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[Mayoral City Council Candidate Panel on October 3, 2024.]
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S MAYORAL CANDIDATE FORUM.MY NAME IS CAROL ECKEL CAMP, AND I AM WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA.
OUR LEAGUE IS HONORED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION TO HELP VOTERS GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES BETTER.
IF ELECTED THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT SIT BEFORE YOU WILL REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF ALL OF AUSTIN AND WORK TOWARDS POSITIVE CHANGE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS IN THIS PROCESS.
SOMETIMES IT MAY FEEL LIKE WE'RE POWERLESS JUST WATCHING FROM THE SIDELINES THINKING OUR VOICES REALLY 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.
WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION BEFORE GOING ON INTO THE FORUM.
VOTE FOUR ONE ONE.ORG WILL GO LIVE ON OCTOBER THE FOURTH AND WILL PROVIDE COMPLETE BALLOT INFORMATION.
WHEN YOU ENTER YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, YOU MAY PRINT OUT INFORMATION AND TAKE TO THE POLLS, BECAUSE REMEMBER, IN TEXAS, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE DIGITAL DEVICES IN POLLING LOCATIONS IN PERSON.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS MONDAY, OCTOBER 21ST AND ENDS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER THE FIFTH, AND THE POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM.
IF YOU ARE IN LINE AT A POLLING LOCATION BY 7:00 PM YOU WILL GET TO CAST A VOTE.
CURBSIDE VOTING IS ALLOWED AT ALL POLLING LOCATIONS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THERE ARE DIRECTIONAL SIGNS IN THE PARKING AREAS.
NOW, CANDIDATES, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU FOR A MOMENT.
OUR QUESTIONS ARE DEVELOPED WITH INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
OUR GOAL IS TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT HELP VOTERS UNDERSTAND YOUR VIEWS ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES OPENING AND ONE MINUTE CLOSING STATEMENT AND GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
AS I INSTRUCTED EARLIER, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR TIMEKEEPERS.
WE DO ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM MANY PERSONAL ATTACKS ON YOUR OPPONENTS, AND WE ASK OUR LIVE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM VERBALLY REACTING IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THESE CANDIDATES.
WE'RE GOING IN BALLOT ORDER THIS EVENING AND WE WILL START OUR TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENTS AND WE ROTATE TO MAKE SURE EACH OF YOU GET TO ANSWER A QUESTION FIRST.
AND SO CANDIDATE GIANNIS POLITO, YOU WILL BEGIN WITH YOUR OPENING STATEMENT.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THANKS TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN WOMEN VOTERS, FOR ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THIS PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR MAYORAL, UH, RACE.
MY NAME IS CARMEN JANNIS RITO, AND I WAS BORN HERE IN AUSTIN.
I GREW UP ON BOTH SIDES OF I 35 IN CENTRAL AUSTIN, AND I HAVE SPENT THE PAST 20 YEARS WORKING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THIS CITY TO IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND STEWARD THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT OUR CITY CHERISHES SO MUCH I'M RUNNING IN THIS RACE BECAUSE I WAS ASKED TO STEP UP AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT IN TIME BY AN INCREDIBLY DI DIVERSE COALITION OF PEOPLE FROM ALL KINDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS AUSTIN, WHO CARE ABOUT OUR CITY AND WANT TO SEE US GROW IN AN EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY.
AND ALSO TO MANAGE THE LONG, UH, STANDING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH.
I'VE BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND THE WAYS IT HAS THREATENED SOME OF OUR MOST PRE PRECIOUS RESOURCES.
OUR ABILITY TO VOTE ON THINGS LIKE OUR UTILITY AND OUR ABILITY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE NOT DIVISIVE.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR US TO BE PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER ON THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF INFRASTRUCTURE, SUSTAINABILITY, WATER AND ENERGY, PUBLIC SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING, AND LAND USE.
THERE IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF US, AND THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
MY TOP THREE CRITICAL ISSUES ARE SECURING OUR POWER AND WATER CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE HOLISTICALLY ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRULY ADDRESSING REAL AFFORDABILITY, NOT IN RHETORIC, BUT IN A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF PROTECTING OUR EXISTING UNITS AND THE RIGHTS OF TENANTS AND HOMEOWNERS TO NEGOTIATE NUKE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT AND ALSO THE PRODUCTION OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS, WHICH I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.
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TO THANK THE GROUP, THE, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND ALSO THE ETHICS COMMISSION FOR LETTING, HAVING THIS, HAVING THIS FORUM.UH, I DID ATTEND THE LAST ONE THAT WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO HERE, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY, AND THEN YET HERE I AM.
UH, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME'S JEFFREY BOWEN.
UH, I ACTUALLY SET UP HERE ONCE A MONTH AS A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS MEMBERS, SO IT, IT DOES FEEL WEIRD NOT TO BE HERE THE SECOND MONDAY OF THE MONTH, BUT, UH, I DIGRESS.
SO I MOVED BACK TO TEXAS 35 YEARS AGO.
I WAS STATIONED IN THE AIR FORCE AND RECEIVED A, UH, AN ASSIGNMENT HERE AT BERGSTROM TEACHING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN HERE THIS ENTIRE 35 YEARS.
OUR TWO KIDS, UH, NO LONGER LIVE HERE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN AUSTIN.
I JUMPED INTO THIS BECAUSE I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS WERE BEING DONE.
WE WERE HAVING A LACK OF, OF TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE HAVING A LACK OF LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS, AND YOU'RE EITHER PART OF THE SOLUTION OR YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
SO I HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
I HAVE CONCERNS OVER OUR BUDGETS AND THE FACT THAT WE PROBABLY, WHAT WE DO, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO AUDIT OUR ENTIRE, UH, BUDGET AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE QUESTIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING ANY OF 'EM AFTER THIS.
AGAIN, MY NAME'S JEFFREY BOWEN.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ON THIS FORUM.
I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE I THINK OUR CITY NEEDS A LEADER WHO WORKS FOR ALL AUSTINITES.
I GREW UP IN A, A WORKING CLASS TOWN IN THE COAL REGION OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
I WENT TO BROWN UNIVERSITY AND I MOVED TO AUSTIN IN THE MID NINETIES AND TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL AT WHAT WAS JOHNSTON HIGH FOR FIVE YEARS ON THE EAST SIDE.
IT'S NOW EAST SIDE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH.
WE HAD SEVEN PRINCIPLES IN FIVE YEARS.
THAT'S WHERE I FIRST SAW THE INEQUALITY IN AUSTIN.
AND IT WAS OUT OF THAT EXPERIENCE THAT I GOT INVOLVED IN ORGANIZING FIRST WITH EDUCATION AUSTIN, THE TEACHERS UNION, AND THEN WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT I EVENTUALLY WORKED WITH FOR 15 YEARS AND LED FOR 12 YEARS, CENTRAL TEXAS INTERFAITH, UH, A LARGE, UH, FAITH AND LABOR COALITION THAT DURING THE TIME I LED THAT ORGANIZATION, WE WON HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENTS AT THE CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE LEVEL FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, LIVING WAGE JOBS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOUSING FOR THOSE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND ALSO WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE ORGANIZING EFFORT TO KILL THE STATE'S LARGEST CORPORATE TAX GIVEAWAY PROGRAM.
I WAS ALSO CHIEF OF STAFF FOR STATE REP GINA HINOJOSA.
UM, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT, I WORKED IN THE L-G-B-T-Q RIGHTS MOVEMENT, UH, FOR THE LARGEST STATEWIDE LGBT ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY.
I'M RUNNING PRIMARILY FOR TWO REASONS.
OUR AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IS DRIVING WORKING FAMILIES OUT OF THE CITY AND OUT OF THE MIDDLE CLASS.
WE'RE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY FOR MILLIONAIRES.
OUR INCOME INEQUALITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND OUR PERCENTAGE OF BLACK AND LATINO RESIDENTS CONTINUES TO DECREASE.
AND NUMBER TWO, WE NEED A MAYOR WHO'S WILLING TO STAND UP TO GREG ABBOTT AND STATE LEADERS WHEN OUR CIVIL RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK.
I'LL WORK WITH STATE LEADERS, BUT I WON'T WORK FOR THEM, AND I WOULD NOT HAVE STOOD WITH, WITH THE GOVERNOR TO BRING DPS INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE NEED A MAYOR WHO IS GONNA STAND UP, NOT LOOK FOR FIGHTS, BUT WHEN THE FIGHTS COME TO US, READY TO TAKE 'EM ON.
SO I APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE FORUM.
AND I, I ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION AND TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN AND VOTERS FOR DOING THIS, AND I THANK EVERYBODY THAT WILL WATCH THIS AND, AND TRY TO LEARN ABOUT THIS MAYOR'S RACE.
I'M CURRENTLY THE MAYOR OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I WAS ELECTED IN 2022, BUT I WAS ALSO ELECTED MAYOR IN 1997 AND SERVED AS MAYOR FROM 1997 TO 2001.
I SERVED IN THE TEXAS SENATE REPRESENTING THE AUSTIN AREA, UH, FOR ABOUT 13 AND A HALF YEARS.
THIS TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, UH, NOT QUITE TWO YEARS, BUT THIS, THIS 21, 22 MONTHS, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON AFFORDABILITY FIRST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME AND WE KNEW TO BE TRUE IS THAT CITY HALL WASN'T MOVING FAST ENOUGH AND WAS WAY TOO INEFFICIENT.
I THINK AS A GENERAL RULE RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THEY THINK WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THAT REGARD, THAT WE SHOOK UP CITY HALL AND MADE SOME REAL DIFFERENCES.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY, FIRST WE REALLY DID THAT.
THERE HAD BEEN PEOPLE TRYING TO STOP MOVING FORWARD ON MAJOR LAND DEVELOPMENT CHANGES THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SO THAT WE COULD GET MORE HOUSING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, IN THE LAST 21 TO 22 MONTHS, WE HAVE MADE MAJOR CHANGES THAT ARE NOW NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
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GETTING IT DONE.AND, AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
ANOTHER BIG AREA WHERE WE NEEDED TO GET THINGS DONE WERE THINGS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY.
OUR 9 1 1 SERVICE WAS DRAMATICALLY IN PROBLEMS. WE NOW ARE MEETING THE NATIONAL STANDARD WHERE WE WEREN'T MEETING THE NATIONAL STANDARD WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE.
AND FINALLY, I'LL MENTION, BECAUSE I HOPE WE TALK MORE ABOUT IT IN THE AREA OF HOW WE ADDRESS PEOPLE LIVING HOMELESS.
WE HAD REAL PROBLEMS AND WE NEEDED TO MAKE CHANGE, AND WE'VE HAD ENORMOUS SUCCESS.
WE ARE GETTING THINGS DONE AND WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE FOR REELECTION.
I'M KATHY TOVO AND I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR.
IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION, TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT OF YOUR EVENING TO PARTICIPATE AND, AND BE PRESENT HERE TONIGHT, UH, WELCOME TO THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
THIS IS WHERE YOUR VOICE MATTERS, WHERE YOU DESERVE A MAYOR WHO CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND WANTS TO CRAFT POLICY WITH YOU.
AND I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A MAYOR WHO PUTS PEOPLE FIRST.
ONE WHO IS COMMITTED TO OPEN AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT AND REALLY WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU BOTH HERE IN IN CITY HALL CHAMBERS, BUT ALSO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND A MAYOR WHO REALLY WANTS TO CREATE POLICY WITH YOU.
AND WE HAVE SOME BIG CHALLENGES HERE IN AUSTIN, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO, UM, I REALLY BELIEVE WE NEED A NEW MAYOR TO GET IT DONE.
AND AS A THREE-TERM COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THOSE YEARS, AS MAYOR PRO TEM, I HAVE THE VISION AND THE EXPERIENCE TO GET THINGS DONE AND TO GET THINGS DONE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR OFFICE, I MADE A COMMITMENT TO REPRESENT EVERYDAY AUSTINITES AUSTIN'S WORKING FAMILIES, AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I SUPPORTED COMMUNITY-LED POLICY AND HELP GIVE A VOICE FOR PROGRESSIVE POLICIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF US.
I HELPED LEAD THE INITIATIVE TO OPEN THE SOBERING CENTER, WHICH HAS NOW PROVIDED SERVICES TO MORE THAN 10,000 AUSTINITES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, AS I SAID, A LOT MORE TO DO.
WE NEED A MAYOR WHO'S GONNA WORK EVERY DAY TO CREATE A BETTER AUSTIN AND IN AUSTIN WHERE ALL FAMILIES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ATTENTION, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT.
CANDIDATES, CANDIDATE BOWEN, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, HAS FACED A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, NUMEROUS SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS IN A RAPIDLY GROWING, GROWING POPULATION.
WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR AUSTIN MOVING FORWARD? AND IS AUSTIN IN AN ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES? WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF PLAYING IN THESE EFFORTS? WELL, IF AS THE MAYOR, YOU'RE GOING TO HELP HOPEFULLY GET SOME RESOLUTIONS DONE AND ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT NEED SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT REALLY IS GOING TO IMPACT IT IS OUR UNCONTROLLABLE SPENDING AT THIS POINT.
YES, WE'VE HAD A PANDEMIC, WE'VE GONE THROUGH SOME DIFFERENT, UH, ITEMS THAT HAVE CAUSED MAJOR DIFFICULTIES FOR ALL OF OUR TAXPAYERS.
I, I THINK LOOKING AT, UH, BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING THROUGH A COMPLETE AUDIT WILL HELP.
IT WILL ALSO HELP THE ECONOMICS OF SMALL BUSINESSES, SINCE THEY'RE ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVERS IN OUR TAX BASE FOR PROVIDING THESE TYPES OF SERVICES.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE DOING THE PROBLEM SOLVING, WORKING WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, ENTITIES AND THE INDIVIDUALS IN ORDER TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR ALL OF THE TAXPAYERS IN THIS TOWN.
CANDIDATE GRECO, I HAD, UH, A MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH, UH, ALEX VALLEJO, WHO WAS PART OF THE, THE BAND VALLEJO AND ONE OF THE MU LEADERS IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY.
IT IS THE SAME STORY WE HEAR WITH BUS DRIVERS WORKING CLASS AUSTINITES AND, AND, AND, AND CITY WORKERS AS WELL.
MUSICIANS ARE BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY.
WE ARE LOSING OUR MIDDLE CLASS.
OKAY? THAT'S OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE.
AND THERE'S THREE THINGS WE CAN DO THAT WE COULD, THAT, THAT, THAT WE CAN DO FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NUMBER ONE, WE CAN INVEST IN EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TO PREPARE PEOPLE FOR THE GOOD JOBS THAT EXIST ALREADY.
NUMBER TWO, WE CAN TURN BAD JOBS INTO GOOD JOBS BY SUPPORTING LIVING WAGE STRATEGIES, SUPPORTING UNIONS, AND SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE.
AND NUMBER THREE, ANYTIME OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE AT STAKE IN INCENTIVES, PUBLIC CONTRACTS, BOND ELECTIONS, WE NEED TO DEMAND THAT THOSE JOBS PAY LIVING WAGES WITH BENEFITS AND HIGHER LOCALLY.
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THE LOSS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS, AND, AND WE'VE GOTTA FIGHT FOR THAT BY INVESTING CANDIDATE WATSON.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS PART OF OUR AFFORDABILITY FIRST AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T
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BEING PRESSURED AND MOVE OUT OF AUSTIN IS WE'VE CREATED THE AUSTIN INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY.UH, THAT'S PART OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND WE SOMETIMES DON'T TREAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTOR.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ABOUT $25 BILLION WORTH OF MONEY THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING INTO DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AND WE NEED THE WORKERS, AND WE NEED THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE JOBS.
I'M VERY PROUD THAT THIS COUNCIL, UH, PUT $5 MILLION IN THIS BUDGET INTO THE CREATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY SO THAT PEOPLE IN AUSTIN EARNING PREVAILING WAGES IN MOST INSTANCES, WILL BE ABLE TO, TO BE IN THOSE JOBS.
THE SECOND THING IS WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND JUST LAST WEEK, THIS COUNCIL VOTED ON THE ABILITY TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH INCENTIVES AND OTHER, UH, TYPES OF HELP SO THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES CAN STAY IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ADDRESS OUR CULTURAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
CANDIDATE TOVO, THANK INVESTING.
INVESTING IN WORKFORCE TRAINING IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS DONE FOR A LONG TIME.
AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AS MAYOR PRO TEM, I WAS GLAD TO SUPPORT THOSE INVESTMENTS IN CAP PROGRAMS LIKE CAPITAL IDEA AND PROGRAMS LIKE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
AND I'M GLAD THAT THE CURRENT COUNCIL HAS CONTINUED TO INVEST IN THIS IMPORTANT AREA.
WE NEED TO BE TRAINING AUSTINITES FOR THOSE HIGH DEMAND JOBS.
WE DO NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE USE OUR ECONOMIC INCENTIVES, UM, PROGRAM.
AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I SUPPORTED AND HELPED LEAD THE CHANGES TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S NOT GIVING COMMUNITY BENEFITS IF THEIR COMPANIES ARE NOT PAYING A LIVING WAGE.
WE DO NEED TO, AND I SUPPORTED, UH, THE CHANGES TO MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES, BUT THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTY REALLY MAKING THOSE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO MAKING SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS WORK WELL AT THE SCALE OF WHAT MOST OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES WHERE WE HAVE SUCH A VIBRANT ECONOMY IS, UH, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAYS A LIVING WAGE AND HAS, I'LL ADDRESS THAT IN ANOTHER QUESTION.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE GIANNIS POLITO.
THERE'S HUGE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF US, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ADDRESS THE MISLEADING SLOGAN AFFORDABILITY FIRST, BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A SINGLE AFFORDABILITY POLICY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT WE CAN POINT TO.
THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HOUSING THAT'S BEEN CREATED OVER THE PAST YEARS IN AUSTIN WAS CREATED UNDER THE EXISTING LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND THE MORE RECENT CHANGES ONLY INCENTIVIZE HIGHER END HOUSING WHEN THE UNITS THAT WE ARE LOSING ARE THE MOST AFFORDABLE UNITS IN AUSTIN.
I AGREE THAT THE STAGGERING INCOME INEQUALITY THAT WE ARE SEEING AND THE LACK OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS PROBABLY WHAT'S STRAINING AUSTIN, IN ADDITION TO LAGGING BASIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT PUT ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE FIRST.
I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF WORKING WITH THE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS OF WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.
I HAVE BEEN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE INSTITUTIONS PUSHING THESE PROGRAMS FOR 20 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ALIGN THE ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN JOBS AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOW.
UM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY CANNOT AFFORD WHAT THESE POLICIES ARE PUTTING OUT.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH, UH, CANDIDATE GRECO.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE ASKING US ABOUT THAT AND HIGHLIGHTED THIS IS HIGHLIGHTED BY ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT 9 1 1 SERVICES, INCREASING POLICE RESPONSE TIMES AND EMS STAFFING CHALLENGES.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST URGENT SAFETY ISSUE ACROSS AUSTIN AND WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO ADDRESS THIS? WELL PUT MY MICROPHONE ON FIRST.
FIRST, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO PAY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS WELL FOR THE WORK THEY DO COMPETITIVELY IN THE, IN THE, IN THE TOP OF OUR PEER CITIES.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE DO NEED A CONTRACT, BUT WE SHOULDN'T RUSH IT.
WE ALSO HAVE VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY 80% FOR VOTER APPROVED TRANSPARENCY.
AND AS MAYOR, I WOULD HAVE IMPLEMENTED THAT IMMEDIATELY AND FOUGHT TO PAY OUR OFFICERS WELL.
AT THE SAME TIME, I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TRIED TO TRADE ONE FOR THE OTHER OVER TIME, AND WE'RE ENDING UP IN WITH A POLICE CONTRACT IN WHICH I THINK WE'RE GOT KIND OF CUTTING HALF, HALF A BABY INSTEAD OF HALF A LOAF.
WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A DEAL ON TRANSPARENCY.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT AN INVESTMENT THAT MAY UNDERCUT OTHER COMMUNITY SAFETY INVESTMENTS, LIKE ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, LIKE ADDRESSING WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION.
SO TRANSPARENCY AND PAYING OUR OFFICERS WELL, WE DON'T TRADE ONE FOR THE OTHER.
UM, WE'VE MADE REAL PROGRESS ON A COUPLE THINGS.
I MENTIONED 9 1 1 IN MY OPENING STATEMENT.
WE ARE, WE'VE GONE FROM BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WEREN'T MEETING NATIONAL STANDARDS
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TO WHERE WE NOW ARE MEETING NATIONAL STANDARDS.WE HAVE A CONTRACT, UH, WE GOT A CONTRACT LAST YEAR WITH OUR EMS UNION SO THAT WE'RE NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO DO, BE ABLE TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE AND DO THAT JOB THE WAY WE WANT TO DO IT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
I'M, I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ENDORSED, BY THE WAY, BY THE FIREFIGHTERS AND BY THE EMS, UH, PERSONNEL, UH, PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL WITH REGARD TO A POLICE CONTRACT.
AND THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT URGENT NEEDS.
UM, I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR A POLICE CONTRACT SINCE I CAME INTO OFFICE, BUT I MADE CLEAR THAT THE THREE THINGS WERE IMPORTANT.
ONE IS THE PUBLIC HAD TO HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE ON TRANSPARENCY, AND WE MADE SURE THAT THEY DID.
THE SECOND WAS THAT PROP A HAD TO BE IN THIS CONTRACT, AND IT IS.
AND THE THIRD WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD CLARITY ON WHETHER WE WERE PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW.
AND A COURT CASE HAS NOW TOLD US THAT WE'RE, WE HAVE THAT CLARITY AND THAT'S WHAT WILL BE IN THE CONTRACT WHEN WE VOTE ON IT.
THE, THE QUESTION WAS ON WHAT IS THE MOST URGENT SAFETY ISSUE ACROSS AUSTIN AND WHAT STEPS YOU TAKE, UH, TO ADDRESS IT? CANDIDATE TOVO.
YOU KNOW, SAFETY IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT FOLKS WANNA TALK ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR HOMES, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE POLICE CONTRACT.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEEDS THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN OFFICERS, AND HAVING A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WILL HELP.
IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET HERE.
I THINK THERE ARE REAL ISSUES WITH WHETHER OR NOT IT INCLUDES THOSE ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS AND WHETHER THE POLICE ASSOCIATION UNDERSTANDS IT THE SAME WAY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES.
AND I THINK THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES AND NEEDS OF FULL PUBLIC, TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS ARE MOVING FORWARD.
HAVING SAID THAT, ABSOLUTELY WE NEED A POLICE CONTRACT THAT, THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN AFFORD.
WE NEED TO KEEP IT INVESTING IN THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOLUTIONS THAT ARE REALLY COMMUNITY BASED VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION STRATEGIES AND THAT ARE VERY EFFECTIVE.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR CRIMINAL DIVERSION PROGRAMS, CONTINUING, OF COURSE, THE WORK OF THE SOBERING CENTER.
AND IT'S GREAT THAT THE CITY IS A PARTNER IN THE NEW MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BOTH INTERVIEWING THE NEW POLICE CHIEF INCOMING LISA DAVIS ON A COMMUNITY INTERVIEW PANEL, AND ALSO HAVING COUNTLESS CONVERSATIONS ALL OVER OUR CITY, FAR EAST, FAR WEST, NORTH, AND SOUTH, ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENCES IN THIS ISSUE, MOST PEOPLE WANT THE SAME THINGS.
THEY WANT ROOT CAUSE ISSUES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO AMELIORATE CRIME.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT BY IMPROVING THE BUILT-IN ENVIRONMENT AND FOCUSING ON BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES.
THEY WANT A FAST AND EFFECTIVE AND, UH, PREPARED RESPONSE TO 9 1 1, WHETHER THAT'S A POLICE OFFICER OR A CRISIS RESPONDER.
AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT, UH, INTERVENTIONS THAT WE NEED TO WATCH.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ACTUALLY BRING COMMUNITY INTO THIS CONVERSATION AND HAVE A MORE TRANSPARENT DIALOGUE INSTEAD OF WAITING TO BE SUED IN COURT TO IMPLEMENT THE LAW OF THE LAND AND PERPETUATING A DIVISION THAT CREATES A PRO-POLICE, ANTI-POLICE SENTIMENT INSTEAD OF FACING THIS DIFFICULT ISSUE TOGETHER.
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO URGENT NEEDS, I TRULY BELIEVE WE NEED MORE OFFICERS.
WE NEED THEM IN A VERY RAPID PACE.
WE'RE DOWN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 450 TO 500 OFFICERS, OFFICERS AS WE SPEAK.
UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONTRACT WILL HELP PROVIDE SOME STABILITY, AT LEAST TO SAY THAT IT MAY NOT ONLY BE MONEY, BUT WHAT IS THE REST OF THE CONTRACT THAT'S GOING TO DO THAT? OFFICERS PUT THEIR, UM, AS SOMEBODY THAT'S, THAT'S SERVED NOT AS AN OFFICER, BUT IN THE, IN THE SERVICE, THAT DIFFERENCE IN THAT LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IS WHAT SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO DO TO PUT THEIRSELVES IN DANGER.
THE SAME THING GOES WITH OUR EMS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING, ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN NEEDS WHEN THEY ARE AT THEIR DESPERATE MOMENT.
AND THE SAME THING WITH 9 1 1.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE FULLY STAFFED 9 1 1 IN ORDER TO ANSWER THE PHONES SO THAT SOMEBODY IS JUST NOT LEFT STANDING.
MOVING ON TO THE ENVIRONMENT, AS THE CITY HAS MISSED ITS CLIMATE TARGETS, SEVERAL GROUPS ARE NOW SUGGESTING NEW GOALS FOR 20 30, 20 35, AND 2040 WITH THE AIM OF ACHIEVING A 75 TO 100% REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE CITY LEVEL INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE? WE'LL BEGIN WITH CANDIDATE WATSON.
WE HAVE TO MAKE CLIMATE ONE OF OUR TOP, TOP PRIORITIES.
AND, AND THE WAY I WOULD FIRST ADDRESS IT WOULD BE, UH, LOOKING AT MOTOR VEHICLES, AND THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PART OF OUR GREENHOUSE GAS
[00:25:01]
EMISSIONS IS MOTOR VEHICLES.IN FACT, WE MADE ZONING CHANGES, UH, IN THE, IN THE PAST, IN THE PAST 22 MONTHS TO ALLOW FOR MORE ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGERS TO BE PUT IN PLACES WHERE BEFORE THEY COULDN'T BE DONE.
AND THEY HAD BEEN BLOCKED IN OUR EFFORTS TO DO THAT.
THE SECOND PART IS WE GOTTA GET OUTTA THE COAL BUSINESS.
UH, I HAVE SAID THAT I WANT US OUT OF FAYETTE, UM, BY 2029 THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
AND ALL OF THE DECISIONS WE MAKE WITH OUR GENERATION PLAN HAVE TO BE KEEPING IN MIND THAT IT OUGHT, WELL, IT OUGHT TO BE THROUGH THE PRISM OF WILL THIS HELP US GET OUT OF FAYETTE BY 2029? SO WE NEED TO FOCUS FIRST ON THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT GIVES US THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, WHICH IS MOTOR VEHICLES.
AND SECOND, WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE COAL BUSINESS CANDIDATE TOVO.
WE DO NEED TO CLOSE FAYETTE, UH, COAL PLANT AND CLOSE IT.
WE NEED TO USE OUR LEVERAGE TO CLOSE THAT PLANT, NOT JUST REMOVE OURSELVES FROM PART OF IT.
AND THE STANDING COUNCIL POLICY IS TO GET OUT OF IT BY 2022.
AND SO WE'RE ALREADY OVERDUE ON THAT GOAL, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY, ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT UNTIL 20 20, 20 29.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR LAND ACQUISITION.
THE CITY OF OF AUSTIN, THE COUNCIL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS SUMMER.
UM, IT WAS SQUELCHED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD OVER THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, BUT THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE AN URGENT NEED.
AS WE LOOK AT, AT IMPLEMENTING THINGS LIKE OUR FOOD PLAN, WHICH I INITIATED, UM, WE ARE GOING TO NEED SOME LAND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
WE NEED TO MOVE WITH URGENCY IN IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE WATER FORWARD PLAN, WHICH I ALSO INITIATED.
THIS IS OUR A HUNDRED YEAR CONSERVATION PLAN.
WATER IS AN EXTREMELY, ONE OF OUR MOST, UM, PRECIOUS RESOURCES, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS THE PLANS IN PLACE IT NEEDS FOR THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS.
I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT THE COUNCIL HASN'T DONE ANYTHING FOR CLIMATE, BUT I'M DISTURBED AT HOW FAR WE'VE SLIPPED BACK IN TWO YEARS.
WE SPENT, UH, OVER SIX YEARS CREATING OUR CLIMATE RESILIENCE OFFICE AND BRINGING DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER TO LOOK AT HOW WE ARE ALREADY ADAPTING AND MITIGATING.
WE CREATED A CLIMATE HEALTH EQUITY PLAN, A CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE, UH, OUR ELECTRIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STAKEHOLDER RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT, WHICH SPENT, UH, IN WHICH PEOPLE SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS WITH, UH, THE TECHNICAL EXPERTS ON STAFF AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES TO LOOK AT HOW WE COULD LOWER RATES, INCREASE OUR RELIABILITY IN OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY AND GET OUT OF FT.
2029 IS TOO LATE FOR US TO GET OUT OF FAYETTE COAL PLANT.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK ENERGY UTILITY ELECTIONS.
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS TRIED TO ILLEGALLY REMOVE THEM FOREVER WITH A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WAS STOPPED BY THE SIXTH LAWSUIT ABOUT OPEN MEETINGS ACT VIOLATION.
WE ACTUALLY COULD TAKE OUR UTILITY BACK AND START TRANSPARENTLY MAKING THESE DECISIONS FOR THE UTILITY THAT WE OWN.
LET'S DEAL WITH THE REALITY OF IT.
FAYETTE'S WILL NOT BE CLOSED BY 2029 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ONLINE TO MAKE UP FOR THOSE KILOWATT HOURS THAT IS BEING PRODUCED.
LET'S BE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.
WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT HOW LONG IT TAKES US TO EVEN PUT ANOTHER POWER PLANT ONLINE, WHETHER IT'S HYDROGEN, WHETHER IT'S NATURAL GAS, EVEN SOLAR.
SO WILL WE MEET THAT 2029 DEADLINE? I DOUBT IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE COULD BE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS WITH SOLAR.
WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF ROOFTOPS AROUND HERE.
MAYBE WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT RENTING OUT ROOFTOP SPACE TO HELP PRODUCE MORE POWER FOR THE USERS.
BUT ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO TO OUR AFFORDABILITY IF IT BECOMES TO WHERE IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE, WHAT HAVE YOU REALLY GAINED? BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE JUST, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS BECAUSE THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.
CANDIDATE GRECO, THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY'S LARGEST CORPORATE TAX SUBSIDY PROGRAM IN THE STATE FOR 20 YEARS WAS A PROGRAM CALLED CHAPTER THREE 13, TOOK A BILLION DOLLARS IN POTENTIAL MONEY FROM SCHOOL CHILDREN AND GAVE IT TO WEALTHY OIL AND GAS COMPANIES.
I WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE ORGANIZING EFFORT THAT KILLED THAT PROGRAM IN 2021.
THEY TRIED TO BRING IT BACK IN 2023.
WE STOPPED IT AND FORCED REFORMS. THERE USED TO BE 200 DEALS A YEAR.
I THINK THERE'S SIX APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR.
WE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZE AND WE NEED, WE NEED OUR MAJOR INDUSTRIES HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE NEED CHIP, WE NEED, UH, MANUFACTURING, BUT WE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZE THEM WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL INCENTIVES.
AND THEY ARE THE LARGEST USERS OF WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND GAS.
AND WE MAY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE ASK FOLKS TO CONSERVE, WE ASK TESLA
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NXP AND SAMSUNG TO PUT THE STRICTEST ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, CONSUMPTION OF WATER, ELECTRIC RATES, UM, IN THEIR PRODUCTION AS WELL.BECAUSE WE SHOULD NOT SUBSIDIZE POLLUTERS OR HEAVY USERS OF UTILITIES.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH CANDIDATE TOVO.
WE HAVE, WE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN ON CITY SERVICES.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT GRADE A THROUGH F WOULD YOU GIVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR MANAGING ITS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY DURING SUCH RAPID GROWTH, INCLUDING THE PURIFICATION SYSTEMS, THE SEWERS, AND THE DRAINAGE? WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED YOUR GRADE AND HOW CAN AUSTIN ENHANCE ITS PERFORMANCE IN THIS AREA? OH GOSH.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE HAD OUR CHALLENGES, AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I WILL, UM, PROVIDE A C BUT LET ME SAY THAT I BELIEVE WE HAVE MOVED UP INTO THE A CATEGORY WITH, WITH WHAT'S COMING FORWARD.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A FEW REAL CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, CERTAINLY DURING WINTER STORM URI WITH THE WATER, THE WATER BOIL NOTICE.
UM, THAT WAS SOME CHALLENGES THAT WERE REALLY UN, THAT WERE REALLY SOME THAT WERE UNAVOIDABLE, SOME THAT WERE AVOIDABLE.
UH, THE, THE MUSSELS IN THE WATER ISSUE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT I THINK WAS, UM, A MANAGE OF, UH, AN ISSUE OF LEADERSHIP.
SO THE COUNCIL HAS A, A COMMITTEE THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WEATHERIZING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT THERE IS INCREDIBLE OVERSIGHT FROM OUR CITY MANAGER DOWN TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY.
AND SO I BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
I THINK THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT THAT THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY DOES WELL, INCLUDING WATER CONSERVATION.
WE'VE GOT A VERY GOOD WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ONE AND REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WORKING WITHIN OUR UTILITY AT THE MOMENT.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE JAN POLITO.
I WOULD PROBABLY GIVE US A B BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME DEFINITE CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY LEAKY PIPES AND HOW MUCH WATER WE ARE CURRENTLY LOSING IN OUR OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S NOT ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS THINGS.
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT A LOT, BUT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS THE AREA AROUND US IN THE HILL COUNTRY AND UPSTREAM CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP.
UH, WE HAVE TO, UH, FIX OUR PIPES.
UM, AND WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REUSING THE WATER THAT WE CAN.
UM, SO I GAVE A HIGHER SCORE OF B BECAUSE, UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY AMAZING THAT AUSTIN'S POPULATION HAS DOUBLED IN 20 YEARS AND WE STILL HAVE GOOD WATER QUALITY, AND THAT'S NO ACCIDENT.
THAT'S TIRELESS ADVOCACY AND GOOD POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE AT RISK OF LOSING WHEN WE DEREGULATE, LIKE IN THE HOME INITIATIVE OR THE ZONING CHANGES THAT DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OUR IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS, OUR ACTUAL STORM WATER AND QUALITY NEEDS.
AND ALSO THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO REQUIRE SOLAR BATTERIES AND DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY ON OUR GRID AS WELL AS WATER CONSERVATION.
CANDIDATE BOWEN? WELL, I'D HAVE TO GIVE THEM ACTUALLY DIFFERENT GRADES FOR DIFFERENT SECTIONS, UH, WHEN IT COMES, AND I'LL GIVE THE OVERALL GRADE AT THE END.
BUT WE, WE FINALLY, YOU'RE JUST NOW GETTING INTO THE SMART WATER SYSTEM TO WHERE WE HAVE SMART METERS AND THE CITY WENT AND BORROWED, UH, FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS UNDER THAT, UNDER A LOW INTEREST, UNDER A LOW INTEREST LOAN TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THAT.
THOSE SMART METERS SHOULD HELP US START FINDING WHERE A LOT OF THE LEAKAGE IS WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, WHICH I ACTUALLY GIVE OUR, OUR SYSTEM PROBABLY A C MINUS ON THE SMART METERS.
I'LL GIVE THEM A B ON THAT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED UP.
THE OTHER PORTION THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS THE, THE INCREASING OF OUR PRESSURE.
THE CITY HAS BEEN INCREASING THE PRESSURE, WHICH IS NOW CAUSING, UH, RESTRAINTS ON, ON HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE TO GO AND INSTALL PRV VALVES, WHICH ARE PRESSURE REDUCTION VALVES FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT UNDER THE, THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN THE PAST, WHICH IS NOW CAUSING ISSUES.
THAT PRESSURE ALSO IS NOW CAUSING MORE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES WITH OUR LEAKING PIPES.
SO OVERALL, I'D HAVE TO GIVE THEM A C THANK YOU CANDIDATE GRECO B, AND I'M A, I'M A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, SO, UH, KNOWN AS A LENIENT GRADER, BUT I'LL GIVE HIM A B NUMBER ONE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO END SWEETHEART RATES, UH, FROM ALL OF OUR UTILITIES, INCLUDING WATER FOR LARGE INDUSTRIAL USERS, THEY NEED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONSERVING WATER.
I DON'T THINK WE DO THAT ENOUGH.
I MEAN, THERE'S A STATE OF TEXAS ESTIMATES $80 BILLION WORTH OF NEED TO FIX LEAKY PIPE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE NEED TO FIND THAT MONEY, UM, AND, AND, AND DEPLOY THAT.
AND THEN WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ENSURE THAT WE ARE, ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AS A CITY.
JUST LOST SOME WATER, BUT THE WHOLE CITY TO PROTECT, UH, OUR AQUIFER IN OUR LAKES DEVELOPMENT, UM, RUNOFF AND, AND HAVE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WE PROTECT
[00:35:01]
OUR PRECIOUS WATER SUPPLY.UM, IT'S A, IT'S A QUESTION I REALLY LIKE BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING SUCH PROGRESS.
I, I WOULD'VE AGREED WITH A C UH, WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO OFFICE, UH, THEY, WE NEEDED A DIFFERENT MANAGER OF THE WATER UTILITY, AND WE HAD A RELATIVELY NEW MANAGER WHEN I FIRST CAME IN.
AND I THINK SHE HAS REALLY GROWN IN THE JOB AND, AND, AND IS DOING A VERY GOOD JOB, UH, IN CORRECTING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE PROBLEMS OF THE PAST.
SHE'S ALSO DONE A VERY GOOD JOB WITH REGARD TO PLANNING AND GETTING US WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET AS PART OF THE PLANNING, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SOME WHO CRITICIZE, UH, THAT, THAT PLANNING, BECAUSE IT'S PREPARING US FOR THE FUTURE.
I WOULD ALSO GIVE THE A, A HIGHER GRADE A B NOW, MAYBE EVEN A B PLUS WHEN YOU CONSIDER, UH, THE PURPLE PIPE PROGRAM AND OUR CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND THE WAY THAT THE WATER UTILITY IS MOVING THAT FORWARD SO THAT WE WILL BE CONSERVING WATER.
AND THE COUNCIL HAS WORKED TOGETHER AS A TEAM IN ORDER TO GET POLICIES IN PLACE THAT WILL MOVE THAT, THAT FORWARD.
THAT IS GOING TO BE A HUGE PART OF WHAT OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE, AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD, UH, ADD TO THE GRADE.
NEXT, AN ISSUE THAT CONTINUES TO BE A KEY ONE FOR MANY AUSTINITES ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS CANDIDATE GIANNIS POLITO WILL BEGIN WITH YOU.
THE CHRONIC HOMELESS AND THOSE EXPERIENCING TEMPORARY 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 IT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE KINDS OF PARTNERS, THE WAY THAT THOSE AGREEMENTS ARE ARRANGED AND WHO IS, UH, ACTUALLY CONSULTED WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE ARE SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS.
I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THIS CAMPAIGN AND FOR MUCH OF MY ORGANIZING CAREER WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PEOPLE AND THE STAFF FROM THE CITY WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE UPFRONT, WHO ARE SERVING UNHOUSED PEOPLE AND WHO ARE HELPING MANY NAVIGATE, UH, HOUSING INSECURITY.
WE NEED MORE MONEY AT THE POINT OF PREVENTION.
WE NEED TO REALLOCATE WASTEFUL SPENDING ON THING.
TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS LIKE SWEEPS, WHICH SET PEOPLE BACK ARE CRUEL AND INEFFECTIVE.
UH, WE NEED TO STOP DEMOLISHING THE MOST AFFORDABLE UNITS IN AUSTIN THAT RENT FOR UNDER $1,500 A MONTH UNDER $1,000 A MONTH.
AND THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE CONTRIBUTING ACTIVITY OF THIS COUNCIL TO THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, WE NEED TO CENTER THE DIRECTLY IMPACTED PEOPLE IN INCLUDING THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND ORGANIZATION SERVING THEM.
WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOMELESS, I, I JUST HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE HOW WELL IS IT WORKING FOR US? UH, WHEN I LOOK AT HOTELS AND, AND COMING FROM A CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND, WHEN I LOOK AT, WE, WE SPEND MONEY ON A HOTEL, THEN WE HAVE TO COMPLETELY REBUILD IT BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THAT'S DONE TO IT.
WHAT DID THAT REALLY, WHAT DID THAT REALLY PREVENT? OR WHAT DID THAT REALLY PROVE? UH, I THINK WE COULD HAVE TAKEN SOME OF THAT MONEY AND MAYBE PUT IT INTO MAYBE TINY HOMES ON DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE LAND THAT THE CITY MAY OWN.
AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT ANOTHER PROGRAM TO WHERE WITH CAMP ZA, THEY JUST RECENTLY ADDED ANOTHER A HUNDRED TINY HOMES TO THAT SITUATION.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING, BUT ALSO SCRUTINIZE THOSE THAT ARE NOT WORKING AND ASK THE QUESTIONS, WHY ARE THESE NOT WORKING AND MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS.
UH, I BELIEVE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY ARE KIND OF FED UP WITH NOT HAVING ANY RESULTS AND JUST SEEING MORE OF THE SAME THING.
I KNOW THIS IS A LONG TERM PROJECT AND WE REALLY NEED TO GET ON TOP OF IT.
CANDIDATE GRECO MOST OF MY TIME IN AUSTIN, I LED A FAITH AND LABOR COALITION, CENTRAL TEXAS INTERFAITH.
AND IN 2021, DURING THE PANDEMIC REALLY BUILT THE POLITICAL WILL, UH, MET WITH EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, WORKED WITH MAYOR ADLER, UH, JUDGE BROWN AND EVERY COUNTY COMMISSIONER, GET THE CITY TO PUT 93 MILLION FOR PERMANENT HOUSING AND, AND, AND THE COUNTY TO PUT 110 MILLION.
AND, UH, THAT WAS A YEAR LONG CAMPAIGN.
UH, 90% OF FOLKS IN OUR PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS HAVE A SUCCESS RATE, UH, 90% SUCCESS RATE.
IT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.
FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, AND OTHERS.
OKAY, WE NEED TO DO MORE WITH OVERNIGHT SHELTERS.
THE CHALLENGE WITH HOTELS IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AN IMMEDIATE FIX, BUT COMMUNITY IS NOT BUILT LIKE IT IS AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE OR FOUND FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
AND SO SOMEONE IS NOT SITUATED OR EMBEDDED WITHIN A COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS COUNT HOMELESSNESS AS FAMILIES THAT ARE DOUBLING UP COUCH SURFING.
UM, IT'S FOUR TIMES AS LARGE TO THE NEED.
[00:40:01]
I WOULD LOOK AT FAMILIES THAT ARE ECONOMICALLY HOMELESS AND HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE INVEST IN THEM SO THEY DON'T SLIP INTO THE NEXT CATEGORY.UM, WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, I THINK THIS WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WAS THE MOST BROKEN ABOUT HOW CITY GOVERNMENT WAS WORKING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS, FIRST OF ALL, WE CREATED A HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE, SAY FOR THE, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A STAND ALONE HOME HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
THAT IS NOW WE'RE BUILDING OUT THE CONTINUUM.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET THAT THE COUNCIL JUST PASSED A A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE BUILD INTO THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM, EVERYTHING FROM PREVENTION TO, UH, EMERGENCY SHELTERS, TO RAPID REHOUSING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SERVICES TO WRAPAROUND FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO ACTUALLY WORK THERE.
I KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT HOTELS.
PRIOR TO MY COMING INTO OFFICE, WE HAD PURCHASED, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE HOTEL IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY THAT WAS SO BADLY MANAGED BY THE CITY THAT THE COUNT WILLIAMSON COUNTY SUED THE CITY AND THE THE PIPES WERE RIPPED OUT AT, WE'RE CUTTING THE RIBBON ON THAT.
NOW, O OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT.
WE'RE GONNA CUT A RIBBON ON THAT.
SO IT'S A SENIOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND THE, THE COUNTY JUDGE OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS JOINING ME IN THAT WE'RE DOING SO MUCH BETTER.
WE NEED MORE TIME TO FIX ALL OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR FOUR MORE YEARS.
YEAH, I'M REALLY PROUD TO HAVE SERVED ON A, ON A CITY COUNCIL THAT PRIORITIZED THIS NEED, AND IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE PRIORITIZED BECAUSE NONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS SHOULD BE SLEEPING OUTSIDE OR IN UNSAFE SITUATIONS.
SO THE COUNCIL I SERVED ON, UM, WITH MY LEADERSHIP, PASSED THE PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS, WHICH, WHICH DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE HEARD DESCRIBED IT.
IT INVESTED AND POINTED TO INVESTMENTS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE, MADE FROM PREVENTION TO SHELTER, TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND THAT IS HOW WE NEED TO APPROACH IT.
AND SO I WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CONCERNED WHEN SOME OF THOSE PERMANENT HOUSING DOLLARS THAT WE WORKED SO HARD FOR, UM, TO INVEST IN THE FEDERAL, FROM OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS, WERE INVESTED IN A VERY TEMPORARY, EXTREMELY COSTLY EMERGENCY SHELTER WITH NO PLAN FOR HOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE PERMANENTLY HOUSED.
AT THE END OF THAT TIME, THE COUNCIL HAS NOW EXTENDED IT AND EXTENDED IT, BUT STILL IS NOT THINKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN THE KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE WAY THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES AND THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DESERVE.
AS YOUR MAYOR, I'M GONNA BE A CHAMPION, UH, FOR THIS ISSUE AND A CHAMPION IN HAVING, IN GETTING AND ENCOURAGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO INVEST IN THIS ISSUE.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO TRANSPORTATION AND A LOT OF OUR QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT MONEY.
AND SO YOU ALL ARE GONNA BE MAKING SOME HELP, HELP MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON SPENDING.
AND A, ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE, OUR FUTURE 35, WE HAVE A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO CONSTRUCT CAPS AND STITCHES OVER THE HIGHWAY.
AND COMBINED THESE OPPORTUNITIES COULD CREATE UP TO 30 ACRES OF NEW PUBLIC SPACE IN THE MIDDLE OF CENTRAL AUSTIN.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT FUNDING? WHY OR WHY NOT? AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, CANDIDATE BOWEN AND I ACTUALLY HAD THIS QUESTION TODAY.
UH, GENTLEMAN CALLED ME ABOUT IT, AND I HONESTLY, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE REALITY OF THIS WHOLE THING, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CAPS AND STITCHES, WHICH I THINK IS FINE.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF THE TAXPAYERS ARE WILLING TO DO THAT.
THE LAST NUMBER I SAW ON THAT WAS SOMETHING LIKE $800 MILLION BASED UPON THE WAY THINGS ARE KIND OF GOING, I SEE IT TOPPING OUT AT BILLION.
ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ABOUT THAT IS IF IT'S GOING TO BE PARKS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAINTAIN THAT PROPERTY AS THEY PARK? WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME RIGHT NOW MAINTAINING THE PARKS WE HAVE THAT'S GOING TO ADD MORE MONEY.
ARE THE PEOPLE WILLING TO DO THAT? SO THERE NEEDS TO BE CLEAR TRANSPARENCY AND ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH WHAT IS THIS REALLY GOING TO COST? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME HYPERBOLE, BUT LET'S GET DOWN TO IT.
CAN I SUPPORT IT AT THIS TIME? I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THE COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE I CAN ACTUALLY SUPPORT IT.
IF THE PROJECT GOES FORWARD AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL, WE NEED CAPS AND STITCHES.
MY PROBLEM IS THOSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED IN AND PAID FOR BY THE STATE, AND WE ARE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS.
AND I KNOW MAYOR WAS STATE SENATOR AND NEGOTIATED THAT DEAL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED IN.
THIS IS A STATE PROJECT AND I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE HALF A DEAL.
WE HAVE A HIGHWAY EXPANSION, AND NOW WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR $800 MILLION IN CAPS SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO, HOW TO FIND THE MONEY.
I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE STATE.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
[00:45:01]
HAVE TO PAY FOR SOME OF THIS OURSELVES, BUT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED IN AT THE FRONT END.AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH THE BILL OVER AND AGAINST ALL THESE OTHER FISCAL CHALLENGES WE HAVE.
THE QUESTION WAS, DO YOU, WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT FUNDING? WHY OR WHY NOT MAY? UH, CANDIDATE WATSON, I SUPPORT HAVING THE CAPS AND STITCHES AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE SOME OF THE FUNDING COMES.
UH, THE STITCHES ARE BEING PAID FOR BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND IF YOU THINK OF A STITCH, THINK OF SIXTH STREET, FOR EXAMPLE, AND ON BOTH SIDES OF SIXTH STREET, AS IT RUNS EAST AND WEST, THE I 35 WILL BE LOWERED AND SIXTH STREET WILL RUN, UH, EAST AND WEST AND ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT ENVISION, UH, A PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE BRIDGE LIKE WHAT IS OVER THE PFLUGER BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE ON BOTH SIDES.
AND THAT WILL BE ON ALL OF THOSE EAST WEST, UH, STREETS.
THE FUNDING, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO FIND THE FUNDING IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THAT.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY FOUND THE FUNDING FOR THIS, THE CAP THAT WOULD BE FROM CESAR CHAVEZ TO UM, UH, FOURTH STREET, AND THAT COMES FROM $105 MILLION IN A RECONNECTING CITIES GRANT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS MADE.
IT WILL REQUIRE SOME MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE CITY.
BUT THE, THE GREAT GREAT MAJORITY OF THAT COMES FROM THAT.
I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH TO TRY TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BUT AT SOME POINT WE MAY EVEN HAVE TO ASK THE VOTERS IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO HAVE.
YEAH, I DIDN'T SUPPORT THE IH 35 EXPANSION AND, AND, AND DON'T, UM, AND HAVE SIGNED ON TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT.
I THINK IT WILL CAUSE, UH, I DON'T THINK IT WILL MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGES WITH REGARD TO TRAFFIC, AND I DO THINK IT, IT POSES SOME SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES.
HAVING SAID THAT, IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD, AND SO I THINK WE NEED THOSE CAPS AND STITCHES.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THE MOST RECENT PLAN REMOVES A FEW OF THOSE STITCHES THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD TALKED ABOUT AND WANTED.
UM, AND, AND I AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A STRONGER ASK TO THE STATE AND STRONGER LOBBYING FROM OUR ADMINISTRA, OUR LOCAL ADMINISTRATION TO GET THAT, TO GET THOSE STATE DOLLARS TO HELP PAY FOR SOME OF THESE EXPENSES.
THE CITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO SEEK FEDERAL FUNDING AND NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GREAT SPACES, UM, THAT ARE APPEALING TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT ARE DESIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT THAT ARE NOT FUNDED ON THE BACKS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO LOOKING AT CREATIVE WAYS TO PARTNER WITH, WITH DEVELOPERS, UM, THROUGH TAX INCREMENT FINANCE DISTRICT THROUGH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FINANCING MECHANISMS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
I TOO AM TROUBLED BY MANY ASPECTS OF THE I 35 EXPANSION.
I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE EXPANSION.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE INTENTION OF CAPS AND STITCHES TO CREATE MORE LAND, ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT AIR QUALITY AND OTHER END MAINTENANCE AND OTHER ISSUES AROUND THE CAPS.
UM, BUT PARTICULARLY AROUND COST AND ALSO THE DISPARITIES OF WHERE WE ALREADY SAW THE PLAN BEING TRIMMED ALONG EAST 11TH AND EAST 12TH STREET, HISTORICALLY AFRICAN AMERICAN AREAS THAT, UM, OFTEN ARE THE FIRST TO GET CUT OUT OF THESE LARGE AREAS.
WE SAW SIMILARLY WITH PROJECT CONNECT, UM, SO MANY PEOPLE PROMISED THE GREEN LINE ON THE EAST SIDE, UM, NOW HAVING TO WAIT FOR SOME HUGE ADDITIONAL TAX LEVY AND SOME FUTURE PLAN DECADES AWAY THAT THEY MAY NOT GET TO ENJOY BECAUSE THEY GET PRICED OUT OF AUSTIN.
SO I THINK THAT THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHAT IS THE GREATEST COST BENEFIT, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE PARTY TO A TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GETTING, WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR, AND WHERE THE PROMISE IS IN WRITING.
WE HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME IN.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THREE HOURS OF YOUR TIME, BUT WE HAVE AN HOUR.
AND SO THIS MAY BE OUR LAST QUESTION, BUT IT'S ON DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT HAS COME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN OVER THE LAST DECADE THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND THEIR HOME, HOME AND A AND ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE, IT'S HOME OPTIONS FOR MIDDLE INCOME EMPOWERMENT.
AND IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO USE THAT FULL NAME AS DOING SO TO CLARIFY THE REASONS FOR THESE UPDATES TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
BUT WE HAVE, WE WANNA KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH CANDIDATE GRECO.
IF I SAY THE WORDS, I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND.
LOOK, SO MY MOM BOUGHT THE HOUSE.
I GREW UP IN 1985 FOR $30,000.
I WILL FIGHT AS MAYOR FOR THE DIGNITY OF FOLKS TO OWN A HOME.
AND I THINK THE COST OF LIVING THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF SINCE 1997 OKAY.
[00:50:01]
AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY FOR MILLIONAIRES, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORTGAGE AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE HOUSING FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO UPDATE THE LANDCO.
I WOULD'VE FOUGHT FOR MORE ANTI DISPLACEMENT MEASURES.
UM, WHAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE IS THAT 40% OF HOMES ARE BOUGHT BY INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, PRIVATE EQUITY, AND EVEN FOLKS BUYING THREE HOMES OR LLCS BUYING HOMES.
CITY HALL EXISTS FOR ORDINARY FAMILIES AND ORDINARY FOLKS.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT IS INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAKING SURE OUR LAND CODE WORKS FOR THOSE WHO LIVE HERE AND WANT AND WANT TO LIVE HERE.
WELL, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT HAS TO BE SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF A HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY EMERGENCY.
AND WHAT HOME DID IS IT MADE IT WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD MORE SUPPLY.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH HOME ONE, ONE OF THE SIGNATURE PARTS OF THAT IS ALLOWING THE GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES AND THREE UNITS ON A SINGLE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
MORE ADU ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE PEOPLE TO OWN A PLACE OR, OR RENT A PLACE AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A HOME HOME.
TWO, THE SIGNATURE PART OF THAT WAS REDUCING, UH, MINIMUM LOT SIZE FROM 5,750 SQUARE FEET TO 1800 SQUARE FEET.
5,750 SQUARE FEET WAS OUTTA WHACK WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY ANYWAY, BUT IT WAS CREATED IN 1947.
AND THE BIGGEST COST OF BUILDING A HOME IS THE COST OF THE DIRT.
SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD SMALLER HOMES ON SMALLER LOTS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT AND MEET OUR AFFORDABILITY EMERGENCY CANDIDATE TOVO RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
SO RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT FOR ME BE BEGINS WITH RESPONSIBLE PLANNING.
AND I DON'T REGARD HOME AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UM, IT DOES CREATE MORE SUPPLY.
I THINK IT, IT CREATES A LOT OF INVESTOR DRIVEN SUPPLY.
THERE WERE NO, UH, ANTI DISPLACEMENT MEASURES PUT IN NOTHING LIKE THE EQUITY OVERLAY THAT HAD BEEN CREATED DURING CODE NEXT TO HELP PEOPLE IN THOSE RAPIDLY GENTRIFYING AREAS STAY WITHIN THEIR HOMES.
IT LACKS THE KINDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT WE REALLY NEED WITH TO PREVENT FROM FLOODING TO PREVENT AND MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK.
AND IT INCLUDES NO, NO PIECE OF AFFORDABILITY, NO PIECE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO FOR INVESTORS, IT WAS A GREAT, IT WAS A GREAT BUNCH OF ZONING CHANGES FOR EVERYDAY AUSTINITES, NOT SO MUCH.
WE NEED TO WORK TO PROHIBIT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WHICH THIS DID NOT SUCCESSFULLY DO.
DO WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE RESOLUTION I PASSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT DIRECTED STAFF TO CREATE A LOAN PROGRAM SO THAT REGULAR FOLKS COULD BUILD ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.
WE NEED TO ASK THEM WHERE THAT LOAN PROGRAM IS AND IMPLEMENT IT.
AND WE NEED TO WORK TO IMPLEMENT AN EQUITY OVERLAY TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
POLITO, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFIES THE PROBLEM WE ARE SOLVING FOR.
DO WE WANT MORE UNREGULATED SUPPLY OR DO WE ACTUALLY WANT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY? BECAUSE THEN YOU CRAFT A POLICY TO DO SO.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT CENTERS DIRECTLY IMPACTED PEOPLE.
IT DOES NOT LIKE HOME DID, UH, ALLOW UNLIMITED DEMOLITION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE STRUCTURES WITH NO REPLACEMENT.
IT DOES NOT ALLOW UP TO THREE NEW DRIVEWAYS WITH NO LIMIT ON IMPERVIOUS COVER CAUSING LOT TO LOT FLOODING.
UH, IT DOESN'T ALLOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH MASSIVE UP ZONINGS ACROSS THE CITY THAT DON'T PROTECT EXISTING TRANSIT RIDER AND RENTERS.
UM, THERE ARE A MILLION WAYS HOME, WHICH BY THE WAY, IT ONLY STOOD FOR MIDDLE INCOME EMPOWERMENT AT THE DECEMBER HEARING BY MAY, THEY HAD CHANGED IT TO MOBILITY AND EQUITY BECAUSE WE HAD ALL POINTED OUT THAT NONE OF THIS GENERATED HOMES THAT WERE AFFORDABLE TO MIDDLE INCOME PEOPLE, LET ALONE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE WHO ARE TRULY THE ONES EXPERIENCING THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
WELL, I BILLED, SO I DID WORK FOR DEVELOPERS AT ONE TIME.
I WAS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER IN THE AIR FORCE.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT, THE FIRST PART THAT REALLY COMES TO ME AFTER DEALING WITH THIS HOME WAS WHERE'S THE TRUTH AND THE TRANSPARENCY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF MISLEADING INFORMATION THAT SAID, OH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS, BUT NOBODY EVER BROKE DOWN.
WHAT WAS IT GOING TO COST YOU? WHAT ARE YOUR IMPACT FEES? YOU'RE NOW GOING TO HAVE TO GO FIGHT, UH, UH, MAYBE A DEVELOPER BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING, OH, YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS WILL PROTECT YOU, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
THE SAME THING WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR COVENANTS OR YOUR HOA, THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND PEOPLE ARE BEING LED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
[00:55:01]
THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, WHICH IS GREAT.THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THE TREE ORDINANCE.
THERE'S TOO MANY ISSUES THAT THE PUBLIC IS NOT AWARE OF, THAT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE.
RESPONSIBLE IS BEING ABLE TO INFORM THE PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO LIVE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
YOU WILL EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE FOR YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH YOU CANDIDATE WATSON.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PUTTING ON THIS FORM AND THANKS FOR EVERYBODY THAT WATCHES THIS AND CARES ENOUGH TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT.
UM, I ASKED FOR YOUR VOTE FOR REELECTION.
WE HAVE GOTTEN THINGS DONE AND WE HAVE MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE PAST, UH, TWO YEARS.
UH, BUT IT'S A, IT WAS A SHORT TERM AND THE NEXT TERM IS A FULL FOUR YEAR TERM.
SO MUCH GOOD HAS BEEN, BEEN STARTED, BUT WE NEED THAT, THAT 4 0 4 YEARS TO BE ABLE TO CARRY THINGS OUT AND START SOME NEW THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
AUSTIN IS A SPECIAL CITY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO PRICE PEOPLE OUT OF THIS CITY WHERE THE YOUNG PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY HERE, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE THE WAY THEY THEY'VE DONE FOR DECADES WHERE THEY COME, PEOPLE COME TO AUSTIN AND THEY SAY, I NEVER WANNA LEAVE IF WE DON'T DO MORE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
THIS CITY WAS NOT ADDRESSING ITS AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS.
IT WAS A LOT OF TALK AND A LOT OF EFFORT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO STOP WHAT WAS GOING ON.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, IN THE PAST 22 MONTHS, WE'VE MADE CHANGE.
WE ARE GOING TO REVIEW THOSE CHANGES AS THEY GO ALONG TO MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND WE'RE ACHIEVING OUR GOALS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ASKING YOU FOR YOUR VOTE ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
THANKS VERY MUCH AGAIN, FOR THE TIME AND FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
I INVITE YOU TO VISIT MY WEBSITE@KATHYFORAUSTIN.COM.
I'VE BEEN REALLY PROUD TO BE THE MAYORAL CANDIDATE ENDORSED BY THE AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB IN THIS RACE ON THE BASIS OF MY STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD.
UM, ALSO ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS, AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE CENTRAL AUSTIN DEMOCRATS AND MANY, MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS, INCLUDING SOME OF YOU HERE IN THIS ROOM.
YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BUILD THE COMMUNITY WHERE ALL AUSTINITES HAVE ACCESS TO THE JOBS, THE HOUSING, THE AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, THE GREAT PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.
BUT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND AUSTIN DESERVES A MAYOR WHO WANTS TO WORK WITH YOU, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, AND WHEN YOU COME TO COUNCIL TO, TO HEAR YOU, TO WORK WITH YOU, TO CRAFT SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE.
YOU KNOW, ANNE RICHARDS ONCE SAID, PEOPLE WORK FOR A LIVING.
THEY'VE GOT FAMILIES TO RAISE.
THEIR LIVES ARE TOUGH WITH EVERY VOTE AND EVERY DECISION I MADE IN THIS ROOM AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WORKING FAMILIES WERE ALWAYS WHO I HAD IN MIND.
THAT'S THE KIND OF MAYOR I'LL BE TO.
I BELIEVE THAT WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN CRAFT A BETTER AUSTIN.
I AM THE ONE CANDIDATE WHO HAS SPENT MOST OF MY ENTIRE LIFE HERE.
I AM THE SAME AGE THAT MAYOR WATSON WAS WHEN HE FIRST TOOK OFFICE.
AND I'VE HAD MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE TO LEARN FROM THE POLICIES OF THE PAST 20 YEARS AND ALSO TO LEARN FROM THE INCREDIBLE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SHAPED THIS CITY.
PROTECTED, STEWARDED, CREATED AND FOUGHT FOR EVERYTHING THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO AUSTIN AND MAKES THEM WANT TO STAY HERE.
I AM THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE THE MOST YEARS OF CONSECUTIVE EXPERIENCE IN AUSTIN, MUNICIPAL ISSUES AND AREAS.
AND I KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE AT THIS TOUGH CROSSROADS, WE HAVE AN ABILITY TO CHANGE THE CONVERSATION TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
LONGTIME AUSTINITES, PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST GOTTEN HERE, THE SERVICE INDUSTRY AND FRONTLINE WORKERS WHO ARE MAKING THE CITY RUN.
THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO EMPLOY THEM, THE EDUCATORS AND THE CREATIVES WHO YOU WILL FIND ENDORSING MY CAMPAIGN.
THERE IS A PLACE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS CITY GOVERNMENT.
IT'S TIME TO BRING THE PUBLIC AND OUR TECHNICAL EXPERTS BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS, UH, THIS FORUM FOR US TONIGHT.
UM, IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT MY CAMPAIGN, PLEASE JUST VISIT JEFF BOWEN FOR AUSTIN MAYOR.COM.
WHEN IT COMES TO, I'M THE OLDEST ONE.
SHE'S THE YOUNGEST, I'M THE OLDEST ONE.
LET'S BE, LET'S BE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, BUT I'VE GOT 68 YEARS OF LIFE EXPERIENCES THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT PORTIONS, UH, WHETHER IT BE CONSTRUCTION, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH TEACHING, BUT THOSE LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT WERE HANDED DOWN THROUGH MY PARENTS, THROUGH MY GRANDMOTHER, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT I WORKED WITH, ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS.
I WILL BE THERE TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS.
THIS WILL NOT BE A ONE-WAY CONVERSATION.
THIS WILL BE MORE LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS GOING ON.
THERE'S MANY OF YOU OUT THERE THAT ARE VERY UPSET AND YOU'VE LOST HOPE IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
[01:00:01]
PLACE IS WORTH SAVING.IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET INTO THE SITUATION WE'RE IN.
IT'S NOT GONNA FIX IT OVERNIGHT, BUT GIVE US A TRY.
AND CANDIDATE GRECO BEEN TEACHING AND ORGANIZING IN THIS CITY SINCE LATE NINETIES.
UM, AND I GUESS THE, THE, THE COMMENT THAT TROUBLES ME THE MOST IS THAT WE MAY BE LOSING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE MAY LOSE THE WORKING CLASS.
IT HAS HAPPENED FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS.
WE HAVE LOST OUR MIDDLE CLASS.
OUR WORKING CLASS HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT, AND OUR STATE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY RIGHT WING.
AND WE NEED LEADERS WHO HAVE PROVEN EXPERIENCE IN FIGHTING FOR THE WORKING CLASS IN SUCCESSFUL, UM, UM, SUCCESSFUL INVESTMENTS FOR THEIR ENTIRE CAREER.
AND IT'S TIME TO TURN THE PAGE.
WE HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS ELECTION.
WE CAN BE A PEOPLE OF FATE OR A PEOPLE OF FAITH.
IF WE'RE PEOPLE OF FAITH, THEN WE THINK THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN THERE BEFORE, BEEN THERE, DONE THAT THEY KNOW BEST.
THAT'S BEING FATED INTO A DECISION.
WE CAN BE A PEOPLE OF FAITH, FAITH IN DEMOCRACY, FAITH IN OUR AGENCY AS ACTIVE CITIZENS, OURSELVES AS A COLLECTIVE TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, HAVE THE IDEAS, TO SOLVE ISSUES LIKE AFFORDABILITY AND TO PROTECT OUR CIVIL RIGHTS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN.
THAT'S THE KIND OF CAMPAIGN I'LL RUN.
THAT'S THE KIND OF MAYOR I'LL BE, AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF CITY WE NEED TO BE.
I APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD CHECK OUT OUR CAMPAIGN@GRECOFORAUSTIN.COM AND I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE IN THE FALL.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU FOR A MOMENT AND THEN I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, THE AUDIENCE, BUT LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING LIVE AND TO THOSE THAT ARE GONNA LISTEN TO THESE RECORDINGS.
IN OUR OPENING REMARKS, WE EMPHASIZE TO THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
HOWEVER, IT IS ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS WHO WIELD THE TRUE POWER IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD ALL OF YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
IF YOU FAIL TO SERVE THE INTEREST OR UPHOLD YOUR PROMISES, VOTERS POSSESS THE AUTHORITY TO VOTE YOU OUT OF OFFICE.
OUR VOTE IS NOT JUST A CHOICE, IT IS A TOOL TO ENSURE THAT THOSE OF YOU IN POWER REMAIN ANSWERABLE TO ALL OF US.
TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION, OUR NONPARTISAN VOTERS GUIDE WILL BE INCLUDED AS AN INSERT IN THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE ON OCTOBER THE 10TH.
THE ENGLISH AND SPANISH VERSIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE THE FOLLOWING DAY AT WWW.LWVAUSTIN.ORG.
THE CHINESE AND VIETNAMESE PDFS WILL BE RELEASED THE WEEK AFTER PRINTED COPIES.
SHOULD ARRIVE AT AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND OTHER VARIOUS LOCATIONS DURING THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 14TH.
THESE FORUMS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A TXN NETWORK, ALONGSIDE ALL THE RECORDINGS OF CITY COUNSELING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION FOR, FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING, PLEASE BE A PART OF OUR GREAT DEMOCRACY AND VOTE.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.