[District 6 City Council Candidate Panels on October 7, 2024.]
[00:00:06]
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S DISTRICT SIX CANDIDATE FORUM.
I'M CAROL ECHO CAMP WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, 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 WILL REPRESENT NOT ONLY THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT SIX, BUT ALL OF US.
THEY WILL WORK AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THEY CAN AFFECT CHANGE.
SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE POWERLESS JUST WATCHING FROM THE SIDELINES, THINKING THAT 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 THESE CANDIDATES INTO OFFICE, AND IT'S THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL TO REMOVE THEM IF THEY FAIL TO DELIVER.
WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION BEFORE FOR YOU BEFORE GOING TO THE POLLS.
THIS TIME, VOTE FOUR ONE ONE.ORG IS A, UH, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE US AS PART OF OUR EDUCATIONAL FUND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS NOW LIVE, SO IF YOU PROVIDE YOUR ADDRESS, YOU CAN CHECK YOUR VOTER'S, UH, STATUS.
YOU CAN ALSO CHECK WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THESE ITEMS THAT YOU WANNA VOTE ON ARE ON YOUR BALLOT.
EVERYTHING IS THERE WHEN YOU PUT YOUR ADDRESS IN BECAUSE REMEMBER THAT YOU CANNOT TAKE DIGITAL DEVICES INSIDE A POLLING PLACE IN TEXAS EARLY PER EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING BEGINS MONDAY, OCTOBER 21ST AND ENDS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
THE ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER THE FIFTH, AND THE POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM AND IF YOU ARE IN LINE BY 7:00 PM YOU WILL GET TO VOTE.
CURBSIDE VOTING IS ALLOWED AT ALL POLLING LOCATIONS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THERE ARE DIRECTIONAL SIGNS IN THE PARKING AREAS, CANDIDATES.
OUR QUESTIONS ARE DEVELOPED WITH INPUT FROM 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'RE, YOU WILL HAVE A TWO MINUTE OPENING AND A TWO MINUTE CLOSING, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
WE ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM MANY PERSONAL ATTACKS ON YOUR OPPONENT, AND WE ASK OUR LIVE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM VERBALLY REACTING IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THESE CANDIDATES.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENTS, STARTING IN BALLOT ORDER AND ROTATING TO ENSURE THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO FIRST.
WE WILL BEGIN IN THE BALLOT ORDER IS, UH, CANDIDATE LANE.
LET'S, UH, LET'S PAUSE FOR ONE MOMENT WHILE WE TAKE CARE OF A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY.
CANDIDATE LANE, WE'RE GONNA START OUR TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT FORUMS LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN, UM, AND ALSO TO HOPE PRESBYTERIAN FOR HOSTING THIS EVENT FOR DISTRICT SIX.
I AM, I AM ONE PERSON IN A TWO PERSON RACE TO REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
NEVER EVER DID I THINK I WOULD RUN FOR OFFICE.
IT IS, RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS NOT MY DREAM JOB.
UM, BUT I'M HERE IN THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND BRINGING MORE EFFECTIVE SERVICES BOTH TO DISTRICT SIX AND ALSO TO AUSTIN AS A WHOLE.
I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
UM, I WENT TO COLLEGE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE I GRADUATED MAGNA C*M LAUDE AND PHI BETA KAPPA.
I WENT ON TO LIVE IN PARIS FOR A YEAR.
THEN I WENT TO BOSTON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THEN I DECIDED I NEEDED TO GET BACK HOME TO TEXAS.
UH, I AM NOW MARRIED TO ONE OF, TO A HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE, UH, WHO I GREW UP WITH IN HOUSTON, AND WE ARE RAISING TWO SONS IN DISTRICT SIX.
UH, WE'VE LIVED IN OUR HOME HERE FOR THE LAST DECADE, ALTHOUGH WE WERE REDISTRICTED, UH, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS PREVIOUSLY BEING IN ALLISON ALTERS DISTRICT.
SO I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE, UH, RESOLUTION OF ISSUES UNDER MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN MY CURRENT DISTRICT SIX COMMUNITY.
I AM A FORMER COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER WHO SPENT A DECADE SPECIALIZING IN THE AUSTIN HOUSING MARKET, ALSO WORKING ON ROAD AND UTILITY PROJECTS.
I HAVE DEEP KNOWLEDGE AROUND HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION IN ADDITION TO HAVING LIVED IN THOSE CITIES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UH, ABOUT 70% OF A COUNCIL MEMBER'S JOB IS CURRENTLY RELATED TO HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT.
[00:05:01]
SO I COME WITH DEEP EXPERIENCE THAT CAN HELP ME IN THOSE AREAS.I ALSO HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, ORGANIZING IN DISTRICT SIX IN SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M A CO-FOUNDER AND WAS PRESIDENT OF ACCESS EDUCATION ROUND ROCK ISD DURING THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.
AND I HAVE DEVELOPED DEEP TIES, UH, FROM THOSE LAST FEW YEARS AS WELL AS MY DECADE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU TO HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND TO OUR AMAZING CITY STAFF WHO'S HERE THIS EVENING, ENSURING THAT THIS CAN BE STREAMED ONLINE.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO, BEFORE I START, THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT'S TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR MONDAY EVENING TO BE HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES IN THIS RACE FOR CITY COUNCIL.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN WHAT IS DISTRICT SIX TODAY.
I HAVE A STRONG COMMUNITY TIE HERE, AND I WANT TO SEE NOTHING MORE THAN OUR COMMUNITY BE BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I'VE SPENT TIME LEARNING ABOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND I'M SO THANKFUL TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES IN HERE WHO I'VE HELPED THROUGH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M DEEPLY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
WITHOUT A SAFE CITY, IT IS VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE.
AND I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE WHO SPENT EIGHT YEARS AT THE JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER WHO WAS IN PEOPLE'S HOMES ON THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES, AND WHO IS CURRENTLY WORKING TO MAKE EVERYONE HERE'S LIFE BETTER.
AND I DID THAT IN PART BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
IN ORDER TO PASS THIS WEEK, IT'LL BE POLICY NUMBER 41 RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, IT TAKES ME PLUS A MINIMUM OF THREE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ORDER TO PASS SOMETHING.
UM, THESE ARE POLICIES THAT DO SAVE LIVES.
I PASSED A POLICY RELATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT WAS PASSED, A PD WAS ABLE TO GET A 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO HAD BEEN TRAFFICKED FROM KANSAS TO AUSTIN, AND THEY RECOVERED HER, AND SHE'S NOW A SURVIVOR OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I GAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BACK A TOOL THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER BEFORE ME TOOK AWAY IN 2020, AND THAT TOOL HAS HELPED GET CARS THAT HAVE BEEN STOLEN, AND IT HAS ALSO HELPED A PD OFFICERS STOP MASS SHOOTINGS THAT WERE THREATENED AT THE TESLA PLANT, AND IT HAS HELPED CATCH PEOPLE WHO WERE KIDNAPPED.
THESE ARE LIFE SAVING POLICIES THAT I HAVE AUTHORED, AND I WANT TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY REMAINS A SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
TALKING ABOUT DISTRICT SIX CANDIDATE KELLY, WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT LIVING IN DISTRICT SIX AND HOW HAVE YOU WORKED TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY SINCE, SINCE THEN? YEAH.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE DISTRICT SIX.
IT IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN AUSTIN.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE REFER TO DISTRICT SIX AS THE LAST PLACE IN AUSTIN.
PEOPLE LIVE BEFORE THEY MOVE OUT OF THE CITY BECAUSE WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IN OUR AREA IS THE PARKS.
I ESPECIALLY LIKE SPRINGWOODS PARK, WHICH IS OFF OF ANDERSON MILL ROAD.
IT IS A PARK THAT I GREW UP IN, AND I'VE SEEN IT TRANSFORM FROM WOODEN PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT MY BROTHER, SISTER AND I USED TO GET SPLINTERS ON BEFORE WE WENT HOME TO ACTUALLY PLASTIC NICE PARKS.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WANNA CONTINUE TO DO, IS PROTECT OUR GREEN SPACE.
AND SOMETHING YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS IS, UM, I WILL BE PRESENTING A CHECK OF $150,000 FROM MY OFFICE BUDGET THAT I HAVE SAVED OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF BEING IN OFFICE THAT I WILL DIRECTLY PUT INTO IMPROVEMENTS IN A PARK IN THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, NOT MANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN SAY THAT THEY HAVE DONE.
SO IT WOULD BE THE PARKS THANK YOU CANDIDATE LANE.
SORRY, I'M STILL LEARNING THIS WHOLE FIRST TIME CANDIDATE THING.
UM, SO I MOVED TO DISTRICT SIX, UH, 10 YEARS AGO FOR TWO REASONS.
I REALLY WANTED TO RAISE MY CHILDREN HERE WITH MY HUSBAND.
UH, THERE WERE VERY STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THERE IS SO MUCH NATURE THAT'S RIGHT OUT OUR DOOR.
ACTUALLY, I'LL ADD A THIRD REASON ON IS BECAUSE I STILL WANTED TO BE IN AUSTIN.
I WANTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE CITY AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS NATURE AND HAVE STRONG SCHOOLS AND A STRONG COMMUNITY TO RAISE MY CHILDREN IN.
UM, I I HAD TO CHUCKLE WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY SAID, UM, THIS IS THE LA DISTRICT.
SIX IS OFTEN THE LAST PLACE PEOPLE LIVE BEFORE THEY MOVE OUT OF AUSTIN, BECAUSE I MYSELF HAD STARTED TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE FEELINGS.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF GAPS IN CITY SERVICES IN DISTRICT SIX THAT CAN MAKE THINGS CHALLENGING, WHETHER THAT HAPPENED, WHAT HAPPENED IN YURI.
SO MANY OF US LIVED THROUGH AND WE'VE SEEN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RESOLUTION DEPENDING ON WHETHER WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, LONG TIME IN DISTRICT SIX OR RECENTLY REDISTRICTED TO IT.
UM, WE HAVE I MANY
SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, WANTING TO LEAVE NEXT.
[00:10:01]
GONNA INTERRUPT JUST SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR MM-HMM.IS THAT WE ARE GONNA DISCUSS THE ISSUES SURE.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA DISCUSS WHAT ANOTHER CANDIDATE HAS SAID MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA REALLY THE, IT'S A ONE MINUTE ANSWER.
SO THESE, WE'RE GETTING INTO SOME ISSUES RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO BOTH, TO BOTH OF YOU JUST THANK YOU, CAROL, FOR THE REMINDER.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO, TO TALK ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES.
SO MOVING RIGHT INTO AN ISSUE AND IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO ON ON THIS QUESTION, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRESSING ISSUE IN AUSTIN, 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 FOR ACROSS ALL OF AUSTIN, NOT JUST DISTRICT SIX, BUT ACROSS ALL OF AUSTIN? AND WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO ADDRESS IT? AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH CANDIDATE LANE.
FOR ME, 9 1 1 RESPONSE TIME IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE.
EVERYONE IN THIS CITY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND KNOW THAT IF THERE'S A CRITICAL EMERGENCY, HELP WILL ARRIVE, HELP THAT HELP 'EM FEEL SAFER AND HELP THAT IS THERE.
WHETHER THEY ARE CALLING FOR POLICE, EMS, FIRE, MENTAL HEALTH INCIDENT, UM, CONCERNS AROUND HOMELESSNESS, ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, THERE ARE ISSUES THAT EXIST ACROSS ALL OF AUSTIN IN RELATION TO 9 1 1.
UM, AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO DISTRICT SIX.
WE NEED TO SOLVE BOTH, AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD.
UM, IT HAS BEEN CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON A POLICE CONTRACT.
WE HAVE STAFFING ISSUES ACROSS MANY OF OUR, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING POLICING AND I, AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT WE APPEAR TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO GETTING THAT.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK THAT THAT IS REALLY ONLY A STARTING POINT FOR PROBLEM SOLVING.
UM, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND CARRY FORWARD SOME OF WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN RECENT YEARS, ROLL OUT SOME PILOT PROGRAMS MORE EFFECTIVELY IN MANY PARTS OF THE CITY, INCLUDING DISTRICT SIX.
I'M VERY PROUD THAT OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER IS CURRENTLY, UM, TAKING CALLS AT OR ABOVE THE NATIONAL STANDARD, WHICH IS ANSWERING A CALL WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF IT BEING MADE.
THEY ARE DOING THAT AT OR ABOVE 94% OF THE TIME THAT A CALL COMES INTO NINE ONE ONE.
IN PART BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLE I TOOK TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE CHANGES AT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP, UM, THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
AND IT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1, THERE IS NO BACKUP FOR POLICE FIRE OR EMS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO CALL FOR THOSE SERVICES NEED THEM WHEN THEY NEED THEM.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE CONTRACT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED TO PASS IN ORDER FOR OUR OFFICERS TO HAVE THE STABILITY THEY NEED RELATED TO PAY AND RETENTION AT THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS USING IT AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL.
AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE THAT PASS.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I DID REAL BRIEFLY WAS CREATE A, UH, TRANSITIONAL POLICE ACADEMY, WHICH ALLOWED FOR OFFICERS WHO WERE ALREADY CERTIFIED AT THE STATE LEVEL TO TAKE HALF AS MUCH TIME IN ORDER TO COME ON BOARD.
AND THAT HAS PAID US DIVIDENDS AND GETTING MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET.
UH, CONTINUING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CANDIDATE, KELLY, ON THE SPECTRUM BETWEEN OVER, SORRY, BETWEEN OVER-POLICING AND OVER AND BEING OVERLOOKED, WHERE DO YOU SEE DISTRICT SIX? IF YOU BELIEVE ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY, WHAT SPECIFIC CHANGES WOULD YOU ADVOCATE FOR? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE BELIEVED THAT THERE ARE INNOVATIVE WAYS AND BETTER WAYS TO DO THINGS THAN WE'VE BEEN DOING THEM IN THE PAST.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN OVEREXTENDED IN THEIR ABILITIES TO RESPOND TO CALLS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY VACANCIES.
AND I BELIEVE FIXING THE VACANCIES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOW FOR MORE INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF IS TO BE ON A CITY COUNCIL WHERE WE WERE THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO ADD A FOURTH OPTION WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1.
SO NOW, INSTEAD OF HEARING, DO YOU NEED POLICE, FIRE OR EMS, YOU HEAR, DO YOU NEED POLICE, FIRE EMS OR MENTAL HEALTH? AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING THAT AT THE CITY.
I AM ENCOURAGING OF THAT, BUT THAT WILL NOT REPLACE THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE NEED WHEN THEY DO NEED SOMEONE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND URGENTLY FOR THEIR CARE.
SO I, I WOULD SAY THAT DISTRICT SIX FALLS IN THE CATEGORY, UH, MORE SO OF OVERLOOKED THAN OVERPOLICED.
UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE SEEN MANY CHALLENGES GROW IN OUR AREA, AND THOSE WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA HAVE SEEN THE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN HOMELESSNESS THAT, UM, WAS RANKED AS THE SECOND FASTEST GROWTH RATE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, BY ECHO, UM, WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT, UH, PLAY OUT IN OUR PARKING LOTS AND, AND CALLED FOR CALLED 9 1 1.
UM, WE, WHAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN DISTRICT SIX IS A ROLLOUT TO OUR AREA OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE MORE FULLY
[00:15:01]
ROLLED OUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT CAN HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THE BURDEN ON POLICE SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO RESPOND MORE QUICKLY.AND, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT SEEN, UH, AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION AND AROUND THESE ISSUES, WE ALSO DON'T GET THINGS LIKE RESPONSES FOR PROPERTY CRIME SPEEDING.
UM, THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO GET THERE.
THERE'S ALSO WORKING ON SAFE STREETS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
CANDIDATE LANE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON, BUT WE'RE GOING OVER INTO SOME ISSUES WITH THE, THE ENVIRONMENT.
THERE'S A TENSION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, LIKE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN 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 PRIORITIES? UM, WE NEED TO HAVE REGULATIONS THAT, THAT IMPACT BOTH.
UM, WE NEED ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS AS WE HAVE IN DISTRICT SIX.
UM, AND, AND WE ALSO NEED, YOU KNOW, ZONING THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO THE TYPE OF USE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF YOU LOOK, I I AM A BIG PROPONENT OF STREAMLINING, UM, SO THAT THERE'S MORE PREDICTABILITY IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE STREAMLINE LINING IN OUR REGULATIONS AND MORE EFFICIENCY IN OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN INTERACTION.
SO IF WE'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA, THERE ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, REGULATIONS.
SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF HOW I VIEW THAT BALANCE.
BUT I ALSO THINK THERE ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES RELATED TO THAT WILDLIFE URBAN INTERFACE, SUCH AS WILDFIRE PREVENTION THAT, UM, I'M, I'M PERSONALLY CONCERNED THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE ACTION ON.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE ARE LARGER SCALE SOLUTIONS AROUND THINGS LIKE FLOODING AND IMPERVIOUS COVER, THAT THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND ALSO DISTRICT SIX COULD BENEFIT FROM, UH, THAT I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH IN MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A BALANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE STRUCK BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND OUR GROWTH AS A CITY.
I BELIEVE IN GENTLE DENSITY AND IN MY TIME ON COUNCIL, I HAVE MADE EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE ADAPTABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO GET ADUS IN THEIR PROPERTY IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
I ACTUALLY SPONSORED A POLICY THAT PUT ALL OF THE CODE REGULATIONS IN THE SAME PLACE IN OUR OUTDATED 1984 LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
BY THE WAY, IT'S TWO YEARS OLDER THAN ME.
UM, AND I DO BELIEVE THE ENVIRONMENT'S IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, THERE'S PROBABLY MANY OF YOU IN HERE WHO REMEMBER ALL THE, THE TALKS ABOUT THE JOLLYVILLE SALAMANDER AND HOW WE NEEDED TO PROTECT THAT AND THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER.
THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE HAVE TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN HOW MUCH DENSITY WE HAVE AND HOW MUCH IMPACT THAT HAS ON OUR ENVIRONMENT.
HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE CITY LEVEL INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE? I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT HOW THE CLIMATE IS AFFECTING THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE.
BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I SAID THAT IF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY THAT INVESTS IN MAKING OUR CLIMATE BETTER, THEN WE WOULD BE WRONG.
WE WOULD BE WASTING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH WASTEWATER AND WATER PIPES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE'RE NOT WASTING, UM, MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER THAT WE'VE SEEN AND HEARD ABOUT ON THE NEWS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO ENSURE THAT WE ALSO PROTECT OUR GREEN SPACES AND THAT WE DON'T OVERDEVELOP NEAR BULL CREEK, WHERE WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO GO HIKING AND TO SEE, UM, THE, THE CREEK JUST RUN THROUGH IN NATURE.
I WAS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE POLICY THAT WE PASSED ON COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT THAT PROPERTY WAS NOT DEVELOPED INTO A HOTEL.
UM, IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I BELIEVE THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WE CAN AFFECT WITH CHANGE.
WE, WE ARE SEEING SOME VERY CLEAR IMPACTS OF, OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
UM, WE EXPERIENCED EXTREME WEATHER AND ITS CONSEQUENCES HERE
[00:20:01]
IN DISTRICT SIX AGAIN AND AGAIN.UH, THERE IS ALSO NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND AND THE STATE, YOU KNOW, HAS PUT, HAS PASSED ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE GOOD CUSTODIANS OF TAX DOLLARS.
AND SO WHAT I WILL ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR IS WHERE WE CAN GET THE MOST BENEFIT FROM EACH INITIATIVE.
AND SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO ME IS I DO SUPPORT WORKING ON ISSUES THAT ARE RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH CAN BE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN MASSIVE POPULATION GROWTH, AND WE SEE FOR OURSELVES THE LEAKING PIPES, THE FAILING WASTEWATER, UH, LIFT STATION THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS OCCURRED IN DISTRICT SIX.
UM, WE SEE THE CONGESTION THAT'S CAUSED ALONG OUR ROADS.
UH, WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE EXTENSIVE FLOODING NOW, NEVERMIND AFTER DEVELOPMENT.
I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INTERSECTION OF THOSE TWO CONCERNS.
I FEEL THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD IN THAT WAY BASED ON THE ENDORSEMENTS I'VE ALREADY RECEIVED FROM FOUR SITTING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA CARRY ON IN THAT VEIN.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP IN, IN CANDIDATE LANE.
MUCH OF DISTRICT SIX LIES OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE OF THE NORTHERN EDWARDS AQUIFER.
DO YOU BELIEVE THE CURRENT PROGRAMS IN PROJECTS IN PLACE TO MITIGATE RUNOFF AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS ARE SUFFICIENT AND ARE MORE EFFORTS NEEDED TO PROTECT THIS SENSITIVE REGION? WHY OR WHY NOT? I DO THINK THAT THE PROTECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE ARE EFFECTIVE AND IMPORTANT.
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME TO MAINTAIN WATER QUALITY AS WELL AS WATER SUPPLY.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE THAT THAT REALLY GETS US IS THE ONE WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT.
AND SO IN, IN DISTRICT SIX, WE HAVE A LOT OF AGING WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, A LOT OF THAT IS IMPACTING OUR CITY'S CLIMATE GOALS AROUND CONSERVATION BECAUSE SO MUCH IS LEAKING OUT INTO OUR STREETS.
IT'S ALSO IMPACTING QUALITY OF LIFE IN DISTRICT SIX BECAUSE WE HAVE INTERRUPTIONS OF SERVICE WHERE DISTRICT 10 MIGHT HAVE A WATER MAIN THAT MAKES THE NEWS BECAUSE IT GOT HIT WITH CONSTRUCTION.
MEANWHILE, OVER IN DISTRICT SIX, PEOPLE ARE ON NEXT DOOR ASKING IF THAT'S WHY THEIR WATER'S OUT.
NO, THAT'S BECAUSE OF PIPE FAILED.
UM, ALSO THINGS LIKE, UM, A WASTEWATER LIFT STATION THAT FAILED BECAUSE OF ENERGY FAILURES AND OTHER FAILURES DURING URI, UM, SPILLED A HUNDRED THOUSAND GALLONS OF SEWAGE DOWN OUTSIDE OF THIS LIFT STATION ABOVE THE CREEK.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN CONTAMINATE OUR WATER SUPPLY AND, AND I DEFINITELY CARE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF MANY OF THEM.
CANDIDATE KELLY, ARE, ARE THE, UH, PROGRAMS TO MITIGATE THE RUNOFF ANOTHER CONTAMINANTS? ARE THEY SUFFICIENT? WHY OR WHY NOT? FROM ALL THAT I'VE SEEN AND READ AND HEARD ABOUT, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS PROTECTED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON IS A WASTEWATER, UM, SPILL THAT WAS REPORTED LAST YEAR.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED NEAR CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AFTER I TALKED WITH THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY DIRECTOR, WAS THAT 58,000 GALLONS WORE, SPILLED BUTT CONTAINED ON SITE, AND THE TCEQ WAS NOTIFIED.
THERE WAS NO SPILL INTO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, AND THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE TIME.
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY STAFF WHO ALERTS AND LETS COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE BUBBLING UP IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M PROUD TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND THE DIRECTORS VARIOUSLY AT THE CITY WHO LET US KNOW WHEN THINGS NEED TO COME TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND THEN IT WORKS THE OPPOSITE WAY TOO, IN CASE SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY LETS ME KNOW THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED OR THEIR WATER'S OUT.
I PICK UP THE PHONE AND I MAKE A CALL AND I FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP OR WHO I CAN TELL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE KELLY, THIS IS A CITYWIDE QUESTION.
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 OF OUR AGING ROADS AND BRIDGES? WHY OR WHY NOT? AS, AS THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN THE DISTRICT SIX RACE TODAY, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PRIOR COUNCILS FROM EVERYTHING I COULD SEE REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT AUSTIN TO GROW AS BIG AS IT DID.
AND SO WE GOT BEHIND IN A LOT OF WAYS WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING ROADS AND, UM, JUST IN GENERAL, IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING AT TIMES, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY MAKING AND ENSURING THAT THOSE ROADS ARE FIXED.
ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS ANDERSON MILL ROAD, JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 180 3.
I WAS ALSO HAPPY TO HAVE WORKED WITH TDOT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT A BIG DIP IN THE MIDDLE OF ANDERSON MILL, JUST AS YOU CROSSED OVER 180 3, GOT FIXED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF Y'ALL IN THIS ROOM PROBABLY HAD
[00:25:01]
YOUR CARS BOUGHT OUT, BUT I'M SO THANKFUL THAT YOU TOLD ME ABOUT IT SO THAT I COULD MAKE SURE THAT IT GOT FIXED.AND I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING TO CATCH UP WITH WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THERE OVERNIGHT, Y'ALL, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT DILIGENTLY AT THE CITY.
UH, I, I DO NOT THINK THAT WE HAVE KEPT UP WITH, UH, NEEDED, UH, MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION IN OUR ROADS.
I THINK THAT, THAT IT HAS BEEN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AND IT IS VERY HARD TO KEEP UP WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT PART OF IT IS MAINTAINING THOSE ROADWAYS AND PART OF IT IS OPENING UP OTHER OPTIONS FOR THOSE WHO WANT THEM.
AND ONE THING THAT HAS REALLY HAPPENED IN AUSTIN AND IN DISTRICT SIX IS DISTRICT SIX HAS HAD SOME OF THE MOST GROWTH IN THE CITY, UH, THROUGH APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT HAVE SPRUNG UP, YOU KNOW, NEAR LAKELINE STATION AND ALSO IN PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, NOR DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS THAT ARE MUCH MORE COMMON IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, TO CONNECT THEM TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
SO I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S COULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE FOR US AND VERY AVAILABLE TO DISTRICT SIX WITH THE RIGHT TYPES OF ADVOCACY AND, AND WORKING WITH OTHER DECISION MAKERS, IS TO CREATE MORE EFFECTIVE CONNECTIONS FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO TAKE THEM FROM, FROM INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDERUTILIZED, LIKE EXISTING PARK AND RIDES ALONG JOLLYVILLE ROAD.
LAKELINE STATION ITSELF IS UNDERUTILIZED.
CONTINUING ON IN CITY SERVICES AND CANDIDATE LANE, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
AND THIS IS CITYWIDE, THINK OF NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST.
WHAT GRADE A THROUGH F WOULD YOU ASSIGN TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR MAINTAINING ITS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY AND THE AMID THE RAPID GROWTH, INCLUDING PURIFICATION SYSTEMS, SEWERS, AND DRAINAGE? WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED YOUR GRADE AND HOW CAN AUSTIN IMPROVE IN THIS AREA? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SAY THAT I WOULD GIVE A D
I MEAN, WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE, UH, BOIL WATER NOTICES.
WE HAVE HAD, UM, AS I MENTIONED, THIS LIFT STATION THAT I, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, FAILED AGAIN LAST YEAR, BUT ALSO FAILED DURING URI.
UM, PERHAPS MY SCORE IS BASED ON WHERE I LIVE IN THE CITY.
WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT WAS ONE OF THE LATER AREAS TO BE ANNEXED, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE OUT HERE THAT FAILS FREQUENTLY.
UM, KIDS HAVE BEEN SENT HOME FROM SCHOOL BECAUSE OF WATER INTERRUPTIONS, SITTING IN CLASSROOMS WITH LIGHTS OFF, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW LONG TILL THEY COME BACK ON.
UM, SO YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE.
AND I THINK THAT IN WITH, WITH THEIR SO MUCH FINANCIAL PRESSURE, UH, IN OUR AREA, NO, YOU GO AHEAD.
FINISH YOUR, FINISH YOUR SENTENCE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE EFFECTIVE USE OF VARIOUS FINANCIAL, UM, RESOURCES LIKE, OR WAYS OF DOING THINGS LIKE BONDS, ENSURING THAT WE MAINTAIN A SOUND FINANCIAL RATING, THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WILL HELP US USE OUR MONEY AS WISELY AS POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
I WOULD GIVE THE CITY A B MINUS, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IN PART BECAUSE, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A BACKUP WATER SUPPLY AND WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING HERE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CONSTANTLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND.
AND I'M NOT A BETTING PERSON, BUT I BET YOU ROY WHALEY IS GONNA COME IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK ON THURSDAY AND REMIND US HOW LOW LAKE TRAVIS IS.
THAT'S OUR PRIMARY WATER SUPPLY, AND IT'S CURRENTLY AT 46%.
SO I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS DEFINITELY IN THE WORKS FOR ME.
AND IN MY SECOND TERM, I'D LIKE TO BRING TO FRUITION, WHICH IS FINDING ANOTHER WATER SOURCE THAT WILL SUSTAIN US AS A CITY, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA WAKE UP ONE DAY AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH WATER FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE A REAL SHAME.
I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA END UP LIKE THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN.
MOVING ON TO, UH, HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING CHALLENGES, 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? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
AND PART OF THAT COMES WEIGHING WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WHEN I LOOK AT THINGS LIKE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS SOLUTIONS WHERE WE PURCHASE HOTELS, REHAB THEM,
[00:30:01]
AND THEN HAVE PEOPLE MOVE IN, AND IT ONLY HOLDS 73 INDIVIDUALS, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING A LARGE DENT IN OUR HOMELESS POPULATION OR PROBLEM.I ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SOLUTION, WHICH IS A TEMPORARY SHELTER AT THE MARSHALING YARD CURRENTLY, AND FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE, WE'RE HELPING 300 PEOPLE A NIGHT.
WE NEED A DIVERSITY OF SOLUTIONS IN ORDER TO HELP THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE JUST LIKE EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM, WE ALL HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS AND SO DO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY UNSHELTERED.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO INVEST IN ENSURING THAT WE HELP THEM BEFORE THEY GET HOMELESS.
SO WE'RE INVESTING IN WORKFORCE TYPE PROGRAMS AND THAT WE'RE HELPING WITH, UM, MAYBE JUST PAYING AN ELECTRIC BILL TO HELP SOMEBODY GET BY FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE THEY WERE SICK AND THEY COULDN'T GO TO WORK.
SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT I BELIEVE NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
SO ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE AROUND OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE IS THAT AS WE HAVE WATCHED HOMELESSNESS GROW IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY, THE LEVEL OF RESPONSE TARGETED TOWARDS THOSE PARTS OF THE CITY HASN'T ALSO INCREASED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN DISTRICT SIX.
IT'S ALSO AN ISSUE THAT RELATES TO US AS A GROWING CITY.
WE HAVE MANY SERVICES THAT ARE FOCUSED, IS FOCUSED FAR FROM HERE, EVEN JUST RECYCLING DROP OFF, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MEANT TO BE TO, YOU KNOW, HELP THE CLIMATE AND YET IT WOULD BE THIS LONG DRIVE TO GET ALL THE WAY INTO TOWN AND BACK.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN HELP US, UH, WITH OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE.
AND I'M JUST GONNA LIST A COUPLE OF THE MAIN ONES.
UM, THE COST OF HOUSING CORRELATES DIRECTLY WITH THE RATE OF HOMELESSNESS, HOMELESSNESS AT SKYROCKETS WHEN THE COST OF HOUSING SKYROCKETS.
SO HAVING SOMEONE IN PLACE WHO HAS A DEEP KNOWLEDGE AROUND HOUSING AND HOW TO IMPACT AFFORDABILITY, UH, WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE TO, WE'LL, WE'LL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS, BUT IF WE ALSO LOOK AT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND PLACES LIKE HOUSTON THAT HAVE MADE GOOD STRIDES, THEY HAVE DONE SO BY IMPROVING COORDINATION ACROSS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, DOING THINGS LIKE REACHING OUT TO
WE'RE GOING TO, UM, DELVE INTO DEVELOPMENT.
AND I WANNA DEFINE HOW IT'S DEFINED RIGHT NOW BY THE CITY HOME.
HOME IS DEFINED AS HOME OPTIONS FOR MOBILITY AND EQUITY, AND PERHAPS WE SHOULD SAY THE ENTIRE NAME BECAUSE IT MAY HELP US UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSES BEHIND THESE TYPES OF CODE AND STANDARDS ACROSS THE CITY.
BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS CHANGED THE 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.
WHAT CHALLENGES, IF ANY, DOES THIS POSE FOR DISTRICT SIX? UM, SO I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF STREAMLINING REGULATIONS, INCREASING EFFICIENCY AND REINVESTING THAT MONEY INTO OTHER SERVICES.
UM, SO I AM, I AM A SUPPORTER OF THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGES POSED IN DISTRICT SIX ARE LESS THAN THEY'VE BEEN MADE OUT TO BE.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MASTER PLAN COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE VERY ACTIVE HOAS THAT ENFORCE THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
AND THAT SIGNIFICANTLY, I MEAN, THAT, THAT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE IMPACT ACROSS DISTRICT SIX.
BUT THERE ARE SOME REALLY INTERESTING IMPACTS IN DISTRICT SIX THAT I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THEM IS AS WE DO HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE THOSE ARE RESTRICTED AND THAT BECOMES LESS PREVALENT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, IT ACTUALLY CAN ENHANCE OUR PROPERTY VALUES OUT HERE BECAUSE IT BECOMES MORE SCARCE AND MORE DESIRABLE.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS, UM, THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE ADDRESSED THROUGH OTHER TOOLS.
IF SOMEONE IS AWARE OF THE TOOL COMPLETE TOOLBOX THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH, NOT JUST ZONING.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE A FORCE FOR MEETING SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE KELLY? YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, CAROL.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT IT HOME STANDS FOR HOME OPTIONS FOR MOBILITY AND EQUITY, BUT THAT WAS AFTER HOME STOOD FOR HOME OPTIONS FOR MIDDLE INCOME EARNERS, WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP WITH AFFORDABILITY, AND THAT BY INCREASING THE DENSITY IN OUR AREAS ACROSS THE CITY AND DOING A BLANKET REZONING, THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE AND IT WOULD BE AFFORDABLE.
BUT THERE WAS NO AFFORDABILITY BAKED INTO THAT.
AND MY CONCERN RELATED TO THIS PROPOSAL COMING FORWARD WAS ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE LIKE YOU ALL WHO LIVE HERE COULD CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE WITHOUT BEING PRICED OUT.
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GENTRIFICATION.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE ARE RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE JUST BEFORE.
UM, THE WATER SUPPLY, I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
ALSO A PROBLEM.HOW ARE WE GONNA GET A FIRE TRUCK DOWN A STREET IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING FOR PEOPLE? THAT'S A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.
AND AS FOR ENFORCING DEED RESTRICTIONS, THE CITY WOULD NOT HAVE A ROLE IN THAT.
IT WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO SUE YOUR NEIGHBOR, AND I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO WANTS TO SUE THEIR NEIGHBOR TO ENFORCE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
IF I SAY THESE TWO WORDS, WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND? RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT FOR ME MEANS THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THAT WE ARE ENSURING THAT WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
I THINK RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OCCURS THROUGH AN INTERACTION OF THE PRI OF PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND GOVERNMENT.
UM, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT IS DEVELOPMENT THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF ITS COMMUNITY, NOT IT ITS PRESENT DAY COMMUNITY AND ALSO THE FUTURE THAT PUTS US IN A GOOD FOUNDATIONAL PLACE TO HAVE A STRONG, BRIGHT FUTURE WHERE OUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS CAN STAY HERE AND BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE THE SAME POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WE HAD.
THAT REQUIRES BEING WILLING TO LISTEN TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDER HOLDERS AT THE TABLE, FROM DEVELOPERS TO NEIGHBORHOODS, TO PEOPLE WHO WORK AND TRAVEL INTO THE CITY FOR THEIR WORK.
AND THEN CRAFT POLICY THAT HELPS SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE ALLOWING DEVELOPMENT TO FLOURISH.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND WE HAVE BEEN ASKING THIS QUESTION IN A SIMILAR QUESTION FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS, AND WE'RE GONNA ASK IT AGAIN AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU CANDIDATE LANE.
UH, IT'S, UH, THIS, THE RECENT STUDIES AND PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT THE AUSTIN HAS THE HIGHEST FEES IN THE MOST LENGTHY PERMITTING PROCESS OF ANY MAJOR TEXAS CITY.
IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD SEEK TO FIX? AND IF SO, HOW? THIS IS A VERY HIGH PRIORITY FOR ME.
THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR A VERY LONG TIME IN AUSTIN.
UH, I THANK THE LEGISLATURE FOR PASSING A NEW LAW THAT BRINGS IT EVEN FARTHER TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE AUSTIN HAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON IT TO IMPROVE THAT.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE CITY'S, UH, BUREAUCRACY IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE COST OF HOUSING IN THE CITY.
IT IS ALSO PUSHING BUSINESS OWNERS IT OTHER NEW THINGS TO JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY BOUNDARIES WHERE THERE AREN'T THE SAME PROTECTIONS.
SO IT'S CRITICAL TO IMPACT THIS, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT.
UM, ONE OF MY HIGHEST PRIORITIES IS TO FOLLOW MAYOR WATSON'S LEAD IN WORKING TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND PERMITTING, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
S THEY BOTH HAVE A VERY, CAN HAVE A VERY BYZANTINE, UM, PATH TO GETTING THE APPROVALS THAT YOU NEED.
AND I THINK THAT IT TAKES KEEPING YOUR EYES ON IT AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND YOU THANK YOU CANDIDATE KELLY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST FEES RELATED TO PERMITTING, AND WE STILL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED FROM THE ZUCKER REPORT, WHICH WAS A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF HOW WE COULD FIX THIS PROCESS.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE OFFICE AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THERE'S NO ONE THERE FOR YOU TO PHYSICALLY WALK IN AND TALK TO, IT JUST COMPLICATES THE PROCESS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I RECENTLY ADVOCATED FOR WITH OUR NEW CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD ACTS, WAS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE AT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER WHERE SOMEONE COULD WALK IN THE DOOR AND TALK TO SOMEBODY FACE TO FACE TO CUT DOWN ON TIME.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WAS REALLY SHOCKING TO ME, I DON'T COME FROM THE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND, UM, IS THAT WHEN SOMEONE'S NOT BUILDING, BECAUSE THERE ARE DELAYS, THEY'RE LOSING MONEY, WHICH IS EVEN MORE COSTLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRYING TO BUILD AND GET PERMITS.
SO I WOULD WANT TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
MOVING ON TO TRANSPORTATION PROJECT CONNECT IS AUSTIN'S PLAN FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NETWORK WITH THE STATED GOAL TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE LIVABLE, EQUITABLE, AND SUSTAINABLE.
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? YEAH.
DISTRICT SIX HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNDERSERVED BY BUSES.
IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAVE SOME OF THE LONGEST PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE TO WALK SOMETIMES OVER TWO MILES TO GET TO A BUS STOP.
UM, CAPITOL METRO IS ITS OWN POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, AND OUTSIDE OF THAT, I SEE THE ROLE OF A COUNCIL MEMBER TO BE TO LIAISE WITH THAT DEPARTMENT.
WE WERE JUST THE OTHER DAY, UM, WE LEARNED ABOUT AN ISSUE ABOUT A BUS BEING ABLE TO TURN OFF OF ANDERSON MILL ONTO WOODLAND VILLAGE, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE CARS
[00:40:01]
WOULD COME TOO CLOSE TO, UM, THE STOPLIGHTS.SO CAPITAL METRO TOOK CARE OF THAT.
THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF COMMUNICATING IN MY CAPACITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE CHANGE.
I'VE DONE THE SAME THING RELATED TO BUSES IN OUR CITY, UM, ONE WHERE WE MIGHT NEED NEW ROUTES.
WE'VE HAD MEETINGS AND TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROJECT CONNECT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO WHO ARE UPSET BECAUSE THE SCOPE AND THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT FROM 2020 IS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHERE IT IS TODAY.
I BELIEVE INSTEAD OF PUTTING IN FIXED RAIL SYSTEMS, IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO HAVE HIGH CAPACITY BUS RAILS ALONG THOSE ROUTES TO PROVE RIDERSHIP BEFORE WE LAY DOWN A BUNCH OF FIXED RAIL LINES WHERE WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE THE RIDERSHIP IS THERE FOR IT.
UM, SO THE VOTERS, THE VOTERS PASSED A BOND FOR PROJECT CONNECT, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON THAT PURPOSE AS WE ALSO NEED TO, IT'D BE IMPORTANT TO BEING A GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARD OF, OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO ALSO ALLOCATE ALL THE OTHER BOND MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SITTING.
UH, THAT'S WHAT VOTERS VOTED FOR.
FOR MYSELF, AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION GOES AND, AND, UM, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, MY PRIORITY IS NOT ON RAIL.
MY PRIORITY IS ON, UM, EXPRESS BUS SERVICE, AND IM IMPROVED WAYS FOR PEOPLE ON BIKE AND ON FOOT TO REACH THEIR DESTINATIONS.
UH, WE, I JUST SEE SO MANY MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO BRIDGE THE GAP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING FROM THIS FAR OUT INTO THE MORE ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY EXISTS IN AUSTIN AND WILL EXIST EVEN MORE AFTER PROJECT CONNECT CONNECT MOVES FORWARD.
UM, THAT INCLUDES EXPRESS BUS SERVICE FROM THE UNDERUTILIZED 180 3, UH, PARK AND RIDES, WHICH COULD TAKE US TO THE KRAMER RED LINE AND GET US INTO TOWN VERY QUICKLY, AS WELL AS GETTING US TO THE DOMAIN AND A NUMBER OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT.
SO CONTINUING ON WITH TRANSPORTATION AND EITHER OF YOU WILL BE MAKING DECISIONS TO SPEND A LOT OF OUR MONEY ACROSS THE CITY, AND ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE, OUR FUTURE 35, WE HAVE A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO CONSTRUCT CAPS AND STITCHES OVER INTERSTATE 35.
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? UM, SOMETHING LIKE THE CAP AND STITCH PROJECT CAN BE REALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR A CITY.
I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND IN BOSTON WHERE THE BIG DIG WAS PUT, YOU KNOW, PUT THE HIGHWAY UNDER UNDERGROUND, AND THEY HAVE AN AMAZING PARK OVER THAT NOW HAS REALLY TRANSFORMED THE CITY, BUT THERE WERE ALSO INCREDIBLE COST OVERRUNS AND THEY HAD A LOT OF STATE SUPPORT FOR THAT.
UM, I PERSONALLY THINK I SEE THE BENEFITS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING ITS OWN MONEY ON THOSE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW.
UM, THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER SERVICES THAT WE REALLY NEED, AND EVEN AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION, UM, THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO SPEND THAT THAT CAN HELP HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND WE JUST CAN'T.
WE NEED, WE NEED OUR POLICE CONTRACT PASSED.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO SPEND MONEY ON WISELY, AND SO I WOULD NOT WANT TO TIE THAT MUCH OF IT UP IN EXTENSIVE SPENDING ON THE CAP AND STITCH PROJECT.
THANK YOU CANDIDATE KELLY? YEAH, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE CAPS AND STITCHES OVER 35.
AND THE REASON THAT I WOULD WANNA DO THAT IS TO HEAL THE DIVIDE THAT 35 HAS CAUSED IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, BETWEEN EAST AND WEST AUSTIN.
THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY BEHIND THAT AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO, UM, HEAL THE DIVIDE, SO TO SPEAK, BY PROVIDING THOSE WONDERFUL GREEN SPACES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ENJOY AND FOR ALSO BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SAFE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO CROSS OVER 35 WITHOUT THE RISK OF BEING INJURED.
AND I KNOW THAT I'M SHORT ON TIME, SO I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE HISTORY ABOUT THE, THE EAST AND WEST AUSTIN COMMUNITIES, BUT I'VE SEEN THIS DONE IN OTHER CITIES AND I'VE SEEN THE, THE BEAUTIFUL BENEFIT THAT WE COULD GET WITH OVER 30 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE AND THAT'S WHY I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT IT.
CONTINUING TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR AUSTIN IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS? CANDIDATE KELLY, THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
I REALLY WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL SO I COULD SHAKE IT UP AND GIVE YOU A GREAT ANSWER, BUT I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING TO AUSTIN EVERY DAY AND I SEE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.
I SEE THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF BASIC CITY SERVICES.
OUR BUDGET WAS $5.9 BILLION AT THIS YEAR, AND EVERY YEAR IT'S THE BIGGEST BUDGET THE CITY'S EVER PASSED.
AND AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I BELIEVE BEING GOOD STEWARD, UH, BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS IS IMPORTANT AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY SPENDING THOSE TAXPAYER DOLLARS SO THAT WE DON'T
[00:45:01]
DRIVE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CITY EVERY YEAR BY RAISING TAXES 3.5% IS VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO CONTINUING TO KEEP AN EYE ON.AND I COMMIT TO ENSURING THAT WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR AND OUR PROCESS, I WILL KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS AND I WILL KEEP PROPOSING CUTS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE ASK INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE HERE TO PAY MORE EVERY YEAR.
CANDIDATE LANE
WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR AUSTIN IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS? OKAY, SO WE ALREADY HAVE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES BECAUSE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR HOUSING SUPPLY AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT SUPPORT THE MASSIVE POPULATION THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE MASSIVE POPULATION GROWTH DURING THE PANDEMIC HAVEN'T HAPPENED YET.
AND THAT GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.
UM, SO WE'LL BE FACING THOSE CHALLENGES WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND WITH SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTIONS ON OUR ABILITY TO RAISE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, WHETHER THAT COMES FROM TAX RATE OR, OR WHAT EXACTLY THAT COMES FROM.
SO IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HIGH HANDLE OUR FINANCES WELL SO THAT WE CAN INVEST AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHAT HANDLING FINANCES WELL LOOKS LIKE TO ME ISN'T JUST FINDING A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS TO CUT IT IS LOOKING MORE SYSTEMATICALLY AT HOW WE CAN CREATE MORE SIGNIFICANT EFFICIENCIES.
UM, IT IS DOING THINGS LIKE I DESCRIBED AROUND YES, THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR A CLIMATE BOND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
LET'S LOOK AT THAT SWEET SPOT OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, SO I'M SORRY THAT I MISSED THAT.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WITH THE ECONOMY.
UM, IS AUSTIN IN AN ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES? AND IF SO, WHAT KINDS OF BUSINESSES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN DISTRICT SIX?
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES SINCE I HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE AUSTIN HOUSING MARKET, WHICH I STARTED DOING IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, THAT WE HAD A NET OUTFLOW INSTEAD OF INFLOW.
WE ALSO HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE CHOOSING TO COME TO OUR AREA, BUT OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS, NOT INSIDE OF CITY LIMITS.
AT THE TIME WHEN I MOVED TO AUSTIN IN 2000, UM, THE, THE AFFORDABILITY EQUATION AND ALSO, UM, OTHER ASPECTS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN BETTER SUPPORTED SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOST IN DISTRICT SIX ARE, UH, THRIVING SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
I, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE BUILD THE WEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS AND EMPOWERING AND SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE DO THAT.
IT'S ALSO THROUGH THINGS LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY THAT MAYOR WATSON IS LEADING ON AND FITS IN WITH SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE MENTIONED AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT REALLY JUST PROMOTING BUILDING WEALTH AMONG OUR LONGTIME RESIDENTS.
UM, AFFORDABILITY CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THAT IS IN PART BECAUSE OF THE OUTRAGEOUS TAXES THAT WE HAVE A BURDEN OF PAYING WHEN WE AS A CITY ASK OUR RESIDENTS TO PAY 3.5% YEAR OVER YEAR, WE ARE DIRECTLY DIGGING INTO THEIR POCKETS.
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES.
ARE THEY GONNA BUY GROCERIES? ARE THEY GONNA PUT GAS IN THEIR CAR? ARE THEY GONNA BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THINGS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO STAY HERE? AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE WHILE OUR POLITICIANS AT CITY HALL OUTSIDE OF MYSELF TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, THEY'RE NOT GETTING TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO SIGNIFICANTLY HELP PEOPLE CONTINUE TO STAY HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR BUDGET.
SO I THINK THAT PUTS US IN A REALLY TOUGH SPOT TO TRY TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO COME HERE.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE TO STAY WHEN THEY ARE ALSO TASKED WITH PAYING TAXES THAT ARE HIGHER YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND SO WHILE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WOULD BE GREAT, THE DIRECT THING THAT WE HAVE EFFECT OVER IS LOWERING THE TAXES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO CONTINUE TO, TO COME HERE.
THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION.
OF ALL THE TOPICS WE COVERED TONIGHT, WHAT ONE TOPIC DO YOU WISH WE WOULD'VE ASKED ABOUT? WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THAT TOPIC IN OUR CITY, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS? CANDIDATE KELLY, THANK YOU.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TOP OF MIND FOR ME FOR A VERY LONG TIME, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO.
WE HAVE ABOUT 503 CADET VACANCIES AT A PD.
[00:50:01]
HAVE SEVERAL VACANCIES AT EMS AND FIRE AS WELL.AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, UM, IN THE CITY OR WE TALK ABOUT IT, PROVIDING A WAY OR AN INCENTIVE FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CADETS TO COME HERE IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO, TO DO.
AND ON THURSDAY, I WILL BE PASSING A POLICY THAT WILL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK INTO WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY I HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE AUSTIN APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
UM, IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A BACKUP TO 9 1 1 TO ENSURE THAT OUR CORE MUNICIPAL CITY FUNCTIONS ARE WORKING PROPERLY.
UM, SO I, I WISH THAT WE WOULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ROLL WE OF ROLLING PROGRAMS OUT ACROSS ALL PARTS OF THE CITY, ENSURING THAT ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY HAVE ACCESS TO LIGHTS THAT STAY ON, HAVE ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE HOMELESS RESPONSE.
UM, THERE'S REALLY AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ON THIS.
I SAID EARLIER THAT SOMETIMES IT'S THE BIG THING THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING, AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS MADE IT SIGNIFICANTLY EASIER FOR, UM, PARTS OF THE CITY TO DE ANNEX.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, UM, ONE DISTRICT SIX AREA DE ANNEX, AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE REALLY GETTING VALUE OUT OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.
AND SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE A FORCE TO BRING SOME OF THOSE SERVICES AND EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS OUT TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY LIKE DISTRICT SIX.
I WANT TO LEVERAGE THE ENDORSEMENTS I ALREADY HAVE BOTH AT CITY COUNCIL AND ALSO I HAVE ENDORSEMENTS FROM STATE LEGISLATORS AND VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT THAT I CAN WORK WITH ON SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
WE, WE HAVE 20 OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO STAY FOR THREE MORE HOURS.
BUT, UM, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL GO INTO OUR, UH, CLOSING STATEMENTS AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH CANDIDATE LANE.
SO AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, I'M REALLY RUNNING BECAUSE I WANT TO BRING MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE TO BEAR ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING AUSTIN NOW, UH, WHICH RELATE TO HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE.
I ALSO HAVE LIVED IN, IN MY HOME IN DISTRICT SIX FOR A DECADE.
I KNOW WHAT 9 1 1 RESPONSE TIME HAS BEEN LIKE.
I'VE BEEN SO CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY THAT I ENDED UP GETTING APPOINTED TO THE ROUND ROCK ISD SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMISSION COMMITTEE, UM, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.
AND I'VE LEARNED QUITE A LOT ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS IN AN AREA THAT HAS MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS LIKE DISTRICT SIX HAS.
AS I JUST MENTIONED IN MY, UM, LAST QUESTION.
I THINK THAT DE ANNEXATION CAN, CAN CAUSE A LOT OF CHAOS FOR OUR CITY AND FOR THE, AROUND THE AREAS AROUND WHERE IT HAPPENS.
SO I AM JUST REALLY FOCUSED ON SOLVING PROBLEMS AND DELIVERING RESULTS ACROSS BASIC CITY SERVICES IN WAYS THAT ARE FINANCIALLY EFFECTIVE AND MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE USE OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
IT'S NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT FOR ME, IT'S JUST WHAT I WANT TO GET TO WORK ON.
AND WHILE WE BOTH SIT UP HERE AND HAVE WORDS TO OFFER YOU SO YOU CAN GET TO KNOW ABOUT US, UM, OOH, WE GET TWO MINUTES.
OKAY, SO
SO IF WE LOOK BACK AT MY TRACK RECORD AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE, I, I GREW UP IN A, IN A PRETTY POOR AREA OF HOUSTON, ENDED UP AT AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL AND GRADUATED WITH HIGH HONORS I, THAT ENABLED, THAT DEVELOPED MY GREAT LOVE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH LED ME TO VERY RECENTLY WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA GO BE GOING BACK TO WORK, BUT THE PANDEMIC STRUCK, ORGANIZED IN SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NEVER HAVING DONE ANYTHING POLITICAL BEFORE ENDORSED CO-FOUND AN ORGANIZATION THAT ENDORSED FIVE CANDIDATES CAMPAIGN FOR THEM PURELY THROUGH VOLUNTEER GRASSROOTS ENERGY AND SWEPT THE ELECTIONS.
UM, WHEN I DECIDED THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING MORE AUSTIN'S HOUSING MARKET AND HOW CITY DEVELOPMENT WORKS, I WENT AND GOT A JOB DOING IT AND ROSE TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT CBRE, A MULTINATIONAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY AND CONTRIBUTED TO NATIONAL COMMITTEES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK IN MY DEPARTMENT.
I WOULD JUST LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING WHAT I CAN TO THE ISSUES FACING AUSTIN AND DISTRICT SIX RIGHT NOW, UM, BECAUSE I LOVE THE CITY AND I LOVE MY HOME.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT FOR LISTENING TO US.
I REALLY APPRECIATE SEEING FAMILIAR FACES AND SOME THAT I HAVE NOT YET SEEN.
THANK YOU TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HOPE, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND A TXN FOR HELPING FACILITATE THIS.
I'M NOT ENDORSED BY ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I THINK THAT'S FOR A REASON.
AND IT'S BECAUSE I ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
I SIT IN THE ROOM AND I FORCE EVERYONE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT
[00:55:01]
WHAT'S GOING ON.I I FIGHT FOR THIS COMMUNITY LIKE NOBODY ELSE, AND I AM ENDORSED BY ALL THREE PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, NO OTHER CANDIDATE IN ALL OF THE CITY HAS ALL THREE PUBLIC SAFETY ENDORSEMENTS.
THIS IS A NONPARTISAN RACE, AND AS SUCH, I'VE NOT SOUGHT ANY PARTISAN ENDORSEMENTS BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE, UH, A WAY TO COME TALK TO ME AND I LISTEN AND I COLLABORATE.
I ALSO GET STUFF DONE AS YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF YOU IN THIS ROOM ARE PROUD OF ME, INCLUDING MY AUNT WHO'S SITTING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND I KNOW SHE DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME THE FIRST TIME, BUT, BUT SHE, SHE IS A DISTRICT SIX RESIDENT AND SHE'S SEEN MY RECORD AND SHE, I'VE WON HER OVER.
UM, SHE'S KNOWN ME MY ENTIRE LIFE.
UM, I KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENTS ARE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, AND I KNOW WHAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO WITHIN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE AND OUR CITY CHARTER.
AND WITH THAT, IT HAS BEEN A, A TRUE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE WON THE ELECTION IN 2020.
52 TO 48 AND THE 48 OF YOU, 48% OF YOU THAT, UM, DID NOT SUPPORT ME.
I STILL FIGHT FOR YOU EVERY DAY HERE IN MY ROLE ON THE COUNCIL, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT I HAVE EARNED YOUR VOTE FOR A SECOND TERM SO THAT I CAN CONTINUE THE WORK THAT I'VE STARTED AND START ON DAY ONE, NOT WITH HYPERBOLE, HYPERBOLE SAYING THAT I HAVE SOLUTIONS, BUT CONTINUING MY TRACK RECORD OF PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR DISTRICT SIX.
WELL, THANK YOU BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR SINCERITY IN ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS AND LET'S GIVE THEM A GREAT BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS FOR A MOMENT THE AUDIENCE THAT'S HERE, THAT'S LISTENING AT HOME OR THAT IS, UH, LISTENING ON SOME OF THESE RECORDINGS.
IN OUR OPENING REMARKS TONIGHT, WE EMPHASIZE TO THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
HOWEVER, IT IS ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS WHO WIELDS THE TRUE POWER IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
IF THEY FAIL TO ACT IN OUR BEST INTEREST OR BREAK THEIR PROMISES, VOTERS HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE THEM FROM OFFICE.
OUR VOTE IS NOT MERELY A RIGHT.
IT'S A POWERFUL INSTRUMENT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN POWER STAY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES.
NOT ONLY YOU GUYS, BUT EVERYONE IN THIS RACE.
IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION, OUR NON-PARTISAN 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 ALL, ALMOST ALL THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES HERE IN AUSTIN AND OTHER PLACES AROUND TOWN DURING THE WEEK OF OCTOBER THE 14TH.
THESE FORUMS AND ALL THE OTHER FORUMS ALONG WITH ALL OF THE RECORDINGS OF CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, A TXN NETWORK SITE.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR ATTENTION FROM WHEREVER YOU'RE LISTENING OR WATCHING, BUT PLEASE BE PART OF OUR GREAT DEMOCRACY AND GO VOTE.
AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, TODAY AT MIDNIGHT IS YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW SOMEONE THAT, UH, NEEDS THAT DONE IT'S DEADLINE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.