[City Council Candidate Forum: District 7 ]
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WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION, MODERATED BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
THIS IS THE CANDIDATE PANEL AND FORUM FOR THE DISTRICT SEVEN.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TABLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VYING FOR YOUR VOTES TONIGHT.
I'M WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA, OUR LEAGUE PARTNERS.
OUR LEAGUE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
AND IT IS OUR JOB TO HELP ALL OF YOU VOTERS THAT ARE LISTENING, THAT ARE LISTENING ON THE RADIO, THAT ARE WATCHING LIVE STREAM OR THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT TO GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES BY IN FOR YOUR VOTE.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND OUR PURPOSE IS TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT ALLOW THE VOTERS TO UNDERSTAND YOUR OPINIONS ON WHAT MATTERS HERE IN THE CITY.
AS A LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.
WE WERE FOUNDED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
WE ARE MEN AND WOMEN, YOUNG AND NOT SO YOUNG, PROMOTING INFORMED AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION DE DESPITE THE DIVISIVENESS IN OUR COUNTRY.
THESE CANDIDATES FOR DISTRICT SEVEN ARE EXAMPLES OF THE GOOD THINGS IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
IF ELECTED, THEY WILL REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTINS AND WILL AFFECT CHANGE AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
OUR QUESTIONS ARE CREATED WITH INPUT FROM COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE CANDIDATES.
WERE NOT GIVEN ANY QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE.
THESE FORUMS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, A TXN NETWORK IN THE ARCHIVES ALONGSIDE ALL THE RECORDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AND I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK, WE ALWAYS FORGET TO THANK OUR TECH CREW.
I'D LIKE TO EVERYBODY GIVE A BIG HAND TO OUR TECH CREW.
THEY SET UP EVERY SINGLE COMMISSION MEETING.
THEY ALSO, UH, GO AND DO THESE, UH, OUTSIDE FORUMS, AND IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT TO, TO SET IT UP.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN HERE SINCE ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK.
SO CANDIDATES, YOU WILL HAVE A TWO MINUTE OPENING AND A TWO MINUTE CLOSING.
YOU WILL BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
OUR TIMEKEEPER WILL HOLD UP A YELLOW WARNING CARD AT THE 32ND MARK AND A RED STOP CARD WHEN YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.
SHE DOES HAVE A TIMER WITH A FRIENDLY BUZZER, AND WE JUST ASK YOU TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS WITH A SENTENCE OR TWO, NOT A PARAGRAPH OR FOUR.
CANDIDATES ARE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS ON YOUR OPPONENT, AND WE ASK OUR LIVE AUDIENCE HERE TONIGHT NOT TO REACT OR IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF ANYTHING SAID.
WE WILL BEGIN IN BALLOT ORDER THAT IS DRAWN AT RANDOM BY THE CITY, AND WE WILL HAVE A, WE WILL START, UH, CANDIDATE BLEDSOE WILL GET TO START.
HE IS THE FIRST ONE LISTED ON THE BALLOT.
THEN WE'LL GO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN THAT ORDER AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP AN ORDER.
SO, MR. BLEDSOE, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE COULD DO IN TERMS OF BEING HERE BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY IS REALLY AT STAKE.
I AM RUNNING BECAUSE I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE A VOICE TO TRY TO STOP THE CITY FROM MOVING IN THE DIRECTION WHERE IT IS.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS ARE WELCOME DOWN AT CITY HALL, THAT CITIZENS ARE LISTENED TO AND THAT CITIZENS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, UH, CURRENTLY THAT, UH, BILLIONAIRES OR INSIDERS HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF INFLUENCE, UH, AND THAT THEIR INFLUENCE GREATLY OUTSIZES THE INFLUENCE, UH, UH, OF, OF REGULAR PEOPLE, UH, LIKE MANY OF US.
AND SO WHAT I'M PUSHING FOR IS TO HAVE MORE, UH, OPENNESS IN TERMS OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
I AM PUSHING FOR HAVING MORE, UH, COLLABORATION ON MAJOR ISSUES SO THAT MAJOR ISSUES ARE DONE AND WE'RE TOLD TO REACT TO THE MAJOR ISSUES.
AND SO WHERE WE CAN ALSO HAVE COMMON SENSE IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY FASHIONING THE POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO FASHION, YOU KNOW, I KNOW ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE NO DOUBT HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HAS BEEN HOUSING.
HOUSING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE EVEN MAYBE NEED MORE DENSITY.
BUT WHAT MAYBE SEPARATES ME FROM, UH, MANY OF THE OTHERS IN THIS RACE IS HOW WE'RE GONNA BUILD THE HOUSES AND WHO WE'RE GONNA BUILD THEM FOR.
AND SO I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE PROPOSALS ARE REALISTIC, THAT ARE ON THE TABLE, BECAUSE WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES THAT ARE UNNECESSARY,
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THAT ARE GOING TO BE HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY.THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T HAVE HOUSING THAT'S AFFORDABLE, THAT'S AFFORDABLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT BEING COVERED TODAY BY THE CURRENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE THERE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, RESPECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, RESPECT OUR TREE CANOPY, RE RESPECT OUR CITY, KEEP AUSTIN SPECIAL, THANK YOU, CANDIDATE BLEDSO.
NOW THERE WILL ASK THAT NO REACTION COME FROM THE AUDIENCE, SO GIVE EVERYBODY A FAIR CHANCE.
IS IT WORKING NOW? THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UH, THAT'S A TOUGH FACT TO FOLLOW.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
I'M RUNNING FOR AUSTIN CA, UH, CITY COUNCIL IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, TODAY AS WE DISCUSS LOCAL POLICIES, I ALSO WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, UH, AND THAT OF MY PARENTS, UH, WHO ACTUALLY FLED WAR 50 YEARS AGO, UM, UH, NEXT YEAR.
AND, UM, THEIR RESILIENCE IS THE REASON I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, STRIVING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
UM, IN RECENT YEARS AS, UH, CANDIDATE BLEDSOE HAD MENTIONED, I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT MANY POLICIES SIMPLY AREN'T MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE NARRATIVE OF POLICY AND KNOWS HOW TO CREATE REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE A TANGIBLE IMPACT ON THE GROUND.
MY BACKGROUND IN DISASTER RESPONSE AND AS A, UH, AS AN EXPERIENCE AS A FIREFIGHTER EMT HAVE SHOWN ME FIRSTHAND HOW CRITICAL EFFECTIVE POLICIES ARE ARE, YOU KNOW, NECESSARY FOR FAMILIES FACING CHALLENGES.
DISTRICT SEVEN IS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE, YET IT OFTEN LACKS ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION.
WE DESERVE A REPRESENTATIVE WHOSE GENUINELY ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST LOOKING TO USE THE SEAT AS A STEPPING STONE.
I'M COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND THAT OUR POLICIES REFLECT THE TRUE NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS.
I HOPE TO EARN YOUR SUPPORT AND TRUST THAT MY ANSWERS TODAY WILL DEMONSTRATE MY DEEP TIES TO THE COMMUNITY.
HELLO, UH, TODD SHAW RUNNING FOR DISTRICT SEVEN.
WANNA THANK THE LEGAL WOMAN VOTERS IN THE CITY FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, I'M RUNNING TO UNITE AUSTIN.
UH, WE HAVE SO MANY TREMENDOUS CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US AND WE NEED TO START WORKING TOGETHER AT, AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER AND CULTURE.
YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT LURED ME HERE AND SO MANY OTHERS, I HEAR SOME OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES TELLING VOTERS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE STATE POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO PUSH AGAINST THAT DON'T REPRESENT OUR VALUES.
BUT AS AUSTINITES, WE NEED TO STOP FIGHTING AND START WORKING TOGETHER TO REALLY ADDRESS THE, UH, VERY COMPLEX ISSUES WE'RE FACED WITH.
AND, UH, TODAY AND, AND TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 4 MILLION PEOPLE HERE IN JUST 15 YEARS, TWICE THE NUMBER WE HAVE NOW.
AND WE ARE WOEFULLY PREPARED FOR THAT.
WE ARE NOT DOING, MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS TODAY TO PREPARE, PREPARE FOR TOMORROW.
UM, WE NEED TO STOP ARGUING THE SUING CHARACTER MISREPRESENTATIONS OF EACH OTHER.
WITH MY 30 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, AT AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, UH, AS A CITY LEADER, ALSO, MY SIX YEARS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION THREE AS CHAIR, I EARNED THE REPUTATION OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, AND REALLY, UH, WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE REALLY TOUGH, UH, DIVISIVE ISSUES.
UH, I REALLY FEEL LIKE I'M THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME, UH, TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE MORE HOUSING AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING, SO, UH, PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE CAN LIVE HERE.
UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN ADDRESS GENTRIFICATION AND ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT FLOODING, WHICH ARE REAL.
UH, I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A FULLY STAFFED ACCOUNTABLE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT KEEPS US SAFE WHILE MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING.
WE CAN HAVE ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS WHILE MAINTAINING A WONDERFUL UTILITY THAT'S RELIABLE, EQUITABLE, AND, UM, AND RESPOND TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND LASTLY, I REALLY WANNA SAY WORLD CLASS RAIL SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO LOAD THOSE TRAINS UP WITH MORE PEOPLE.
UH, VOTE FOR ME WILL BRING MORE ICE US NIGHTS TOGETHER FOR A BETTER TOMORROW.
I AM A NATIVE TEXAN, A DEDICATED COMMUNITY ADVOCATE, AND A, UH, CERTIFIED URBAN PLANNER.
I'M RUNNING FOR, FOR DISTRICT SEVEN BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED GENERATIONAL CHANGE ON THE DAIS.
AND I BELIEVE WE DESERVE LEADERSHIP THAT IS AS DIVERSE AS OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE'RE AT OUR CROSSROADS TODAY, NOT JUST HERE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, BUT ACROSS OUR CITY AND
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OUR NATION.WE'RE FACING CHALLENGES THAT NOT ONLY REQUIRE BOLD ACTION, BUT LEADERSHIP THAT IS UNAFRAID TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
IF YOU LIKE ME, I WILL PRIORITIZE THE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH OF OUR CITY.
I'LL ENSURE THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD, AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN SPECIAL.
THAT MEANS TACKLING THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, PROTECTING OUR WAYS, AND ENHANCING PUBLIC TRANSIT DESPITE THE GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES ON AT THE TABLE THIS EVENING.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR GROWTH IS, IS MANAGED RESPONSIBLY AND AFFECTS, UH, US DEEPLY.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND NOT JUST AS A CANDIDATE, BUT AS A FELLOW AUSTIN KNIGHT, WHO HAS WITNESSED THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
LIKE MANY OF YOU, I'VE WITNESSED INCREDIBLE HIGHS AND UNFORTUNATE LOWS, BUT IT'S THESE EXPERIENCES THAT I BRING TO THE TABLE THAT ARE INFORMED BY THE ADVOCACY OF THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN THIS CITY.
AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT I HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO LEAD US FORWARD.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GUYS TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME AT MY WEBSITE, ED WINFORD DISTRICT SEVEN.COM, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE CAMPAIGN PLATFORM THAT IS ON THERE, AND, UH, HOPE YOU VOTE FOR ME ON NOVEMBER 5TH AS WELL.
I'M MIKE SIEGEL, AND I'M A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
AND I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO FIGHT TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.
I WANNA FIGHT FOR STRONG ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, AND I WANT OUR CITY TO STAND UP TO THE TEXAS REPUBLICAN PARTY TO PROTECT AUSTIN VALUES.
I BRING 25 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.
I WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, WORKED IN EDUCATION FOR SEVEN YEARS.
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS I'VE BEEN A TRIAL ATTORNEY WORKING IN CIVIL RIGHTS.
AND FOR FOUR YEARS I WAS AN AUSTIN CITY ATTORNEY WHERE I WORKED AT CITY HALL.
I ADVISED THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER.
I WROTE POLICY AND I WENT TO COURT TO DEFEND OUR LOCAL POLICIES.
I'VE ALSO BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, BOTH AT THE MICRO LEVEL.
I'M ACTIVE IN THE PTA OF BRENTWOOD ELEMENTARY, WHERE MY YOUNGEST ATTENDS SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN A PART OF COMMUNITY FIGHTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, I WAS A LAWYER FOR AUSTIN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO SUED GOVERNOR ABBOTT TO MAKE SURE WE COULD HAVE MASK RULES IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, AND WE WON THAT FIGHT.
IN TERMS OF MY CAMPAIGN, I'M REALLY FOCUSED ON CLIMATE ACTION.
TO ME, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT BRINGS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TOGETHER.
WE'RE FACING HEAT WAVES, FREEZES, AND WE DO NEED TO PREPARE FOR EXTREME WEATHER IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
BUT I ALSO SEE THIS AS A BIG OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE OWN OUR OWN ELECTRIC AND WATER UTILITIES.
WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE INVEST IN RENEWABLE POWER GENERATION.
WE CAN INVEST IN BATTERY STORAGE.
WE CAN CLOSE THIS POLLUTING COAL PLANT OUT IN FAYETTE COUNTY.
WE CAN CREATE GOOD GREEN JOBS THAT ARE UNION JOBS AND CULTIVATE CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
I BRING A UNIQUE SKILL SET TO THIS ROLE, POTENTIALLY.
I HAVE ENERGY, I HAVE EXPERIENCE, I HAVE A LOT OF SKILLS THAT I WOULD BRING TO BEAR AND I'D BE HONORED TO REPRESENT DISTRICT SEVEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, CANDIDATE POWELL.
MY NAME IS ADAM POWELL, RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
NORTH AUSTIN'S BEAUTIFUL DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M RUNNING FOR THE SEA IS REALLY PERSONAL.
I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE WHO WAS BORN RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW UP HERE IN AUSTIN.
I GREW UP IN LEANDER BECAUSE MY EDUCATOR PARENTS COULDN'T AFFORD HOUSING WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
AND SO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK IN MY ADULTHOOD TO AUSTIN, PROPER SET DOWN ROOTS HERE.
BUT SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I GREW UP WITH DIDN'T HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY OR TO PUSH TO HAVE THE AREA ENTIRELY.
SO THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, THE ABSOLUTE CRISIS IS WHAT STIRRED ME TO RUN, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CREATE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES A MORE AFFORDABLE AUSTIN AUSTIN, WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELCOME HERE NO MATTER WHAT.
I WAS ALSO STIRRED BY TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY.
BACK WHEN MY FAMILY MOVED OUT TO LEANDER, MY DAD WALKED A MILE DOWN THE ROAD, A ROAD THAT DID NOT HAVE A SIDEWALK TO HOP ON A CAT METRO BUS.
AND ON THAT CAT METRO BUS, HE WAS ABLE TO GET DOWNTOWN AND FINISH UP HIS WORK THERE, UH, IN A TIME WHEN MY FAMILY REALLY NEEDED THAT LIFELINE.
SO WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WE HAVE TO BUILD RAIL AS, AS VOTERS APPROVED WITH PROJECT CONNECT IN 2020.
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES.
AND THEN I'M ALSO STIRRED BY THE EXPERIENCES I'VE SEEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH SHOAL CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR TWO YEARS, AND THAT COVERED BOTH OF THE BAD WINTER STORMS IN 21 AND 23.
I REMEMBER HEARING STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE IN THEIR EIGHTIES WHO DIDN'T HAVE POWER FOR A WEEK, AND THEY WERE COOKING MEALS OVER THEIR FIREPLACE.
THEY WERE COOKING MEALS OVER THEIR FIREPLACE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS IN 2021 WITH OUR PUBLICLY OWNED UTILITY.
WE CAN FIX AUSTIN ENERGY AND CREATE A MUCH BETTER OUTCOME, UH, AGAIN FOR AUSTINITES OF ALL KINDS.
AND THEN I'M BRINGING EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE THROUGH UNION ORGANIZING, THROUGH TEACHER RECRUITING, THROUGH WORK WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT AS A BOARD MEMBER WITH AUSTIN SAFE ALLIANCE, INCLUDING VICE CHAIRING OUR BUILDING COMMITTEE, WHERE WE'RE BUILDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR UNHOUSED
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NEIGHBORS.AND SO I WANNA BRING MY EXPERIENCES TO THE TABLE AND FIGHT FOR THE CITY THAT I'VE ALWAYS CALLED HOME AND FOR OUR FUTURE, YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE@ADAMFROST.COM.
WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO CHECK OUT THE POLICIES THERE MORE TO COME SO YOU CAN LEARN MORE AND GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN.
NOW, AND KEEPING IN THE BALLOT ORDER, UH, CANDIDATE WIN, YOU'LL BEGIN WITH THIS FIRST QUESTION.
AND LET'S JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THE TRANSPORTATION, UH, ISSUE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS SUCCESSFUL IN ADDRESSING AUSTIN'S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS? WHY OR WHY NOT? ONE MINUTE.
UM, I, I WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR PROGRAM FOR THE ETOD FOR, UH, CAP METRO, UM, WHEN THEY DID THE PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, AND THE, THE LINES THAT THEY HAD PROPOSED ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE LINES THAT, THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TODAY.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW AS SOMEONE THAT DID THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS THE, THE LACK OF COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE RIGHT AREAS.
UM, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY TAKING IT.
UM, I ACTUALLY TOOK A HIATUS FROM MY OWN VEHICLE, UH, TO TRAVEL, UH, TO BUSES AND, UM, AND WALK ABOUT 20 MINUTES, UH, EACH DAY, UH, TO GET TO WORK.
UM, AND REALIZED HOW, UH, INSIGNIFICANT OR, OR HOW SIGNIFICANT THE, THE CHALLENGES THAT, UM, OUR BUS SYSTEM HAS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE CURRENT SYSTEM WE HAVE.
AND WE CAN'T RELY ON A RAIL SYSTEM IF WE CAN BARELY MANAGE OUR BUS SYSTEM.
YOU COME OVER HERE AND SIT AT THE TABLE.
WE WERE TRYING NOT TO HAVE OBNOXIOUS SOUNDS AS WE GO THROUGH.
SO THIS, WE'RE STILL ON THE TRANSPORTATION AND, UH, CANDIDATE SHAW, DO YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT THE QUESTION? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? YES, PLEASE.
IF YOU, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS SUCCESSFUL IN ADDRESSING AUSTIN'S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS? WHY OR WHY NOT? UM, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THAT, UH, WE ARE WAY BEHIND IN DEVELOPING, PUTTING FORWARD A RAIL SYSTEM IN A BUS SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS THE POPULATION WE HAVE HERE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I THINK WE, WE GET IN AUSTIN, WE WANT THE PERFECT ANSWER, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO START BUILDING THINGS AND DEVELOPING THINGS.
AND SO MANY TIMES WE START AND THEN WE GO TO COURT AND WE STOP.
SO I THINK PROJECT CONNECT, I DO SUPPORT IT.
WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE EXTENSIONS.
WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN FOR KEEP BUILDING OUT THAT SYSTEM, AND IT WILL IMPROVE OVER TIME, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME COMMITMENTS TO OUR FUTURE TRANSIT, OR IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE BAD IN 10 YEARS.
UH, I HOPE IT MOVES FORWARD AND THE COURTS DON'T PULL IT BACK, BUT WE NEED TO START BUILDING TRANSIT FOR THIS CITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE FUTURE IN 2040 WITH 4 MILLION PEOPLE, CANDIDATE BAPTISTA.
SO I DO, I DO BELIEVE PROJECT CONNECT WILL ADDRESS OUR TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
AS SOMEONE THAT HAS USED TRANSIT HERE IN THE CITY.
AS A STUDENT, I RELIED ON IT VERY HEAVILY TO GET TO CAMPUS AND ALSO TO RUN ERRANDS AS A STUDENT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE, PER THE POPULATION PRODUCTION, THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE COMPACT, UH, OR U EFFICIENT USE OF LAND.
AND SO WITH PROJECT CONNECT, WE'VE BEEN TAKING THE ADEQUATE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, INCLUDING A $300 MILLION BOND TO PREVENT ANTI DISPLACEMENT.
IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SERVING ON THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY REVIEW PANEL, THAT WILL BE, UH, GUIDING THE, THE FUNDING.
I, I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN UNDERTAKING AND IS STILL, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF, OF IMPLEMENTING.
AND SO, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY'S TAKING APPROPRIATE MEASURES BY ENACTING POLICY SUCH AS EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, EQUITABLE, UH, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
AND ALSO I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC ENGAGED AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE IS PUBLIC SUPPORT.
THERE IS A REASON WHY, UH, THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORTED IT IN THE, IN TO BEGIN WITH, AND THAT'S BECAUSE, UH, IT IS DOES COMPREHENSIVELY ADDRESS OUR CITY'S NEEDS.
I WANNA PROTECT PROJECT CONNECT FROM THE LAWSUITS FROM THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, TAKING IT AWAY FROM US.
AND I WANNA EXPAND IT BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN DISTRICT SEVEN, IT SHOULD COME ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CRESTVIEW STATION.
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GO, SHOULD GO TO THE NORTH LAMAR BUS STATION AND BEYOND.UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S THREE MAJOR REASONS TO SUPPORT THIS ONE.
UM, GETTING CARS OFF THE ROADS.
IF ANYONE HAS A COMPLAINT ABOUT TRAFFIC, GETTING CARS OFF THE ROADS BY HAVING PEOPLE ON BUSES AND, AND LIGHT RAIL IS A BIG STEP FORWARD.
I ALSO THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR CLIMATE GOALS, RIGHT? CAR CULTURE IS A BIG CAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND SO WHEN WE TAKE CARS OFF THE ROAD, WHEN WE DECREASE THE NEED TO BUILD MORE ROADS, THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR CLIMATE IMPACT.
AND THIS IS ALSO A BIG AFFORDABILITY ISSUE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY.
NURSES, TEACHERS, SO MANY PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE EFFECTIVE MASS TRANSIT, THAT'S GONNA REDUCE, UH, THE COST FOR PEOPLE DAY TO DAY.
IDEALLY, WE WOULD'VE STARTED THIS 20, 40 YEARS AGO.
BUT THE NEXT BEST TIME TO START BUILDING THIS LIGHT RAIL IS NOW THANK YOU CANDIDATE POWELL.
YEAH, I STRONGLY SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT AS A WONDERFUL FIRST STEP INTO A FUTURE OF RAIL IN AUSTIN.
WE'RE IN AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS WITH OUR DEPENDENCY ON CARS IS OUR PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSIT.
AND ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL, I THINK WHAT OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, TELLS SO MANY AUSTINITES, IS THAT THEY CAN'T EXIST IN THIS COMMUNITY IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR, IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD A CAR, IF THEY MAYBE HAVE A DISABILITY AND CAN'T DRIVE A CAR, I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S TENABLE LONG TERM FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES.
I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO THINK BACK TO OUR HISTORY.
AUSTIN HAD A STREET CAR SYSTEM FROM 1875 UNTIL 1940.
WE HAD THE 2000 RAIL VOTE, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, BUT FAILED BY A FEW HUNDRED VOTES.
IF WE KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ON A RAIL FUTURE HERE IN AUSTIN, IT'S ONLY GONNA GET MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S ONLY GONNA GET MORE DIFFICULT.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE TO MOBILIZE THE WORKFORCE OF STRONG WELL PAYING JOBS.
THE FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA BUILD IT, THE FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA PROJECT MANAGE IT.
WE HAVE TO DO THAT IMMEDIATELY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EXTEND IT THROUGHOUT DISTRICT SEVEN IN THE FUTURE AND HAVE AN AUSTIN THAT HAS A TRUE RAIL SYSTEM.
I BELIEVE WE CAN GET THERE AND WE HAVE TO DEFEND PROJECT CONNECT AS A FIRST STEP TO DO IT.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING PROJECT CONNECT ARE TRULY, UH, REVEALING.
AND, UH, THEY REQUIRE US TO HAVE A CASE STUDY, UH, LOCALLY.
I THINK THAT CLEARLY PROJECT CONNECT, UH, WOULD, UH, HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS, BUT IT'S NOT NEARLY ADEQUATE ENOUGH.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO TRY TO COME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IT THAT HAPPENED THAT CAUSED THE PLAN TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND ADOPTED TO BE SO DIFFERENT FROM THE ACTUAL PLAN, UH, THAT WAS, UH, PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE WERE, THAT, THAT WE ALL SUPPORTED.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THERE, THERE, THERE ARE ISSUES MAYBE WITH, WITH WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH, WITH WHO PROVIDES A SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT MIGHT MOVE THOSE DECISIONS IN A WAY TO WHERE IT'S NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
BUT NOW I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE COST THAT'S NOW ASSOCIATED WITH RAIL, WE NEED TO KINDA RETHINK WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF, IS THAT GONNA BE THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN SOLVE ALL OFF AUSTIN'S TRANSPORTATION ISSUES? BECAUSE IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE IF WE LOOK AT WHAT THE EXPLANATION IS FOR WHY THEY DIDN'T BILL.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE SHAW, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU ON THIS QUESTION AND WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS, UH, ISSUE HERE.
AUSTIN HAS HAD AN ONGOING CHALLENGE WITH A STEADY AND ALARMING INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT PROGRAMS DO YOU SUPPORT TO PROVIDE SHELTER IN SERVICES TO THESE PEOPLE? UM, DEFINITELY I THINK THE NUMBER ONE, UH, THING THAT STUDIES HAVE FOUND IS KIND OF THE RAPID RESPONSE AND GETTING PEOPLE OUT THE STREET INTO HOUSING, UH, NEED TO FULLY DEVELOP THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN, UH, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
I KNOW WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH GETTING, UH, LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, I REALLY HOPE WE CAN GET THOSE, UH, BUILT OUT SO THAT WE HAVE MORE HOUSING FOR FOLKS.
UM, AND I, I THINK THE ECHO, UM, IF PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR, THEY HAVE DATA THAT KIND OF REALLY STRUCK HOME WITH ME IS THAT, UM, A LARGE PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FACING HOMELESSNESS ARE IS FROM THE PROJECT OF GENTRIFICATION IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND THAT REALLY, UM, MADE ME THINK ABOUT, LOOK, THESE ARE FELLOW AUSTINITE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE AND THEY'VE LOST THEIR HOMES, NOW THEY'RE ON THE STREET.
WE REALLY NEED TO DO MORE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR ISSUES, GET 'EM IN, UM, UH, GO SEEK THEM, PULL THEM INTO HOUSING QUICKLY, AND THEN FIND A PERMANENT PLACE FOR THEM.
SO I THINK, UH, THE CITY SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON RAPID REHOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
I THINK DEALS, THOSE HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO PROVE, UM, TO PRODUCE THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESULTS.
AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HOUSING IN, IN A CONTINUUM AND LEARN THAT, UM, FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IT'S PARTI IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO, TO OFFER THEM SUPPORT THROUGH, UH, SER WRAPAROUND
[00:25:01]
SERVICES, WHICH, UH, WE HAVE GREAT PARTNERS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, THOSE, THOSE SUPPORT SYSTEMS. AND SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR, UH, UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE ARE COMMITTED TO AS A, AS A COMMUNITY AND, AND HAS BEEN, UH, SHOWN THROUGH THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THIS ISSUE.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT MONEY'S BEING SPENT SO THAT WE CAN POINT TOWARDS TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS.
BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THINGS HAVE NOT GOTTEN, UH, AS, AS THEY'RE NOT AS GREAT AS THEY COULD BE.
AND I, I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND WORK WITH OUR LOCAL AND STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE RESOURCES ARE BEING, UH, ADEQUATELY GEARED TOWARDS THIS PROBLEM AND, AND SHOW THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF, OF MAKING SUCCESS LIKE OUR, OUR, UH, OUR, UH, NEIGHBOR CITY HOUSTON.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE SIEGEL? YEAH, I JUST WANNA START OUT BY ACKNOWLEDGING HOW GRAVE THIS PROBLEM IS.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE POINT IN TIME COUNTS IS THAT, UH, 2010 WE COUNTED ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS.
SO 350% INCREASE OVER ABOUT 15 YEARS.
AND I DO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS THE CITY'S UNDERTAKEN, YOU KNOW, INVESTING IN PER PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, INCLUDING SOME OF THE BOND MONEY THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED, UH, RAPID REHOUSING, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN A SHELTER AS A LAST RESORT.
THESE ARE ALL STRATEGIES WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT.
AND I DO SUPPORT THE SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS, BUT I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE CITY CAN SOLVE.
I MEAN, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T BUILD PUBLIC HOUSING ANYMORE.
IT GIVES MORE TO MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE IN TERMS OF MORTGAGE TAX DEDUCTIONS THAT ACTUALLY EXPENDS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM.
I MEAN, MAYORS LIKE TO PRETEND THEY CAN SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, BUT I REALLY THINK WE NEED STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT.
AND SO TO ME, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER WING THAT I WOULD WANNA ORGANIZE TOWARDS IS FRANKLY TELLING CONGRESS THIS IS A NATIONAL CRISIS AND Y'ALL NEED TO TAKE SOME ACTION.
WELL, THERE'S A, A SPECTRUM OF SERVICES REQUIRED FOR FOLKS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO, LIKE I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION, I'M SUPPORTING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH MY POSITION AS A BOARD MEMBER WITH THE SAFE ALLIANCE.
AND THAT'S FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FOR A WHILE, RIGHT? THEY NEED THE ONSITE SERVICES, THEY NEED A RENT-FREE ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE CYCLE, RIGHT? UM, BUT THEN THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP ON THE FRONT END THROUGH DIVERSION.
SO RAPID REHOUSING IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
OPPORTUNITIES TO FIND AND IDENTIFY FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND TEETERING ON THE BRINK AND DIVERT THEM FROM EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BECAUSE ALL THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ONCE THAT BEGINS, ONCE YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, IT BECOMES HARDER AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO SOLVE.
SO FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, WE HAVE TO FOCUS THERE.
AND THEN FRANKLY, WE HAVE TO MAKE AUSTIN MORE AFFORDABLE.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS HOW EXPENSIVE OUR HOUSING MARKET HAS GOTTEN BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN THE RENTS RISE, WE'VE SEEN THE UNHOUSED POPULATION RISE.
THERE'S A STRONG CORRELATION THERE.
AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO DRIVE DOWN PRICES IN THE HOUSING MARKET, WE'RE GONNA BE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE WHERE FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO BE ON THE STREETS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WE HAVE A GREAT NONPROFIT COMMUNITY HERE THAT'S VERY MUCH ON TOP OF MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE OCCURRING WITH OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
THE HOMELESS POPULATION IS, UH, CRIES OUT FOR, UH, FOR US TO STAND UP AND TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR THEM.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO, I'VE SEEN GREAT EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE HAVE KIND OF THE ONE STOP SHOPS WHERE YOU CAN PROVIDE HOUSING, BUT WHERE YOU BRING THE INDIVIDUALS IN AND YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT THEY'RE SUFFERING FROM AND YOU, WHETHER IT'S THEY NEED PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS OR, OR, OR, OR WHETHER THEY NEED TO DETOX FROM SOMETHING.
WHETHER THERE WAS SOME DEVASTATING THINGS THAT OCCURRED IN THE WORLD THAT HAVE MADE THEM, UH, UH, UNABLE TO BE EMPLOYED.
I THINK THAT, UH, THERE, THERE'S SEVERAL ENTITIES THAT HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS JOBS WITH BRINGING PEOPLE IN AND GETTING THEM REINTEGRATED BACK INTO, UH, THE, THE, THE WORKFORCE BACK INTO BEING, UH, ASSETS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF PROGRAM I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO THEM AND GOOD FOR THE CITY IN THE LONG RUN.
JUST PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT, UH, MR. BLEDSO SAID IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED, UM, TOPIC, RIGHT? IS, IS HOMELESSNESS.
WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING QUITE A BIT, UH, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COMPLEXITIES FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I, I, I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I I DEFINITELY SEE, UH, AS SOMEONE THAT HAS WORKED FOR AN ORGANIZATION FOCUS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO HAVING TO WORK WITH UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS AND TRYING TO, UH, PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED ARE, THE RESOURCES ARE VERY COMPLEX.
UH, SUNRISE NAVIGATION CENTER, UH, DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF, OF PROVIDING THOSE RESOURCES.
BUT I'VE ACTUALLY HAD A FRIEND, UH, THAT BECAME HOMELESS AND HE
[00:30:01]
BECAME HOMELESS UP NORTH ON THE NORTHERN PART OF THE, THE DISTRICT IN DISTRICT SEVEN.AND I HAD TO DRIVE HIM DOWN TO SUNRISE.
AND REALITY IS, IS MOST UNHOUSED, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE CITY, YET THOSE SERVICES ONLY EXIST IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY THAT THEY'RE TACKLING.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE A BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES ALONG WITH THE FACT OF, YOU KNOW, UH, THE LOOKING AT IT AS, AS A WHOLE PERSON APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO JUST HOUSING.
ALRIGHT, CANDIDATE, BOTH THESE, SO YOU'RE GONNA START WITH THIS ONE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA ASK TWO QUESTIONS ON POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, WE HAD A LOT OF, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR INBOX, AND DISTRICT SEVEN WAS KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF A COUPLE OF THESE, UH, QUESTIONS.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS RESIDENTS GROWING CONCERN FOR SAFETY, BOTH IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT ALSO IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY, SUCH AS THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT? YEAH.
UH, I THINK THE, THE, UH, THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD BE DONE.
AND I THINK THE COUNCIL IS DOING, UH, WHAT IT CAN RIGHT NOW TO MOVE US FORWARD.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A, A CONVERSATION AROUND COMMUNITY POLICING AND HOW WE CAN AND MAKE THAT A REALITY.
AND ALSO FIND WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, THE AUSTIN, UH, POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT IS IMPLEMENTED AND, AND THAT THE VOTERS, UH, WILL, IS, IS FULFILLED.
UM, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE OR MAG OUR POLICE ACADEMY IS, IS RE-IMAGINED AND, AND, UH, REFORMED.
I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE ACTION IN, IN AROUND THAT, UH, PARTICULAR, UH, ISSUE.
AND, AND LASTLY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UM, TO CONTINUE HAVING, UH, A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION AROUND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I WOULD DO IF I WAS ELECTED.
WELL, I WANNA START THIS ANSWER BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE SAFEST BIG CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO SOMETIMES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND REALITY.
I THINK WE ARE A VERY SAFE CITY, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO ON PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, IN TERMS OF POLICING.
YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOCKED HUNDREDS OF DOORS ALREADY IN THIS CAMPAIGN, AND I, I'VE HEARD BASICALLY THREE MESSAGES ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
ONE, UH, FOLKS AROUND HERE WANT THE OFFICERS TO COME WHEN WE CALL.
LIKE, IF WE CALL THE POLICE, WE EXPECT A RESPONSE.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS A BARE MINIMUM THAT PEOPLE DO EXPECT.
UH, SECOND, WE WANT OFFICERS TO RESPECT CIVIL RIGHTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'M A CO-AUTHOR OF THE AUSTIN POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN A LAWYER HELPING IMPLEMENT THAT, BUT I DO THINK WE WANT ACCOUNTABLE OFFICERS.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS WE WANNA EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY MEANS.
I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED BY AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS AND BICYCLE ACCIDENTS THAN ARE KILLED BY VIOLENT CRIME.
AND SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH INCLUDES PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND MAKE SURE WE'RE INVESTING IN ALL OF THOSE SOLUTIONS.
CANDIDATE POWELL CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO WORK TO RESTORE COMMUNITY TRUST WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK TANGIBLY RIGHT NOW, THAT STARTS WITH MAKING SURE THAT POLICE CONTRACT IS ACHIEVED WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION, AND THAT THAT INCLUDES THE MEASURES PUT FORTH IN THE AUSTIN POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT THAT 80% OF VOTERS VOTED FOR.
WELL, THE VOTERS MUST BE RESPECTED.
AND AS I'VE BEEN OUTDOORS, I'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY FOLKS THAT THEY JUST WANT TO SEE A CONTRACT.
THEY WANT THAT STABILITY BACK THERE.
I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT I HEAR OFTEN IS THE NEED TO NARROW THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF WHAT A POLICE OFFICER DOES.
WE'RE ASKING POLICE OFFICERS DO WAY TOO MANY THINGS TO BE LAWYERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PEACEKEEPERS, SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE MORE WE NARROW THE RESPONSIBILITY THERE, THE EASIER IT BECOMES TO HIRE GOOD TALENT TO THE FORCE WITH THE SPECIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF, HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SPECIALIZE IN, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.
AND THEN THE MORE THE COMMUNITY CAN FEEL TRUSTED THAT THE PERSON THAT'S RESPONDING TO THE EMERGENCY THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING, THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE IS SOMEBODY WHO IS REALLY PREPARED, TRAINED TO TACKLE THAT SITUATION.
AND THEN FINALLY, 9 1 1 RESPONSE TIMES, IT'S GOTTEN A LOT BETTER.
BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE CALL, THEY HAVE THOSE PROMPT RESPONSES AND THEY ALWAYS FEEL TAKEN CARE OF BY OUR CITY SERVICES.
THERE ARE MANY GOOD THINGS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING TODAY.
I THINK THAT, UM, UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOMEWHAT, UM, UH, UH, THE, THE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF CRIME IN THE COMMUNITY INDICATE THAT, UH, WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT CAN BE BETTER.
AND HOW CAN IT BE BETTER? I THINK NUMBER ONE, UH, WE HAVE TO HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL RESPOND TO ISSUES WHEN THEY OCCUR.
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT HAVE HAD ISSUES THAT OCCUR AT THEIR HOMES, WHETHER THERE ARE BURGLARIES OR, UH, OTHER, UH, TRANSGRESSIONS, BUT THEY COULDN'T HAVE A FIND A POLICE OFFICER TO ACTUALLY RESPOND.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, WE ALSO NEED TO ADDRESS A CULTURAL ISSUE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME TURMOIL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT TURMOIL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, PITTING OFFICER AGAINST OFFICER, OR NOT ALLOWING OFFICERS TO BE A FIELD FREE TO DO THEIR WORK AS UNDERMINING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE MUST, UH, DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HELP CHANGE THE CULTURE
[00:35:01]
OF THE DEPARTMENT.AND I THINK THAT WILL LEAD TO, TO BETTER LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT, UM, WE NEED OUR POLICE OFFICERS HERE.
UM, THEY'RE FRANKLY HAVING A SHORTAGE OF, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS BASED ON THEIR PREVIOUS BUDGET OF, OF, YOU KNOW, 400 OFFICER SHORT.
UM, AND I, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING NARRATIVES THAT I'VE HEARD IS, YOU KNOW, THAT DEFUND THE POLICE NARRATIVE, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING AWAY THE, THE RESOURCES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING, UM, UH, REDUCED OR INCREASED, UH, RESPONSE TIMES.
UM, WE'RE SEEING, UM, LACK OF RESPONSES, UH, EFFECTIVELY.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS, AND THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE, IS NOBODY WANTS TO SERVE AND BE A POLICE OFFICER ANYMORE.
AND I THINK THE THING THAT WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF OUR HEADS ARE THEY'RE NOT OUR ENEMY.
THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR UNIFORM SERVICES.
UM, NOT JUST THE MS NOT JUST FIRE.
UM, BUT THE POLICE ALSO ARE SERVING AND PUTTING THEIR NECK ON THE LINE, UM, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO MANY GOOD THINGS SAID HERE.
UM, UH, THE, OUR, UH, 9 1 1 SYSTEM, WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE THAT, UH, THAT POLICE DEPEND ON THAT TO RESPOND TIMELY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER GROWING UP IN EL PASO, UM, THE POLICE OFFICER AROUND YOU, THEY KNEW YOU.
I MEAN, THEY WEREN'T THAT FAR.
THEY FELT PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK, UH, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE, THERE'S REALLY BEEN A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO TRY TO BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE AND PULL THE POLICE OFFICERS IN AND REALLY GET, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF US REALLY KNOW IF NO POLICE OFFICER HAS TALKED TO THEM? 'CAUSE THEY HAVE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST JOBS IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES.
WE NEED TRANSPARENCY, WE NEED THAT COMMUNITY POLICING.
BUT I THINK THE ISSUES WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE, YOU KNOW, YES, YOU GOT A FEW COPS THAT MAY BE, UH, NOT THE BEST, BUT IT STARTS WITH MANAGEMENT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A NEW POLICE CHIEF THAT'LL, UH, SET THE COURSE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND REALLY ADOPT A POLICE, A COMMUNITY POLICE MENTALITY.
THANK YOU, CANDIDATE SIEGEL, WE'RE GONNA, UH, NOBODY TOUCHED ON THIS, SO I'M, I'M GONNA ASK IT.
UM, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON LAST YEAR'S PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE A PD AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS? I WAS VERY MUCH AGAINST THAT PARTNERSHIP.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE INVITED STATE POLICE TO PATROL AUSTIN STREETS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY HOLDS THE SAME VALUES AS THE CITY.
AND SO TO ME, THE RESULT OF THAT INTERVENTION WAS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND LATINO FOLKS ON THE EAST SIDE OF AUSTIN, GOT PULLED OVER FOR BROKEN TAILLIGHTS AND OTHER MINOR OFFENSES AND ENDED UP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UH, AND IT DIDN'T IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, AUSTIN HAS EFFECTIVELY, UH, DEPRIORITIZED MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT, BUT DPS DOESN'T HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.
WE'VE TOLD OUR POLICE DON'T, UH, INVESTIGATE.
DPS DOESN'T HAVE TO, UH, RESPECT THAT.
SO TO ME, WE NEED COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THE POLICE, AND THAT MEANS WE DON'T INVITE OUTSIDE FORCES TO PATROL OUR COMMUNITIES.
YEAH, IT WAS AGAINST THE PARTNERSHIP.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT DID NOT MATCH OUR COMMUNITY, DID NOT MATCH WHAT WE NEEDED.
AND I THINK ESPECIALLY ONCE WE SAW THE DATA, ONCE IT HAD BEEN GOING FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, WE SAW THE DATA COMING BACK ON WHO WAS BEING ARRESTED.
IT PROVED REALLY CONCLUSIVELY WHERE THOSE ARRESTS WERE HAPPENING.
IT WAS BLACK AND BROWN POPULATIONS ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.
AND SPEAKING AS A BLACK AUSTINITE WHO HAS NEVER LIVED ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, I PERSONALLY FELT THAT CHANGE.
AND TO HAVE AN ENTITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AN ENTITY THAT ISN'T CONTROLLED BY THE CITY, UH, AND AN ENTITY THAT'S NOT OPERATING IN A WAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE WANTED, UH, WAS EXTREMELY TROUBLING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE SAW THAT HAPPEN.
WE'VE LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD KNOWING THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER, AND MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEANING OUR OWN HOUSE, DOING WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO BUILD COMMUNITY TRUST WITH OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS AN, AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER.
UH, IT WAS REALLY A SHAME THAT IT ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE.
IT GOES BACK EVEN TO THE ISSUE THAT I RAISED EARLIER ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY, BECAUSE THERE'S A REAL QUESTION ABOUT HOW IT HAPPENED, BECAUSE IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
AND I THINK THAT IT POINTS TO REALLY THE, THE, THE, THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM, THE ISSUE WITH, WITH POLICE.
WE'VE GOT TO GET THE POLICE OUT THERE WHERE THEY KNOW THE COMMUNITY, WHERE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THEM, WHERE THEY RESPECT EACH OTHER, WHERE THEY CAN DEVELOP A LEVEL OF TRUST.
AND, AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT WITH A PD AND WE FOR SURE DID NOT HAVE THAT WITH DPS BECAUSE THE EXAMPLES WERE, WERE CLEARLY THERE.
UH, SO I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD IS TO SAY,
[00:40:01]
WELL, WE MAY NEED MORE OFFICERS, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE WE GET OFFICERS WHO HAVE OUR VALUES.THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED THAT, THAT LIVE IN SO MANY OTHER PLACES AROUND THE STATE.
THE STATE'S BEEN FOUND THAT, WHAT IS IT, 85% OF OFFICERS DON'T LIVE HERE.
AND SO WE WANT TO TRY TO, UH, TO GIVE INCENTIVES AND HAVE PEOPLE LIVE HERE WHERE WE CAN MAKE THEM PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE THE SAME VALUES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, A PD ACTUALLY JUST CAME OUT WITH, UM, WITH THIS, THIS LITTLE SERIES WHERE IT'S, UH, NEW YORK CITY BORN AND A TX FORGED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M, I'M PROBABLY BUTCHERING THIS, BUT I, MR SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY PROFOUND TO ME IN THAT SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE, UH, REFLECTIVE OF THE, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, UM, ALONG WITH OUR, OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, IT WAS VERY, IT, IT, IT'S A TOUGH TOPIC FOR ME, UM, BEING AS SOMEONE THAT, UH, WORKS WORKED FOR THE COAST GUARD, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, UH, IN ITS OWN, UH, RIGHT.
UM, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IT WAS WRONG.
HOW IT HAPPENED, RIGHT? IS THERE WAS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAT OCCURRED, UH, THE WAY THAT DPS POLICES IS NOT THE SAME AS URBAN POLICING.
AND THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF BACKROOM, UH, CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING ABOUT HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.
UM, I, I THINK IT DID COME ABOUT THOUGH, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF POLICE OFFICERS AT A PD AND ALL DISASTERS START LOCAL.
AND PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE SHORTAGE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, IT IS A FAILED EXPERIMENT.
UM, I THINK THE ONLY GOOD PART IS, UH, AUSTIN, UH, LIKE WE DO, WE SPEAK UP WHEN WE DON'T LIKE SOMETHING.
AND, UH, I THINK THE FOLKS ON COUNCIL LISTENED.
UM, BUT WE DO THE, HOW THAT HAPPENED IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I SEE THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES WHERE WE'RE HAVING CHANGES MADE IN POLICIES, UH, BY OUR COUNCIL AND LEADERSHIP, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW THEY HAPPEN.
SO I THINK THERE IS A BROADER ISSUE OF JUST, NOT THIS EXAMPLE, BUT OTHERS WHERE WE NEED, WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS BEHIND SOME OF THESE DECISIONS AND HAVE FULL TRANSPARENCY.
UM, BUT YEAH, THIS WAS A, DEFINITELY A FAILED EXPERIMENT.
I LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, DISAGREE THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND I THINK IT SHOWS THAT JUST HOW TO TOUCH OUR LEADERSHIP IS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, TO THINK THAT THE SHORTSIGHTED, UH, UH, INITIATIVE WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM, I THINK IS, IS SHOWS DEEPER PROBLEMS WITHIN OUR CITY GOVERNANCE.
AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY WHY I THINK WE NEED TO, UH, UH, CHANGE OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND, AND, AND GET RID OF THE CITY MANAGER BECAUSE IT, HE'S TYPICALLY THE, THE GUY TO BLAME.
HE, OUR CITY DOES NOT FUNCTION AS, AS, UH, UNDER THIS GOVERNANCE AS EFFECTIVELY AS IT COULD.
AND, AND TO THINK THAT THAT IS A SOLUTION, I THINK IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THINK MORE ABOUT.
UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF, UH, ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO THINK MORE DEEPLY ABOUT POLICING IS THAT, UH, WE ARE IN, IN A CITY THAT IS, UM, JURISDICTIONALLY, UH, UH, SUBJUGATED TO THE STATE.
AND SO WE DO HAVE, UH, FAIRLY OFTEN OCCURRENCES.
SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY, THEY ARE ALSO HERE, UM, IN THIS CITY.
AND SO WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO WORK TOGETHER AND, AND, AND NOT, UM, UH, IN NEGATIVE WAYS.
LET'S GO A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER ON A TOPIC.
LET'S TALK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, CANDIDATE POWELL, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU.
WHAT INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE MADE TO SUPPORT AUSTIN'S CULTURE OF MUSIC, ART AND THEATER? I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESSES HERE.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN WE'RE GIVING THEM RIGHT NOW.
AND I'VE SEEN THIS PERSONALLY, LIKE I MENTIONED, UH, AT THE INTRODUCTION.
I GREW UP IN LEANDER, AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP THERE, THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MOM AND POP KIND OF DIVERSE FOOD OPTIONS, BUT WE'RE SEEING A TON OF THOSE, RIGHT? JUST LOOKING AT THE FOOD SCENE, IT'S MUCH MORE DIVERSE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE UP THERE, BUT THAT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF HOW UNAFFORDABLE WE'VE MADE IT FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO OPERATE HERE WITHIN AUSTIN.
AND THAT DEFINITELY EXTENDS TO MUSIC VENUES THAT EXTENDS TO KIND OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT DRIVE THE CULTURE OF OUR CITY.
SO I'M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF POLICIES THAT, UH, MAKE SMALLER FOOTPRINT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST EITHER A FOOD TRUCK OR A FESTIVAL ROUTE OR DOING A MASSIVE STOREFRONT.
WE NEED TO HAVE IN-BETWEEN OPTIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THEIR FEET WET WITH THEIR SMALL BUSINESS, CONTRIBUTE TO THE CULTURE.
AND CERTAINLY FOR MUSIC VENUES ESPECIALLY, WE HAVE TO BE ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THEM FROM THE CITY, WHETHER THAT'S FUNDING, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, ASSISTANCE, WHETHER THEY'RE, WHATEVER THAT NEEDS TO BE, BECAUSE MUSIC'S THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR CITY AND SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED CANDIDATE BLED.
SO WE NEED TO BE VERY MUCH PROACTIVE IN
[00:45:01]
TERMS OF, UH, GENERATING BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THAT.SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IS ACTUALLY EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE HERE AND HAVE AN OFFICE THAT'S MORE PROACTIVE, THAT, UH, CREATES MORE OPPORTUNITIES WITH, WITH THE LENDING COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES OR WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES TO ACTUALLY GET THEIR START AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, MUCH MORE SO THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE PAST.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE QUESTION RELATED TO THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO THERE, THAT'S KIND OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE BUILD HOUSING, WE BUILD HOUSING WHERE THE PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES CAN ACTUALLY LIVE HERE, RIGHT? I THINK WHAT'S WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A MARKET DRIVEN SYSTEM THAT WE'RE NOW IN THAT WON'T BENEFIT THEM, BUT NOW IF WE TALK ABOUT WANTING TO HELP THEM AND ALLOW THEM TO STAY HERE, WE OUGHT TO MAKE IT WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY LIVE HERE TOO.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO WE NEED TO PAY OUR ATTENTION TO THOSE ISSUES.
WHAT MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH AUSTIN TO BEGIN WITH WAS WHEN I CAME HERE IN 2012 AND WAS A BRAND NEW VOLUNTEER AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UM, AND I, I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT, UM, HAS MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE WITH AUSTIN.
UM, AND THE PANDEMIC, UH, REALLY DESTROYED A LOT OF OUR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A LOT OF OUR, OUR, OUR EVENTS.
AND, UM, WE'RE KIND OF COMING BACK FROM THAT AT THIS POINT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT A THREE, UM, AUSTIN, UH, ARTIST ALLIANCE, UH, CAME TO SPEAK WITH, UM, THE COMMISSION THAT I SERVE ON THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, UH, TO SAY THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.
UM, AND SO I, I'M SEEING THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMING BACK AND I THINK WE NEED TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS LIKE THAT, UM, THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE ARTS.
BUT AS, AS MR. BLEDSOE HAD MENTIONED, UH, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE IT LIVABLE FOR PEOPLE HERE.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES CULTIVATING SPACES FOR THEM TO, TO, YOU KNOW, ALSO, UH, LIVE AND ALSO PERFORM AS WELL.
'CAUSE I'M A BIG, UH, SUPPORTER OF THE MUSIC HERE IN IN TOWN.
UH, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR, UH, LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, UH, REPUTATION.
UM, AND IT'S JUST NOT THE BIG FESTIVALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SMALL VENUES, UH, THERE ARE ARTISTS, THERE'S MUSICIANS, AND ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I DID, UM, AS CHAIR WE LED AND, UM, AND A CODE AMENDMENT TO MAKE IT EASIER TO LOCATE MUSIC VENUES.
AND THE IDEA THERE IS, HEY, LET'S, UH, SPREAD THESE OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO GO DOWNTOWN EVERY TIME TO SEE A GOOD SHOW.
EVERY COMMUNITY HAS, YEAH, YOU HAVE YOUR RESTAURANT, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A PLACE YOU CAN GO SEE MUSIC.
UM, I LIKE, UM, UH, JUST THERE'S MORE FUNDING FOR RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
I WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN IN PUSHING FORWARD AMENDMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT OUR STAGES IN THOSE AREAS.
IT IS KIND OF THE EPICENTER OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE FAMOUS FOR BRINGING MUSIC, UH, UM, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
THAT IS A PLACE WE NEED TO MAINTAIN IS A MUSIC CENTER.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF SUPPORTING THESE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE MUSIC ECONOMY.
I AGREE WITH FELLOW CANDIDATES.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE, THE, THE SPIRIT OF LOCAL BUSINESS HERE IN THE CITY.
IT'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE, UH, AS A COMMUNITY THE ABILITY TO, TO CREATE REALLY ATTRACTIVE IDEAS.
AND I DON'T NEED TO NAME THE LONG LIST OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CHANGED, UH, OR HAVE GIVEN US THAT REPUTATION.
I THINK WHEN IT GOES TO MUSIC, I, UH, AS A STUDENT CAME HERE IN 2016 AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CLASSIC ACL EXPERIENCE.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONTINUES TO, UH, BOLSTER OUR SOCIAL CAPITAL WITHIN THE CITY, IS BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE, TO THIS, UH, WONDERFUL PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO, IS FIND WAYS TO, UH, CONTINUE TO JUST TO, UH, CREATE THESE INNOVATIVE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS AND EXPERIENCES THAT ARE GOING TO NOT ONLY PROPEL US AS A CITY NATIONALLY, BUT ALSO HELP OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ACL DOES AS WELL AS FAR AS GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY SPECIFIC SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE PARKS, UH, UH, FOUNDATION PROGRAM AND, AND THEIR, UH, UH, ABILITY TO FUND, UH, THE, UH, MORE NEED FOR, FOR PARK, UH, UH, IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT AS FAR AS, UM, UH, WITHIN THE CITY.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THE TABLE HERE THAT ARTS, MUSIC AND CULTURAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES ARE A KEY PART OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN THE LOVELY PLACE THAT IT IS.
PEOPLE COME HERE BECAUSE OF THE MUSIC.
UH, PEOPLE EVEN BUY HOMES BECAUSE THERE'S A LOCAL VENUE THAT THEY LOVE AND THEY WANT BE NEAR TO.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE VENUES AREN'T PRICED OUT RIGHT.
[00:50:01]
AND SO SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK OF OUR, OUR CITY BUDGET AS A MORAL DOCUMENT.AND SO TO MAKE SURE THAT CULTURAL FUNDING IS AS ROBUST AS POSSIBLE IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME.
UH, ONE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN THE CITY IS HOW DO WE USE THIS HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, RIGHT? WHEN TOURISTS ARE COMING IN AND BRINGING DOLLARS AND WE'RE IT'S RECEIVING TAX REVENUE, MAYBE WE SHOULD BE REDEDICATING A LOT OF THAT MONEY TO THE FOLKS THAT ATTRACT ALL THESE TOURISTS.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT OVERALL AFFORDABILITY ISSUES ARE VERY MUCH PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, RIGHT? WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE AT ALL PRICE POINTS, INCLUDING FOR WORKING CLASS MUSICIANS.
MASS TRANSIT IS GONNA BRING DOWN COSTS.
I ALSO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS TO FUNDRAISE FOR HEALTHCARE FOR, FOR MUSICIANS WHO OFTEN DON'T HAVE A CONSISTENT ENOUGH JOB TO HAVE HEALTHCARE.
WELL, WE'RE COMING UP ON SEVEN 20, SO I'D LIKE TO GET A COUPLE OF MORE QUESTIONS IN, AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU GUYS, WE'LL GO A LITTLE BIT OVER SEVEN 30.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A HARD STOP? OKAY.
UM, THE CITY GAVE US PERMISSION, SO WE'D LIKE TO ASK ABOUT 75 MORE QUESTIONS AND WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE VERY WELL TO KEEP WITHIN YOUR TIME.
UM, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HEALTHCARE.
AND THIS FIRST QUESTION'S GONNA GO OVER TO, UM, CANDIDATE BLEDSO.
IS AUSTIN POSITIONED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS? WHY OR WHY NOT? WELL, YOU SAY POSITIONED, IT IS POSITIONED, BUT IT'S NOT DOING SO EFFECTIVELY.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A GREAT, A GREATER AMOUNT OF OUTREACH IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE, UH, INSURANCE.
I THINK THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE WHERE THERE IS FUNDING, UH, THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT, UH, SOME OF THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN MISDIRECTED AND SPENT IN OTHER PLACES SPENT FOR RESEARCH AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO COME BACK AND RECALIBRATE AND SAY THAT WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH WELFARE OF OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT MONIES THAT ARE DEDICATED FOR PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THEIR HEALTH NEEDS MET, WHO MAYBE CAN'T AFFORD IT OTHERWISE, THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY, UH, DO SO.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, THERE IS A REAL DEFICIT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT I THINK WE COULD, UH, ADDRESS BECAUSE I THINK THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON THAT, THE CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT AND ALL THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A ROLE THAT WE COULD CLEARLY PLAY IN MAKING IT BETTER.
UH, ARE WE POSITIONED POSSIBLY? ARE WE DOING THAT NOW? UH, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING THE BEST FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, UH, AS SOMEONE HAS THAT HAS WORKED EMS AND HAS DONE INTER FACILITY TRANSPORT HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT ARE, ARE GOING ON IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE, BECAUSE HEALTHCARE, UM, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S EVERYTHING BASICALLY AFFECTS YOUR, YOUR HEALTH, UH, RIGHT FROM YOUR HOUSING TO YOUR FINANCIAL, UM, YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH, UM, TO EVEN THE ROADS.
UH, AS SOMEONE THAT HAS TRANSPORTED, UH, PEOPLE DOWN BURNETT, UM, WHERE WE HAD A DIALYSIS CENTER, A NURSING HOME, AND A HOSPICE CENTER.
UH, THE CHRONICALLY ILL, UH, ARE, ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE I CAN'T AVOID THE POTHOLES, RIGHT? AND SO IF I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT WE CAN BE POSITIONED TO, I WOULD SAY, UH, YES WE CAN, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE BASIC NEEDS OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIGGER PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, BOY, UT JUST GETTING READY TO, UH, BUILD, UH, YET ANOTHER HOSPITAL, UM, IT'S GONNA EXPAND OUR POTENTIAL QUITE A BIT, BUT HOW WE GET THOSE SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE IN NEED, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO VASTLY IMPROVE, IS KIND OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND OUTREACH.
UM, AND NURSING, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, IT'S ANOTHER FACT TO AFFORDABILITY, UH, AFFORDABILITY AND TAKE CARE OF, UH, OUR HOUSING.
THOSE ISSUES, UH, WILL BE ABLE TO ATTRACT MORE NURSES TO THE AREA.
I THINK A LARGE PART OF IT IS, UH, HAVING THE RIGHT STAFF, DOCTORS, UM, YOU KNOW, TEXAS IS NOT DOING A WHOLE LOT FOR DOCTORS, AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THEM LEAVING.
SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, NOT JUST HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES AND AND TEXAS ARE GONNA FACE IS HOW DO WE KEEP DOCTORS AND NURSES HERE TO KEEP PROVIDING SURFACES AS OUR POPULATION INCREASES? THANK YOU.
THE QUESTION WAS, IS AUSTIN POSITIONED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS? YES.
I THINK, UH, AUSTIN IS POSITIONED AND I THINK WE HAVE, UH, PROVED TO LOOK AT AS OTHERWISE.
AS FAR AS, UM, THE COVID PANDEMIC, I THINK AUSTIN HEALTH,
[00:55:01]
UH, PUBLIC HEALTH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE VACCINATIONS NOW, AND THEY DID SO, UH, EFFICIENTLY AND DURING A CRIME CRISIS.AND SO I HAVE FAITH THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, FULFILL, UH, HEALTHCARE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I TAKE PERSONALLY AS FAR AS HAVING EXPERIENCE, UM, HEALTHCARE AND SECURITY LAST YEAR, AT THE AGE OF 26, UM, AS IS EXPECTED IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU GET KICKED OFF YOUR PARENTS' HEALTHCARE.
AND SO I WAS WITHOUT HEALTHCARE FOR MULTIPLE MONTHS AND HAD TO NAVIGATE THE FREE MARKET AND HEALTHCARE.
AND THAT WAS QUITE A, A CHALLENGE OF ITSELF.
BUT I WAS ABLE TO, UH, OVERCOME THAT.
AND THANKFULLY IT WAS COVERED FOR A NUMBER OF, UH, UH, UH, FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT NONETHELESS, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, ADDRESSED BY THE COUNCIL, BY THE COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO MAKING SURE THAT PARTNERSHIPS ARE, UH, IN LINE TO, TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A HISTORY SUCH AS, UH, UH, THE CREATION OF CENTRAL HEALTH TO, TO LOOK AT FOR HOW WE CAN CREATE INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND ALSO USE, UH, THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.
I THINK OUR CITY IS DOING, UH, A LOT ON HEALTHCARE AND COULD DO A LOT BETTER.
UM, I DO THINK THIS IS ONE OF THESE ISSUES WHERE, UH, IT'S REALLY A NATIONAL ISSUE AND THE CITY'S LEFT HOLDING THE BAG.
UH, SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT WHETHER WE NEEDED MEDICARE FOR ALL, AND UH, I THINK WE STILL DO, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE NEED A NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SINGLE PAYER PROGRAM IS WHAT I WOULD SUPPORT, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE TO DO, DO THE BEST WE CAN LOCALLY.
I THINK WE HAVE THREE MAIN LEVERS THAT I'M AWARE OF, UH, CENTRAL HEALTH, INTEGRAL CARE AND, AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND OF CENTRAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS SOME REPRESENTATION ON THAT BOARD AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH, UH, FOCUS ON PROVIDING INDIGENT CARE THAT SOME OF THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN MAYBE MISUSED AND NOT PUT TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE MOST NEEDY.
ALSO ON INTEGRAL CARE, THAT'S OUR KIND OF REGIONAL, UH, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER.
I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK ON THE RESOURCES WE'RE PROVIDING AND MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND I JUST WANNA ECHO WHAT EDWIN SAID.
I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED BY WHAT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT DID, UH, DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE THERE AND WE SEEM TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE POWELL? WELL, I THINK IN TERMS OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, WE'RE WELL POSITIONED, BUT AS THE CANDIDATES HAVE MENTIONED, THERE IS, UH, SYSTEMIC STUFF FROM THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL.
ONE THING THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT IN THIS HEALTHCARE CONVERSATION IS DEFENDING AUSTINITES WHOSE RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK.
UH, I IMMEDIATELY THINK OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.
I THINK OUR CITY HAS BEEN COURAGEOUS IN TRYING TO FIND UNIQUE SOLUTIONS TO THE, UH, FRANKLY, TERRIBLE LIMITS.
THE STATE HAS PLACED ON WOMEN'S BODIES, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE.
WE NEED TO FIND WAYS FOR AUSTINITES TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE RIGHTS AVAILABLE TO THEM, WHETHER THE STATE WANTS THEM TO OR NOT.
SO I LOOK AT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, I LOOK AT BODILY AUTONOMY, AND I LOOK AT A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOLKS ARE MENTIONING, WE HAVE GREAT HOSPITALS, WE HAVE GREAT PUBLIC HEALTH ENTITIES UNDER, UH, UNDER OUR CONTROL.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF AUSTINITES THAT ARE UNDER ATTACK, AND THAT INCLUDES IN HEALTHCARE.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA ASK THIS THE LAST QUESTION.
I'M GONNA ASK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT YOU BRING, YOU WANT TO BRING TO THIS JOB IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH, UH, CANDIDATE WIN.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS EXPERIENCED A ONCE IN A LIFETIME PANDEMIC, SEVERAL LARGE SCALE DAMAGING WEATHER EVENTS, AND A VERY PUBLIC CONVERSATION OVER POLICING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT LEADERSHIP SKILLS DO YOU HAVE THAT QUALIFY YOU TO LEAD US THROUGH A SIMILAR EVENT? MY WIFE HAD TO LEAVE, BUT SHE WAS ACTUALLY REALLY UPSET AT ME DURING THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE, UM, WHEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, WORKING FOR A NONPROFIT HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, WE WERE NOT PREPARED, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMS. UM, AND I HAD TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISION OF, UH, TAKING AN UNPAID FURLOUGH.
UM, AND I ENDED UP ALSO GOING TO NEW YORK CITY BACK HOME, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TREAT PATIENTS, UH, DURING COVID-19.
UM, AND WITH THAT I TOOK BACK A LOT OF, UH, BEST PRACTICES TO MY ORGANIZATION AS WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT, WHETHER IT WAS RESOURCES OF, OF MASKS, UH, TO HOW TO, UH, GAIN ACCESS TO VACCINATIONS, TO HOW CONTACT TRACING WAS BEING DONE IN NEW YORK CITY VERSUS, UM, IN, IN TEXAS.
I ACTUALLY ALSO, UH, WAS THE LIAISON FOR TEXAS, UH, IT'S CALLED DISHES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES, UM, UH, WHEN IT CAME TO OUR CONTACT TRACING AND LEADING, UH, THE AMERICORPS MEMBERS IN, UH, HELPING WITH THE CONTRACT, UH, CONTACT TRACING EFFORTS, UH, IN, UH, IN TEXAS.
UH, DURING THAT TIME, I ALSO COME WITH, UH, WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, BEING AN INCIDENT COMMANDER ON THE GROUND, UM, HAVING TO ORGANIZE, UH, DURING DISASTER RESPONSE.
I, UM, I THINK I GET SOME OF MY LEADERSHIP SKILLS FROM MY DAD, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.
I SAW HIM, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY DIRECTIVE.
SO I'VE LEARNED OTHER WAYS TO LEAD FOLKS.
UH, SO 30 YEARS AT THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN.
[01:00:01]
PROJECT MANAGERS, FIELD CREWS, UM, ENGINEERS, UH, UH, VARIOUS TYPES OF EMPLOYEES UNDER ME HAVING TO LEAD THEM.AND, UH, WE DID GREAT THINGS THERE.
UH, ONE THING I'M PROUD OF, IT'S JUST WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM, I MANAGED, WE WERE DOING A LOT OF THINGS ON THE CLIMATE FRONT, UH, THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T DOING.
WE WERE MEASURING OUR CLIMATE EMISSIONS AND, UH, WE'RE RECOGNIZED, UH, BY THE CLIMATE ACTION, UH, GROUP THERE IN CALIFORNIA AS BEING ONE OF THE FIRST UTILITIES.
UH, I ALSO BRING, JUST BY THE NATURE OF MY WORK, UM, I MANAGE LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WHERE WE HAVE DEVELOPERS, THE PUBLIC, UH, ENGINEERS, UM, UH, THE FINANCIAL PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE TO BRING ALL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER AND MAKE DECISIONS WHEN THERE'S COST OVERRUNS OR SCHEDULE ISSUES.
YOU'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO KEEP THE PROJECT ON SCHEDULE, ON BUDGET.
AND, UH, SO THOSE ARE MY LEADERSHIP.
ALSO, I'LL POINT OUT THAT THREE YEARS CHAIRING THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I THINK, UH, I DID A VERY GOOD JOB THERE AND WE WORKED VERY WELL TOGETHER UNDER MY LEADERSHIP.
SO AS THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE, I DON'T HAVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TO POINT TO, BUT I DO HAVE A LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT I BELIEVE IS WORTH SHARING, AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING WITH MY CAMPAIGN.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I INFORMED ME AS A, AS A URBAN PRO URBAN PLANNING PROFESSIONAL, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I AM THE ONLY CERTIFIED URBAN PLANNER IN THE ELECTION.
AND I THINK THAT'S WORTH SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, TO DEFINITION, UH, THE MOST SIMPLEST TERM, AN URBAN PLANNER IS A CHANGE AGENT.
AND TO BE A CHANGE AGENT, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE VERY INTRICATE AND VISIBLE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THINGS AND UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THEY, THEY CAN'T ALWAYS BE CHANGED, BUT THEY CAN BE ENGAGED.
AND BEING ABLE TO BE ATTUNED TO, TO UNDERSTANDING HOW, UH, CITIES FUNCTION IS SOMETHING THAT I AM UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO.
AND I'VE BEEN DOING SO AS AN ADVOCATE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THAT BE SERVING ON THE COLLEGE STUDENT COMMISSION OR GET OR VOLUNTEERING IN MY TIME TO, UH, THE COMMUNITY REVIEW PANEL.
I, I'VE ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING, UH, FOR THE LOCAL NONPROFIT TEXAS HOUSES WHERE I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HAVE BENEFITED FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A SMART HOUSE, SMART HOUSING RENTER AND OWNER.
AND PARTICULARLY, I BENEFITED FROM THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY AND VERTICAL MIXED USE.
UM, AND I'M COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT HOUSING IS ATTAINABLE FOR ALL.
WELL, TO START, UH, I HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN MY OWN CAREER.
I HAVE LED TWO DIFFERENT NONPROFIT EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS, ACTUALLY ONE EDUCATION ORGANIZATION AND ONE CURRENTLY A POLITICAL ADVOCACY GROUP.
I'M A FOUNDER OF GROUND GAME TEXAS, WHICH IS FIGHTING FOR PROGRESSIVE POLICIES RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE STATE HAS A BIG STAFF AND I THINK TWO TRAITS I WOULD POINT TO ARE COURAGE AND ORGANIZING.
UM, I THINK I'VE SHOWN THROUGHOUT MY CAREER THAT I'M WILLING TO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN I WAS A CITY ATTORNEY, I SUED THE GOVERNOR TO STOP AN ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAW.
I'VE STOOD UP TO PROTECT, UH, STUDENTS DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
I'VE EVEN RECENTLY SUED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR FAILING TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT AND ALSO ORGANIZING BECAUSE TO, TO SOLVE THESE CRISIS, TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, WE NEED TO BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AND THROUGH MY CAMPAIGNS FOR CONGRESS AND THROUGH SOME OF MY ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES, I'VE BUILT COALITIONS FROM LABOR, ENVIRONMENTAL, OTHER SECTORS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE CRISES.
WE NEED BIG COALITIONS, AND THAT'S A LOT OF MY EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED TO FOLKS THAT I MENTIONED TO FOLKS THAT IF I WAITED UNTIL I WAS FULLY EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO BE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I'D BE ABOUT 250 YEARS OLD.
I GUESS CITY COUNCIL COVERS SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES.
I THINK THE NUMBER ONE LEADERSHIP TRAIT THAT I DEMONSTRATE IS ADAPTABILITY.
I PRIDE MYSELF IN HAVING DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.
I'VE ORGANIZED ONE OF THE FIRST PRIVATE GRADUATE STUDENT UNIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
I HIRED OVER A HUNDRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS FOR A MAJORITY BLACK AND BROWN SCHOOL DISTRICTS RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN.
I WORKED AT THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN THE PANDEMIC PROJECT, MANAGING THE DISTRIBUTION OF OVER 16 MILLION MASKS ACROSS THE, UH, ACROSS THE STATE AS WELL AS VACCINE ALLOTMENTS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
I PRIDE MYSELF IN HAVING THE HUMILITY TO ALWAYS ASK FOR EXPERTISE TO COLLABORATE WITH FOLKS, AND THEN JUST TO BE ADAPTABLE, RECOGNIZING THAT I CANNOT BE, NO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAN BE THE EXPERT IN EVERY CITY, IN EVERY SINGLE THING THAT THEY TACKLE, BUT WE CAN BE ADAPTABLE, WE CAN BE RESPONSIVE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S THE PASSION COMING FROM SERVING MY HOMETOWN, FROM FIGHTING TO MAKE AUSTIN THE BEST PLACE POSSIBLE FOR MY FUTURE KIDS, FOR MY FUTURE GRANDKIDS, AND KEEPING THAT HOPE FRONT AND CENTER AT ALL TIMES.
MY EXPERIENCE AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER AND SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND BRINGING THEM TOGETHER, I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET DURING SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME.
I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD BRING TO THE TABLE IS THAT I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD KNOW THAT THEY CAN TRUST ME, THAT I FIGHT FOR THEM.
I FIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE TO GET A FAIR DEAL AND A FAIR SHAKE.
AND THEY'LL KNOW TOO THAT I'LL SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
I WON'T SIT IN THE ROOM AND ALLOW THINGS TO GO FORTH THAT WILL HARM DIFFERENT ELEMENTS
[01:05:01]
OF OUR COMMUNITY.SOMETIMES IT TAKES SOMEONE TO SPEAK UP AND SAY, WELL, YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, THE WAY YOU'RE DOING IT IN ANOTHER DISTRICT.
IT TAKES SOMEONE THAT'S GOT THE CHARACTER TO DO THAT, AND THE WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT, AND WHO'S NOT AFRAID OF CHALLENGING POWER.
I'VE CHALLENGED POWER MY WHOLE LIFE AND I'LL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE POWER, AND MY ONLY MOTIVATION IS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE TO STAND TO TALL FOR YOU.
SO I ASKED THIS QUESTION AT THE LAST, BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA NOW LEAD YOU INTO YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE ENTIRE TWO MINUTES, BUT WE WANT TO OFFER THAT TO YOU.
YOU WILL BEGIN YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS AND PLEASE TELL THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND LISTENING AND GOING TO LISTEN AGAIN, WHY WE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU.
I'VE ALSO WITNESSED, UH, THIS CITY AT ITS BEST WHEN WE, UH, COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS. WE OFTEN, UH, COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BETTER THAN ANY ONE GROUP COULD, UM, COULD COME UP WITH THEM ON, COME UP WITH, ON THEIR OWN.
SO CLEARLY, IF YOU LOOK AT MY EXPERIENCE, UH, WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF CITY GOVERNMENT, UH, THE TIME I SPENT ON PLANNING, COMMISSION, UNDERSTANDING OF ZONING AND LAND PLANNING, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER THAT I AM, AND THE LEADERSHIP ON THE CLIMATE FRONT THAT I'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR OVER 20 YEARS, UH, THERE'S SO MUCH EMBEDDED IN THAT EXPERIENCE.
SO I BRING THAT EXPERIENCE, I BRING THE PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, 30 YEARS OF THAT THAT I'VE INVESTED IN THE CITY.
UH, THAT IS ALL THAT I BRING TO COUNCIL.
AND IT IS, UH, FAR AND ABOVE THE OTHER CANDIDATES HERE.
THE OTHER THING IS, YOU'RE NOT GETTING SOMEBODY.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.
I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE I LOVE THE CITY.
I WANNA CONTINUE THOSE VALUES THAT, UM, WE'RE SO PROUD OF THAT WE, WE, UH, WE BRAG ABOUT TO OTHER CITIES AND OUR NEIGHBOR AND KEEP THAT CULTURE VIBRANT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PREPARING US AGAIN FOR THIS FUTURE THAT IS UNCERTAIN WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND WITH THE POPULATION INCREASES.
YOU NEED SOMEBODY THAT UNDERSTANDS HOW TO MANAGE LARGE BUDGETS.
LIKE I HAVE WORK WITHIN THE CITY, THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THAT WE'RE UNDER.
UH, I HAD TO DO THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN MY CAREER WITH THE CITY.
AND I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH, UH, LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS AND MAKE SMART DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY.
UM, SO, UM, I'M RUNNING AS SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON.
UM, I'VE GOT THE, YOU CAN TRUST ME.
I'VE BEEN HERE AGAIN, PUBLIC SERVANT FOR 30 YEARS.
I THINK I'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES, UH, TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
SO I THANK EVERYBODY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US HERE, SHARE OUR VISION FOR AUSTIN.
UM, I AM SOMEONE WHO I HOPE YOU REALIZE DOES NOT WALK AWAY FROM CHALLENGES.
AND THIS RACE IS NO DIFFERENT.
I HAVE BEEN FACING, UH, I HAVE FACED MANY OBSTACLES AS FAR AS, UM, BEING TO WHERE I AM TODAY.
AND TO BE HONEST, THIS HAS BEEN A DREAM FOR ME, BEING ABLE TO SIT IN FRONT OF YOU AND, AND, AND SAY, I, I AM CAPABLE OF LEADING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE THOSE SKILLS NECESSARY.
UM, AND TO, TO SHARE AS TO WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR ME, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT, UM, THAT WE NEED CHANGE IN OUR CITY COUNCIL.
WE NEED TO, UH, REFORM THE WAY OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS, AND I HAVE THE IDEAS TO, TO, TO PUSH THAT VISION FORWARD.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT REFORMING OUR, OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AS FAR AS ALSO IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I'M PROPOSING CREATING AN OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WILL MERGE THE CURRENT COMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE AND THE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY OFFICE TO, UH, UTILIZE THOSE RESOURCES AND MOST EFFECTIVELY AFFECT CHANGE THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WILL HELP BREAK DOWN LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND WILL HELP INCREASE, UH, CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
AND I'M ALSO WILLING TO SAY THAT I, UM, AM, AM, AM WILLING TO, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, PLEDGE TO DONATE, UH, MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF THE SIX FIGURES SALARY THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER MAKES, AND REINVEST IT TOWARDS OUR CON OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, ENSURING THAT THAT MONEY IS SPENT BY THE COMMUNITY AND INFORMED BY DECISIONS THAT WILL HELP MOST, HELP THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO SAY BECAUSE, UH, I'M GENUINE ABOUT WHY I'M HERE AND I'M, AND I'M COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT CHANGE IS ENACTED.
AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I'M, UH, PUTTING MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS WHEN I SAY THAT.
'CAUSE I REALLY DO CARE ABOUT THE CITY.
AND I JUST FEEL REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO CALL IT HOME.
AND, AND, AND I HOPE TO SHARE, UH, THE CITY AS MUCH AS I CAN WITH, WITH ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO LIVE HERE AND, AND, AND BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE A SPECIAL COMMUNITY.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
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ON NOVEMBER 5TH YOU VOTE FOR EDWIN, UH, FOR DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY SUPPORT YOU, YOU ARE ABLE TO OFFER.PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE, ED WINFORD DISTRICT SEVEN.COM.
WELL, ONE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE AUSTIN.
AND AUSTIN HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD TO ME AND MY FAMILY.
YOU KNOW, I, I ENJOYED WORKING AT THE CITY.
IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE, MY BEST JOBS IN MY CAREER.
UH, I REALLY LOVE THE, THE CIVIL SERVANTS THAT, THAT MAKE UP OUR, OUR CITY AGENCIES.
UM, MY WIFE OWNS A VETERINARY PRACTICE ON VERNON ROAD, THE ALLENDALE VET CLINIC.
AND FRANKLY, SHE'S, UH, A MORE BELOVED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAN I AM, I THINK FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.
UH, TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE'S, UH, DOGS AND CATS.
UM, MY KIDS GO TO THE SCHOOLS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN REALLY EMBRACED BY THE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I REALLY CARE ABOUT AUSTIN AND DISTRICT SEVEN IN PARTICULAR, UH, AS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
UH, I'M REALLY COMMITTED TO BEING A REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, I'VE PUT UP A FEW YARD SIGNS IN, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND HERE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S NOT JUST A CAMPAIGN TACTIC.
THOSE, THOSE SIGNS ARE RESULT OF A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.
AND I AM REALLY TRYING TO SHOW THROUGH MY CONDUCT IN THIS CAMPAIGN THAT I WANNA TALK TO EVERYONE AND I WANNA BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THIS DISTRICT, IN THIS CITY.
I WANT TO BE A VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE.
UH, IN TERMS OF WHY I MIGHT BE THE BEST CANDIDATE, I THINK, UM, I'M OFFERING SOMEONE WHO BRINGS TWO DIFFERENT SKILL SETS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE USEFUL.
UH, ONE, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN A CITY ATTORNEY, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED MORE LAWYERS ON CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF YOU WOULD WOULD BELIEVE OTHERWISE.
BUT, UM, HAVING BEEN IN THAT BUILDING WRITING POLICIES, UNDERSTANDING HOW THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE COMES DOWN ON AUSTIN, WHEN WE TRY TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE HERE, I THINK THAT'S REALLY VALUABLE EXPERIENCE ON, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW MUCH CAN WE PUSH TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER WITHOUT BEING PREEMPTED BY THE STATE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THIS ORGANIZING THING.
I MEAN, THESE ARE MASSIVE PROBLEMS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM, CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO BRING SO MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, JUST TO TAKE ONE LITTLE PIECE OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY THING, HOW DO WE BUILD BATTERY STORAGE? WELL, WE NEED TO GET PRIVATE INDUSTRY TOGETHER.
WE NEED TO GET UNIONS TOGETHER.
WE NEED TO GET CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS TOGETHER.
AND I HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE OF BUILDING COALITIONS AND I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA SHARE WITH Y'ALL A NORTH STAR OF MY CAMPAIGN, NORTH STAR OF MY LIFE AND WHERE IT CAME FROM, WHICH IS THE CONCEPT OF IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING, YOU FIGHT FOR IT, YOU FIGHT TO MAKE IT BETTER.
FOR ME, THAT REALLY CRYSTALLIZED IN MY TIME AS AN UNDERGRAD.
I WENT TO TCU, DON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST ME.
I WENT TO TCU AND I WAS PART OF THREE 4% OF BLACK STUDENTS ON THAT CAMPUS.
OVER TIME, I RECOGNIZED SOME OF THE INEQUITIES THAT WE WERE SEEING, AND ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A BLACK STUDIES CURRICULUM OF STUDY AT ALL AT THE CAMPUS, DIDN'T EXIST.
SO THAT'S THE MOMENT THAT ME AND OTHER STUDENTS DECIDED TO STAND UP.
WE FOUNDED CO-FOUNDED AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AND AFRICANA MINOR, AS WELL AS THE COMPARATIVE RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT.
WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE LOVE TCUI LOVE TCU, AND WE KNEW THAT WE COULD MAKE IT BETTER.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT WHERE MY HOMETOWN IS RIGHT NOW, AUSTIN, TEXAS, THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD, I STILL BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN FIX THESE MASSIVE PROBLEMS OF AFFORDABILITY, OF TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY OF OUR PUBLICLY OWNED UTILITIES.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN FIX THIS AND WE CAN FIX IT TOGETHER.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE ENDORSED IN THIS RACE BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ.
AND HE'S A LEADER WHO GETS COFFEE WHENEVER HIS CONSTITUENTS WANNA GET COFFEE WITH HIM.
WHO'S FAFSA PHONE LINE, WHO IS ACTIVE IN STAYING ENGAGED WITH THIS COMMUNITY? THAT'S THE LEADER THAT I PLAN TO BE.
THAT'S THE WAY I'M RUNNING MY CAMPAIGN RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU GO TO ADAM FROST.COM, NOT ONLY CAN YOU REQUEST A BEAUTIFUL PINK YARD SIGN, PINKEST YARD SIGN YOU'VE EVER SEEN, BUT YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO ME THROUGH EMAIL, THROUGH THE FORMS ON THAT WEBSITE, AND I WILL RESPOND.
'CAUSE I DEEPLY, DEEPLY CARE ABOUT REPRESENTING MY HOMETOWN, MY HOME COMMUNITY, AND FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE GENERATION OF AUSTINITES.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ADAM FROST.COM.
IT CAN BE FOR OR THE NUMBER FOUR.
AND YOU CAN FIND ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WITH ADAM POWELL, A TX.
I'D BE GRATEFUL TO EARN YOUR SUPPORT ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
CANDIDATE BLEDSO AUSTIN IS A SPECIAL PLACE.
THE QUESTION IS, DO WE KEEP IT A SPECIAL PLACE? SO IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF US THAT HAVE GOODWILL TO JOIN TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN CONTINUES TO BE THE PLACE THAT WE FELL IN LOVE WITH.
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE A FIGHT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE.
YOU KNOW, MY WHOLE LIFE IS DESIGNED AROUND, MY WIFE AND I EVERY DAY DO SO MANY THINGS THAT I I I, I'VE JOKED AND NAMED OUR HOME UN SOUTH BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE ATTITUDE THAT I HAVE ABOUT OUR CITY.
I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN BECAUSE I SEE IT MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WHEN I SEE DEBATES THAT ARE OCCURRING THAT CAN'T CONSIDER REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES TO SEE HOW MAJOR ISSUES THAT WILL IMPACT THE LIVES OF EVERYONE ARE NOT FULLY DISCUSSED AND DEVELOPED.
WHEN I SEE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL BEING FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW,
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UH, THREE TIMES THIS YEAR WHEN I SEE PEOPLE GET TURNED AWAY AND SHOUTED AT AND SCREAMED AT, AT THE COUNCIL, UH, AS IF THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG BY COMING TO SPEAK THEIR PEACE, WHEN I SEE THAT, IT CRIES OUT THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN.AND SO WHAT WE NEED IS SOMEONE WHO WILL BE THERE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THAT STEAM ROLLER GETS MOVING, THAT YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY ON THAT COUNCIL THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND TRY TO BRING OTHER PEOPLE WITH THEM TO TRY TO STOP THAT STEAM ROLLER FROM ROLLING.
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT TIMES IS THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE MONEY, BILLIONAIRES WHO'VE JUST COME TO TOWN AND OTHERS ARE DICTATING OUR PUBLIC POLICY.
SO THE QUESTION IS, DO WE KEEP THIS AS THE COMMUNITY THAT WE LOVE, THE COMMUNITY THAT WE BUILT, THAT WE CHANGE FROM SOMETHING WASN'T AS POSITIVE AS IT IS, AND ALLOW OTHERS TO CHANGE IT INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND SO YOU NEED A LEADER WHO SEES THAT, WHO WON'T GO ALONG WITH THE FLOW, WILL STAND UP FOR YOU.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE BLEDSOE, CANDIDATE WIN.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT, AND I, I, I'VE HEARD THAT, THAT TERM, YOU KNOW, JOGGLED AROUND HERE ALL, ALL, ALL THROUGHOUT, UM, TONIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY COME BACK TO IS THE FACT THAT, UH, I WILL BE HERE FOR YOU.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN SOME OF YOUR HOUSES.
I'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, CARED FOR SOME OF, UH, YOUR LOVED ONES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE, UH, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CARING FOR EVERYONE IN AUSTIN.
UM, IN EVERY CORNER OF DISTRICT SEVEN, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS, IS A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS.
UH, HERE IN AUSTIN IS I FIND THAT NORTH OF 180 3, A LOT OF TIMES OUR VOICES ARE MUTED, UH, AND UNDERVALUED.
UM, AND MY PLEDGE IS TO ALWAYS, UM, LISTEN TO EVERYONE AND ALWAYS ENGAGE EVERYONE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
WHETHER I DISAGREE WITH YOU OR WHETHER I AGREE WITH YOU, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WORKS TO REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE AND NOT JUST A SMALL PORTION, WHETHER IT'S BIG MONEY, UH, WHETHER IT'S A DEVELOPER, UH, WHETHER IT IS YOUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, WE'RE REPRESENTING EVERYONE.
UH, AND I WILL STAY OVERNIGHT IF YOU HAVE TO TALK.
UM, I WILL STAY MULTIPLE DAYS IF YOU NEED TO TALK ON, ON THE DAIS WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE PLEDGE THAT I HAVE, IS TO BE THE BEST PUBLIC SERVANT POSSIBLE.
BEFORE OUR, OUR CLOSING REMARKS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SINCERITY AND LET'S GIVE THEM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE NOW.
BUT I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE WITH YOU GUYS AND THE AUDIENCE WHEREVER THEY'RE LISTENING TONIGHT, BECAUSE IN MY INTRO, I TOLD YOU ALL THE CANDIDATES THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFFECT CHANGE.
BUT REALLY IT'S THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, THE VOTERS OF DISTRICT SEVEN THAT HOLD THE POWER IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
THEY HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ELECT ONE OF YOU, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO HOLD YOU ALL ACCOUNTABLE WHEN YOU'RE IN OFFICE TO AID IN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
OUR NON-PARTISAN, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS NON-PARTISAN VOTERS GUIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE SOON.
IT'S AT WWW LWV AUSTIN.ORG AND IT'S IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND CHINESE ONLINE.
THE PRINTED GUIDE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
ANOTHER SITE THAT'S HELPFUL FOR ALL CITIZENS ACROSS THE US IS WWW.VOTE FOUR ONE.ORG.
THAT WILL ALSO BE LIVE SOON, AND IT CONTAINS COMPLETE BALLOT INFORMATION BASED ON YOUR ADDRESS.
YOU CAN GO TO THE SITE AND VIEW THIS BEFORE GOING TO THE POLLS TO VOTE.
IT ALSO CAN BE PRINTED OUT FROM THAT SITE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE INTO THE POLLS ALONG WITH OUR VOTER'S GUIDE, AND THAT CAN BE PICKED UP.
THE VOTER'S GUIDE AT MOST OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER THAT DIGITAL DEVICES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN TEXAS.
SOME DATES TO REMEMBER FOR EVERYONE IS THAT IN-PERSON, EARLY VOTING BEGINS MONDAY, AUGUST 21ST AND ENDS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
ELECTION DAY, I THINK YOU MEAN OCTOBER.
NO, IT OCTOBER 21ST AND ENDS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024.
AND THE POLLS OPEN AT 7:00 AM AND CLOSE AT 7:00 PM ON ELECTION DAY.
REMEMBER, IF YOU'RE IN LINE AT
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SEVEN, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.THERE IS AN END TO THE LINE, BUT AT SEVEN.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TONIGHT.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR HANGING IN WITH US.
AND WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING FROM, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WANTS YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT DEMOCRACY AND GO VOTE.