[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
MORNING EVERYBODY.IT'S 10:00 AM ON AUGUST 29TH, 2024.
UH, I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, THE ORDER OF THE DAY, WE HAVE, AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, WHAT I WILL DO TODAY IS, UH, START BY READING CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORDS INTO THE RECORD.
UH, AND THEN I'LL REVIEW SPECIFICALLY THE ORDER OF THE DAY.
ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THERE'S A REFERENCE TO FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 THAT SHOULD BE DELETED AND REPLACED WITH 2024.
ITEM NUMBER 97 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ADDENDUM.
ITEM NUMBER TWO 13 ITEM 100, WITHDRAWN, REPLACED BY ADDENDUM.
ITEM 1 0 5, UH, SHOULD READ SMORE, REINHARD, LLP FOR SERVICES RELATED TO SAMANTHA, AND THE NAME IS, WAS MISSPELLED IN THE ORIGINAL POSTING.
IT SHOULD SO DELETE THE LAST NAME AND REPLACE IT WITH L-I-E-D-T-K, EKE, L-I-E-D-T-K-E.
ITEMS 1 31 AND ONE 50 ARE WITHDRAWN.
ITEMS 1 55, 1 56 AND 1 57 SHOULD READ WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, THESE ITEMS WILL BE WITHDRAWN.
ITEM NUMBER 1 59 SHOULD READ WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS, HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP.
THIS ITEM WILL BE POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 10TH, 2024.
UH, THERE'S A REFERENCE TO THE NUMBER OF ACRES TO BE DISH ANNEXED RELATING TO THE DISH ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY DELETE 7 38 AND REPLACE IT WITH 6 57 ACRES.
DELETE 7 38 AND REPLACE IT WITH 6 57.
ITEM NUMBER 1 67 SHOULD READ WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP.
THIS ITEM WILL BE POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2024 ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
ACTION ITEMS, NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER FOUR SHOULD READ AUGUST 20TH, 2024, RECOMMENDED BY THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION ON AN EIGHT TO ZERO VOTE WITH CHAIR STONE AND COMMISSIONER LUKI ABSENT AND ONE VACANCY.
THOSE ARE ALL THE CHANGES TO CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD.
WHAT WE WILL DO TO IS WE WILL AT 10 O'CLOCK, OBVIOUSLY, NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN CALLED TO ORDER, WE WILL GO TO OUR, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.
[Public Comment]
MEMBERS.WE WILL, UH, WHEN I, WHEN WE START HEARING FROM, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'M GOING TO ASK THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS NEAR TO 10 30 AS WE CAN, BUT IT MAY NOT BE, UH, THAT CLOSE, DEPENDING UPON HOW MANY SPEAKERS WE HAVE.
DURING THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, UH, WE WILL TAKE UP THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MEETING.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM THAT'S CURRENTLY BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND THAT IS ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5 ON NON.
WE WILL TAKE UP NON-CONSENT ITEMS, FIRST WITH ITEMS FROM COUNSEL AND THEN THE IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS. WE WILL THEN GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND I'VE, UH, WE'RE JUST GONNA GO IN THE ORDER THAT THEY'RE NUMBERED.
UNLESS SOMETHING UH, HAPPENS THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF RIGHT NOW, WE WILL TAKE THEM UP IN THE ORDER OF THEIR NUMBERS ON THE AGENDA, AND THAT HAPPENS TO WORK OUT BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS, AT LEAST AS OF LATE YESTERDAY.
WE WILL, UH, OF COURSE AT NOON, WE WILL HAVE OUR NOON TIME CERTAIN OF PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE WILL RECESS FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME FOR OUR LIVE MUSIC.
IF WE, IF WE HAVE FINISHED WITH THE BUSINESS OF OF THE MORNING, WE WILL, WE WILL PROBABLY GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5 AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THAT'S THE ITEM THAT I JUST INDICATED WAS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF WE HAVEN'T FINISHED, WE WILL COME BACK AND TAKE UP THOSE ITEMS, UM, AFTER LIVE MU OR KEEP WORKING ON THOSE AFTER, UH, THE LIVE MUSIC AT TWO O'CLOCK.
WE WILL HAVE OUR TIME CERTAIN OF ZONING, AND WE WILL GET TO THOSE AS SOON AS WE CAN, UH, AND AS CLOSE TO TWO O'CLOCK AS WE CAN.
SO THAT'S THE, THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR THE DAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL NOW GO TO THE SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND MY FIRST REQUEST IS TO HAVE LEGAL
[00:05:01]
COME FORWARD TO, UH, SPEAK TO US ABOUT A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.I'M HERE TODAY TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $150,000 TO SETTLE THE JICA VOLTER JONES VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN AT ALL LAWSUIT.
THIS LAWSUIT ARISES OUT OF THE MAY, 2020 PROTEST INVOLVING A PD.
MR. VOLTER JONES SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HIS INJURY STEMMING FROM HIS ATTENDANCE AT THE PROTEST.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS PAYMENT, PLAINTIFF WILL RELEASE ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY AND THE OFFICERS FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS RISING OUT OF THE MAY 30TH, 2020 INCIDENT.
PLAINTIFF WILL ALSO DISMISS WITH PRE PREJUDICE THE LAWSUIT FILED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF LEGAL? THANK YOU.
UM, ITEM 1 0 6, I'M HERE TODAY TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE THE PAYMENT OF $1.95 MILLION TO SETTLE THE ALYSSA SANDERS VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN AT ALL LAWSUIT.
THIS LAWSUIT IS RELATED TO THE 20 MAY, 2020 PROTEST INVOLVING A PD.
MS. SANDERS SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HER INJURY STEMMING FROM HER IN HER ATTENDANCE AT THE PROTEST.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS PAYMENT, THE PLAINTIFF RELEASE RELEASE, ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY AND ANY OFFICERS FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF THE MAY 31ST, 2020 INCIDENT.
PLAINTIFF WILL ALSO DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE THE LAWSUIT FILED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF COUNSEL? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW WE'LL GO TO THE SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, I ANTICIPATE THAT OUR CLERK WILL TELL US THAT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE REMOTE SPEAKERS, BUT LET ME NO.
WELL, I WE CAN ALWAYS LIVE IN ANTICIPATION, RIGHT? BUT YEAH.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, UH, LET ME, UH, CERTAINLY SAY THEN WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, WHICH IS IN ORDER TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING AFTER YOU, UH, AND MAY BE HERE LATER THAN YOU, AND, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON A WHOLE LOT OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
SO, OUT OF RESPECT FOR FOLKS, IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED, PLEASE DON'T JUST SIT IN YOUR SEAT, PLEASE GET UP, COME FORWARD AND MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.
UH, TAKE A SEAT HERE IN THE FRONT, AND IF YOU SEE AN OPEN MICROPHONE, GO AHEAD.
EVEN IF SOMEBODY'S NAME WAS CALLED BEFORE YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE MICROPHONE, IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD, AND PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, BUT FOR EFFICIENCY PURPOSES, IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE YOUR WAY FORWARD, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK TO HELP US NAVIGATE THIS PROCESS.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH IN-PERSON, SPEAKERS.
UM, FIRST WE HAVE CARLOS LEON ON ITEM 1 0 8, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM BUNCH, ZENOBIA JOSEPH AND SHERRY TAYLOR.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ITEMS 5 18, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 54, 76, AND 111.
MR. BUNCH, ARE YOU PRESENT, MR. BUNCH ALL? PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
NEXT WE HAVE SHERRY OR ZIA JOSEPH AT M 40 91, 1 0 2, 1 0 3, 1 10, 1 0 4, OR I'M SORRY, 1 42 WITH SHERRY TAYLOR ON DECK.
MS. TAYLOR, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT FEW SPEAKERS.
NEXT WE HAVE ALEXANDER STRINGER ON ITEMS 1 0 1, 1 34 1 42, WITH KATHY MITCHELL AND CHRIS HARRIS ON DECK.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEMS NUMBER 1 0 1, 1 34, AND 1 42.
BECAUSE WE ARE IN AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD IN THEIR MOUTHS BECAUSE GREEDY CORPORATIONS, THEY CHARGE TOO MUCH AT THE GROCERY STORE.
AND BILLIONAIRES REFUSE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.
AND THAT IS WHY IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE BUILD AS MANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
AND IT IS ALSO WHY WE NEED AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH TO ELECT KAMALA HARRIS AS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE PRESIDENT IN UNITED STATES HISTORY.
BECAUSE A 25% TAX ON UNREALIZED CAPITAL GAINS WILL MAKE THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
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UNITS A NECESSITY BECAUSE NOBODY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY.OUR LAND WAS STOLEN FROM THE NATIVE AMERICANS, AND OWNING PRIVATE PROPERTY IS A SYMBOL OF WHITE SUPREMACY.
JUST LOOK AT WHAT THESE BOURGEOIS PROPERTY OWNERS SAY ABOUT UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS.
THESE MAGGOT CHDS, THEY WANT TO BUILD A BORDER WALL AND SUPPORT EVERY THESE MAGGOT, CHDS, SORRY, MY BLOOD IS BOILING.
THESE MAGGOT JUDDS, THEY WANT TO BUILD A BORDER WALL AND DEPORT EVERY SINGLE UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT WHO CAME HERE ILLEGALLY.
ALL RIGHT, LISTEN, KIRK, NO HUMAN IS ILLEGAL AND UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS, THEY DO MORE TO CULTURALLY ENRICH OUR COMMUNITIES THAN ANY GROUP IN HISTORY.
OKAY? JUST LOOK AT THE THRIVING APARTMENT COMPLEX IN AURORA, COLORADO.
RIGHT NOW, AMERICA IS A CESSPOOL OF HATE AND BIGOTRY.
OUR GREAT NATION HAS BECOME A DEN OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND DONALD TRUMP'S EXTREMIST PROJECT 2025 AGENDA.
IT IS GOING TO DESTROY OUR LIV, OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES AND PUT AN END TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
DONALD TRUMP, MARK, MY WORDS, WILL SIGN A NATIONAL ABORTION BAN.
EVEN THOUGH THE RIGHT TO GET AN ABORTION IS ENSHRINED IN OUR CONSTITUTION, NO MATTER HOW FAR ALONG A WOMAN IS IN HER PREGNANCY, MY SON IS NEURODIVERGENT.
AND DO YOU THINK, KIRK, THAT WE WOULD'VE BROUGHT HIM INTO THIS WORLD HAD WE KNOWN THAT HE WAS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM?
WE'VE TRIED ADDERALL, WE'VE TRIED HORMONE BLOCKERS.
HONESTLY, THE ONLY THING LEFT TO TRY IS EUTHANASIA.
ABORTION IS A HUMAN RIGHT, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING ABOUT WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT IN AUSTIN.
NEXT WE HAVE KATHY MITCHELL ON ITEMS 1 0 5, 1 34 AND 1 43.
GETTING NINE MINUTES WITH CHRIS HARRIS ON DECK AND ALICIA CASTILLO ON DECK.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD SO THAT YOU'LL BE PREPARED.
I WANNA START BY THANKING COUNCIL MEMBERS, FUENTES, VELA, VELAZQUEZ, HARPER, MADISON, AND CADRE FOR ITEMS, UH, 1 43 AND 1 34.
THEY ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND TIMELY.
UM, I THINK YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCIL AT FIRST APPEARANCE FINALLY IN TRAVIS COUNTY IMPLEMENTS A BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND I DON'T NEED TO ADD TO YOUR ABLE ARTICULATION OF THE REASONS WHY SENATE BILL FOUR WAS AND IS A STAIN ON TEXAS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO STEP BACK AND SPEAK TO ITEMS 1 0 5, 1 34 AND 1 43, AND HOW THEY'RE VERY MUCH TIED TOGETHER FOR ME.
UH, OUR WORLD IS IN A MULTI-GENERATIONAL PROJECT OF LEARNING HOW TO SHARE THIS EARTH WITH ONE ANOTHER RATHER THAN KILLING ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH ONE EXCLUSIVE GROUP OR ANOTHER ON PRECIOUS SECTIONS OF LAND.
SOMETIMES, SOME DAYS, AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD, SOME HUMANS ARE VERY MUCH STUCK IN A WARRIOR MENTALITY.
HERE IN AMERICA, WE HAVE MOVED THE NEEDLE A LITTLE BIT.
THAT IS WHY THE TERM CRIMINAL TRESPASS HAS BECOME SO FRAUGHT.
WHAT IS CRIMINAL TRESPASS? WELL, IT'S BASICALLY A PERSON BEING ON SOMEONE ELSE'S PIECE OF THE EARTH WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
UNLESS YOU ARE COMANCHE OR KOWA.
IF YOU NOW LIVE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, IT IS LIKELY THAT SOMEWHERE IN YOUR FAMILY HISTORY, THERE'S A PERSON WHO COMMITTED CRIMINAL TRESPASS.
JUST 150 YEARS AGO, SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE PULLED OUT A GUN AND FINALLY ESTABLISHED THEIR CONTROL OVER A PIECE OF LAND THAT WAY.
TODAY WE EXPECT POLICE TO DO THAT FOR US, AND POLICE ARE AT THE FRONT END, FRONT LINE OF OUR MIGRATION AWAY FROM KILLING ONE ANOTHER OVER PROPERTY, AND INSTEAD FINDING A WAY TO SHARE THIS EARTH MAKING CRIMINAL TRESPASS A CRIME.
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IN AUSTIN, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR MIGRANTS, AND IT'S ALSO AN ISSUE FOR OUR UNHOUSED, MAKING IT A CRIME AND THEREFORE SOMETHING YOU COULD BE ARRESTED FOR AND PUT INTO A JAIL CELL, HAS BEEN SO FRAUGHT WITH COMPLEXITY THAT THE CRIMINAL TRESPASS SECTION OF THE PENAL CODE HAS BEEN AMENDED ALMOST EVERY SESSION SINCE 1973.TODAY, THIS CRIME IS AT THE CENTER OF OUR DEBATES ABOUT OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, AND IT HAS BECOME THE CENTERPIECE OF WHAT MADE SENATE BILL FOUR SO AGGRESSIVE AND SO DIFFERENT.
SENATE BILL FOUR ACKNOWLEDGES IMPLICITLY THAT REALLY, HERE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT VIOLENT CRIMINALS COMING ACROSS THE BORDER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REGULAR FOLKS COMING ACROSS THE BORDER, AND WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO BE ABLE TO ARREST THEM.
THAT MOVE WAS SO BIG AND FLEW IN THE FACE OF SO MUCH OF OUR CULTURAL MOMENTUM THAT'S BEEN IN THE DIRECTION OF FINDING A WAY FOR EVERYBODY TO LIVE TOGETHER, THAT IT HAS PUT POLICE IN THE CROSSHAIRS.
THIS CITY FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, HAS BEEN TRYING TO TRAIN POLICE TO MIGRATE FROM A WARRIOR TRAINING AND A MILITARIZED TRAINING TO A GUARDIAN TRAINING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT POLICE ARE BEING PLACED IN THE POSITION OF MOVING THE BALL TOWARDS THE WORLD WE'RE TRYING TO LIVE IN, WHERE WE CAN ALL FIND A WAY TO SHARE THIS EARTH TOGETHER.
HAS THAT BEEN HARD FOR THEM? YES, IT HAS.
DO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AS LONG AS WE PLACE THEM IN THAT POSITION? YES, WE DO.
AND THAT IS WHY SAM DYKE'S CASE IS SO IMPORTANT AS A YOUNG POLICE OFFICER, SHE WAS ON THE FRONT LINE OF SEEING THAT CULTURE CLASH IN THE ACADEMY AND IN THE POLICE FORCE ITSELF.
AND SHE HAS COME FORWARD AND SAID, WE NEED TO DO BETTER, AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER FASTER, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING ARE NOT JUST THOSE WHO ARE BEING MOVED AGAINST THEIR WILL OFF A PIECE OF LAND THAT WE SHOULD LEARN HOW TO SHARE.
IT'S ALSO THE OFFICERS THEMSELVES.
SO I'M HERE TO SAY THAT YOU SHOULD POSTPONE 1 0 5.
YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO SAM AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE ASKING POLICE TO DO, BECAUSE IT'S VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING ABOUT SENATE BILL BEFORE AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, GIVING THOSE UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS RIGHTS WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE IN COURT.
AND SO THESE ARE TIED TOGETHER.
THIS IS PART OF A CULTURE SHIFT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WALK DOWN THIS ROAD.
CHRIS HARRIS, ALICIA CASTILLO, ALICIA CASTILLO ON ITEMS 1 0 5, 1 34 AND 1 43 WITH CARLOS LEON AND DECK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR HAVING US COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SPONSORED ITEMS, UM, 1 34 AND 1 43 TODAY.
WE ARE SO PLEASED TO, TO BE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THOSE.
AND, UM, MY NAME IS ALICIA CASTILLO.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, PROJECT.
I'M OUR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF POLICY.
UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN, UH, SORT OF ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS FIGHT AGAINST US BEFORE FOR, UM, SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
AND, UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW ENCOURAGING IT IS TO, UM, SEE, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THIS COME, COME FORWARD FROM OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK IT, UH, SPEAKS TO, UM, WHO WE ARE AND, UM, I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT WE CAN SIGNAL TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN THAT WE ARE STANDING AGAINST HATE, UM, AND FOR, UH, TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT VANESSA, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ENTENTES AND HARPER MADISON, AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER ZOE KARI FOR THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY TO, TO CA.
SO I'VE BEEN HONORED TO BE AMONG SOME OF THE ADVOCATES WORKING TIRELESSLY FOR THE PAST.
UM, MANY MONTHS ON TRYING TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT FULL-TIME, CA AT THE COUNTY ACCOUNT COUNCIL AT FIRST APPEARANCE.
AND, UM, THROUGHOUT THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND, AND, AND MANY THANKS TO THE COUNTY FOR BEING SO OPEN
[00:20:01]
AND, AND WILLING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN THIS CONVERSATION, UM, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT ANY OF THESE SOCIAL ISSUES IS NEVER JUST LIKE ONE ISSUE THAT WE CAN JUST SOLVE WITH ONE, YOU KNOW, FLIP OF A SWITCH.EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WE PROVIDE PEOPLE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET TO THRIVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IN SEEING THE COUNTY STRESS AND WORK SO HARD OVER THIS ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S A LOT ON THE CITY SIDE THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE TO HELP EASE THE BURDEN ON THE COUNTY.
SO REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THIS IS, THIS IS UP AND THAT THE CITY IS, UM, KIND OF RECOMMITTING TO THEIR, UM, WORK ON, ON OUR PART, THE CITY'S PART ON MAKING KAFA SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD JUST SUGGEST AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK THROUGH ALL THE WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE KAFA SUCCESSFUL IS, UM, THE CITY'S ROLE IN INFLUENCING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON REDUCING THIS BURDEN ON THE COUNTY.
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR US TO, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE ENOUGH, UM, ATTORNEYS TO STAND IN COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE, RIGHT? LIKE, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES.
BUT WHAT IF THERE WERE FEWER PEOPLE WHO HAD TO STAND IN FRONT OF THE MAGISTRATE? UM, AND THAT LIES WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT'S ONE WAY THAT THE CITY CAN INFLUENCE BY MAKING SURE THAT FEWER PEOPLE EVEN EVER HAVE TO STAND IN FRONT OF A MAGISTRATE THAT REALLY DON'T NEED TO BE THERE AT ALL.
UM, AND THAT, AND THAT BRINGS ME SPEAKING OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ITEM 1 0 5, SAM LIT'S CASE.
I'M NOT SURE I, I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SAM LIPKEY.
I HAVE AN, UM, SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE PERSON.
I THINK WHEN FOLKS TALK ABOUT THE POLICE, THIS IS WHO THEY HOPE, UM, IS A, A POLICE OFFICER, THE POLICE OFFICER THAT SHOWS UP TO THEIR CRISIS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE WAS PUSHED OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE BRUTALITY AND THE TOXICITY OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SHE HAS BOLDLY BRAVELY COME OUT ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO HER.
AND SO I'M SURE THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T MET HER AND HEARD DIRECTLY ABOUT IT, YOU'VE SEEN THE NEWS ARTICLES OUTLINING JUST SOME OF THE EGREGIOUS PRACTICES THAT SHE WITNESSED AND PUSHED AGAINST AND, UH, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ULTIMATELY RETALIATED AGAINST FOR.
AND SO I THINK, UM, YOU ALL ALSO COVERED BY THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE YESTERDAY WAS THE LETTER THAT SHE AND HER ATTORNEY, UM, SENT TO THE CITY, UH, GIVING A VERY REASONABLE ASK TO JUST SETTLE THE CASE, UM, FOR, FOR THE AMOUNT THAT YOU WOULD OTHERWISE PAY, UM, THESE ATTORNEYS TO DEFEND THE CITY AGAINST HER.
AND, UM, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE POSTPONE THAT ITEM, LISTEN TO SAM LIKE, LIKE KATHY BEFORE ME MENTIONED, AND, UM, REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THESE INCREDIBLY GENEROUS OFFERS THAT SHE'S, SHE'S GIVEN TO THE CITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, I THINK IT'S SO INCREDIBLE WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE COME OUT OF TRAUMA AND COME OUT OF, UM, A PLACE WHERE THEY WERE HURT TO OFFER, UM, SOLUTIONS TO FIX IT.
AND, UM, SO WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO, UH, TAKE HER OFF ON THAT AND, AND POSTPONE THIS ITEM AND NOT SPEND ANY MORE OF OUR VALUABLE DOLLARS ON DEFENDING THE POLICE WHEN THEY'VE DONE WRONG.
UM, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ITEMS ONE, UH, 34 AND 1 43 AND, AND HOPE YOU SUPPORT THEM.
THANK YOU CARLOS LEONE ON ITEMS ONE AND EIGHT TOTALING SIX MINUTES WITH MICHAEL FRANCIS AND DANIELLA SILVA AND DECK.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SO, CARLOS LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST, GRACIA FOR LETTING ME EXPOSE AND SOLVE A PROBLEM APPROVING THE JULY 18 MINUTES.
AT THAT MEETING, YOU APPROVE THE MAY 30 MINUTES, WHICH INCLUDED ANY ILLEGAL PUBLIC SPEAKING RESTRICTION.
MAYOR WATSON SAID, DURING ANY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, THERE IS BEHAVIOR THAT WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
YOU MAY CRITICIZE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, BUT YOU MAY NOT USE PERSONALLY DEROGATORY OR DISPARAGING REMARKS YET, IN ALVI TAM, THE US SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY REJECTED THAT PRIVATE SPEECH VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION RESTRICTION AS FACIALLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT'S FREE SPEECH CLAUSE, LIBERAL JUSTICES KENNEDY GINSBURG, SODA MAOR, AND KAGAN SAID WITH FEW NARROW EXCEPTIONS, A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY NOT PUNISH OR SUPPRESS SPEECH BASED ON DISAPPROVAL OF THE IDEAS OR PERSPECTIVES.
THE SPEECH CONVEYS THE TEST FOR VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION IS WHETHER WITHIN THE RELEVANT SUBJECT CATEGORY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS SINGLED OUT A SUBSET OF MESSAGES FOR DISFAVOR BASED ON THE VIEWS EXPRESSED WITHIN THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL CRITICISM CATEGORY.
WATSON SINGLED OUT PERSONALLY DEROGATORY OR DISPARAGING REMARKS FOR DISFAVOR BASED
[00:25:01]
ON THOSE VIEWS EXPRESSED.HE CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE SUCH VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION IS GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP.
THAT'S WHY YOUR PROCEDURES FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING SECTION 1 1 3 RULES OF ORDER SAYS EACH PERSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD NOT USE DISPARAGING OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, SHOULD NOT EXPRESS HIS BIAS AGAINST THAT LANGUAGE, BUT LAWFULLY PERMITS IT WITHOUT PENALTY, WILL NOT CROSSES THE LEGAL LINE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU SILENCE AND OR BAN A SPEAKER USING SUCH CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SPEECH THAT IS NOT INCITING AN IMMEDIATE BREACH OF THE PEACE DEFINED BY TEXAS PENAL CODE 42.01 A ONE TWO, OR FOUR.
OUR FIRST AMENDMENT SPEAKING RIGHTS MUST BE SAFEGUARDED HERE AND ITS CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS, ALL LIMITED PUBLIC FORUMS TO NOT CHILL FREE SPEECH TO MAXIMIZE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT.
PROTECTED BY THE TEXAS CITIZENS PARTICIPATION ACT.
AT LAST WEEK'S SURPRISE, ARIZONA CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAYOR SKIP HALL CITED AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL RULE TO UNLAWFULLY ARREST AND REMOVE SPEAKER REBECCA MASSEY FOR LAWFULLY CRITICIZING THEIR CITY ATTORNEY'S FUNDING, THEN TRESPASS HER TO BLOCK HER FROM RETURNING HERE.
THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT PREVENTS RESTRICTING PHYSICAL ACCESS.
THEIR SURPRISE POLICE SAID MASSEY WOULD BE CHARGED WITH RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS.
THOUGH THE ARREST SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND MAYOR HALL DID THE OBSTRUCTING HERE.
MAYOR WATSON DID NOT REPEAT THAT RESTRICTION.
JULY 18, CORRECTING HIMSELF TO AVOID LEGAL BLOWBACK AND PUBLIC RAGE COMING FROM MAYOR HALL AND THEIR CITY COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, WRONGLY PUNISHING FREE SPEECH IS RELATED TO ITEM 1 0 8 RENAMING NORTH VILLAGE LIBRARY.
THE JOHN GILLUM LIBRARY GILLUM SPENT 40 YEARS BUILDING AND MAINTAINING AUSTIN LIBRARY FACILITIES, INCLUDING NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY OUTSIDE ITS THIRD AND FOURTH FLOOR WINDOWS IS LADY BIRD JOHNSON'S QUOTE, PERHAPS NO PLACE IN ANY COMMUNITY IS SO TOTALLY DEMOCRATIC AS THE TOWN LIBRARY.
THE ONLY ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT IS INTEREST.
YET A PL DIRECTOR ROOSEVELT WEEKS HAS MADE A LIAR OUT OF LADY BIRD AND DISPARAGED GILLUM'S LIFE WORK BY ILLEGALLY AND PERMANENTLY BANNING ME FROM ALL A PL PROPERTIES, ALLEGEDLY BECAUSE I AM A CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE MAGA DEPLORABLE WHO LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE 2020 ELECTION.
BECAUSE I ALREADY SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT THIS MAY 30TH AGAINST ITEM 77 AND GAVE BACKUP DETAILS TO YOU IN THE CLERK IN WRITING, I NOW SHARE NEW EVIDENCE SHOWING A PL ALLEGEDLY NOT COMPLYING WITH YOUR LAW DEPARTMENT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TEAM.
MY PIR FOR ALL A PL COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE MAY NINE AND MAY 13 INCIDENTS GENERATED NOTHING IN RETURN, BUT QUOTE, A PL DOES NOT HAVE ANY RESPONSIVE INFORMATION.
END QUOTE, CONTRADICTING THEIR OWN WRITTEN AND VERBAL TESTIMONY TO COVER UP THEIR ALLEGED CRIMINALITY AND DIS COMMISSION DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST ME.
THE MAY 13 CTN AT HOUSING BRANCH SAID, I HARASSED AND THREATENED STAFF THOUGH HOUSING STAFF ADMITTED TO A PD.
THEY CLAIMED TO FEEL UNSAFE AROUND ME BECAUSE THAT BEHAVIOR WAS FALSELY ALLEGED AGAINST ME, MAY NINE AT OLD QUARRY BRANCH.
THEREFORE, THERE HAD TO BE RELATED A PL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEM, BETWEEN MAY NINE AND MAY 13, BECAUSE THE TWO DIFFERENT BRANCHES ARE SEVERAL MILES APART WITH TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT STAFFS.
ACCORDING TO ATTORNEY GENERAL PAXTON FAILING OR REFUSING TO GIVE ME ACCESS TO THAT REQUESTED INFORMATION WITH CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
IS OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT VIOLATING TEXAS GOVERNMENTAL CODE 5 52 0.353 A PUNISHABLE BY UP TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL AND OR A THOUSAND DOLLARS FINE.
DID JOHN GILLUM SPEND HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE BUILDING AND MAINTAINING AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR ROOSEVELT WEEKS TO UNLAWFULLY EXCLUDE WHO HE DOESN'T WANT TO USE THEM? HONOR JOHN GILLUM BY DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO RESCIND THE CTN AGAINST ME.
WEEKS SHOULD NEVER HAVE ISSUED.
MICHAEL FRANCIS, DANIELLA SILVA AND DAVID CHINON.
MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[00:30:01]
ON THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION.FIRST, YOU CAN BREATHE A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF.
I'M NOT HERE TO ASK FOR FUNDING, BUT I AM HERE TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THE COMMISSION MOVING ON AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE, IT'S KIND OF IMPEDING OUR ABILITY TO, TO WORK, UH, EFFICIENTLY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE VACANT SEATS IN THREE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
FOLLOW THE MATH WITH ME TO WORK QUORUM.
WE HAVE ONE MEMBER THAT COMES INCONSISTENTLY AND WE HAVE ONE MEMBER THAT JUST ANNOUNCED HE'LL BE LEAVING AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER'S MEETING.
NOW I'M AT SIX AND WE JUST HAD A MEETING LAST NIGHT WITH SIX AND WE'VE HAD A MEETING WITH SIX BEFORE.
IT MAKES IT REAL DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE MEETING, WE'VE HAD TO CANCEL 'CAUSE WE COULDN'T GET QUORUM.
AND GUYS, THAT MAKES IT TOUGH TO DO THE CITY'S BUSINESS YOU GUYS HAVE ASKED US TO DO.
AND AS VOLUNTEERS, IT'S KIND OF MADDENING FOR US, ESPECIALLY FOR CODE.
THIS, BY THE WAY, IT'S GREAT GROUP TO WORK WITH.
VERY PROFESSIONAL, ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF.
I'VE DONE VOLUNTEER WORK FOR MANY YEARS, BUT YOU KNOW, THEIR FOCUS IS, WELL, WE HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE GET A DAY OR TWO, CALL A DAY OR TWO.
ARE YOU COMING WHEN WE HAVE QUORUM? SO IT KIND OF JAMS US UP A LITTLE BIT.
AND I'M JUST HERE TO SAY, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE VACANCIES, CAN YOU HELP US OUT ON THAT? PLEASE MOVE THAT ALONG.
UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE TO CANCEL A MEETING.
IT'S A BIG, UH, A BIG, UH, IN IMPEDIMENT TO OUR SERVICES AND FOR, FOR THE VOLUNTEERS.
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A QUORUM AND IT MAKES US BE PRESSURED TO GO TO ALL THE MEETINGS, RIGHT? AND LIFE HAPPENS.
SO THAT WE HAVE THAT BANDWIDTH.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT BANDWIDTH, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO BE BACK TO SIX AGAIN.
AND THAT'S REALLY A, A A PUTS US IN A, IN A TOUGH SPOT.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US.
UH, IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT A VACANCY, UM, OR YOU'VE GOT ONE COMING UP, PLEASE CHECK WITH THAT AND HELP US OUT.
AND MAYBE IF YOU NEED SOME HELP FROM THOSE OF US THAT ARE ON THE BUILDING STANDARDS, KIND OF RUNNING THAT FIELD.
SO HAVE SOME IDEA FOR FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME ON BOARD TO HAVE THAT SKILLSET THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO HELP THE COMMISSION BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ITEM 1 34 TOTALING THREE MINUTES,
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE AUSTIN POLICY COORDINATOR AT WORKERS' DEFENSE PROJECT, AND I AM HERE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ITEM 1 34 TO THE AGENDA.
I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, FUENTES HARPER, MADISON VELA VELAZQUEZ, AND CADRE, UH, FOR SPONSORING THIS ITEM.
UH, ITEM 1 34 IS CONDEMNING, UM, THE TERRIBLE ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAW, SB FOUR THAT THE TEXAS SENATE PASSED, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY TIED UP IN THE COURTS, BUT IS THIS DOOMY GRAY CLOUD THAT LOOMS OVER SO MANY, UH, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, LATINA COMMUNITIES.
AND IT IS ALREADY SUCH A STRESSFUL TIME TO BE A LATINA PERSON, ESPECIALLY A LATINA IMMIGRANT.
UM, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE HAVE GREG ABBOTT WHO HAS MADE IT TO WHERE HOSPITALS HAVE TO ASK FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS WHEN SOMEONE COMES ASKING FOR HELP.
WE'VE GOT A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO HAS STATED THAT HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHOSE PARENTS WERE NOT BORN IN THE US ARE STRIPPED OF THEIR CITIZENSHIP, EVEN IF THEY WERE BORN IN THE US.
AND SO IT REALLY FEELS LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CREATING THE LAWS FOR OUR SOCIETY DON'T HAVE OUR BACK ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.
BUT TODAY IT FEELS LIKE Y'ALL DO AND THAT REALLY MEANS A LOT.
SO WE JUST ARE HERE TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORTH THIS BILL THAT NOT ONLY IS SYMBOLIC IN SHOWING ITS SUPPORT FOR THE LATINA COMMUNITY IN CONDEMNING SB FOUR, BUT IT IS ALSO HAVING ACTION BEHIND IT SO THAT MR. BROADNAX CAN ENSURE TO WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS SO THAT POLICIES CAN BE PASSED THAT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN UPLIFT AND HIGHLIGHT THE CURRENT POLICIES THAT EXIST WITHIN A PD THAT ILLUSTRATE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING THESE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, UM, RULES.
UM, AND SO THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ANY KIND OF RACIAL PROFILING.
AND ALSO TAKING IT A STEP FURTHER TO ENSURE THAT EVEN MORE STRICT, UH, STRINGENT PROCESSES ARE ENACTED IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THERE'S REPORTING THAT WILL BE STARTING BACK UP TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY HELD WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO I JUST AM REALLY GRATEFUL THAT Y'ALL HAVE BROUGHT FORTH THIS ITEM.
WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU MORE IN THE FUTURE.
[00:35:01]
ON ITEM 1 34 WITH THREE MINUTES.UM, GOOD MORNING MAYOR, MAYOR, PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS DAVID CHICHEN AND I SERVE AS THE POLICY DIRECTOR FOR WORKERS' DEFENSE.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 1 34.
SENATE BILL FOR IS THE MOST POISONOUS, HARMFUL PIECE OF ANTI-IMMIGRANT LEGISLATION THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN YEARS LIKE OPERATION LONE STAR, WITH ITS INHUMANE PRACTICES AND ITS DEADLY RACER WIRES, IT'S BASED ON A LIE ABOUT THE REALITY THAT TEXANS FACE TODAY.
AND ON A MANUFACTURED CRISIS THAT PLAYS TO OUR WORST INSTINCTS.
IT PLAYS ON VERY REAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ANXIETIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY THE RESULT OF EGREGIOUS MISMANAGEMENT AND A BROKEN STATE GOVERNMENT.
AND IT WEAPONIZES THOSE FEARS AGAINST US.
IT'S A CHEAP POLITICAL TRICK, BUT NEITHER THE FINANCIAL NOR THE MORAL COST OF ASB FOUR IS CHEAP ON THE FINANCIAL COST.
NO ONE AT THE STATE CAPITOL COULD ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY PROPOSED TO PAY FOR THIS MASS INCARCERATION PROPOSAL AND THE ECONOMIC STRAIN IT WOULD PLACE ON OUR COURTS OR JAILS, OUR LEGAL SYSTEM, EXCEPT FOR A VIEW, UH, A FEW VAGUE PROMISES ABOUT STATE REIMBURSEMENTS.
SO THIS IS EITHER AN UNFUNDED MANDATE ON CITIES LIKE AUSTIN AND COUNTIES, OR THEY'RE PLANNING ON USING AN UNDEFINED AMOUNT OF OUR HARD-EARNED STATE TAX DOLLARS TO IMPLEMENT IT ON THE MORAL COST AS B FOUR IS AN UPFRONT TO THE VALUES THAT WE HOLD AS TEXANS AND AUSTINITES, REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN.
IT'S AN ATTACK ON OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR FAMILIES, OUR NEIGHBORS, AND ON YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND THAT SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL THE DEEP SENSE OF INDIGNATION AND OUTRAGE THAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS FEELING TODAY.
AND FINALLY, SB FOUR IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT HAS ALREADY RULED THAT STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CANNOT USURP THE POWER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS IT RELATES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR I'M SORRY, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, BUT BECAUSE AS FOUR IS ACTUALLY UNENFORCEABLE, THE ONLY WAY S FOUR CAN ACTUALLY BE ENFORCED IN A COMMUNITY LIKE OURS IN AUSTIN, IS BY THE BLATANT USE OF RACIAL PROFILING AND THE VIOLATION OF OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES AND RIGHTS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO ISSUE A DEPRIORITIZATION MEMO AND CLARIFY A PD STANDARDS FOR REASONABLE SUSPICION AND PROBABLE CAUSE.
TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL NOT ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY, OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD YOUR BACK DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THEY ADVOCATED AND MARCHED AND RALLIED TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TODAY.
RIGHT NOW, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS THEIR BACK.
SEND A MESSAGE TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT THOUGH THE STATE HAS FAILED THEM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL NOT, THAT IT WILL OFFER THE SUPPORT AND PROTECTIONS THAT THEY NEED AND DESERVE.
NEXT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR SPANISH LANGUAGE SPEAKERS.
[00:40:01]
AS AN IMMIGRANT, I ALREADY FACED SIGNIFICANT FEARS WHEN INTERACTING WITH THE POLICE.THE PASSAGE OF SB FOUR WOULD ONLY INCREASE THESE FEARS.
AS A MOM, I FEEL VERY NERVOUS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES LIKE GOING TO WORK OR SEEKING MEDICAL CARE, OR EVEN MORE DAUNTING.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO, FOR ADDRESSING THESE CONCERNS AND STANDING UP FOR OUR SAFETY.
THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL REASSURES ME THAT OUR CITY CARES ABOUT MY FAMILY AND ME.
DESPITE THE STATE GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO MAKE OUR LIVES MORE DIFFICULT, AUSTIN IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING ITS IMMIGRANT RESIDENTS AND ENSURING THAT WE FEEL SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IMMIGRANTS ARE IN AN INTEGRAL PART OF AUSTIN DAILY LIFE.
WE ARE OFTEN THE ONES BUILDING YOUR HOMES, PAVING YOUR ROADS, COOKING YOUR MEALS, AND KEEPING YOUR SPACES SAFE AND CLEAN.
OUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION CONTRIBUTE IMMENSELY TO THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
OUR NEXT SPANISH LANGUAGE SPEAKER IS IRENE ARZA, AND SHE HAS HAD TIME DONATED BY ISMAIL MEDINA, TOTALING 12 MINUTES.
ARE THEY IN THE ROOM? IRENE AND ISMAIL? YEP.
AND CHRIS HARRIS ON DECK? MM-HMM.
MY NAME IS IZA AND I'M SPEAKING ON SUPPORT OF ITEM 1 34.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE SUPPORT AND ALL THE CARE YOU DO ABOUT US, AND I'M THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR, FOR US.
UM, NOW I'M GONNA START READING.
I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY OF COUNCIL FOR PASSING THIS RESOLUTION.
IT DEMONSTRATES THAT EVEN WHEN FACED WITH CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE ARE LEADERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE RIGHTS AND SAFETY OF ALL OUR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE OF US WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS.
ACTIONS REMIND ME THAT AUSTIN STANDS WITH ITS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
IT IS A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE AND OUR, OUR VOICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED.
THE SUPPORT IS INVALUABLE IN HELPING US FEEL MORE INTEGRATED AND SECURE IN OUR CITY.
[00:45:16]
THIS RESOLUTION HELP US TO REBUILD OUR TRUST AND STRENGTHEN OUR TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY OF IMMIGRANTS AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.THIS SHOWS A COMMITMENT TO APPROACH OUR FEARS AND TO GUARANTEE THAT WE ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND FAIRNESS.
KNOWING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE CITY COUNCIL, IS ACTIVELY WORKING TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, ENCOURAGE ME TO ENGAGE MORE OPENLY IN CIVIC LIFE.
IT REASSURES ME THAT MY CONTRIBUTIONS TO HOSTING ARE VALUED AND THAT I CAN PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES WITHOUT ANY FEAR.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE CITY COUNCIL'S ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE, AND I ALSO THANK GOD FOR THE HELP AND FOR THE SUPPORT.
NEXT WE HAVE CHRIS HARRIS ON ITEMS 1 0 5 1 3 4 1 43 TOTALING NINE MINUTES WITH SHERRY TAYLOR AND ANNIE FIRO ON DECK.
HI, MAYOR COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF EQUITY ACTION.
UH, IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE ITEMS MENTIONED.
UM, I WAS PART OF A COALITION, UH, BACK IN TWO, 2019.
UH, THIS WAS A COALITION OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, DOCUMENTED AND UNDOCUMENTED THAT CAME TOGETHER, UH, TO FIGHT, UM, THE MISUSE OF POLICE DISCRETION.
UM, WHAT WE SAW WAS THAT THE POLICE DISCRETION TO ARREST WHEN THEY HAD THE OPTION TO ISSUE A CITATION INSTEAD, UM, WAS USED UNDULY AGAINST BLACK AND BROWN AUSTINITES.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, THESE ARE OFFENSES THAT THE STATE LAW, STATE LAW PERMITS OFFICERS TO GIVE A CITATION IN LIEU OF ARREST.
AND AGAIN, IN THE SITUATIONS WHERE OFFICERS HAD THIS OPTION, THEY WERE OVERWHELMINGLY USING THIS DISCRETION TO ARREST BLACK AND BROWN AUSTINITES WHILE GIVING CITATIONS TO WHITE AUSTINITES.
SO TOGETHER, THIS BLACK AND BROWN COALITION FORMED TO PUSH THE FREEDOM CITY POLICIES, THESE POLICIES EXPRESSLY LIMITED POLICE DISCRETION IN THESE AREAS, REQUIRED THE USE OF CITATIONS IN THESE SITUATIONS, AND ALSO LIMITED POLICE AUTHORITY OR REQUIRED RATHER POLICE TO, TO NOTIFY INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY HAD A RIGHT NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
UH, COLLECTIVELY, THESE, THESE POLICIES DID A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO KEEP, UH, PEOPLE OUT OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, OR AT LEAST FROM THE WORST OF, UH, OUTCOMES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
UNNECESSARY DETENTION, SEARCH AND ARREST, RIGHT? UH, FOR OVERWHELMINGLY LOW LEVEL OFFENSES, RIGHT? OR FOR PEOPLE SIMPLY GOING ABOUT THEIR DAY, DAY TO DAY IN THIS COMMUNITY AS AN UNDOCUMENTED PERSON ALONG WITH THIS POLICY, WHICH WAS AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS, WHICH HAD MONTHLY MEETINGS AND AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF TRANSPARENCY THAT CAME ABOUT REGULAR MEETINGS AND REGULAR REPORTS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD TO PROVIDE.
UH, IT WAS THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ENSURE THE COMPLIANCE WITH IT RIGHT? TO UNDERSTAND THAT POLICE WERE, UH, FOLLOWING THE POLICY, WERE ISSUING CITATIONS IN LIEU OF ARREST, UH, AND KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE JAIL.
UH, AND THIS WORKED WELL FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, AFTER THE BACKLASH TO THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST IS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT IS, UH, INCREASINGLY NON-COMPLIANT WITH CITY RESOLUTION AND POLICY NON, UH, COMPLETELY SECRETIVE ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES.
UH, AND THAT'S DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAD OVER 80% OF 80% OF VOTERS PASS A BALLOT MEASURE JUST LAST YEAR DEMANDING NEW AND UNPRECEDENTED TRANSPARENCY.
SO IT IS INCREDIBLY CRUCIAL, UH, THAT WE RESTART THE FREEDOM CITY REPORTING,
[00:50:01]
UH, TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THIS.UH, IN REALITY, WE NEED IT FOR ALL ELEMENTS OF, OF COUNCIL, UH, PARTICULARLY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY DICTATED, UH, POLICE POLICY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE POLICE HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWING THE FACIAL RECOGNITION POLICY, UH, IN, IN A HOST OF OTHER POLICIES PASSED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2020 AND IN ITS AFTERMATH.
AND SO WE NEED WHATEVER TRANSPARENCY THIS COUNCIL CAN DEMAND AND ENFORCE TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE, WITH THE RULES.
WHAT WE ALSO SEE WITH UNCHECKED POLICE DISCRETION AND A CULTURE OF SECRECY, UH, THAT THAT NOW EXIST WITHIN THIS DEPARTMENT IS, UH, UH, UNNECESSARY ARRESTS FOR HOSTS OF OTHER THINGS.
UH, AND THESE UNNECESSARY ARRESTS NOW DEMAND, UH, THAT THE COUNTY OFFER NEW SERVICES, UH, PARTICULARLY TO PROVIDE COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE TO ENSURE THAT, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE BROUGHT INTO THE JAIL ARE, ARE ACTUALLY BEING BROUGHT THERE FOR LEGITIMATE AND LEGAL REASONS, UH, ALLOWED BY THE STATE AND BY THIS COUNCIL.
AND SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING THE IN THEORY MANAGER OF THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT IS, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 90% OF THE PEOPLE BROUGHT TO OUR TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL, IS IN SUPPORT OF AND BACKING THIS COUNCIL AT FIRST APPEARANCE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE BROUGHT TO THAT JAIL ARE BROUGHT THERE FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS AND REMAIN THERE ONLY BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT, UH, A TRUE THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF THIS COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, WE HAVE REALLY DIRECT INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS SECRECY AND IMPUNITY THAT NOW RAINS AT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT VIA A LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY A FORMER OFFICER, UM, UH, SAM LED KEY.
UM, YOU HAVE ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY AN ITEM TO FUND ADDITIONAL DEFENSE RESOURCES FOR THE CITY AGAINST SAM LED KEY IN HER LAWSUIT.
UH, MY MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOUR CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS IN FRONT OF IT A LETTER OFFERING TO RESOLVE THIS LAWSUIT FOR FAR LESS, FAR LESS THAN IT IS WORTH.
THAT IS FOR FAR LESS THAN WHAT THE TREATMENT THAT SHE RECEIVED, UH, IN EXCHANGE, UH, FOR A SERIES OF REFORMS, PARTICULARLY TO THE TRAINING ACADEMY, A TRAINING ACADEMY THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REFORM FOR OVER FIVE YEARS, OKAY? BUT BECAUSE OF
AND SO YOU NOW HAVE A CHANCE, UH, TO, TO REALLY SHOW, UH, WHERE YOUR COMMITMENT LIES WITH RESPECT TO, UH, THOSE REFORMS. BECAUSE YOU CAN EITHER APPROVE, UH, DOLLARS TO GO TO ADDITIONAL DEFENSE, UH, AND NO REFORMS, OR YOU CAN APPROVE SOME SIMILAR AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO, TO SETTLE THIS SUIT AND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THE REFORMS TO THE ACADEMY.
UH, AND, AND I WANT TO, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THESE REFORMS ARE THE ONLY CHANCE IF YOU INTEND TO ADDRESS THE POLICE STAFFING DECLINE THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE CITY.
THE POLICE ACADEMY IS THE PRIMARY CULPRIT FOR THOSE, FOR THAT DECLINE.
ITS INABILITY TO, UM, UH, TO RETAIN RECRUITS THROUGH THE PROCESS.
IT'S DRIVING AWAY RECRUITS WITH, ITS, IT'S
UM, AND, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS YOUR POLICE LEADERSHIP HAVE CONSISTENTLY FOUGHT TO MAINTAIN, UH, AT THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE STAFFING, UH, DECLINE THAT YOU'VE SEEN, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT ACTUALLY MAINTAIN MORE RECRUITS THAN LEAVE THAN ARE RETIRING BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN AGING FORCE.
SO AGAIN, IF, IF THIS COUNCIL CARES ABOUT ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THAT STAFFING ISSUE, CARES ABOUT ACTUALLY, UH, SEEING, UH, THE REFORMS TO THE POLICE ACADEMY, UH, YOU'LL POSTPONE THIS ITEM TODAY THAT SEEKS TO, TO, TO ADD MORE MONEY TO THE DEFENSE, UH, AGAINST THIS LAWSUIT, AND WILL INSTEAD ENTERTAIN THIS OFFER, UH, THAT HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE YOU TO ACTUALLY SEE THE, THESE REFORMS COME INTO PLACE AND, UH, AT, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST, UH, TO THIS CITY AND ITS TAXPAYERS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I I, YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST CONCLUDE BY SAYING THAT THERE ARE REAL ISSUES WITH THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT ISSUES THAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND SO MANY OTHERS HERE TODAY HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS OVER, OVER THE YEARS.
AND, AND FOR MANY OF THOSE SUCCESSES WE DIDN'T SEE BACKSLIDING BECAUSE IT REQUIRES CONSTANT, CONSTANT DILIGENCE ON THE PART OF YOU ALL AS WELL AS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP THE POLICE, UH, TO FOLLOWING THE LAW, RIGHT? UH, AND SO IT'S, IT'S A REALLY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.
AND, UH, AND A BIG PART OF THE REASON THAT IT TAKES THAT DILIGENCE FROM US IS BECAUSE WE'VE ALLOWED OUR OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT
[00:55:01]
TO BECOME, UH, A COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE OFFICE.UH, IT IS NOW HELMED BY SOMEONE WITH NO HISTORY OF OVERSIGHT, COMPLETELY, UH, UNQUALIFIED FOR THE ROLE, WHO SUBSEQUENTLY HIRED NOTHING BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE INTO THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT, AN OFFICE DESIGNED TO ACTUALLY REPRESENT CIVILIANS, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLAINTS.
AND SO, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A POLICE OVERSIGHT OFFICE THAT DOES, IS NOT EFFECTIVELY, UH, UM, UH, ACTUALLY FOLLOWING UP ON COMPLAINTS, SEEN THAT THEY BE INVESTIGATED, THAT'S THAT'S NOW SEEN LITERALLY A SINGLE SUSPENSION OR FIRING IN OVER A YEAR SINCE A NEW, UH, BALLOT MEASURE PASSED, DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE OFFICE, UH, THEN, THEN YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO, TO BE THE OVERSIGHT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I URGE YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS OFFICE TO, TO, TO, TO MAKE WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THIS POLICE OVERSIGHT OFFICE, OR ELSE YOU'LL SEE US APPEAR DOING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR THE FORESEEABLE THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE SHERRY TAYLOR ON ITEM 41 WITH THREE MINUTES.
UH, MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR AND I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT DISABLED VETERAN.
I, UH, WENT TO THE DESERT STORM AND I WAS GLAD TO GET BACK 2013, BUT GOT OFF THE PLANE.
I WENT TO AUSTIN WHERE I USED TO GO AND, AND WALK THE STREETS, AND IT WASN'T THERE ANYMORE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I'M TRYING TO, UH, GET FOLKS AS A, UM, VOTER DEPUTY REGISTRAR TO, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALL RAISE YOUR HAND, BUT IF YOU HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE, WE HOPE THAT YOU WOULD GO AND DO YOUR PART TO BE A VOTER REGISTRAR, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU SPEAK TO LANGUAGES, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE NOT IN NOT, UH, UH, GETTING SERVICES.
SO THEY'RE CHOOSING NOT TO VOTE.
AND, AND IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO VOTE, THAT'S A VOTE FOR THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, MY LITTLE SIGN HERE, IT SAYS, CELEBRATING HISTORY MONTH, WHEREVER YOU'RE FROM, IT'S A QUESTION MARK, WHICH, WHICH HISTORY DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE? BUT EVERYBODY'S GOT A HISTORY AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED.
UH, I GOT YOU A COPY OF THE CHALLENGER.
I WAS A WRITER FOR THE CHALLENGER AND DISTINGUISHED DISTRIBUTOR OF THE CHALLENGER.
UH, THIS ISSUE IS SEPTEMBER, 2022, BUT, UH, THE HAND PRINT THERE HAS MULTIPLE COLORS AND MULTIPLE ICONS OF MULTIPLE CULTURES.
JUST SAYING YOU JUST NEVER FORGET.
9, 9 11 HAPPENED TO EVERYBODY.
AND WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE FOLKS WHO, WHO PUT INTO THAT AND WHOSE CULTURE STILL NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED.
AND, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SINCE IT IS AUGUST AND IT'S HOT, I DIDN'T WANNA READ SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
IT'S THE PERSON WHO USED TO LIVE IN TEXAS, BUT THEY'RE LIVING IN ANOTHER STATE.
AND THEY SAY, NOW AS IF I'M SUFFOCATING, THE BREATHING IS PRETTY SHALLOW JUST SITTING HERE.
I HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE BREATH.
USUALLY ALWAYS THE BREATH THAT'S JUST SORT OF THERE SET IN MOTION FOR A GOOD LONG RUN.
AND YOU AIN'T EVEN GOTTA THINK ABOUT IT, RIGHT? SO IT'S LIKE I'M SUFFOCATING.
I COULD IMAGINE IT RIGHT NOW, WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO JUST KEEL OVER.
GASP, CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT AIR.
THERE I AM, THE SUN, THE SUN, THE SUN, THE SUN.
NOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING AWAY FROM ALL THAT TEXAS, BUT NOW WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THIS? SO I'M JUST SAYING, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO BUY EXTRA BOTTLES OF WATER, PLEASE GIVE THE WATER TO THE PEOPLE.
UH, UH, JUST AN ACT OF A KINDNESS.
IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY ON AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THEY DON'T NEED WATER.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T NEED FOOD, THEY DON'T NEED, I'LL GET IT, RIGHT.
AND, AND, UH, DISTRICT ONE PERSON SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT, UH, EMBRACE, UH, AND, AND EMPATHY, NOT FEAR.
SO PLEASE DON'T FEAR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE ANNIE FIERRO ON ITEM 1 34 AND REYNA MARTINEZ ON DECK.
ANNIE FIERRO WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
[01:00:01]
MEMBERS AM MAYOR WATSON.MY NAME IS ANNIE FIERRO AND I'M CURRENTLY THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZER FOR WORKERS' DEFENSE.
UH, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, FOR PUSHING THIS FORWARD.
UM, I FIRMLY USED TO BE AN UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT AND I GOT MY RESIDENCY LITERALLY LIKE TWO DAYS AFTER GETTING MY ACCEPTANCE AND LIKE, UM, FROM WORKER'S DEFENSE.
AND THAT WAS MY FIRST JOB THAT I COULD ACTUALLY WORK, WORK AND DO SOMETHING.
UH, 'CAUSE PRIOR TO THAT, MY, I GOT TO AUSTIN IN 2019, AND YOU'LL HAVE NO IDEA THE ANXIETY MIGRANTS GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DAY.
LIKE EVEN JUST INTERACTING WITH SOMEONE RANDOM ON THE STREET, UH, YOU GET STOPPED, UH, YOU'RE STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND THEN YOU SEE COPS OR ANYONE AND YOU'RE JUST LIKE THINKING, OH MY GOODNESS, EVERYTHING I'VE DONE SO FAR IS JUST GONNA GO DOWN THE TRASH AND NOTHING MATTERS ANYMORE.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT Y'ALL ARE FIGHTING FOR THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE WE, LIKE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WAS SAYING, WE CLEAN, WE DO FOOD FOR Y'ALL.
AND ALSO, SOME OF US HAPPEN TO BE YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS WHO MAKE SURE THAT US CITIZENS ACTUALLY SHOW UP AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RIGHTS AND SPEAK OTHER COUNCIL MEETINGS, UH, AND ISSUES THAT MATTER.
SO I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU AND I ALSO WANNA REMIND YOU THAT DON'T FORGET ABOUT MIGRANTS IN THE CONVERSATION.
WE REALLY ARE THE PERSON WHO IS LIKE CASUALLY AT A COFFEE SHOP NEXT TO YOU.
WE ARE THE PERSON WHO IS KNOCKING YOUR DOOR FOR A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND PLEASE KEEP FIGHTING FOR THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY.
RENA MARTINEZ WITH FELICITY MAXWELL AND NAOMI PRATT ON DECK.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND BE PREPARED TO STEP TO THE MICROPHONE.
RENA MARTINEZ ON ITEM ONE THIRTY FOUR.
WE ONLY ALLOW, MA'AM, WE ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON AT THE MICROPHONE TIME.
WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER FOR THAT, SO IF, IF WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY, WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND JUST FOR THE, FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO DO, UH, HAVE INTERPRETERS AND NEED INTERPRETERS, WHAT WE ASK IS THAT YOU CHECK IN WITH THE CLERK, ONE OF THE YES.
UH, SO THAT WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE SCHEDULED AND, AND CAN AND ORGANIZE THAT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THIS, UH, RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, JUST IN THE FUTURE, UH, WE'LL WE'LL TRY TO UTILIZE THAT PROCESS.
MY NAME IS RENA AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY GROUP, HARDWORKING WOMAN.
I HAVE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR SEVEN YEARS AND I'VE SEEN THIS CITY GROW AND HOW BIG IT IS.
IS THAT WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT? THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY THAT HAS HAD A, UH, HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS CITY.
AND THIS IS A MOMENT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEEDS TO SUPPORT US AND ANSWER AND TAKE CARE OF US ALL THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
WE ASK YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION OF ITEM 1 34 AND OUR COMMUNITY FEEL SECURE AND PROTECTED AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, MUNICIPAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE CITY AND ALL PUBLIC SERVANTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE OBLIGATION TO RESIST WHEN THEY ARE UNFAIR LAWS.
AND THIS RESOLUTION IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THIS DIRECTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
NEXT WE HAVE FELICIA MAXWELL ON ITEM 1 38
[01:05:01]
WITH THREE MINUTES WITH NAOMI AND PRATT AND MEGAN BENTON AND DECK.MAYOR PROAM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M FULL CITY MAXWELL D FIVE RESIDENT AND ORA BOARD MEMBER.
I'M HERE TODAY ACTUALLY TO SPEAK IN SIGNIFICANT IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 1 38, THE BOND TASK ADVISORY, THE BOND ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK OF COUNCIL MEMBER POOL'S OFFICE TO INITIATE THIS ADVISORY BOARD AND CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY GUIDANCE ON ONE OF OUR MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGES AS CITY CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE ARE EXCITED THAT THE TASK FORCE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE WORK INITIATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER EARLIER THIS YEAR AND LED BY THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE OVER THE SUMMER MOVING FORWARD, THE RECOMMENDATION OF VARIOUS ADVOCACY GROUPS AND CITY OF AUSTIN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
WE KNOW THAT GIVEN THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES OF OUR CITY BUDGETS, THE CREATION OF A WELL CONSIDERED COMMUNITY SUPPORTED BOND PACKAGE FOR FUTURE, FUTURE VOTER CONSIDERATION IS CRITICAL.
AURA STRONGLY BELIEVES THAT INFILL, EXPANDING INFILL HOUSING OPTIONS, UPGRADING OUR LOCAL ENERGY AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENHANCING OUR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS ARE ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE LOCALLY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ADVISORY TASK FORCE TO ENSURE BROAD SUPPORT FOR PROJECTS ALIGNED WITH THESE VALUES AS THEY'RE PRIORITIZED TO CREATE AUSTIN'S RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR CITY.
NEXT WE HAVE NAOMI PRATT ON I'M 1 42 WITH THREE MINUTES, AND MEGAN BENTON AND RYAN MCCARTY ON DECK.
I'M THE TEXAS PARTNERSHIP AND MOBILIZATION ADVISOR FOR IPAS.
US IPAS IS A GLOBAL NETWORK THAT'S BEEN WORKING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTION GLOBALLY IN THE US I WORK, UH, WITH OUR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE PARTNERS HERE IN TEXAS AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORTIVE AGENDA ITEM 1 42, THE RESOLUTION NAMING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AS A HUMAN RIGHT, AS AN ABORTION ADVOCATE IN TEXAS.
I APPLAUD THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE RECOGNIZING THEIR ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEES RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE SWIFT ACTION TO PROTECT ACCESS TO CRITICAL HEALTH CARE SUCH AS ABORTION.