[District 10 City Council Candidate Panels on September 30, 2024.]
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HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DISTRICT 10 CANDIDATE FORUM.
MY NAME IS CAROL ECKEL CAMP AND I'M WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AUSTIN AREA.
OUR LEAGUE COLLABORATES WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION TO HELP VOTERS BECOME FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE CANDIDATES.
IF ELECTED, THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS HERE WILL REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT 10 AND AUSTIN IN GENERAL AND DRIVE CHANGE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE POWERLESS WATCHING THE SIDELINES THINKING OUR VOICES DON'T COUNT, BUT YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE AND IT'S THE KEY TO MAKING REAL CHANGE.
YOUR VOTE IS WHAT PUTS CANDIDATES IN OFFICE AND IT'S THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL TO REMOVE THEM IF THEY FAIL TO DELIVER.
OUR SITE, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS NATIONAL US EDUCATION, VOTE FOUR ONE ONE.ORG.
THAT'S WWW VOTE FOUR ONE ONE.ORG.
IT WILL GO LIVE AND IT CONTAINS COMPLETE BALLOT INFORMATION FOR EACH OF YOU.
IF YOU WILL PUT YOUR ADDRESS INTO THE BOX, PLEASE GO TO THE SITE AND VIEW THIS BEFORE GOING TO THE POLLS.
AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE YOU CAN PRINT OUT INFORMATION FROM, YOU CAN TAKE VOTER'S GUIDES IN, BUT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW TO TAKE A DIGITAL DEVICE WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF A POLLING LOCATION.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR NOTES ON THE PHONE, IT WON'T WORK.
SO PRINT OUT YOUR INFORMATION.
BUT HERE'S SOME DATES TO REMEMBER THE IN-PERSON.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS MONDAY, OCTOBER 21ST AND ENDS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
ELECTION DAY IS THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, AND THE POLLS OPEN AT 7:00 AM AND CLOSE AT 7:00 PM ON ELECTION DAY.
CURBSIDE VOTING IS ALLOWED AT ALL POLLING LOCATIONS.
THESE THERE ARE DIRECTIONAL SIGNS AT EACH LOCATION, USUALLY IN THE PARKING AREA AND THERE'S SOME PHONE NUMBER TO CALL TO GET SOMEONE TO COME AND HELP YOU VOTE CURBSIDE.
IF YOU'RE IN LINE AT 7:00 PM AT A POLLING LOCATION, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
WE ALSO, IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS OR YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR VOTER'S REGISTRATION, WE HAVE A DEPUTY VOTER REGISTRAR THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM RIGHT AFTER NOW TO THE CANDIDATES.
OUR QUESTIONS ARE CREATED WITH INPUT FROM COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
OUR PURPOSE IS TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT ALLOW YOU THE VOTER TO UNDERSTAND THE OPINIONS ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOU.
EACH OF YOU WILL HAVE A TWO MINUTE OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENT, AND YOU'LL BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FOR THE AUDIENCE.
WE DO ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS OR ANY PERSONAL REMARKS.
I SHOULDN'T SAY ATTACKS ON ANY OPPONENT, BUT WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM VERBALLY REACTING IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THESE CANDIDATES.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN IN BALLOT ORDER AND THEN ROTATE EACH SO EACH HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER.
FIRST, WE WILL BEGIN OUR TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT, BEGINNING WITH CANDIDATE UCHIN.
AUSTIN HAS MORE THAN A FEW CHALLENGES AND THERE IS NO TIME FOR A LEARNING CURVE.
THIS RACE IS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE AUSTIN CONTINUES TO BE A SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE FOR US.
I'M MARK UCHIN AND I'M HERE TO THE GROUND RUNNING.
AND HERE'S HOW I WILL DO THAT ONE.
I'VE GOT AN MBA TWO, I'VE RUN A SMALL BUSINESS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
AND THREE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LOCAL POLITICS HERE IN AUSTIN FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW.
LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR HOME ORDINANCE.
UH, THIS IS A SWEEPING ZONING CHANGE AND IT STARTED OUT AS A VERY WELL-INTENTIONED POLICY, BUT IT'S GOT ZERO GUARDRAILS ON IT.
IT'S GONNA MEAN MORE CONCRETE, IT'S GONNA MEAN FEWER TREES, IT'S GONNA MEAN MORE BUILDINGS.
AND THE REALITY IS WE NEED THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THAT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON I THINK OUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBER, ALLISON ALTER, HAS ENDORSED ME BECAUSE SHE ALSO OPPOSES THAT I'LL CONTINUE HER WORK ON MAKING SURE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SAFE ON WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND ON SPENDING WISELY.
THE SIERRA CLUB AND THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS HAVE ENDORSED ME 'CAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED MORE PARKLAND AND MORE GREEN SPACE IN OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND UNLIKE MY OPPONENT, YOU CAN FIND ME AT OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, A ISD SAFETY MEETINGS, BAKER SECTOR, A PD, PUBLIC SAFETY MEETINGS, UNI CONSERVANCY MEETINGS, UH, WILDFIRE LINES MEETINGS.
I'VE BEEN ON MY HOA BOARD FOR A DECADE.
I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT I'VE SERVED, UH, I'VE TESTIFIED AT THE CITY COUNCIL MANY TIMES
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I'VE ADVOCATE THE LEGISLATURE.BOTTOM LINE IS I SHOW UP AND THAT'S BECAUSE BEING AN EFFECTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER IS ABOUT DOING THE HARD WORK.
IT'S ABOUT IMPROVING WHAT WE'VE GOT AND FIXING WHAT IS BROKEN.
I'VE BEEN TOLD LISTENING IS MY SUPERPOWER, AND WHILE I'D RATHER HAVE X-RAY VISION, I'M MAKING THE LISTENING WORK.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
IT MEANS I'LL LISTEN, I'LL ADVOCATE AND I'LL DELIVER PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR OUR CITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND FOR HAVING ME.
I'M RUNNING FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 IN WEST AUSTIN.
MY PARENTS IMMIGRATED FROM INDIA AND SETTLED FIRST, UH, IN NEW YORK AND THEN IN AUSTIN BECAUSE OF THE GROWING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE AFFORDED TO A YOUNG FAMILY TRYING TO BUILD THEIR LIVES.
I STARTED MY CAREER AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
I TAUGHT FIFTH GRADE FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THROUGHOUT MY TIME IN THE CLASSROOM, I SAW A MYRIAD OF LOCAL ISSUES PLAYING OUT IN MY STUDENTS' LIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES LIVES.
AND IN THE COMMUNITY, NAMELY, IT WAS THINGS LIKE TRANSIT, CHILDCARE, ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I WAS REALLY MOTIVATED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME REAL CHANGE FOR THOSE FA FAMILIES AND TO STEP UP FOR MY COMMUNITY.
I GOT MY MASTER'S IN POLICY AT UT AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR AT THE TEXAS CAPITAL FOR STATE REP JOHN BUSEY, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I REALLY ENJOY MY WORK AT THE CAPITOL AND MY TIME AT THE LEGISLATURE HAS TAUGHT ME WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY CRAFT MEANINGFUL POLICY WITH STAKEHOLDER INPUT, UH, LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND DELIVER FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
I'M THRILLED TO BE STEPPING UP FOR MY OWN COMMUNITY NOW, AND I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT AUSTIN IS THE SAME CITY OF OPPORTUNITY THAT MY PARENTS CAME HERE FOR, THAT WE CAN INVEST IN GENERATIONAL COMMUNITIES AND SET UP OUR CITY FOR SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE.
WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND WE BEGIN WITH CANDIDATE GANGLY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS EXPERIENCED A GLOBAL 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 FUTURE EVENT? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE MOST UNIQUE, UH, QUESTION I'VE GOTTEN IN A FORUM SO FAR, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, I THINK BECAUSE OF MY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES IN LIFE, IT'S REALLY SET ME UP TO BE PREPARED FOR A LEADERSHIP ROLE LIKE THIS ONE.
UM, I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE WORKING TO BUILD UP MY COMMUNITY AND TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY THROUGH DIFFERENT ROLES.
I'VE WORKED AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER, I'VE DONE CHILDCARE POLICY IN WASHINGTON DC UM, I WORKED IN AT, IN PROGRAM COORDINATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING AT THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OF POLICY AND ON THE POLICY IDEATION SIDE.
UM, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TO YOUR STAKEHOLDERS TO STAY CALM IN THE FACE OF EMERGENCY, UM, AND TO LEAD WITH YOUR HEART FIRST.
UM, I REALLY BELIEVE MYSELF TO BE A VALUES DRIVEN LEADER.
UM, AND I WILL BRING MY, MY HEART, MY COMPASSION AND MY PASSION FOR THIS CITY TO CITY HALL AS WELL AS MY PATIENTS.
CANDIDATE UCHIN, UH, I'VE BEEN IN EXTENSIVE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN ON MY HOA BOARD FOR THE LAST DECADE.
WE MANAGE A NEARLY MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET AND SERVE 200 HOMEOWNERS, 300 PLUS RESIDENTS AND DEAL WITH ALL MANNER OF ISSUES THAT RELATE TO THE CITY.
EVERYTHING FROM MOBILITY, INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND USE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND SO ON.
I'VE ALSO SERVED ON THE AUSTIN NEIGHBOR COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE UMBRELLA GROUP FOR NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND I'VE SERVED THERE, UH, UH, EXTENSIVELY FOR DEALING WITH, AGAIN, CITY ISSUES INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSIT AND SO ON.
PROFESSIONALLY, I'VE MANAGED MULTIPLE MILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS AND CAMPAIGNS AND MANAGED, UH, STAFF.
I'VE BEEN A PROJECT MANAGER FOR LARGE TEAMS THAT WERE AROUND THE WORLD.
AND SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT I CAN BRING THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS NEEDED TO SERVE BOTH THIS COMMUNITY, TO MANAGE THE STAFF AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, ON A GENERAL ISSUE ON THE TRAVIS PROPOSITION CANDIDATE UCHIN, ACCORDING TO THE E THREE ALLIANCE, ONLY HALF OF OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN ARE ENTERING KINDERGARTEN PREPARED FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS.
TRAVIS COUNTY'S PROP A IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BY PROVIDING FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY DARE DAYCARE, ADDING ABOUT $10 A MONTH TO
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AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER'S TAX BILL.WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS ISSUE? AND IF IT SHOULD PASS, WILL IT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT? I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE, UH, INITIATIVES THAT THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO PASS FOR, UH, CHILDCARE ACCESS.
I THINK IT'S A HUGE GAP IN OUR SOCIETY RIGHT NOW.
I THINK IT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT THIS TOWN COULD BE MORE AFFORDABLE AND MY HOPE IS THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.
REALLY, MY HOPE IS THAT IF IT TURNS OUT TO NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE, I'D LIKE THE CITY TO EXPLORE WHAT WAYS WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE, UH, AGAIN, THAT'S A GAP THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT IS CREATING A QUALITY OF LIFE AND, AND AFFORDABILITY ISSUE FOR PEOPLE HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND SO IF WE CAN ATTACK THAT BOTH FROM THIS CURRENT PROPOSAL AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, REPORT, MAKE SURE IT'S BEING SPENT WISELY, THAT'S THAT IT'S HELPING THE PEOPLE IT NEEDS TO HELP AND THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE, THEN WE CAN HOPEFULLY EXPAND ON IT AND LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE AUSTIN MORE AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE.
KENNEDY GLI UH, CHILDCARE IS A KEY ISSUE FOR ME THROUGHOUT MY WORK AT THE CLASSROOM.
I SAW JUST HOW MUCH MY FIFTH GRADERS RELIED ON THEIR EARLY FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS THAT THEY LEARNED.
UM, IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, I ALSO WORKED IN WASHINGTON DC DOING UM, CHILDCARE POLICY WORK.
WE DID RESEARCH INTO, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER RETENTION AND QUALITY, QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEMS AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDCARE IS ACCESSIBLE TO MORE TYPES OF PEOPLE.
UM, I AM DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THIS ISSUE.
I KNOW THAT QUALITY CHILDCARE ALLOWS FOR A MORE SUCCESSFUL WORKFORCE IN A MORE SUCCESSFUL AUSTIN AND THE ULTIMATE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF THE CITY.
UM, I WOULD BE PREPARED TO WORK WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON DAY ONE WITH FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, UH, PROP IS IMPLEMENTED SUCCESSFULLY.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO INCENTIVIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND INCLUDE, UH, CHILDCARE ON SITE, ON PROPERTY, AND THAT IS AN INITIATIVE I WOULD WANT TO CHAMPION IN FOCUS ON WHEN ON WHEN ON THE DAIS.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRESSING, PRESSING ISSUE IN AUSTIN AND IT'S HIGHLIGHTED BY ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT 9 1 1 SERVICES, INCREASING POLICE RESPONSE TIMES AND EMS EMS STAFFING ISSUES.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST URGENT SAFETY ISSUE FOR DISTRICT 10 AND WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO ADDRESS IT? UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY BROUGHT UP ISSUE WHEN I'M OUT IN MY COMMUNITY KNOCKING DOORS AND TALKING TO VOTERS.
UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN MY DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, IT'S REALLY THINKING ABOUT PROPERTY CRIME.
A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE SIMILAR STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, MY CAR GOT BROKEN INTO MY HOME, WAS BROKEN INTO, I FILED A REPORT AND NEVER REALLY HEARD ANYTHING BACK.
UM, SO I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THREE MAIN AREAS WHEN THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
NUMBER ONE IS LOOKING AT RECRUITMENT.
UM, AND THAT CAN BE DONE THROUGH COMPETITIVE PAY TO KEEP UP WITH OUR COST OF LIVING, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE AREA THAT THEY SERVE.
UM, ACADEMY AND TRAINING, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ROBUST HIGH QUALITY OFFICERS ON OUR STREETS.
UM, AND THEN CULTURE AND MORALE, BOTH FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL INVESTED IN AND VALUED, BUT ALSO FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO FEEL THAT THEY HAVE OFFICERS THAT THEY CAN TRUST.
I'VE BEEN ENDORSED BY THE AUSTIN EMS ASSOCIATION AND I REALLY VALUE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ROBUST MEDICAL SERVICES CITYWIDE.
OUR BIGGEST POLICING CHALLENGING IS SIMPLY RESPONSIVENESS.
THAT WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE, THEY SHOW UP.
PART OF OUR CHALLENGE IS THAT WE HAVE BAKER SECTOR, WHICH IS SPREAD OVER FIVE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND THEY, AND FRANKLY IT MEANS THE POLICE STRUGGLE TO GET OUT TO WEST AUSTIN WHERE DISTRICT 10 IS.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ACTUALLY THE RESOURCES TO SEND OUT TO PEOPLE IN DISTRICT 10 HAS GOTTA BE A PRIORITY.
UH, WHEN I GO TO BAKER SECTOR PUBLIC SAFETY MEETINGS, THE ISSUE THAT REALLY COMES UP IS WHAT DO WE DO IN THE INTERIM? IT'S GONNA TAKE YEARS TO GET PROPER STAFFING AT THE POLICE.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO NOW? AND I PROPOSED A COUPLE OF SOLUTIONS ALONG THOSE LINES.
ONE IS THAT TDOT HAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY SEND OUT CIVILIANS TO T ROADS.
UH, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS DPS AND STATE TROOPERS CAN GO DO OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HIGHER PRIORITIES.
WE COULD DO THAT HERE WITH OUR MUNICIPAL ROADS.
TWO, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED A MENTAL HEALTH PREVENTATIVE ORDER.
UH, THEY DON'T WANT TO, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH EPISODES DON'T WANNA SEE THE POLICE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND WE CAN GET THAT CHANGED THE LEGISLATURE AND MAKE SURE THAT OTHER FOLKS CAN GO ATTEND TO THEM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO BETTER UTILIZE OUR POLICE TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET OUT HERE TO DISTRICT 10, AND THAT'S THE PRIMARY ISSUE I HEAR ABOUT.
CANDIDATE UCHIN ON THE SPECTRUM BETWEEN OVERPOLICED AND OVERLOOKED,
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WHERE DO YOU SEE DISTRICT 10? IF YOU BELIEVE ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY, WHAT SPECIFIC CHANGES WOULD YOU ADVOCATE FOR? FOUR.WELL, I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE TO VOTE FOR POLICE OVERSIGHT TWICE, SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT MOST PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN REALLY CARE DEEPLY AND PASSIONATELY ABOUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A POLICE THAT CAN BALANCE BOTH FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THE NEED FOR PREDICTABILITY, AS WELL AS OUR NEED FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT PROPERLY TRAINED FOLKS THAT RESPOND IN A TIMELY FASHION, BASICALLY PROFESSIONALIZED FORCE THAT WITH THE RIGHT RESPONSE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ARE PROPER TRACKING.
WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS IN A POLICE CONTRACT, BUT THAT CONTRACT, LIKE MOST OTHER POLICIES THAT WE HAVE AT THE CITY, IT NEEDS GUARDRAILS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE OVERSIGHT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT OUR ACADEMIES TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE BEING PROPERLY TRAINED AND THAT WE'RE SWITCHING FROM ESSENTIALLY A, UH, WARRIOR TO GUARDIAN MENTALITY FROM OFFICERS THAT WHEN THEY DO RESPOND TO YOU, THEY ARE GIVING YOU THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.
UH, BASICALLY I THINK, UH, BASICALLY FOR POLICING IT'S GOTTA BE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY BALANCE AND THAT WHATEVER THE CONTRACT WE DO HAVE HAS THO THOSE GUARDRAILS ON IT SO THAT WAY OUR, WE CONTROL THE SPENDING SO WE CAN CONTROL THE OUTCOMES.
UM, I REALLY THINK ABOUT CULTURE OF POLICING IN THE CITY AS UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GOING FROM POLICING TO PROTECTING IN THE CITY.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF EMPHASIS, UH, ON PATROL AND FINDING CRIME RATHER THAN SOLVING AND PREVENTING CRIME IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT'S A STORY THAT I HEAR AS I MENTIONED EARLIER FROM A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS WHERE THEY SPEAK ABOUT, I SAW I FILED A POLICE REPORT AND I NEVER HEARD BACK ON IT.
IT WAS NEVER SOLVED, IT WAS NEVER FOLLOWED UP ON.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING OUR STAFFING SHORTAGE THROUGH RECRUITMENT, COMPETITIVE PAY AND HOUSING, UM, WE NEED TO ALSO THINK ABOUT OUR CULTURE OF POLICING AND SHIFTING FROM A PATROL MINDSET TO A SOLVING AND PREVENTING CRIME MINDSET FROM POLICING TO PROTECTING.
UM, I THINK THAT STARTS WITH A CONTRACT.
IT STARTS WITH A COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR POLICE UNION AND OUR CITY COUNCIL.
I'M SOMEONE WHO REALLY BELIEVES I AM A RELATIONSHIPS, A PERSON, A BRIDGE BUILDER, A COLLABORATOR, AND I WOULD BE PREPARED TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR POLICE UNION ON THAT CULTURE WHEN ON COUNCIL.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE GANG GANGOLI.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
THERE'S A TENSION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, LIKE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THE WILDLIFE URBAN INTERFACE AND THE NEED TO PROVIDE DENSER HOUSING FOR A GROWING CITY.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE NECESSARY BALANCE BETWEEN THESE TWO IMPORTANT PRIORITY PRIORITIES? WELL, I LOVE THAT YOU USED THE WORD BALANCE.
I THINK IT'S A KEY PART OF THESE KINDS OF POLICIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AM SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES THAT WE HAVE A HOUSING SHORTAGE IN AUSTIN.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED MORE TYPES OF HOUSING AND MORE TYPES OF PLACES.
UM, BUT A KEY PART OF THAT IS MORE TYPES OF HOUSING IN THE PLACES THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE IT.
AND THE WILDLIFE URBAN INTERFACE OR THE EY CODE, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY PREVALENT IN DISTRICT 10.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS AND WILDFIRE PRONE AREAS.
UM, ONE PROVISION OF THE HOME INITIATIVE THAT WAS RECENTLY PASSED REQUIRES, UH, THAT IMPLEMENTATION IS DELAYED UNTIL THE WEI CODE, UH, UPDATE GOES THROUGH.
SO I THINK MAKING SURE THAT WE ALLOW FOR DENSER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREAS THAT CAN HANDLE IT SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS OUR AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IN AUSTIN, WHILE ALSO PROMOTING, YOU KNOW, WALKABLE COMMUNITIES WHILE MITIGATING SPRAWL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, A CITY THAT WORKS FOR ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.
I WAS A COUNCIL OF FOUR TIMES TRYING TO ENCOURAGE COUNSEL TO IMPLEMENT BETTER SAFETY STANDARDS FOR FIRE SAFETY AND OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, PARTICULARLY HERE IN DISTRICT 10.
AND SOME OF THAT IS FIRE SAFETY AND EVERYTHING FROM EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE.
WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT FIRST RESPONDERS AND WE CAN MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED.
THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE WWE CODE, UH, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CARVE OUT SOME THINGS BECAUSE THAT IS A DANGER THAT A FD AND OTHER PEOPLE RECOGNIZE FOR OUR CODE.
BALANCE IS A GREAT WORD TO USE HERE AND WHEN I THINK BALANCE, I THINK COMPROMISE.
AND WHEN I THINK COMPROMISE, I THINK PEOPLE GIVE AND TAKE.
WHAT I SAW AT COUNCIL EACH TIME I TESTIFIED WAS THERE WAS NO GIVE AND TAKE THAT WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH MANY CONCERNS AND MANY SOLUTIONS, EVERYTHING FROM REPORTING TO SAFETY.
AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT WE SAID COUNCIL WAS GONNA HAD ITS EIGHT VOTES AND THEY WERE GONNA DO WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
AND SO FINDING A REAL BALANCE AND BEING ADVOCATE FOR THE DISTRICT AND ITS ISSUES, INCLUDING FIRE SAFETY IS GONNA BE PARAMOUNT.
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THANK YOU.WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE IN THE, IN THE VEIN OF THE ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS CITY AS A WHOLE CANDIDATE, UCHIN CITY CLIMATE TARGETS HAVE BEEN MISSED AND VARIOUS GROUPS ARE NOW PROPOSING NEW GOALS FOR 20 30, 20 35 AND 2040 AIMING FOR A 75 TO 100% REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE, PRIORITIZE CITY LEVEL INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE? I THINK THE CITY PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN TRYING TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND YOU'VE SEEN THAT WITH A RECENT DISCUSSION ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE BONDS.
AND I THINK WE NEED ACTION AND I THINK WE NEED ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND AS URGENTLY AS POSSIBLE AND AS SIGNIFICANTLY AS POSSIBLE ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS EVERYBODY IN THE CITY.
WE TOUCHED ON WILDFIRE A MOMENT AGO, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER IMPACTS IN TERMS OF UH, LOSING OUR TREES, OUR, OUR TREE CANOPY, OUR URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT THAT MAKES THINGS HOTTER FOR EVERYBODY.
SO IT'S GOTTA BE A PRIORITY FOR US.
AND IF I HAD TO PICK ONE SINGLE PRIORITY, IT'S GONNA BE PARKLAND ACQUISITION.
I THINK OUR COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER HAS LED ON THAT ISSUE AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE RESOURCES AND THE FUNDING BECAUSE WE LOST OUR FUNDING AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE RECENTLY.
WE'VE FALLEN SHARPLY IN TERMS OF PARKLAND PER CAPITA AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THIS LAND SERVES AS A PLACE FOR OUR TREES.
IT'S UH, IT'S A CARBON HEAT SINK.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND WE CAN DO BETTER ON GREEN SPACE AND PARKLAND ACQUISITION.
I THINK THAT OUR CLIMATE GOALS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER WHILE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE VERY REAL, UM, HUMAN NEEDS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WOULD BE FOR US TO MOVE TOWARDS GREATER RELIANCE ON RENEWABLES.
UM, FOR OUR ENERGY GENERATION PURPOSES.
WE KNOW THAT THE MONEY THAT WE MAKE FOR, FROM ENERGY GENERATION IN THE CITY PAYS FOR OUR PARKS AND LIBRARIES.
IT MAKES UP 10% OF OUR GENERAL FUND IN THE CITY BUDGET.
UM, AND IT ALSO SUBSIDIZES ENERGY COSTS FOR OUR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.
SO IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE THAT MOVE AND BE ABLE TO MEET OUR CLIMATE GOALS IN 2025 OR BEYOND, UM, WE NEED TO REALLY BE THINKING ABOUT A STRATEGIC MOVE TOWARDS RENEWABLES IN ORDER TO MAKE UP THAT REVENUE, UM, AND THINK ABOUT THE TRADE-OFFS FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR CITY.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE OVER TO SOME TOPICS ON THE CITY SERVICES AND, AND THIS FIRST ONE IS A GENERAL OVER ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
AUSTIN HAS EXPERIENCED EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN THE LAST DECADE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THE CITY HAS DONE A RESPECTABLE JOB OF KEEPING UP WITH THE DEMANDS ON OUR AGING ROADS, ROADS, AND BRIDGES ACROSS THE CITY? WHY OR WHY NOT? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN MANY WAYS, BUT WE COULD ALWAYS BE DOING MORE.
UM, I THINK THAT THE CITY HAS A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING CITY SERVICES THAT SOMETIMES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.
UM, ONE THING THAT REALLY COMES TO MIND FOR ME IS THINKING ABOUT, UM, AUSTIN OVER THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS HAS REALLY JUST NOT BEEN PREPARED TO MANAGE AND BE READY TO DEAL WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE FACED.
AND WE KIND OF SET OURSELVES UP FOR FAILURE WITH SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE DON'T BUILD IT, THEY WON'T COME ATTITUDE OF THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
UM, I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO BE INVESTING IN REAL ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE TO SET UP OUR CITY FOR SUCCESS FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, 50 YEARS, 100 YEARS.
UM, PUBLIC TRANSIT IS A BIG PART OF THAT.
MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING IN THE AREAS THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE IT IS A PART OF THAT.
UM, THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO SET UP OUR CITY FOR SUCCESS WITH ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, UM, IS A BIG PART OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, I'M INTERESTED IN LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE, UM, INSTEAD OF TAKING OUR CITY BACKWARDS.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE UCHIN, THIS IS A GENERAL CITYWIDE QUESTION.
I THINK WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO A BETTER JOB WITH ROAD MAINTENANCE AND KEEPING UP WITH OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
AND I THINK ABOUT OUR MOBILITY BONDS.
WE PASSED TWO SUBSTANTIAL MOBILITY BONDS IN 2016 AND 2018.
WHEN I SAY SUBSTANTIAL, I MEAN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
IN FACT, WE'VE PASSED, WE'VE AUTHORIZED ABOUT $2.4 BILLION IN BONDS IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
AND THE REALITY IS SOMETHING LIKE 58% IS STILL UNENDED AND THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF TRANSIT BONDS.
AND I THINK ABOUT THE PROJECT THAT'S SITTING OUTSIDE MY FRONT DOOR, THE SPICEWOOD SPRINGS MOBILITY PROJECT, WHICH WAS BASICALLY PASSED EIGHT YEARS AGO AND IS NOW JUST UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL TAKE ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO COMPLETE.
WE ARE BEHIND, WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND AND WE'VE AUTHORIZED THOSE DOLLARS AND WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO A BETTER JOB WORKING WITH OUR CITY MANAGER AND WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THOSE PROJECTS ARE EXPEDITED.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM FRANKLY SHOULD BE INTERESTED AND
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ENGAGED ON SO WE CAN GET THAT MONEY SPENT AND WE CAN GET THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED.AND I'LL SAY ONE LAST THING REAL QUICK, WHICH IS THAT WE CAN ALSO DO A BETTER JOB OF SIMPLY REPORTING ON THINGS LIKE POTHOLES.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A POTHOLE TRACKER.
YOU CAN GO TO POTHOLES, I THINK IT'S HOUSTON POTHOLES.ORG.
WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF SIMPLY REPORTING AND TRACKING THINGS LIKE POTHOLES SO YOU GUYS CAN GET HELP, THE HELP YOU NEED.
ALRIGHT, LET'S CONTINUE, UH, ON THIS VEIN, BUT NOW LET'S DRILL DOWN TO DISTRICT 10.
SO CONCERNING THE ROADS AND BRIDGES, WHAT SPECIFIC NEEDS, IF ANY, ARE IN DISTRICT 10 THAT REQUIRES SPECIAL ATTENTION AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THEM IF ELECTED? SORRY, IS THAT SPECIFIC ROAD ISSUES OR SPECIFIC? ANY USE ROAD AND BRIDGES, LET'S THINK AND BRIDGES LET'S ROAD AND BRIDGES STILL.
SO AGAIN, I'D GO BACK TO OUR MOBILITY BOND DOLLARS.
WE'VE GOT PROJECTS HERE IN DISTRICT 10 AND WHAT WE WERE HOPING FOR YEARS AGO WAS THAT THESE WOULD NOT BE OVERLAPPING PROJECTS, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE NOW 360 PROJECTS OVERLAPPING WITH SPICE FREE MOBILITY PROJECTS, WHICH ARE GONNA CAUSE INTENSE DISRUPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE EXECUTED IN A MUCH MORE TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE FASHION.
AND SO FIGURING OUT GOING FORWARD, WHETHER WE DO EXPEND THE CURRENT MOBILITY BOND DOLLARS OR FUTURE DOLLARS, THAT WE'RE REALLY EFFECTIVE AND SMART ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISRUPTION THAT WE'RE GIVING PEOPLE, THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY NEED.
AND THAT WE ALSO IMPLEMENT, LIKE I SAID AT THE VERY END OF THE LAST QUESTION, THE TRACKING AND IMPLEMENTATION POLICY SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE'S ISSUES REPORTED IN A TIMELY FASHION SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AND SO THAT THEY CAN ESSENTIALLY GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND KNOW THAT THAT HELP IS COMING AND KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE REST OF THE CITY TOO.
JUST SIMPLY BETTER TRACKING AND REPORTING ON THOSE ISSUES IS GONNA HELP INSTILL PUBLIC TRUST AND OUR WHOLE TRANSIT SYSTEM IN GENERAL.
THANK YOU AGAIN, DRILLING DOWN CANDIDATE, UH, GANGOLI TO THE DISTRICT 10.
UM, I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT ROADS AND BRIDGES IN DISTRICT 10, UH, I REALLY THINK A LOT ABOUT LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THOSE IN OUR DISTRICT, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME FLOOD PRONE AREAS, ESPECIALLY AROUND SPICEWOOD SPRINGS.
UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN THOSE AREAS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE TO DRIVE ON.
UM, I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE UH, ADEQUATE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF DISTRICT 10.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF AVID RECREATIONAL AND COMMUTER BICYCLISTS IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE ALSO SEEN RECENTLY OFF EXPOSITION BOULEVARD IN TARRYTOWN, WE HAD A PEDESTRIAN DEATH.
UM, AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE NEEDED, UH, SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS ON THESE MAJOR ARTERIAL ROADWAYS LIKE MESA UH, GRAYSTONE EXPOSITION IS PRETTY KEY FOR ME AND SOMETHING I WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON WHEN ON COUNCIL.
LET'S TALK WATER CANDIDATE GANG.
WHAT GRADE A THROUGH F WOULD YOU ASSIGN TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR MAINTAINING ITS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY AMID RAPID GROWTH, INCLUDING PURIFICATION SYSTEMS, SEWERS AND DRAINAGE? WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED THAT GRADE AND HOW CAN AUSTIN IMPROVE IN THIS AREA? CAN YOU REMIND ME THE GRADING SCALE? WAS IT ONE THROUGH 10 OR A A THROUGH F? A THROUGH F.
UM, I FEEL THAT WE ARE IN A WATER CRISIS IN, IN THE CITY AND IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW AND WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL AND STRATEGIC ABOUT OUR WATER USE IN THE CITY.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, A LOT OF POLICIES OVER THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS LED US UNPREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE GROWTH THAT OUR CITY FACED AND CONTRIBUTED TO A LOT OF SPRAWL.
UM, A LOT OF, UH, LARGE SUBURBS THAT WE HAD TO GET WATER TO AND UH, REALLY ALLOWED FOR, YOU KNOW, LARGE LAWNS THAT TOOK UP A LOT OF WATER USE.
UM, I AM SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE WATER CONSERVATION, WATER REUSE WITH GRAY WATER AND RAINWATER HARVESTING, UM, PURPLE PIPING AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCENTIVES FOR HOMEOWNERS TO ZERO ESCAPE THEIR LAWN.
UM, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CONSERVE, REUSE, UM, AND THINK ABOUT OUR WATER, UH, PROCESS.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE THINKING REGIONALLY, UM, AND THINK ABOUT HAVING A REGIONAL, REGIONAL PLAN IN PLACE TO THINK ABOUT THE DROUGHT THAT IS NOT IF BUT WHEN THE NEXT DROUGHT OCCURS, THAT WE HAVE A REGIONAL, REGIONAL PLAN IN PLACE, UH, TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES.
I WOULD GRADE THEM PROBABLY A D UH, I THINK THAT'S FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, REASONS.
WHILE I DO FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT A VALUABLE PLAN AS FAR AS THE AUSTIN WATER FOUR PLAN, MY FEAR IS LIKE MANY CITY PLANS THAT WILL SIT IN THE SHELF AND NOT BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THAT'S AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY, THAT'S HARVESTING GRAIN WATER.
AND THE BIG THING FOR ME FRANKLY, IS CONSERVATION.
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PER CAPITA USAGE, WE WERE DOING PRETTY WELL UP UNTIL ABOUT 2018 AND THEN WE STARTED BACKSLIDING.AND SO I WANNA FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE FIX THAT? BECAUSE REALLY EDUCATION IS THE SINGLE CHEAPEST WAY TO GET CONSERVATION EFFORTS.
IF WE THINK ABOUT THE CITY SPENDING AND THE QUADRANTS, WE WANNA BE IN THE HIGH EFFICACY, LEAST EXPENSIVE AND THAT'S WHERE EDUCATION IS FOR CONSERVATION.
SO FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE TO OWNERS, HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THEM TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS, REBATES, ZERO ESCAPING, CONSERVATION, RAINWATER, RECAPTURE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA BE PIVOTAL TO MAKING SURE WE CAN TURN THE CORRIDOR ON CONSERVATION.
'CAUSE HOW WE USE OUR WATER IS GONNA BE THE, THE THE KEY DRIVER GOING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY AS WE GROW.
LET'S, UH, SWITCH OVER A LITTLE BIT TO THE HOUSING CHALLENGED AROUND OUR CITY.
HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN REMAINS AT RECORD LEVELS, DESPITE EFFORTS BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THE SOLUTIONS PUT FORTH TO DATE SUCH AS REPURPOSING OLD HOTELS AND PARTNERING WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE INTENDED EFFECT OF PROVIDING SHELTER TO THOSE IN NEED? WHY OR WHY NOT? I THINK WE SPENT AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY ON HOMELESSNESS AND STRUGGLED TO CONNECT THOSE DOLLARS TO OUTCOMES.
AND SO FIGURING OUT HOW WE MAKE THE BEST USE OF WHATEVER RESOURCE WE GOT, WHETHER THEY'RE HOTELS OR RAPID REHOUSING OR WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, IS GONNA BE PIVOTAL TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS AND, AND BOTH HELPING A COMMUNITY THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS OUR HELP.
WE DID AN AUDIT THREE YEARS AGO, IT JUST TOLD US HOW MUCH MONEY WE WERE SPENDING.
IT JUST TELLS US HOW MANY SYSTEM BEDS, UH, WE HAVE FOR SHELTER BEDS AND PERMANENT SORT OF HOUSING AND SYSTEM FLOW.
AND SO FIGURING OUT HOW TO MARRY THAT DATA AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S BEING EFFECTIVE, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE THAT WILL NEED HELP NEED SUBSTANTIAL GOVERNMENT HELP.
WE'RE GONNA NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TRIAGE AND GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED.
BUT BUYING HOTELS THAT ARE WAY OUT IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN THAT ARE IN TRANSIT AND FOOD DESERTS THAT HAVE LIMITED ACCESS AND UH, ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, WE WARNED THE CITY THAT THAT WAS GONNA BE A POTENTIALLY A BAD IDEA AND THAT WAS A RANSACK AND COST ANOTHER $3 MILLION TO RENOVATE.
SO FIGURING OUT HOW WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS MONEY WHILE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE IS GONNA BE THE WAY THAT I WOULD APPROACH IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
UM, WHEN I WAS A CLASSROOM TEACHER, WE WERE THE HOMESCHOOL FOR THE SALVATION ARMY, HOMELESS SHELTER DOWNTOWN.
SO I HAD MANY STUDENTS THAT WERE IN AND OUT OF TRANSIENT SITUATIONS AND NEEDED THAT EMERGENCY HOUSING IN BETWEEN, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS, I GOT TO KNOW THEIR FAMILIES VERY WELL AND A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY WERE FACING.
AND FOR ME, THIS IS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
IT'S INHUMANE FOR PEOPLE TO BE LIVING UNDER OVERPASSES OR IN THE GREEN BELT, BUT WE ALSO WANT OUR PUBLIC SPACES TO BE CLEAN AND SAFE.
UM, I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE CITY, UH, PUT MORE MONEY ON PREVENTATIVE HOMELESS SERVICES.
WE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN CATCH SOMEONE ON THE BRINK OF HOMELESSNESS OR WITHIN THEIR FIRST 10 DAYS OF HOMELESSNESS, THEY'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO MAKE IT INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING RATHER THAN SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN ON THE STREETS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, IF NOT MORE, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CRISIS OR BE IN A SUBSTANCE ABUSE SITUATION, UM, AND NEED MORE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
SO IT'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT PREVENTATIVE HOMELESS SERVICES RATHER THAN REACTIVE.
I DO KNOW THAT THAT IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
UM, AND THERE IS ALSO A HOUSING HAS A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT.
SO AS EVERYBODY GETS PRICED OUT OF THE NEXT BRACKET OF HOUSING, IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO END UP WITH MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
WE'RE GOING TO DELVE INTO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ON DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY AND HOME HOME HOUSING OPTIONS FOR MIDDLE INCOME EMPOWERMENT.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD SAY THE ENTIRE NAME BECAUSE I THINK IT MAY HELP US UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSES BEHIND THESE TYPE OF CODE STANDARDS ACROSS THE CITY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS CHANGED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE STANDARDS FOR SINGLE FAMILY ZONING, ALLOWING THREE HOMES TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON A SINGLE LOT AND RELAXED STANDARDS FOR HOW CLOSELY HIGH RISE HOUSING CAN BE BUILT NEXT TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT THE HOME INITIATIVE RESULTS IN MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS POLICY IS ONE THAT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING, IS, UH, PLAYED OUT, UM, IN A VERY INTERESTING WAY IN THE CITY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND FEAR MONGERING AROUND THIS POLICY IN PARTICULAR.
I DO THINK THAT TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN IT COMES TO HOME IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MISNOMER.
UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOME, I THINK ABOUT MORE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING.
UM, THERE I SAW WHEN I WAS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AT MATTHEWS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
I WAS ABLE TO LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE
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AREA BECAUSE I HAD A DIVERSE HOUSING OPTION OF A CONDO IN TARRYTOWN AVAILABLE TO ME.AND I SAW HOW MUCH IT MEANT FOR THOSE FAMILIES AND FOR MY STUDENTS TO HAVE THEIR TEACHER BE PART OF THEIR COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS POLICY WILL PROVIDE MORE PATHWAYS TO HOME OWNERSHIP FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER YOUNG FAMILIES, MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES.
UM, THE POLICY DOES INCLUDE AN ANNUAL REPORT EVERY YEAR, AND I WOULD BE THE FIRST PERSON TO LOOK AT THAT NEXT YEAR, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE ANY ITERATIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ON THE, ON THE POLICY TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.
I'M INCREDIBLY SKEPTICAL THAT HOME IS GONNA CREATE MANY AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE.
UH, IN FACT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHANGED WAS AFTER WE DISCUSSED AFFORDABILITY DURING PHASE ONE, I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT THE ACRONYM ACTUALLY CHANGED.
AND SO IT'S NO LONGER THE ACRONYM THAT YOU SHARED WITH US.
UH, HOME IS GONNA BUILD MORE LUXURY HOUSING AND AND MARKET RATE HOUSING.
AND THE FOLKS THAT WERE ADVOCATING FOR IT ARE JUST HOPING THAT SOMEHOW WE BUILD JUST A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF HOMES USING THIS POLICY.
BUT THE REALITY IS FROM THE FOLKS I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE INFILL COALITION, OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE REALLY TARGETING ABOUT 2000 LOTS THAT JUST DON'T HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
AND SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE LOT OF HOMES THAT ARE GONNA BE BUILT USING THIS POLICY AND WHAT HOMES THAT WILL BE BUILT ARE GONNA BE BUILT MARKET RATE AND LUXURY.
IT'S FRANKLY ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT THE MOMENT THAT WE SCRAPE OUR PROPERTY AND HAVE TO REBUILD INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING IT, NOBODY THERE CAN AFFORD IT.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT AFFORDABILITY OPTIONS THAT ARE HOUSING OPTIONS, WHETHER THEY'RE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST OR TRANSFORMING SHORT TERM RENTALS OR WHATEVER THEY ARE IN OUR TOOLKIT, IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT TO ACTUALLY GETTING REAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR AUSTINITES.
AND TO THAT POINT, HOW CAN YOU ENSURE THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION DOESN'T END UP IN THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET, NEW CONSTRUCTION WITH HOME UNDER THE CURRENT, UNDER THE CURRENT PLAN? I THINK, SO MY PROBLEM AS I MENTIONED IN MY INTRO WAS I THINK HOME NEEDS MORE GUARDRAILS.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE INFRASTRUCTURE GUARDRAILS.
I THINK THOSE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL GUARDRAILS AND I THINK THOSE ARE ALSO AFFORDABILITY GUARDRAILS.
ONE THING THAT WE WERE ADVOCATED FOR A COUNCIL WAS MAKING SURE THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE AN EQUITY OVERLAY.
UH, WE COULDN'T EVEN GET THEM TO INTRODUCE IT, NEVERMIND TAKE A VOTE ON IT.
SO FIGURING OUT HOW TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES WERE THERE.
WE PRESENTED MANY IDEAS DURING COUNCIL, UH, BOTH IN MAY AS WELL AS DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, AND WE COULDN'T GET A SINGLE PIECE OF INTEREST FROM THE FOLKS THAT HAD THE EIGHT VOTES.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH FOLKS, UH, IN A WAY AND THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY GETS ENGAGED AND TALKS ABOUT THIS TOO.
'CAUSE IF WE REALLY DO WANT A COLLABORATIVE POLICY THAT DOES ACTUALLY CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO BE CREATIVE.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICIES HAVE GUARDRAILS.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, INSTRUMENTS WITHIN THEM TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED THE REPORTING.
WE WANTED ACTUALLY STRONGER REPORTING.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS GONNA IMPACT PEOPLE'S TAX RATES, RIGHT? WHEN YOU START ADDING PE ENTITLEMENTS TO HOMEOWNERS, THEY DON'T ASK FOR, YOU'RE ADDING VALUE TO THEIR LAND, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY INCREASE THEIR TAX BURDEN.
SO FIGURING OUT HOW IT'S GONNA NOT ACTUALLY MAKE THINGS LESS AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S NOT DEVELOPING IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, SO THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, AND THE REALITY IS THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ULTIMATE JURISDICTION OVER WHAT HAPPENS WITH SHORT TERM TERM RENTALS.
THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE LEGISLATURE.
UM, HOWEVER, I HAVE MANY RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL DELEGATION AND I WOULD PRIORITIZE TALKING WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE ADVOCATING FOR STRICTER ENFORCEMENT ON SHORT TERM RENTALS IN AUSTIN.
I'VE DEALT WITH THIS IN MY OWN LIFE.
OUR, UH, CONDO COMPLEX WAS RAMPANT WITH A LOT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND OUR HOA CAME TOGETHER, UH, TO CREATE STRICTER RULES AND I WAS PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO I THINK AT THE CITY COUNCIL, REALLY WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WITH OUR HOAS TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UH, INCREASE OVERSIGHT INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UM, AND TO ALSO THINK ABOUT ENGAGING OUR, UH, HOTEL, HOTEL STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE THEY'RE, THE REALITY IS THEY'RE LOSING, UH, REVENUE FROM A HOT TAX THAT COULD BE PAID FROM SHORT-TERM RENTALS IF THEY GO UNPERMITTED.
SO I, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT I CARE ABOUT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NEW HOMES ON THE MARKET ARE GOING TO AUSTIN RESIDENTS, UM, BECAUSE THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE MORE HOUSING IN AUSTIN, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE AUSTINITES ARE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.
IF I SAY THESE TWO WORDS, WHAT COMES TO MIND? RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH ARE ALL WORDS THAT I CHAMPION REGULARLY.
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UM, AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN THE CITY AND WANTS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD MY LIFE HERE ONCE MY GRANDCHILDREN, MY KIDS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THEIR LIFE IN THESE BEAUTIFUL, DESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR URBAN CORE, UM, I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR-EYED ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE FACING AND ALLOW FOR MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN OUR URBAN CORE.THAT IS NOT TO BE SAID THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MINDLESS DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE IN RAMPANT URBANIZATION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, LARGE SCALE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS, UH, BELONG IN DISTRICT 10 OR IN WEST AUSTIN.
UM, I TALK ABOUT WHEN I'M KNOCKING DOORS IN PEMBERTON.
UM, THERE ARE MANY OLD DUPLEXES IN TRIPLEXES THAT WERE BUILT BEFORE OUR RESTRICTIVE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CAME IN PLACE IN 1984.
SO ALL OF THESE WERE BUILT IN THE SEVENTIES OR EARLIER.
UM, AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL HOMES THAT YOU WOULD NOT EVEN KNOW WAS A DUPLEX UNTIL YOU WALK UP AND REALIZE THERE'S TWO FRONT DOORS.
SO I THINK THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS TO CREATE, UM, MORE HOUSING IN WAYS THAT DOES NOT DISRUPT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, THAT DOES PRESERVE GREEN SPACE THAT MITIGATES SPRAWL AND ALLOWS FOR A MORE CONSCIOUS AUSTIN, THANK YOU.
CANDIDATE UCHIN RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BEST DEVELOPMENTS THAT I CAN THINK OF, THEY INVOLVE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AS STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD GET THE BEST OUTCOMES POSSIBLE.
THAT WE HAD COMMUNITY BENEFITS, THAT WE ADDRESSED INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES AND CONCERNS.
I THINK OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHAMPIONS TRACK HERE IN WEST AUSTIN WHERE WE HAD DEVELOPERS THAT WOULD COME OVER AND SIT IN YOUR PORCH AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE IMPACTS WERE GONNA BE.
THAT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER ISSUES, THEY SAID, OKAY, WELL I UNDERSTAND WE'VE GOT A ONE-LANE ROAD, SO LET'S BUILD, UH, A SENIOR CENTER INSTEAD OF A HUGE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF INITIATIVES WE NEED.
I HOPE TO FOLLOW IN ALLISON'S FOOTSTEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT DEVELOPERS ARE WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOODS TO COME UP WITH THE BEST DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GONNA LEAD TO THE BEST OUTCOMES IN OUR DISTRICT AND FOR ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE FOR TRANSIT, FOR SAFETY, FOR HOUSING AND SO ON.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR SOLUTIONS GOING FORWARD FOR HOUSING HAVE STRONG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE NEED THE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM AND OUTSIDE THIS ROOM TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO GET THE BEST OUTCOMES.
AND WE HAVE ONE MORE ON THIS TOP ON THIS TOPIC.
CANDIDATE CHEN, A RECENT STUDY FOUND THAT AUSTIN HAS THE HIGHEST FEES AND MOST LENGTHY PERMITTING PROCESS OF ANY MAJOR TEXAS CITY.
IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD SEEK TO FIX? AND IF SO, HOW? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, THIS IS IN PARTICULAR A HUGE PROBLEM FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUILDERS AND ARCHITECTS.
IT INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO BUILD, WHICH INCREASES THE PRICE OF THOSE HOMES ON MARKET.
AND I VISITED WITH THE IN INFO COALITION AND MANY ARCHITECTS AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORM.
ONE THING THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IS JUST STANDARDIZATION AND CLARITY IN THE CODE, RIGHT? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CODE AND DEPENDING ON WHO YOU GET AT DEVELOPING SERVICES, YOU COULD WIND UP WITH A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANSWER ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS YOU'RE GETTING AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ACTUAL STANDARDIZED CODE FOR THOSE BUILDERS WILL BE IMPORTANT.
SOMETIMES OUR CODE GOES FAR, FAR BEYOND FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, WE'VE GOT PERMITTING THAT IS IN LINE AND UH, IN LINE WITH REALITY.
BASICALLY, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE THAT MANY, MANY ITEMS JUST THIS YEAR ALONE, UH, INCREASE THE 10% THRESHOLD ON YEAR, ON YEAR, ON YEAR ON YEAR FEE INCREASES.
SO MAKING SURE, AND PART OF THAT GOES BACK TO, UM, ESSENTIALLY DSD TURNING INTO AN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM THAT HAS TO SELL FUND.
AND SO IT'S CREATED A KIND OF PERVERSE INCENTIVE STRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY FORWARD SO THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST ADDING FEES TO FUND STAFF FOR NO GOOD REASON.
AND WE NEED, UH, WE JUST NEED A BETTER SYSTEM THAT'S MORE THOUGHTFUL.
I THINK OUR PERMITTING PROCESS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, UM, AND STREAMLINED AND, UM, MADE SO THAT IT WORKS FOR OUR CITY STAFF, FOR HOMEOWNERS AND FOR FOLKS IN THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE, THE REALITY IS THAT THE MORE ARDUOUS THIS PROCESS IS, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT'S GOING TO BE FOR REAL ESTATE, UH, PROFESSIONALS AND DEVELOPERS.
UM, AND THEN THOSE COSTS GET PASSED ON TO OUR HOME BUYERS, OUR RENTERS, AND THOSE IN THE CITY JUST CONTRIBUTING TO THE UNAFFORDABILITY OF THE CITY.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY KEY ISSUE THAT I WANT TO DELVE INTO.
WE'VE SEEN SOME SUCCESS WITH SITE PLAN LIGHT.
I LOVE TO SEE THINGS MORE STREAMLINED FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT SIMPLY WANT TO, UH, MAKE A NEW DEVELOPMENT ON THEIR PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, BUILD A CASITA, UM, MAKE SOME CHANGES OR RENOVATIONS TO THEIR PROPERTY.
WE'RE SEEING SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS HAVING TO GO THROUGH ARDUOUS PROCESSES JUST TO DO A SIMPLE, UH, SIMPLE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S WITHIN THEIR RIGHT AS A, AS A HOMEOWNER.
UM, SO I AM, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED ON THE CITY
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ON THE POLICY IDEATION SIDE OF THINGS.I'VE WORKED ON THE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OF THINGS THROUGHOUT MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND I WOULD BE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT IMPLEMENTATION IS FOLLOWING IDEATION.
CAN ULLI, LET'S MOVE TO TRANSPORTATION.
PROJECT CONNECT IS AUSTIN'S PLAN FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, YET IT HAS FACED DELAYS, CRITICISM, AND EVEN LAWSUITS.
IN YOUR VIEW, WHAT ARE THE CENTRAL ISSUES WITH THIS PLAN AND HOW CAN AUSTIN OVERCOME THEM IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE GREATEST GOOD? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CENTRAL ISSUE WITH THIS PLAN IS THAT WE WAITED TOO LONG TO DO IT.
UM, LIGHT RAIL WAS ON THE BALLOT AS EARLY AS 2000 AND WAS VOTED DOWN BY A VERY NARROW MARGIN.
AND I THINK ABOUT WHERE MY LIFE WOULD BE, WHERE OUR CITY WOULD BE IF WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT AT THAT TIME.
WE KNOW THAT IN OUR CITY, THE CAPITOL IS NEVER MOVING.
UM, SOUTH CONGRESS ZILKER, THEY ARE FIXED, UH, LANDMARKS.
SO WE NEED TO INVEST IN FIXED TRANSIT NOW.
UM, AUSTIN IS AT AN INFLECTION POINT OF BECOMING A PRO, A PROSPEROUS AND, UM, PREMIER CITY OF THE UNITED STATES AND PREMIER CITIES HAVE FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT.
UM, IT IS GOING TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY AND MOBILITY AROUND THE CITY.
IT WILL EASE TRAFFIC AND BE BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND IT IS FRUSTRATING THAT IT'S NOT IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM THAT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS INCLUDING MYSELF.
IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT WE KEEP BEING VULNERABLE TO FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS.
HOWEVER, IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US TO CONTINUE TO KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET MORE EXPENSIVE.
AND IT IS A NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
I'M NOT AFRAID TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE FUTURE OF MY CITY.
WE'VE SEEN PROJECT CONNECT BOTH DECREASE IN SCOPE AND DRAMATICALLY INCREASE IN COST AND THAT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE THAT IF YOU FACE THAT IN ANY OTHER SPACE, IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY, YOU'D SAY, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE? SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE COULD BE DEPLOYING TRANSIT SOLUTIONS THAT GET CARS OFF ROAD THAT ARE MORE ECONOMICAL, THAT ARE MORE FLEXIBLE, THAT COULD BE DEPLOYED, YOU KNOW, IN AS LITTLE AS A YEAR.
IN FACT, WE'RE DEPLOYING, UH, TWO BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINES THAT ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED NEXT YEAR.
AND FRANKLY WE COULD USE MORE OF THAT.
WE NEED MORE BUSES THAT ARE RUNNING EVERY 10 TO 15 MINUTES.
WE COULD USE MORE BUSES THAT ARE RUNNING EAST WEST, UH, THAT CAN SERVE HERE IN WEST AUSTIN AND HELP ADDRESS, UH, TRANSIT ISSUES THAT THE DISTRICT FACES.
UH, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, PROJECT CONNECT HAS A LOT OF CHALLENGES.
IT DOESN'T CONNECT TO THE AIRPORT.
UH, IT WAS PROBABLY MIS SCOPED AND THERE'S EVEN AN OVERSIGHT CHALLENGE.
WE HAVE THE A TP THAT OVERSEES IT AND WE'RE RELYING ON THE GOOD FAITH OF THE BOARD TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROJECT PROCEEDS SMOOTHLY.
AND THAT'S TOUGH FOR A PROJECT THAT'S GONNA TAKE 13 YEARS JUST TO DEPLOY THE FIRST LINE CANDIDATE UCHIN HAVE THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTED THROUGH MOBIL MOBILITY BONDS LED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTRICT 10.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE DISTRICT'S MOST URGENT TRANSPORTATION NEED? WELL, I TALKED ABOUT THE MOBILITY BOND CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD EARLIER AND THAT A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS STILL UNFORTUNATELY UNSPENT.
AND SO THE RE WE SHOULD, ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM SHOULD BE ASKING WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED THERE? WHY IS IT UNSPENT AND HOW CAN WE SPEND IT IN AN EFFICIENT WAY? 'CAUSE THAT MONEY, UH, IS JUST BASICALLY DEVALUING FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO IT AS THE YEARS TICK ON.
AND SO I THINK FOR ME, PART OF IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT MONEY GETS EXPEDITED AND SPENT IN AN EFFICIENT WAY.
LIKE I SAID, MY PROJECT THAT'S SITTING OUTSIDE MY FRONT DOOR IS YEARS LATE.
IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF YEARS, IT'S GONNA OVERLAY WITH ANOTHER PROJECT ON 360 AND CAUSE INCREDIBLE DISRUPTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND YOU'VE GOTTA ALSO REMEMBER THAT THESE PROJECTS, NOT EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY.
SOMEBODY PUNCTURED A MAINE AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR HILL THE OTHER DAY THAT YOU COULD SEE AS FAR AWAY IN GREAT HILLS, AND THAT'S GONNA BE FURTHER DELAYS.
THE PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE MORE INCONVENIENCE IS WATER SHUTOFFS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF THOSE BOND DOLLARS BECAUSE THAT IS A PLACE THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY STRUGGLED.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, LITERALLY 58% OF OUR BONDS GOING BACK EIGHT YEARS HAVE GONE UNSPENT OR UNEXPENDED.
AND WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO A BETTER JOB AS A CITY AND A PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS WELL SPENT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS, UM, IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN DISTRICT 10.
UM, BUT NOT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN USEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IT SERVES.
SO IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF FUTURE BOND DOLLARS, I WOULD WANT TO BE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT ENGAGES FREQUENTLY WITH MY COMMUNITY AND WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
I'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS, UM, ABOUT ON SHOAL CREEK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A BIKE LANE AND NOW THEY'VE ADDED, UH, A WIDER BIKE LANE
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AND THERE'S PROTECTED, UH, PROTECTED, UH, STICKS AND IT'S CAUSING TRAFFIC DELAYS AND IT'S NOT REALLY HELPING ANYONE.SO WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, I WANT TO ACTUALLY TALK TO THE CONSTITUENTS, THINK ABOUT WHAT FUNCTION WOULD THIS IMPROVEMENT SERVE AND HOW CAN WE MAKE IT WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO SEEN A LOT OF BUS LANES, METRO PICKUP AND METRO ACCESS ROUTES, UH, START IN DISTRICT 10, BUT GETS SCALED BACK BECAUSE OF LOW USAGE.
IN MY BELIEF, PUBLIC TRANSIT ONLY WORKS IF IT MAKES PEOPLE'S LIVES EASIER AND BETTER.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE ARE MORE ARDUOUS FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ON AND DON'T EASE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DID MAKE, UM, ARE SERVING A A SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR AUSTIN? AND IS AUSTIN IN AN ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES? WHAT, WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF PLAYING IN THESE EFFORTS? YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IS OUR AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.
UM, IN ORDER TO HAVE A THRIVING AND PROSPEROUS ECONOMY, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF WORKFORCE NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE MET.
UM, AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF OUR MIDDLE INCOME PROFESSIONALS AND LOW INCOME PROFESSIONALS NOT BEING ABLE TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FALTERING ECONOMY IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET EVERY SINGLE RUNG OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC LADDER.
UM, SO AS WE CONTINUE TO PUSH PEOPLE OUT, WE ARE MAKING OUR CITY LESS DESIRABLE.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF ATTITUDES OVER THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT INVESTING IN NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR CITY.
NAMELY, YOU KNOW, THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF OPPONENTS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, WHICH WOULD'VE BROUGHT MORE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY TO THE CITY, WHICH WOULD'VE ADDED TO OUR HOT TAX REVENUE, UM, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A BENEFIT FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, I'M SOMEONE WHO THINKS THAT WE CAN MANAGE OUR GROWTH IN A WAY THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CITY RATHER THAN DETRACTS FROM IT.
I AGREE THAT, I AGREE THAT AFFORDABILITY IS THE CENTRAL CHALLENGE BEHIND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY HERE AND GROWTH.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A DATA POINT ON THAT, BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023, WE GAINED ABOUT A NET 12 AND A HALF THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CITY AT THE SAME TIME.
WE GAINED A NET OF ABOUT 33,000 HIGH INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE CONSISTENTLY FUNNELING PEOPLE OUT OF THE CITY THAT COULD, THAT, THAT HAVE LIVED HERE POTENTIALLY FOR A LONG TIME.
AND WE ARE GAINING PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY WEALTHY.
AND PART OF THAT IS, AGAIN, TIED TO LAND USE.
WE JUST PASSED A LAND USE PLAN THAT'S GONNA BUILD MORE MARKET RATE AND LUXURY HOUSING.
SO WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA ATTRACT, IT CATER TO THAT COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX, AND I TOUCHED ON SOME OF THEM EARLIER.
THERE'S FIGURING OUT HOW TO INCENTIVIZE FAMILIES FROM BUYING HOMES AND NOT WALL STREET AND HEDGE FUNDS INVESTORS.
THERE'S PER, THERE'S, UH, IMPROVING THE PERMITTING INSPECTION PROCESS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE SMALL, UH, AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUILDERS.
WE'VE GOT 18,000 POTENTIALLY UNREGULATED SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT SOME OF THEM, IF WE HAD A DIFFERENT COMPLIANCE CODE, CAN BE CONVERTED INTO HOUSING.
SO A LOT OF OPTIONS IN OUR TOOLBOX.
WE JUST NEED THE INITIATIVE AND, UH, DESIRE TO GO PURSUE THEM.
SO THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE CLOSING STATEMENTS.
AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY, BUT THIS IS A CITYWIDE QUESTION.
WHAT INVESTMENTS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE ESSENTIAL TO SUPPORT AND ENHANCE AUSTIN'S VIBRANT CULTURE OF MUSIC, ART, AND THEATER? HOW DO YOU ENVISION THESE INVESTMENTS IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL ECONOMY? SO ONE THING THAT I'VE ADVOCATED FOR IS GOING TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE JUST LIKE HOUSTON DID, AND INCREASING OUR HOT TAX FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY FROM 15% TO 19.5%.
AND THAT WOULD MEAN FAR MORE RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS THAT HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, EVER SINCE THE CITY CHANGED ITS ARTS FUNDING MODEL.
AND MAKING SURE THERE'S ROOM FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE SMALLER PLAYERS, BUT ALSO THE MEDIUM AND LARGE SIZE PLAYERS WHO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AS WELL AS THE VENUES AND ARTISTS THAT WE STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT DURING COVID BECAUSE WE USED MOST OF THOSE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS NOT FOR HELPING FOLKS, UH, BUT FUNNELING INTO THE HOMELESS SYSTEM WITH LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO I THINK MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES.
UH, AND, AND THE SHORT TERM RENTAL STRATEGY WOULD ALSO DO THAT IF WE BROUGHT MORE, UH, FOLKS INTO COMPLIANCE AND
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NEW ORLEANS AND OTHER CITIES HAVE PASSED RULES THAT HAVE PASSED THE COURTS, WHICH FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON CITY LEGAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OKAY WITH, IF WE COULD DO THAT AND BRING THOSE INTO COMPLIANCE, THAT WOULD ALSO BE MORE REVENUE FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY.SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TOOLS AGAIN, IN THE TOOLBOX.
WE JUST NEED THE INITIATIVE FROM COUNCIL TO PURSUE THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THIS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AND I WOULD BE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WANTED TO, UH, CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR THESE PROJECTS LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION IN THE AIRPORT EXPANSION.
UM, OUR HOT TAX, UH, IS ALREADY MAXED OUT AT THE HIGHEST PERCENT.
UM, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN PURSUE THINGS THROUGH TID, UM, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A TAX THAT HOTELS WILL PUT UPON THEMSELVES TO ADD TO THAT REVENUE.
UM, IF WE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO, UH, ENGAGE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, WE WOULD'VE LOST OUT ON $3.2 MILLION ANNUALLY.
THAT'S GOING DIRECTLY TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, UM, FOR AUSTIN ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS.
UM, WE ALSO GET TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, 70% OF THE HOT TAX GOES TO TOURISM AND 15% OF THAT CAN GO TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR, OUR LOCAL VENUES.
UM, AND THEN HONESTLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO OUR ARTISTS, OUR MUSICIANS, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE AUSTIN SPECIAL CAN CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE, THRIVE HERE, AND BUILD THEIR LIVES HERE.
NOW FOR OUR CLOSING STATEMENTS, WE WILL START, UM, WITH YOU CANDIDATE GANGOLI AND JUST, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO GIVE US YOUR CLOSING.
I GREW UP IN AND AROUND WEST AUSTIN, AND I LOVE THIS DISTRICT AND THIS CITY, DISTRICT 10 IS ONE OF THE MOST SCENIC AREAS OF AUSTIN.
WHEN YOU DRIVE AROUND 2222 AND LOOK OVER THE LAKE IN THE HILLS, IT'S REALLY BREATHTAKING.
WE'RE HOME TO MANY AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND, AND THIS IS ANECDOTAL, BUT A LOT OF LONGTIME AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
UM, I THINK THAT OUR DISTRICT REALLY IS HOME TO THE MOST NUMBER OF LONGTIME AUSTIN RESIDENTS VERSUS ANY OTHER AREA OF THE CITY.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT LONGTIME AUSTIN RESIDENTS, I THINK ABOUT GENERATIONAL COMMUNITIES.
FOR AUSTIN, I'M SO LUCKY THAT I STILL LIVE 15 MINUTES FROM THE HOUSE THAT I WAS RAISED IN.
I KNOW I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABLE TO STAY, STAY THE SAME.
UM, I WANT TO BUILD IN AUSTIN THAT WORKS FOR EVERY KIND OF PERSON IN EVERY AREA OF THE CITY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FUTURE AHEAD OF US.
WE JUST HAVE TO BE READY TO SEE IT.
I WANNA SET UP OUR CITY FOR SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE.
I WANT TO NOT HAVE A 10 FOOT VIEW.
I WANT TO HAVE A 100 FOOT VIEW OF THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN.
I'M A PASSIONATE PERSON AND I PROMISE TO BRING MY PASSION, MY CREATIVITY, MY ENERGY AND MY ENTHUSIASM TO THIS ROLE, TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, WITH STATE LEADERS, WITH COUNTY LEADERS, AND WITH THE MEMBERS OF MY DISTRICT, WITH MY CONSTITUENTS.
I WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU AND I WANT TO BUILD AN AUSTIN THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
AS I MENTIONED IN MY INTRODUCTION, I AM THE CANDIDATE THAT SHOWS UP AND I'LL BE THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT SHOWS UP.
I'M THE GUY THAT'S GOING TO THE WILDFIRE LINE MEETINGS, GOING TO THE WILDFIRE SYMPOSIUMS, THAT'S GOING TO A PD PUBLIC SECTOR MEETINGS.
THAT'S GOING TO A ISD SECURITY MEETINGS.
THAT'S BEEN A PART OF MY HOA FOR A DECADE THAT'S GOING TO CITY HALL TO ADVOCATE FOR THINGS THAT'S GOING TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADVOCATE FOR THINGS.
I'VE ALREADY BEEN LISTENING TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER A DECADE AND I CONTINUE AND I PLAN TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT SERVING AS YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT LISTENING IS A VITAL COMPONENT TO BEING A GOOD COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED IN MY INTRO, I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT IS MY SUPERPOWER.
SO MAKING SURE THAT I HAVE, I'M LISTENING TO YOU, THAT WE'VE GOT APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON, ONE ISSUE THAT, UH, HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING FOR ME, THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN A STEP BACKWARDS ON THAT.
WE USED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTA GO TAKE OFF YOUR WORKDAY TO GO DOWN TO CITY HALL TO ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING YOU CARE ABOUT.
THAT USED TO GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES PER AGENDA ITEM.
THEN IT BECAME TWO MINUTES PER AGENDA ITEM, THEN IT BECAME TWO MINUTES FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL AGENDA.
USED TO BE GO DOWN THERE AND TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND NOW THERE'S A SECURITY DOOR ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWN TO THE CITY CLERK.
AND NOW THAT THEY'RE BEHIND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE BEHIND A SECURITY DOOR.
SO FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE PROPERLY ENGAGE PEOPLE.
WHEN I THINK OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE IN MY CAREER, THE, WHEN I THINK OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE IN THE CIVIC SPACE ON THE AUSTIN NEIGHBOR COUNCIL, ON MY HOA, WE'VE ALWAYS BENEFITED FROM HAVING A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
WE'VE ALWAYS BENEFITED FROM HAVING, UH, MORE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, A DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS, OF VIEWPOINTS.
WE'VE ALWAYS BENEFITED FROM, UH, HAVING AS MANY PEOPLE THAT COULD SHOW UP AND SAY, THIS IS AN ISSUE.
PLEASE, PLEASE LISTEN TO MY CONCERN.
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BECAUSE THE REALITY IS I'M NOT ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THE BEST IDEA IN THE ROOM.SOMETIMES Y'ALL WILL HAVE THE BEST IDEA IN THE ROOM, AND I NEED TO BE THERE TO LISTEN TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EXECUTE ON THAT.
SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, COMING TO COUNCIL, BEING A PERSON THAT LISTENS, BEING A PERSON, LET CONTINUES TO LISTEN AS I HAVE AND I'VE DONE FOR YEARS, IS GONNA BE PARAMOUNT.
I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I'D BE GRATEFUL TO SUPPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CANDIDATES.
MY NAME IS DALIA GUTIERREZ AND I'D LIKE TO ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN COMING HERE THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SINCERITY IN ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE GIVE THEM BOTH A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
IN THE INTRODUCTION TONIGHT, THE CANDIDATES WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFFECT CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT IT'S YOU, THE VOTERS WHO HOLD THAT POWER IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE AND THEN THE OBLIGATION TO HOLD THAT REPRESENTATIVE ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY ARE ELECTED.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION ARE NON-PARTISAN VOTERS' GUIDE WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW LWV AUSTIN.ORG IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND CHINESE.
THE PRINTED GUIDE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND CAN BE FOUND AT MOST AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
THESE FORUM, THESE FORUMS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A TXN NETWORK, ALONGSIDE ALL RECORDINGS OF CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION MEETINGS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO THE MERRILL CANDIDATE FORUM TO BE HELD THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD AT 6:30 PM IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL.
IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED LIVE ON A TXN.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION, WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE AND YOUR FORBEARANCE, AND THAT'S THE END OF THIS DISCUSSION.