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, IN WHICH CASE I DON'T GO DOOM AND GLOM.
I GO, WELL, HOW CAN WE SHAKE THESE COUCH CUSHIONS A LITTLE MORE? 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE.
IN WHICH CASE, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT OF SEVERAL VOICES I'VE HEARD SO FAR EXPRESS OUR NEED FOR BETTER THAN EVER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I WANNA KNOW THAT IF WE BUY A BOTTLE OF WINDEX, WE GOT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE FOR THAT BOTTLE OF WINDEX, UM, AND NOT MAINTAIN CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR SO LONG THAT THEY JUST SORT OF BECOME HOURS IN PERPETUITY.
I WANNA KNOW THAT WE'RE SPENDING EVERY SINGLE DIME WITH THE MOST EFFICACY POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THAT SAID, AS WE APPROACH THIS PROCESS WITH FRAGILITY, I WANNA REALLY LEAN INTO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I SORT OF JOTTED IT DOWN, THEMES THAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR, SHELTER, FOOD, FAMILIES.
UM, AND SO IF WE SORT OF ENCOMPASS THOSE THINGS AS THE UMBRELLAS AND ALL THE SUBCATEGORIES, IT SAYS EVERYTHING.
WHERE ARE PEOPLE SLEEP IN? WHAT DO THEY THEY EAT? HOW DO THEY GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND HOW DO THEY MAKE MONEY? I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING HEARD ALREADY SOME EMPHASIS ON OUR WORKFORCE AGENCY, SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
PEOPLE WANT IT, THEY NEED IT, AND THEY DON'T NEED US TO GIVE IT TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, WORDS LIKE EMPOWERMENT, I THINK SOMETIMES ARE LOW KEY, UH, ROOTED IN CONDESCENSION.
NOBODY NEEDS YOU TO EMPOWER THEM TO HAVE AGENCY.
THEY NEED YOU TO MAKE ROOM AND GET OUT THE WAY.
AND AS POLICY MAKERS, SOMETIMES I THINK WE GET IN THE WAY BY WAY OF NOT OFFERING GOOD INFORMATION, DATA NUMBERS, NOT OFFERING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE THEM IN EXCHANGE WHAT IT IS THAT THEY EXPECT WHEN WE RAISE THEIR TAXES.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE MADE REFERENCE TO SO FAR ALREADY WAS INFRASTRUCTURE.
SOMEBODY'S GOTTA BUILD THOSE BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS AND, AND DO MAINTENANCE, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL LIKE THEY GOT WHAT THEY INVESTED IN.
AND SO I, I THINK EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO STRETCH A WHOLE LOT.
I THINK FUNDING REALLY EFFICIENT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE PROVEN RESULTS, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE EFF, UH, ARE EFFECTIVE IN PERPETUITY, UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY HAVE THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
SO DIVERSION, FOR EXAMPLE, FUNDING OUR DAC MOBILE COURT PROGRAM, UH, THAT HAVING THAT PROGRAM BE ABLE TO BE ACCESSIBLE AND SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE, I THINK IT REALLY MEETS PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT, UM, AT A LOWER COST AND INSTEAD OF OPERATING OUT OF BRICK AND MORTAR AND ADDING ADDITIONAL OVERHEAD, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO APPROACH EVERYTHING WITH.
AND I'LL ROUND THAT OUT WITH MR. MAYOR.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU SAID THE THING.
I DON'T THINK YOU WERE SAYING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ANIMAL CENTER.
YOU MEANT EVERY APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT, BUT SPEAKING OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER, I, I ACTUALLY DID MEAN THE ANIMAL SHELTER
WELL, I WAS TRYING TO HELP, I WAS TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT.
SO WHEN WE WERE TELL EVERYBODY AUTUMN FEEL TOUCHED, BUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER
BUT, BUT, AND SO AS A CONTINUATION OF THAT, YOU MADE MY HEART SING.
SO ON MY WAY OUT, THAT IS I, THAT IS NOT SMOKE.
I DON'T WANT SMOKE, BUT I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S THE KIND OF, IF WE
[01:55:01]
START HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT CHILDREN IN AUSTIN, TEXAS EAT TONIGHT, EVERY OUNCE OF LOVE I HAVE FOR EVERY FURRY THING IS GONNA DEFER TO CHILDREN EATING TONIGHT.I'D NEVER WANTED TO TOUCH IT THIS WHOLE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I SURE AS HECK DON'T WANNA TOUCH IT ON MY WAY OUT.
BUT I WILL SAY, IF WE START PINCHING HARD WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO CHILDREN OR PUPPIES AND KITTIES, I'M GONNA TURN TO THE, TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE PHILANTHROPIC MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE DEEP LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR FURRY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PUT THEIR DOLLARS WHERE THEIR AFFECTION IS.
BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, PRIVATE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE CITY'S DEEP COMMITMENT TO NO KILL AND DEEP COMMITMENT TO TAKING ANIMALS IN AT THE COST OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND I'LL JUST AS A PERSONAL ANECDOTE, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR THAT KITTY CAT, I PERSONALLY CALLED THE SHELTER WHERE I WAS TOLD, UH, THAT CAT IS NOT HERE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING INTAKES.
SO I DON'T WANT US TO CONTINUE TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, OR BECAUSE WE'RE SCARED OF OPPOSITION FROM GROUPS THAT DO, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WIELD A GREAT DEAL OF POWER IN THIS CITY.
AND WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT I'M MOST SURPRISED BY DURING THE, THE COURSE OF MY TERM, IT'S THE POWER OF THE ANIMAL PEOPLE.
AND SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO US HAVING THAT CONVERSATION COMPREHENSIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY, AND IN A WAY THAT'S PRUDENT AND REALISTIC.
I'M PROUD OF THE WORK WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH BLUES ON THE GREEN, BUT WE HAVE JUNETEENTH, IT'S AN AMERICAN HOLIDAY.
ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAID, I'M INCLINED TO LEAVE THIS TO MY BLACK FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE TODAY.
WHY JUNETEENTH IS AN AMERICAN HOLIDAY.
IT'S THE OLDEST HOLIDAY IN OUR COUNTRY, COMMEMORATING THE LIBERATION OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME AND A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS YOU LOVE BLACK AMERICANS.
SO I GOT TO CELEBRATE TWO INDEPENDENT DAYS THIS YEAR, ONE ON JUNE 19TH AND ONE ON JULY 4TH.
THEY BOTH SHOULD GET FIREWORKS.
THEY BOTH SHOULD GET A TICKET TAPE PARADE.
THEY BOTH SHOULD GET ALL OF OUR EFFORT AND ATTENTION ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE LIBERATION OF AMERICANS AND THE FACT THAT WE MAY JUST GET THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS BUDGET PROCESS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BOTH HO HOLIDAYS ARE A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM AND DESERVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ATTENTION.
THAT SAID, WE HAVE BLUES ON THE GREEN THAT'S ALIVE AND WELL, BUT WE ALSO WANT THE URBAN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND FAT GATOR FEST AND SOME OF THE OTHER AWESOME CULTURAL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE IN THIS CITY.
UM, MY UBER DRIVER THIS MORNING SAID, I'M OLD EAST SIDE.
I DON'T CALL IT NAVARRO, I CALL IT LANIER.
THAT SAID, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO EVEN THOUGH THEY HANG ON TIGHT TO WHAT AUSTIN WAS, THEY WANNA SEE US BECOME WHO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME ALL WHILE MAINTAINING AS MUCH OF IT AS WE CAN.
WE DON'T WANNA COVER IT IN LEATHER.
I HEARD AN AN ANALOGY RECENTLY.
WE DON'T WANNA COVER IT IN LEATHER.
BROAD NEXT, UH, MR. MAYOR AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL, I LOOK FORWARD TO ANALYZING THIS BUDGET AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT'LL FOLLOW.
ESPECIALLY I KEEP HEARING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND I WANT US TO ALL IMPRINT THAT ON OURSELVES.
LET'S OFFER PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET OUT OF THE WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE THE AGENCY AND THE SELF-SUFFICIENCY THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.
AND BY THE WAY, SHE PREVIEWED THAT THE MOVIE POWER OF THE ANIMAL PEOPLE IS GONNA PREMIER AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST NEXT YEAR.
UM, I'M TEASING POWER, THE POWER OF THE ANIMAL PEOPLE.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, TO, TO THANK, UH, UH, CITY MANAGER BROAD NEXT.
UH, THIS IS, UH, IT WAS A GOOD PRESENTATION AND I LOVE THE MULTI-YEAR PROJECTION.
UH, I JUST THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
UH, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY, UH, GOOD ADDITION TO THE BUDGET PROCESS AND I, I REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE THAT.
ALSO, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF, UH, AND CITY MANAGER, OF COURSE, FOR THE TENANT ASSISTANCE.
JUST HAVING THAT IN THE BASE BUDGET, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD AMOUNT AND IT'S, I BELIEVE AN AMOUNT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
IT, IT'S, UH, AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF, UH, OF EQUITY, OF FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS, OF, UH, ASSISTING, UH, FOLKS WITH THE AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES.
AND AGAIN, I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL TO, UH, SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET.
[02:00:01]
IT'S BEEN A MAJOR FOCUS OF MINE AND, AND AS, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER EZ WAS, UH, MENTIONING AND, AND MY OFFICES, UH, AND I'M JUST, UH, SO, UH, HEARTENED TO, UH, SEE THAT INCLUDED IN THE, UH, BASE BUDGET.WELL, FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO ALSO, UH, SECOND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES SUGGESTION OF THE, THE 16.7%.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE AT 16.7, UH, LAST YEAR.
UH, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IT WAS A 17%, BUT I THINK THAT $4 MILLION OR SO COULD BE, UH, PUT INTO CRITICAL KINDA ONE TIME, UH, SPENDING THAT, ESPECIALLY THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS, UH, THINKING ABOUT OTHER, UH, UH, EMS, UH, UH, SITUATIONS, UH, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE, THOSE KINDS OF, UH, CRITICAL, UH, SOLUTIONS RESPONSES THAT ARE, UH, CONSTITUENTS, I SHOULD SAY, THAT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE DEFINITELY, UH, DEMANDING.
SO I, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, THAT SUGGESTION FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISH TO ON THE COUNCIL WISHES TO BE RECOGNIZED? WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, UH, I'LL FIRST TURN TO YOU AND ASK IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY BEFORE WE WIND IT UP.
THEN I WANT TO, UH, ASK THE MANAGER THE SAME QUESTION.
MR. VINO, I SEE YOU LEANING IN
WELL, I'M GAUGING WHETHER OR NOT I, I REALLY HAD ANYTHING TO SAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, IN, IN LISTENING TO THE SPEAKERS TODAY, UH, I DID FEEL A, UM, A COMPULSION TO RESPOND IN THE SENSE THAT WE, WE HEAR THE SPEAKERS.
I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF CERTAINLY AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES.
THE SPEAKERS, UM, HAVE, HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PARENT SUPPORT, OBVIOUSLY CRITICAL TENANT RELOCATION, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, MENTAL HEALTH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND, AND PARK MAINTENANCE ARE, ARE ALL CRITICAL.
BUT WHAT I DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT OF IS, UM, WHAT'S IN THE BASE BUDGET.
SOMETIMES BUDGETS JUST BECOME ABOUT WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME LATELY? UM, BUT WHAT IS IN THE BASE BUDGET IS 10 YEARS OF POLICY DIRECTION FROM THIS COUNCIL AND PREVIOUS COUNCILS TO EMPHASIZE THOSE EXACT AREAS TO EMPHASIZE PARKS AND LIBRARIES AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST IF I COULD PLAY WITH SOME NUMBERS REALLY QUICK AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT SLIDE EIGHT, THE PIE CHART, I THINK THE PIE CHART IS ONE OF THE CLEAREST EXAMPLES OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND NOT IN ABSOLUTE TERMS, OBVIOUSLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S A MUCH BIGGER OPERATION THAN THE ANIMAL SHELTER, SO IT'S GONNA HAVE A BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE.
BUT IN, IN RELATIVE TERMS, RELATIVE TO WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE ARE AND 10 YEARS AGO, THE DIRECTION WE RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL WAS TO BEGIN EMPHASIZING THOSE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST INDULGE ME FOR A MOMENT, LOOKING BACK 10 YEARS TO THE 2025 BUDGET OR 2015 BUDGET, UH, ANIMAL SERVICES HAD 1.2% OF THE PIE.
SO THAT'S A SHIFT IN PRIORITIES.
IN CURRENT DOLLARS, THAT'S $5.6 MILLION MORE FUNDING.
UH, THE LIBRARY SHARE OF THE PIE IS UP ONE PERCENTAGE POINT, ONE PERCENTAGE POINT OF 1.4 BILLION IS $14 MILLION MORE FOR THE LIBRARY THAN HAD WE STAYED WITH THAT PREVIOUS PRIORITY SET.
UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S UP 1.1%, WHICH EQUATES TO 15.4 MILLION.
AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, WHICH, WHICH COMPRISES THE SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS AND THE, UH, NEW HOMELESSNESS OFFICE.
'CAUSE THOSE THINGS WERE ALL TOGETHER, UH, IN 2015.
BUT THAT'S UP A WHOPPING 2.9%, WHICH IS $40.6 MILLION.
SO, AND ALL TOTALED, RIGHT? IF WE WERE TO REDO THIS BUDGET WITH THE PRIORITY SET IN THAT 2015 PIE CHART, THERE'D BE $75.6 MILLION LESS IN THOSE AREAS.
SO I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE PRIORITIES IN THIS BUDGET, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO CHANGE ANY OF THOSE THINGS, IS A BLESSING.
'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER TEXAS CITIES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT BUDGET DEFICITS EVERY, EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, DALLAS, HOUSTON, UH, UM, CORPUS CHRISTI, FORT WORTH ARE ALL SAN ANTONIO.
THEY'RE ALL STRUGGLING WITH BUDGET DEFICITS OF, OF VARIOUS MAGNITUDE.
AND LOOKING TO WHAT ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO CUT, UM, IN ORDER TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET.
THEY'RE ALL STRUGGLING WITH THE 3.5% REVENUE CAP AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO IMPACT US INTO THE, INTO THE FUTURE.
AND I ASK ERIC, OUR, OUR REVENUE GURU TO RUN SOME NUMBERS.
WHAT IF, WHAT IF, UM, SB TWO HADN'T PASSED AND WE HAD THE LATITUDE, THIS COUNCIL HAD THE LATITUDE TO CONTINUE TO DO AN 8% TAX RATE INCREASE.
NOT SAYING WE COULD, BUT JUST WHAT IF, UM, HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO 8% FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF 3.5%.
WE WOULD HAVE $165 MILLION MORE TODAY TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
WE COULD FUND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
[02:05:01]
INVESTMENT BUDGET AND HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER OR HAVE A TAX RATE BELOW THE 8%.SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW OPERATING UNDER A NEW TAX REGIME THAT HAS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWERED THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE AVAILABLE TO, UH, BALANCE YOUR BASE BUDGET, LET ALONE FUND NEW PRIORITIES.
SO I KNOW THAT WAS A BIT OF A SOAPBOX SPEECH, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WAS FEELING.
UM, WELL, I, I APPRECIATE THAT AND, AND I'M, I'LL JUST SAY, UH, THAT I THINK THE FORECAST THAT IS SHOWN, I THINK HAVING A TWO YEAR BUDGET AND FLESHING IT OUT IN THAT WAY SO THAT IT'S MORE THAN JUST A FORECAST, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT, AND I THINK YOU'RE HEARING THAT FROM THE COUNCIL, THAT THE, THAT WE'RE ALL VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
BUT HAVING THAT AND HAVING THE FORECAST THAT GOES OUT AND SHOWS WHERE DEFICITS ARE, AND THEN HEARING NUMBERS LIKE WHAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, I THINK THAT ALSO SPEAKS TO US AS A COUNCIL WITH, WITH THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND WITH THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THINKING THROUGH, DO WE WANT TO HAVE A, A POLICY? UH, I WROTE DOWN, UH, MS. LANG USED THE PHRASE, THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STRUCTURE THAT IS PART OF OUR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STRUCTURE.
SHOULD WE BE, BE CONSIDERING MUCH LIKE YOU HAVE PRESENTED, WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING WHEN IT COMES TO CIP PROJECTS AND HOW OFTEN AND HOW MUCH SHOULD WE BE CONSIDERING WHAT WE MIGHT DO WITH THAT TAX RATE SO THAT AS WE GO ALONG, WE HAVE SOME SORT OF STRUCTURE THAT WE MIGHT BE CONSIDERING THAT THAT TAX RATE IS MORE THAN 3.5%.
UH, I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE DO THAT.
NOW, I'M NOT SUGGESTING I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT IT, IT, IT, THAT MAY BE THAT THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE IN A NEW TIME, WE'RE IN A NEW WORLD, UH, WITH THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO DO MORE AND, AND HOW DO WE CONSIDER THAT TO BE FINANCIALLY SOUND AND MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING OUR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STRUCTURE.
UH, I WASN'T PLANNING ON GETTING INTO THAT, BUT I'LL, I'LL GET ON MY SOAPBOX TOO.
UH, UH, SINCE YOU, SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT OUT, UM, MANAGER, I'M GONNA, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO YOU ON BEHALF OF, UH, AND YOU'VE HEARD IT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, UM, FOR THE WAY THAT THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN LAID OUT, UM, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, WE THANK, UH, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT STAFF AS YOU KNOW.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENJOYED SO MUCH LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS MY FIRST BUDGET, UH, THIS TIME AS MAYOR WAS WATCHING LANG OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC.
UH, SHE, SHE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB OF HELPING ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AGAIN.
UM, BUT LEMME TURN TO YOU AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING.
AND THEN I'M GONNA WRAP UP BY, UH, REMINDING PEOPLE OF THESE DATES.
AND, AND THANK THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE GREAT WORK THAT THE TEAM HAS DONE.
UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATIONS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS, QUITE HONESTLY, AS ED TALKED ABOUT, THAT WE SHOULD BE HAPPY ABOUT, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE BUDGET.
BUT UNDERSTANDING, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF UNMET NEEDS, I THINK, HISTORICALLY, THAT THIS COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR.
AND EVEN IN TIGHTER TIMES, I KNOW I'M COMMITTED AND WILL BE WORKING OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO REALLY TEASE THOSE THINGS OUT.
PARTICULARLY AS I BEGAN TO SPEND MORE TIME IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, IS WITH COUNCIL, FIGURING OUT HOW, EVEN AMONGST THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, THAT WE BEGIN TO MAKE SOME HEADWAY, UH, INTO THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND THE OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON.
AND YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH YOU TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE HAVE NO FURTHER PRESENTATION TODAY.
HOWEVER, YES, I WAS HOPING I DID WANT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE, UH, ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS.
UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, ED VINO.
UH, LAST NIGHT ED RECEIVED THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNALS 2024 BEST CFO AWARD IN THE NONPROFIT CATEGORY.
HE WAS RECOGNIZED FOR HIS SEVERAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING, REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT, AND PENSION RELATED ISSUES, TOPPING THE LIST.
AND I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE ED FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT AND CONGRATULATE HIM ON THE AWARD.
SO ED, WE APPRECIATE THE GREAT WORK YOU DO, EVEN IF YOU STAND ON SOAP BOXES EVERY NOW AND THEN,
UH, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN A TRUE, UH, PUBLIC SERVANT AND APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
UM, DID YOU WANT TO TALK OR YOU COULD GO FIRST.
MINE WAS JUST GONNA BE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO, TO WISH SOMEONE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
WELL, UM, NOW I'M ON THE SPOT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO WISH, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS RILEY, A HAPPY
[02:10:01]
BIRTHDAY.I KNOW WE WERE HERE, UH, NOT TOO LONG AGO, DEDICATING, UH, PART OF THE TRAIL TO HIM.
UM, AND, UH, I BELIEVE TODAY'S HIS BIRTHDAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO WISH, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS RILEY, A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET ME LET, WE'LL WRAP IT UP WITH THIS.
UH, TODAY WE START THE Q AND A PROCESS.
UM, AND UH, AGAIN, I WANNA EMPHASIZE HOW PUBLIC FACING THAT IS.
SO A PUBLIC, YOU CAN, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, YOU CAN SEE THAT.
I'M GONNA JUST MENTION, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE DATES, BUT I DO WANNA MENTION THE NEXT THREE DATES.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24TH, WILL BE A MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, THE MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BEGIN AT THREE O'CLOCK.
AND IT'S NOT LIMITED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT CAN BE ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF THE BUDGET MEMBERS.
JULY 22ND IS THE DATE THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HAVE TOLD THEM WHAT IT IS YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO, TO TALK ABOUT SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE HERE.
SO THAT'S, SO JULY 22ND IS AN IMPORTANT DATE FOR THE COUNCIL TO PAY ATTENTION TO, BUT JULY 24TH, BEGINNING AT 10:00 AM WITH A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, BEGINNING AT THREE O'CLOCK WILL BE A MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION ON THE GENERAL FUND.
THE NEXT DATE OF IMPORTANCE IS TUESDAY, JULY 30TH, AGAIN, AT 10:00 AM THAT WILL BE THE MORE FOCUSED DISCUSSION ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND CIP UH, AGAIN, STAFF IS ASKED THAT ON THE 26TH, THAT FRIDAY THE 26TH, BE THE DATE YOU LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE THE MORE SPECIFIC DISCUSSION ABOUT.
SO THEY CAN GET PEOPLE HERE TO HAVE THAT, THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND I'LL ALSO MENTION THAT IS ALSO THE DATE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING WITH REGARD TO A POLICE CHIEF.
AND THEN THE THIRD MEETING THAT I'LL MENTION, UH, WITHOUT GOING INTO ALL THE DETAIL, IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 1ST, 2024, IT WILL BE POSTED FOR 10:00 AM UH, WE WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON, ON THAT DAY AT BEGINNING AT 10:00 AM WE WILL ALSO SET THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE AT THAT MEETING.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MENTION IT AGAIN.
UM, I WILL POST ON THE, ON THE MESSAGE BOARD TODAY, MORE DETAIL ABOUT ALL THAT.
BUT I DO WANT TO, I DID WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT, ABOUT THAT, AND THAT'S WHY I STARTED IT WITH IT AND THAT'S WHY I'M ENDING WITH IT.
WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS SCHEDULED MEETING? UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 12:13 PM THANKS EVERYBODY.