[District 7 City Council Runoff Panel]
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WELCOME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, DISTRICT SEVEN RUNOFF CANDIDATE PANEL.
I'M THE WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA, AND OUR LEAGUE IS HONORED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION TO HELP VOTERS GET TO KNOW THESE CANDIDATES BETTER.
WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION FOR ALL OF YOU BEFORE GOING TO THE POLLS.
THE IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING FOR THIS SPECIAL ELECTION.
THIS RUNOFF ELECTION BEGINS MONDAY, DECEMBER THE SECOND, AND IT ENDS TUESDAY, DECEMBER THE 10TH.
THE LAST DAY TO APPLY FOR A BALLOT BY MAIL IS DECEMBER THE THIRD.
ELECTION DAY IS DECEMBER THE 14TH.
IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW LW V-A-U-S-T-I N.ORG, THAT'S LWV AUSTIN.ORG, WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ELECTION, UH, THROUGHOUT TRAVIS COUNTY.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE RACES ON THIS ELECTION COMING UP CANDIDATES.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE A, A MORE CASUAL FORMAT TONIGHT, AND WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS AND WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR YOU TO RESPOND TO YOUR OPPONENT'S VIEWS.
I MAY ASK SOME FOLLOW UPS ON THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL TIMER.
UH, I DO HAVE A BIG RED STOP SIGN, SO IF YOU GET A LITTLE WORDY, I MIGHT HAVE TO THROW IT UP A FEW TIMES.
SO WE'RE GONNA, BUT WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINIONS.
WE WANT TO HEAR HOW YOU'RE GONNA SERVE US, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, IF YOU'RE ELECTED, WE DO ASK THAT, UH, YOU REFRAIN FROM ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS, UH, ON YOUR OPPONENTS.
AND WE DO ASK OUR LIVE AUDIENCE, OF WHICH WE HAVE A LIVELY GROUP HERE BEHIND US, TO BEHIND ME TO PLEASE RE REFRAIN FROM VERBALLY REACTING OR IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE STATEMENTS MADE HERE ON THE DIA BY THESE CANDIDATES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SHORT ONE MINUTE INTRODUCTION AND WE GO IN BALLOT ORDER IN THIS TIME, UH, CANDIDATE BLOOD, SO YOU'RE ON THE TOP OF THE BALLOT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HOSTING THIS, AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO IS, UH, WATCHING, AND THANKS FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I'M RUNNING TO BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT SEVEN ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE TO PROVIDE, UH, OVERSIGHT TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND THE AFFAIRS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
I THINK YOU PROBABLY HAVE OBSERVED THE, UH, AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN ENDORSEMENT, UH, OF ME AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT, UH, I BRING TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF MY HISTORY OF ACTUALLY BEING A, A WATCHDOG AND HAVING SUCCESS BEING A WATCHDOG.
UH, I'VE GOT MANY FRIENDS ON THE COUNCIL, BUT THERE ARE MANY ISSUES, UH, THAT CONCERN US TODAY, UH, THAT NEED COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS.
AND SO I WANNA BE THE PERSON TO BRING ABOUT COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS, PROVIDE FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY, AND ACTUALLY PROVIDE FOR MORE PUBLIC INPUT AND MEANINGFUL INPUT FROM OUR CITIZENS, SO THAT OUR CITIZENS CAN FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE PART OF THE DECISION MAKING THAT TAKES PLACE.
AND THANK YOU TO THE LEAGUE FOR SUPPORTING US AND HOLDING THIS EVENT.
I'M A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT RUNNING HERE FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I'D BE HONORED DURING THE SUPPORT OF FOLKS WATCHING THIS.
UH, MY CAREER HAS BEEN 25 YEARS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAW.
I STARTED OUT AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER MORE RECENTLY.
I SPENT 15 YEARS AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER AND CITY ATTORNEY HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND I'M RUNNING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION, UH, TO TAKE STRONG ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE, TO BUILD HOUSING FOR THE WORKERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, UH, TO EXPAND OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND PROVIDE, UH, EFFECTIVE, UH, REPRESENTATION AND SUPPORT.
AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHEN WE HAVE, UH, A TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND, AND ABBOTT IN THE STATE HOUSE, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT WE NEED LOCAL PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP THAT'S GONNA BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, TO TAKE ACTION, TO PROTECT AUSTIN RESIDENTS, UH, TO DEFEND OUR POLICIES AND TO REPRESENT OUR VALUES.
AND I'LL BE HONORED DURING THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE WATCHING TODAY.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH, UM, CANDIDATE SIEGEL.
LET'S JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR POLICE.
AND WE JUST THIS WEEK, WE HAVE HAD 11 OF THE 31 COMMISSIONERS SELECTED AT THE RANDOM LOTTERY OF THE ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES FOR THE POLICE, UH, THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION.
WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT? AND WILL WE SEE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY?
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WHY OR WHY NOT? THANK YOU.WELL, ON PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, FOR MY CONVERSATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, I FEEL LIKE AUSTIN VOTERS WANT THREE THINGS.
WE WANT POLICE TO COME WHEN WE CALL.
WE WANT OFFICERS TO RESPECT CIVIL RIGHTS, AND ALSO WE BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS MORE THAN JUST POLICE.
IT'S EMS, IT'S SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND IN TERMS OF OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR ME.
I WAS A CO-AUTHOR OF THE AUSTIN POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT, AND I REPRESENTED E EQUITY ACTION, WHICH IS THE ADVOCACY GROUP THAT HELPED PASS THAT LAW IN THE CITY, UH, AS THEY SUE THE CITY TO ENFORCE KEY PROVISIONS.
AND, UH, MY HOPE IS THAT THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT WILL BE FULLY ENFORCED.
SO FAR IT HAS NOT BEEN, AND, UH, THAT'S WHY THERE'S ONGOING LITIGATION IN THAT AREA.
BUT I THINK THE KEY HERE IS TO HAVE A CITY MANAGER THAT BELIEVES IN THE POLICY AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR THAT HOLD THE CITY MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE.
THIS IS A POLICY, THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT THAT AUSTIN VOTERS SUPPORTED BY AN OVERWHELMING MARGIN.
AND IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK TO HAVE TRUE TRANSPARENCY.
UH, THE KEY ISSUE FOR THE POLICE OVERSIGHT OFFICE IS TO HAVE ACCESS TO RECORDS OF POLICE MISCONDUCT.
AND THAT'S WHY THERE WAS LITIGATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS A PART OF THIS EFFORT AND, AND JUDGE CAN'T DO HEEL, AND THE DISTRICT COURT RULED THAT THE CITY HAS TO GET RID OF THIS.
SO-CALLED G FILE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A SECRET PERSONNEL FILE THAT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HAVE TO DO MORE THAN JUST GET RID OF THIS SECRET FILE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT PERSONNEL HAVE ACCESS TO RECORDS.
UM, SO FAR, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THIS, THIS POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT IN THE FIRST PLACE IS THERE HAS BEEN, UNFORTUNATELY, A PERVERSE INCENTIVE TO NOT DISCIPLINE POLICE OFFICERS UNDER STATE LAW.
UM, YOU CAN KEEP RECORDS SECRET IF THEY ARE NOT PART OF A FORMAL DISCIPLINARY DECISION.
AND SO THAT ALMOST INCENTIVIZED A POLICE CHIEF TO NOT ISSUE DISCIPLINE BECAUSE THE RECORDS WOULD STAY SECRET.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT PERSONNEL HAVE ACCESS TO COMPLAINTS, HAVE ACCESS TO INVESTIGATIONS, AND CAN ALSO ASK THEIR OWN QUESTIONS DURING THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS.
SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY FOR ME, UM, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE A POLICE CONTRACT IN PLACE THAT, UM, AT LEAST ON ITS FACE, IS SUPPOSED TO RESPECT THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT.
AS THAT CONTRACT BECOMES EFFECTIVE AND IS IMPLEMENTED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF HOLD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THIS PROMISE WITH VOTERS THAT WE WILL HAVE TRULY EFFECTIVE OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
NOW, MR. BOZO, HE MENTIONED THE POLICE CONTRACT, AND I ASKED THE QUESTION OF, WILL WE SEE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND DO YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP SURE ON THAT? UH, CLEARLY, UH, MY DESIRE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS MUCH ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'M REALLY ECSTATIC THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT, THOSE PROVISIONS FROM, UH, PROP A THAT ARE ACTUALLY PART OF NOW, UH, THE GOVERNING, UH, DOCUMENT FOR THE CITY.
AND I THINK WHAT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO DO AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS, IS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE MATTERS ARE ADHERED TO.
UH, I THINK I HAVE A PARTICULARLY BALANCED PERSPECTIVE IN THIS.
I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE, I THINK THAT'S BEEN, UH, RACIALLY PROFILED OR, UH, LOOKED DOWN AT THE GUN, A POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS UNNECESSARILY POINTED IN MY DIRECTION.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE THAT ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND HELPED TO NEGOTIATE FAR AND WITH POLICE OFFICERS IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW THEIR, UH, TESTS ARE TO BE GIVEN OR ADMINISTERED, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE FAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROMOTION OR TO ADDRESS, UH, ISSUES WITH THEM.
IN REFERENCE TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU KNOW, IT IS EFFORTS THAT I UNDERTOOK IN YEARS PAST THAT LED TO US HAVING VIDEO CAMERAS IN THE POLICE CARS, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN THAT LED TO US HAVING A, UH, POLICE MONITORS OFFICE, UH, OR EVEN AGAIN, THE ISSUE IN REFERENCE TO, UH, THE ACTUAL, UH, VALIDATED TEST REQUIREMENT FOR POLICE PROMOTIONAL EXAMS. SO I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT.
IT'S ALWAYS BETTER FOR THE CITY IN ORDER TO HAVE A CONTRACT, UH, THAN NOT TO HAVE A CONTRACT.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY, UH, UH, IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE HAVE, THAT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO THERE ARE THERE.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL, UH, FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE RULES ARE AND WHAT MUST BE COMPLIED WITH AND ADHERE TO.
AND SO, IN TERMS OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THOSE ISSUES, I THINK, UH, IT'S GONNA BE AS EFFECTIVE AS WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL SEE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE OF IN REFERENCE TO THIS PUBLIC SAFETY AREA.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE.
NUMBER TWO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT WE PROVIDE FOR, UH, ADEQUATE
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OVERSIGHT, UH, OF THE, OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE I THINK THE CITIZENS ACTUALLY WANT ADEQUATE, UH, OVERSIGHT.AND, AND I THINK I, I THINK NUMBER THREE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, UH, TREAT ISSUES AS ISSUES THAT BELONG, UH, IN THE, IN THE CRIMINAL AREA.
THAT SHOULD BE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, AREAS.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, WE NEED TO GO THROUGH SOME KIND OF TRANSITION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HANDLING PROBLEMS IN THE APPROPRIATE WAY.
UH, BUT I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH MY PAST AND MY HISTORY, I'M GONNA TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND THE FAIR SYSTEM, UH, THAT IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE.
UH, SO I AM, UH, UH, UH, UH, SOMEWHAT HEARTENED, UH, BY WHAT WE SEE THERE.
BUT NOW I WILL ADMIT THAT THERE ARE COST ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT RAISE IMPORTANT CONCERNS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SIT DOWN AND WORK WITH THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE THINGS IN THE SAME WAY.
SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF EMAILS THAT CAME IN, UH, FROM YOUR DISTRICT, AND WE ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF EMAILS COME IN FROM THE AREA IN THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT DOWNTOWN ON THE POLICING.
AND HOW WOULD YOU, AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS, AND YOU, YOU KIND OF STARTED INTO THIS CANDIDATE BLEDSOE, AND IT, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THOSE SAFETY FEARS IN YOUR DISTRICT FOR THE LACK WHEN, WHEN POLICE ARE NOT RESPONDING IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND HOW ACROSS THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY THINK OF OUR DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, HOW DO YOU, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, HOW WILL YOU LEND YOUR SUPPORT AND ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN? WELL, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMANDER OVER DISTRICT SEVEN AND OTHER, UH, POLICE OFFICERS THAT WORK DISTRICT SEVEN.
SOME OF THEM CAME TO OUR, UH, NIGHT OUT ACTIVITIES OVER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE FACING, UM, IS THE, UH, ISSUE OF SO MANY POSITIONS NOT BEING FILLED, AND THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING ADEQUATE STAFF OR POLICE OFFICERS TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO TAKE AN AFFIRMATIVE STEP AND TO MAKE SURE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE POLICE THERE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
ANOTHER THING IS THAT THE POLICE NEED TO HAVE SOME ASSURANCE OF FAIRNESS TO MAKE SURE WHEN THEY RESPOND TO, UH, MATTERS THAT NEED POLICE PROTECTION, THAT INDEED IT'S GOING TO BE A SITUATION WHERE THEY CAN ADEQUATELY AND LEGITIMATELY RESPOND.
BUT NUMBER THREE, THERE'S GOTTA BE OVERSIGHT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY RESPOND, THEY RESPOND IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANT TO DO IN REFERENCE TO THIS IS ACTUALLY START TRYING TO, UH, TO ALL LOG THOSE, TO ITEMIZE THOSE TO, TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE OCCURRING.
NOW, I'VE HAD SITUATIONS MYSELF, UH, WHERE, UH, WE HAVE HAD CRIMES OCCUR AT OUR HOME AND HAVE CALLED AND HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE OR REALLY DELAYED RESPONSES.
AND SO I'M LIKE, OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, I FEEL THAT I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GONNA BE MANY OTHER IDEAS I KNOW THE PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE WITH THAT, BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT'LL BE A TOP PRIORITY TO ME, BECAUSE RESPONSE TIME IS REALLY CRUCIAL.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICE ACTUALLY RESPOND.
AND SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO, AND ONE OF THOSE HAS BEEN NOT HAVING ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE.
UH, WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO GET OUT THERE AND THEY DO RESPOND, THEY RESPOND APPROPRIATELY, AND THEY RESPOND, UH, AND EXHIBIT THE VALUES OF AUSTIN, WHERE THEY TREAT PEOPLE DECENTLY, THEY TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT.
UH, THEY TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY WE WOULD ALL WANT TO BE TREATED OURSELVES.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO WORK WITH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND YOU'LL, AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I'LL BE AS ACTIVE AS POSSIBLE WORKING WITH CITY OFFICIALS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
AND I'LL BE A VOICE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENS.
I WON'T LET THAT RIOT, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE, IS FOR, FOR THE POLICE TO RESPOND, BECAUSE THOSE ISSUES CAN BE VERY SERIOUS, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ADEQUATE AND QUICK RESPONSE.
SO, CANDIDATE SIEGEL, I MEAN, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE COMING TO US IN THESE EMAILS, AND THEY ARE AFRAID AT TIMES, AND THERE'VE BEEN INSTANCES OF, UH, ISSUES DOWNTOWN, AND WE'VE SEEN THOSE IN THE NEWS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE AND HOW, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, IF ELECTED, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE HEARD IT, UM, FROM HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHEN I'VE KNOCKED ON THEIR DOOR.
AND, AND, UH, LIKE MR. BLEDSOE, I'VE HAD MY OWN EXPERIENCES WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE FORCED TO CALL THE POLICE AND DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE.
UM, HAD SOMEONE IN MY YARD AND GOT A CALL AN HOUR LATER, LIKE, IS HE STILL IN THE YARD? KIND OF THING.
AND IF IT HAD BEEN A SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE.
AND I THINK, UM, WE HAVE TO DRILL DOWN ON WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE PATROL DIVISION TO RESPOND TO CALLS AND TO SOLVE CRIMES.
UH, ANOTHER STAT, IN ADDITION TO THE SLOW RESPONSE TIMES, OUR OFFICERS
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ARE NOT FILING AS MANY REPORTS AS THEY USED TO, AND THEY'RE NOT SOLVING AS MANY CRIMES AS THEY USED TO.AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE SOLVED BY THE INCREASED EXPENDITURE OF THE POLICE CONTRACT, BECAUSE THAT REALLY IS, UM, BUDGETING THE FORCE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT'S NOT ACCOUNTING FOR NEW OFFICERS.
AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO DRILL DOWN ON, ON THE DETAILS OF HOW OFFICERS ARE DISPATCHED, HOW, UH, CALLS ARE, ARE, ARE ADDRESSED BY THE, THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME TECHNICAL THINGS WE CAN DO TO INCREASE THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE POLICE AND TO PRIORITIZE SOLVING CRIMES AS OPPOSED TO, UH, WHAT SOME OFFICERS LIKE TO DO, WHICH IS MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL POLICING, WHICH IS FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, PULLING PEOPLE OVER FOR BROKEN STOPLIGHTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THAT'S NOT RESPONDING TO THE CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT IN TERMS OF DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE QUESTION.
AND WE HEARD A LOT OF TESTIMONY IN THIS BUILDING, IN THIS ROOM, UH, DURING THE POLICE CONTRACT DISCUSSION OF, OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY BEING VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC DISORDER ASSOCIATED WITH HOMELESSNESS.
AND IT, IT'S INDISPUTABLE THAT AUSTIN HAS, HAS SEEN A, A TRIPLING OF OUR HOMELESS POPULATION LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS.
AND THIS IS A REALLY LARGE SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF ATTENTION.
AND WE JUST APPROVED BASICALLY A POLICE BUDGET OF $3 BILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND I THINK WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT ON GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND PROVIDING SHELTER AND SOCIAL SERVICES, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE A SIMILAR LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN THE FULL RANGE OF PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET TO GET THEM HOUSING, TO GET THEM SOCIAL SERVICES, TO GET THEM JOBS, TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT ALL OF US WANT, BUT I, WE CAN'T USE POLICE TO SOLVE THIS HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM.
UH, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T POLICE YOUR WAY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WHAT I WANNA SEE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT.
I THINK WE NEED A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FROM THE CITY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN INVESTING IN THINGS LIKE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE GONE OVER INTO ANOTHER TOPIC, SO I'M GONNA LET YOU CONTINUE.
I'M, I'M, I'M ADDRESSING THE QUESTION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN AND THE SAFETY.
SO HOW DO WE GET THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING ON OUR STREETS INTO A BETTER SITUATION WHERE THEIR BEST OPTION ISN'T TO LIVE IN PUBLIC AND, AND MAYBE TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND SO, TO ME, THAT IS A QUESTION OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH WE'VE MADE INVESTMENTS, IT'S INVESTMENTS IN SOCIAL SERVICES, UH, IT'S INVESTMENT IN, IN RAPID RESPONSE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
IT COULD BE EMS, IT COULD BE OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AND, AND THE QUESTION STARTED WITH POLICE, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED DOWNTOWN, AND I'M, I WANNA MAKE CLEAR, WAS IT THE SAFETY, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, HOW PEOPLE FEEL SAFE RIGHT AROUND THE CITY? AND THE PERCEPTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS VERY MUCH INFLUENCED.
'CAUSE I'VE HEARD THIS FROM PHONE CALLS TO DONORS AND KNOCKING ON DOORS IS WHEN PEOPLE COME DOWNTOWN AND THEY SEE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREET, MAYBE WITH THEIR DOG, MAYBE WITH THEIR STUFF THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS PERCEPTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS BY THE, THE METRICS.
AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE SAFEST BIG CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
AND, BUT THE PERCEPTION IS NOT THAT.
AND I THINK THE PERCEPTION COMES FROM, FROM SEEING PEOPLE, UH, IN DESTITUTION LIVING ON THE STREETS.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ADDRESS OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THROUGH CITY PROGRAMS. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE, I'M REALLY GLAD, GLAD TO SEE THAT MIKE HAS NOW, UM, LOOK AT, UM, HOMELESSNESS AS MORE OF A, A LOCAL ISSUE.
I KNOW KIND OF DURING THE CAMPAIGN YOU INDICATE THAT THAT WAS A FEDERAL ISSUE, BUT THAT REALLY IS AN ISSUE THAT IS REALLY AT THE FRONT OF THE MINDS OF MANY PEOPLE.
AND I ACTUALLY AGREE THAT, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T REALLY HANDLE THAT AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUE.
THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, HAVE, UM, ONE, I MEAN LOCATIONS WHERE WE CAN BRING IN, UH, THE HOMELESS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE KIND OF CARE AND THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY, UH, UH, MAKE THEM TO WHAT THEY POTENTIALLY CAN BE.
AND I THINK WE CAN DO THOSE THINGS IN COST EFFECTIVE WAYS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOOD TO THE TAXPAYERS AND THINGS THAT WILL BE GOOD, UM, FOR THEM.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, UH, THAT'S THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ISSUES THAT MIGHT OCCUR DOWNTOWN.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENT, UH, ISSUE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S OCCURRING HERE.
THAT MAY BE A SMALL SUBPART OF IT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT, UH, LARGE OF A NUMBER.
AND I DO, UH, BELIEVE THAT THERE, UM, IS AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF, UH, THE RESPONSIVENESS DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THAT'S VOLUME OR WHETHER THAT'S DEPLOYMENT.
I THINK, I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE.
AND SO THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE HAVE TO HAVE WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, WE HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE NEED YOU TO ASSESS WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING HERE.
SO IF THERE, UH, THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO BE ABOUT, UH, DOING IT.
I THINK IN SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS, IT'S
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A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE SAY PEOPLE JUST DON'T RESPOND.BUT I THINK THAT, UH, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT HOMELESSNESS IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF WHAT'S, UH, WHAT'S OCCURRING DOWNTOWN.
WELL, AND YOU, YOU BOTH, THE WHOLE HOUSING CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE, AND THEN WE ALSO, THAT LEADS US INTO, AS YOU STARTED TO ALLUDE TO CANDIDATE SIEGEL, IS IS THAT SOMEWHERE SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
SO THAT LEADS US INTO OUR NEXT KIND OF THE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE AND MAKING HOUSING AFFORDABLE IN AUSTIN.
AND I'M GONNA PIVOT OVER TO THAT.
AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP IS THE AUSTIN'S EFFORTS IN EX IN THOSE EXPERIENCING TEMPORARY HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE CANDIDATE SIEGEL, ON MAKING, MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH DOLLARS TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE? WELL, THANK YOU.
I, WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE IS BASICALLY, UH, MULTIFACETED.
BUT I THINK SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS RACE, WHAT DISTINGUISHES ME IS BOTH MY CITY HALL EXPERIENCE AND MY COMMUNITY ORGANIZING EXPERIENCE IN AUSTIN OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, BECAUSE THESE ARE VERY LARGE SOCIAL PROBLEMS THAT REQUIRE FUNDING AND ATTENTION AND A COALITION OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS, UH, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS.
WE'VE, WE'VE ADOPTED HOUSING BONDS IN 2018 AND 2022 TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUILDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, COMPLEXES.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
LIKE THE SCOPE OF THIS CHALLENGE IS SO FAR BEYOND, UH, REALLY OUR CITY POCKETBOOKS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING.
UM, AND, AND MR. BLEDSO REFERENCED, I THINK SOMETHING I SAID IN A DIFFERENT DEBATE ABOUT FEDERAL SUPPORT.
I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY NEEDED TO HOUSE EVERYBODY WHO IS WITHOUT HOUSING RIGHT NOW IS BEYOND THE, THE TAX BASE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
I MEAN, ALREADY THROUGH THIS LAST ELECTION, PEOPLE HAVE APPROVED, YOU KNOW, TWO MORE BONDS, RIGHT? IN OUR COMMUNITY, A TAX RATE ELECTION FOR THE SCHOOLS AND A BOND FOR THE COUNTY.
PEOPLE FEEL COST BURDENED AS IT IS.
AND SO WE DO NEED TO SEEK OUTSIDE HELP.
BUT WHAT I, WHAT I BRING TO THIS IS SOMEONE WHO'S COMMITTED TO ORGANIZING AND DOING THE WORK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS POLITICALLY IN AUSTIN, WE NEED A BIG TENT COALITION.
AND SOME OF THE FOLKS I THINK ABOUT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, LIKE THE SIERRA CLUB.
UH, GARY AND I SHARE THE SIERRA CLUB ENDORSEMENT, BUT ALSO IT'S THE FOLKS WHO CARE ABOUT HOUSING AND BUILDING BOTH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A CAPITAL A, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE WITH A CERTAIN MEDIAN INCOME, BUT ALSO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE GENERALLY HOUSING FOR DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.
BUT THEN WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT REGIONAL SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS IS MORE THAN JUST AUSTIN RIGHT NOW, WE ARE A, A METROPOLITAN AREA WITH TWO AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE.
AND SO YOU CAN'T JUST SOLVE A PROBLEM IN AUSTIN AND, AND THINK IT'S NOT GONNA BLEED OVER INTO THE ISSUES IN BUDDA, KYLE, MAYNER, ALL THE, ALL THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
SO WE NEED REGIONAL SOLUTIONS AS WELL.
AND SO WHAT I BRING IS SOMEONE WHO'S COMMITTED TO ORGANIZING AND ALSO SOMEONE WITH SPECIFIC CITY HALL EXPERIENCE, SOME WHO I'VE WRITTEN ORDINANCES.
I'VE GONE TO COURT FOR THE CITY.
I KNOW WHAT'S LEGAL AND WHAT'S NOT, AND I THINK I CAN GET THINGS DONE.
MR. ZO, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE TO, TO, FOR HOW TO FUND SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES? 'CAUSE THEY ALL TAKE MONEY AND WE'VE BEEN DOING CERTAIN JOBS WITHIN THE CITY.
AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE, WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AND WHAT DO YOU SEE IS FUTURE? WELL, UH, WHAT I BRING IS, UM, CLARITY.
UH, WHAT I BRING BRING IS REALLY, UH, A COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE THAT I WILL ALWAYS, UH, BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UH, AND FOR EXAMPLE, I WILL NOT, UH, TAKE A BILLIONAIRE'S TALKING POINTS THAT SUGGEST SOMETHING WILL PROVIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN IT DOESN'T.
UH, BECAUSE INDEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THE, THERE ARE MOST OF THE THINGS IN THE PIPELINE AS A RESULT OF THE NEW INITIATIVES THAT I THINK YOU MAY BE ALLUDING TO, ARE PROBABLY GOING TO, UH, BE, UH, MORE BENEFICIAL TO THOSE AT THE HIGHER END.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER DAY WHEN, UH, THERE WAS AN EXPERT WHO I THINK HAD WORKED WITH AURA, WHO WAS OVER AT THE SIERRA CLUB MEETING, I ASKED HIM A QUESTION THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
I ASKED HIM THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, WHAT THE ACTIONS RECENTLY TAKEN WOULD ACTUALLY BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE BELOW THE, UH, 80TH PERCENT OF OUR MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, UH, FOR THE AUSTIN AREA.
AND THAT'S THE POSITION I'VE BEEN TAKING ALL ALONG.
AND SO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS A, A LOT THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF THOSE AT THE HIGHER END, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR CITY IS WE'RE LOSING MUSICIANS, WE'RE LOSING TEACHERS, UH, WE'RE LOSING POLICE OFFICERS, WE'RE LOSING FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANT TO LIVE HERE BUT CAN NO LONGER
[00:25:01]
AFFORD TO BE HERE.AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
SO, AND I'M THE, I'M THE ONE THAT REALLY START TALKING ABOUT THIS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL BECAUSE THAT INDEED IS, IS THE REAL ISSUE.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T CONTINUE TO DISPLACE INDIVIDUALS? YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MEMO, UM, CITY STAFF THAT DISCUSSED THOSE RECENT CHANGES, THAT MEMO TALKED ABOUT THE DISPLACEMENT THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
SO WHAT DO WE DO TO TRY TO PREVENT THAT? BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO, TO UNDERTAKE SOME PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL ACTUALLY, UH, PROVIDE FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS ACTUALLY ENGAGE OURSELVES AND, AND MORE HOUSING THAT MIGHT BE ACTUALLY PRODUCED AND PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT A C AND CACC AND A ISD ARE ACTUALLY DOING.
UH, WE NEED TO ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION, UH, THERE TO TRY TO, UH, PROVIDE FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ACTUALLY, UM, COME IN WHO MIGHT BE POLICE OFFICERS OR FIREFIGHTERS AND, AND TEACHERS, PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING, AND MAYBE WE PROVIDE SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, IN OTHER STATES THAT I'VE LOOKED AT WHERE, UH, THEY PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR, UH, POLICEMEN AND TEACHERS.
I'D LIKE TO MAYBE INCLUDE FIREFIGHTERS, MAYBE, UH, SOME OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN THAT TOO.
UH, WHERE IF YOU LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND LIVE IN THAT RESIDENCE FOR 12 YEARS, UH, THEN, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPAY, UH, THE ACTUAL LOAN.
SO FORGIVABLE LOAN IS ACTUALLY A POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN BECAUSE DOOR AFTER DOOR THAT I GO TO PEOPLE, UH, ALL PEOPLE KNOW, UH, SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN DISPLACED, AND USUALLY IT'S SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILY.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE.
I'M BEING HONEST ABOUT IT AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING INTENTIONAL ABOUT SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
SO BOTH OF YOU HAVE IN YOUR CAMPAIGNS, AND, AND YOU JUST BOTH TALKED ABOUT USING, UM, PUBLICLY OWNED LANDS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING CANDIDATE SIEGEL AND, AND CANDIDATE BLEDSO, YOU'VE MENTIONED TRYING TO KEEP THOSE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN TOWN.
SO YOU BOTH WERE VERY CLEAR ON THAT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY IN TOWN, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY LIVING HERE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ESPECIALLY IN YOUR DISTRICT.
AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODES THAT ARE COMING DOWN.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE LOTS, UH, THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THEM.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE 90 FOOT BUILDINGS OR, AND THE RULES THAT ARE COMING DOWN AND NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THOSE RULES.
AND WE'VE HAD, UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT JUST CAME IN THE EMAIL TODAY, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK BOTH OF YOU THIS QUESTION.
THE, THE PERSON ASKED, HOW WILL THE CITY NAVIGATE PARKING ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS WHEN APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE PARKING? AND THAT CAN BE FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD'S PERSPECTIVE, SOMEBODY WITH A NIGHTCLUB WITH A RESTAURANT AND THE PARKING THAT IS GOING TO BE ON CITY STREETS.
AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT WILL, WHAT DO YOU SAY? I'LL START WITH, UH, I'LL START WITH CANDIDATE, BUT, SO WE'LL JUST GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
AND THEN I'LL GO TO CANDIDATE SIEGEL.
WELL, I, I'M, I'M, I'M FOR BALANCED DEVELOPMENT.
I'M, I'M FOR DEVELOPMENT WHERE, UH, THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY, THE, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A SAY-SO THAT HAS INPUT THAT YOU JUST DON'T DO THINGS THAT DISREGARD PEOPLE AND, AND, AND THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH THE, IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT THAT TAKES PLACE.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT THAT'S BEEN MISSING FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT THE, THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE, ARE NOT REALLY PROPERLY REPRESENTED AND ARE NOT PROPERLY, UH, UM, UH, PROVIDING INPUT AND NOT, UH, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT INTO ACTUALLY WHAT HAPPENS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE NOW I CAN'T, UH, SOME THINGS YOU CAN'T CHANGE IN TERMS OF WHAT, UH, THE, UH, THE CURRENT ACTUAL LAW IS IN TERMS OF WHAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE THE PLACE.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE POINTING OUT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE FEEL, UH, IS A REAL PROBLEM OR ISSUE.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT IF WE GET THE RIGHT KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCE, OR WHAT I WANT TO DO IS, IS, IS TO HAVE PEOPLE ALL THE, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, UH, AROUND THE TABLE, AND I WANT TO HAVE 'EM AROUND THE ROUND TABLE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S NO, NO PERSON THAT IS SUPERIOR TO THE OTHER.
AND LET'S TALK THROUGH THESE PROBLEMS. BECAUSE I KNEW ON THE ONE HAND, YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY SAYING, WELL, THIS IS MY PROPERTY.
AND OTHERS SAYING, THIS IS MY LIFE POSSESSION.
BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT THE CITY STAFF HAS ADVISED US IS THAT ONCE YOU START THOSE NEW KINDS OF, UH, DEVELOPMENTS IN AREAS THAT THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA IMPACT THE PROPERTY VALUES FOR OTHER PROPERTIES IN THOSE AREAS, AND THEY WILL END UP DISPLACING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED TAXES THAT MANY CANNOT AFFORD.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS, BUT WE NEED TO DO SO IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT FITS BEST FOR ALL OF US?
[00:30:01]
AND AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A ZERO SUM GAME TYPE POLITICS THAT THAT ONE SIDE WINS AND THE OTHER SIDE LOSES.AND, AND WHATEVER HAPPENS, WHAT ONE SIDE WANTS AND THE OTHER SIDE IS DISREGARDED.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE WANT A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYBODY CAN SIT TOGETHER AND YOU WON IT, WIN EVERYTHING.
YOU MAY HAVE TO COMPROMISE ON SOME THINGS, BUT I THINK WE WANT TO HAVE THE VOICES HEARD WHERE PEOPLE FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT THE ACTUAL RESULTS.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THOSE REAL VOLATILE ISSUES THAT MIGHT HAVE MANIFESTED THEMSELVES AS A RESULT OF THE CURRENT, UH, UH, UH, LAND USE CODE.
AND I WILL SAY THIS, I THINK THAT THE, UH, THAT MANY, UH, PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND SEEN, AND THE COUNCIL HAS SEEN SOME THAT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECONSIDER SOME OF THOSE THAT MIGHT MAKE FOR A BETTER SITUATION, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE, UH, LIVE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
CANDIDATE SIEGEL, WHAT, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT, UH, THE PARKING OR JUST THE, UH, MULTI-FAMILY UNITS THAT CAN GO ON RESIDENTIAL LOTS IN SINGLE FAMILY HOME NEIGHBORHOODS? SO WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE CITY, NOT JUST IN DISTRICT SEVEN? NO, I, WELL, WHAT I START WITH IS, IS THESE ARE NOT EASY DECISIONS, RIGHT? WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOUSING CRISIS, AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, EVEN BEFORE THE RECENT CITY COUNCIL VOTES ON THE, SO-CALLED HOME INITIATIVE, PEOPLE WERE BEING DISPLACED.
I LIVE IN CRESTVIEW, WHICH, UH, ORIGINALLY WAS LIKE THE NORTHERN MOST NEIGHBORHOOD IN NORTH AUSTIN AND IS NOW CENTRAL CITY.
YOU KNOW, LIKE NOW WE'VE GOT THE, THE SOCCER STADIUM CLOSE BY ALL THESE MAJOR QUARTERS THAT ARE BOOMING.
UH, THE CITY HAS CHANGED A LOT.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THIS BALANCE, AND I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH MR. BLED SO THAT WE DO NEED TO GET EVERYONE TO THE TABLE AND TRY TO REACH AS MUCH ACCOMMODATION AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I THINK THAT THE PARKING QUESTION GETS AT, FRANKLY, UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE DEBATE WE'VE HAD, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEARING THE WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT THEY'RE GONNA BULLDOZE MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THESE, THESE BEAUTIFUL TREELINE STREETS.
I WAS HOPING TO RETIRE IN PEACE, AND NOW MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS RUINED.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
UH, AND THE PARKING THING IS, IS WHAT IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO LOOK LIKE? WELL, I, IF I COULD JUST FINISH MY ANSWER, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO TO THE BEST CASE SCENARIO.
I MEAN, THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT FRANKLY, A, A TEACHER CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY TEACH IN, RIGHT? I WAS KNOCKING DOORS TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE.
I MET A GUY WHO SUPERVISES NURSES AT THE HOSPITAL ON 38TH, AND HE SAYS THAT TO BE AN ON-CALL NURSE, YOU HAVE TO BE AT YOUR STATION WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF GETTING A CALL, NOT JUST THE PARKING LOT OF THE HOSPITAL.
YOU HAVE TO BE AT YOUR STATION.
AND THEY CAN'T FIND NURSES WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE WITHIN THE CALL RADIUS.
SO THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS WHO PUT THE LIGHTS ON AFTER THE POWER GOES OUT, THE TEACHERS WHO TEACH OUR KIDS, THE NURSES WHO ARE GONNA CARE FOR US AS WE GET OLDER, THEY SHOULD HAVE A PLACE IN THIS CITY, RIGHT? SO THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH AND, AND FIND, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE PATHWAYS.
BUT THE PARKING ISSUE, I JUST WANNA GET GET TO THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A WORST CASE SCENARIO.
SOMEONE'S IMAGINING A A MASSIVE APARTMENT COMPLEX NEXT DOOR WITHOUT PARKING.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S VERY UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN BECAUSE DOWNTOWN THEY, THEY ACTUALLY BUILT A COMPLEX WITHOUT PARKING AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO SELL ANY UNITS.
'CAUSE IT TURNS OUT THE TEXANS WANT PARKING, RIGHT? SO I, I THINK WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WORRY.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO AVOID THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS AND TRUST THAT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION WE CAN SMOOTH OUT A LOT OF THE WRINKLES.
BUT ON THIS DEVELOPMENT ISSUE, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIRECTLY TO ME, THE BALANCE I WANNA STRIKE IS TO PRESERVE THESE WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOODS.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN ONE OF 'EM WITH, WITH TREELINE STREETS AND A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, AND YOU KNOW, YOUR NEIGHBORS.
WE WANNA PRESERVE THAT WHILE ALSO HAVING SOME FAIRNESS FOR THE WORKERS, THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY WHAT IT IS, THE, THE CITY WORKERS, THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS, THE EMS, FIRE AND POLICE.
I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE A PLACE IN THE CITY.
AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUE THAT IS IN THE BACKGROUND HERE IS FRANKLY, CLIMATE CHANGE.
UH, YOU KNOW, CAR CULTURE SPRAWL, UH, PAVING THE PRAIRIES, CUTTING THE FOREST.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE GLOBAL WARMING.
AND SO WE HAVE TO, CLIMATE CHANGE HAS TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE DECIDING BETWEEN BUILDING HOMES IN THE CITY CENTER AND, YOU KNOW, INFILL HOUSING AS IT'S CALLED, OR BUILDING HOUSES IN THE SUBURBS, THAT HAS A CLIMATE IMPACT.
AND SO I DO WANNA INCENTIVIZE BUILDING MORE INFILL HOUSING, UH, SO THAT THE NURSES HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
AND ALSO SO WE CAN REDUCE OUR CLIMATE IMPACT.
'CAUSE I DO THINK AUSTIN HAS TO DO ITS PART TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT CODE IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE.
AND YOU BOTH HAVE DONE WELL TO KIND OF EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS ON THAT.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DEFINE, UM, CANDIDATE BLEDSO.
I'M JUST GONNA SAY TWO WORDS, AND I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT, WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND? RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT IS DEVELOPMENT THAT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEEDS OF THE
[00:35:01]
COMMUNITY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THE OWNERS, UH, THE CITY, UH, THAT TRIES TO ME INTO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE'RE, UH, WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S RESPON RESPONSIBLE REQUIRES, REQUIRES INPUT AND CONCERN.
IT'S KINDA LIKE THE IDEA OF THE COMMONWEALTH, UH, WHERE YOU LOOK AT THE COMMONWEALTH, THE, THE COMMON GOOD.
AND I THINK THAT TO ME, THAT WOULD BE THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I USE A DIFFERENT TERM.
I LIKE TO SEE BALANCE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE FOR THE OWNER, BUT I THINK THAT BALANCE DEVELOPMENT WHERE YOU HAVE INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE THE COUNTER DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THE CITY.
CANDIDATE SIEGEL, JUST THE WORDS RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND? WELL, I, I DID LIKE MR. BLEDSOE'S ANSWER, UM, YEAH, RESPONSIBLE TO ME, WE SEEMS RESPONSIVE TO A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS, RIGHT? RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE NOW AND RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WANNA COME HERE.
I THINK IT'S BALANCING THAT IT'S RESPONSIBLE TO OUR VALUES AS A CITY AND RESPONSIBLE TO OUR DUTIES, UH, AS CITIZENS OF A NATION.
AND SO TO ME, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE A GROWING COMMUNITY.
THAT, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY BUILT A TESLA PLANT AND A SAMSUNG FACILITY.
AND WE'VE GOT THIS WONDERFUL UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO COME TO.
AND WE'VE GOT ALL THESE TECH COMPANIES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WANNA COME TO AUSTIN.
AND SO HOW DO WE BALANCE, YOU KNOW, MAKING ROOM FOR SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING IN WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HERE, UH, MAINTAIN THEIR HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE OVER TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND KIND OF GETTING, TRYING TO STAY IN ORDER HERE.
CANDIDATE SIEGEL, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU.
AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT? EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT OPINIONS, AND SOME HAVE COME FROM THIS DAIS OF BUILDING A BRAND NEW GAS PLANT AND TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO CONVERT THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
WHAT DO YOU SAY? THIS IS, UH, PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE THAT OUR CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND I, I DO WANNA CLOSE THIS PLANT, NOT JUST HAVE THE CITY, YOU KNOW, UH, CLOSE ITS STAKE IN THE FACILITY THAT'S CO-OWNED WITH LCRA, BUT I WANT US TO CLOSE THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT COMPLETELY.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
I ACTUALLY RAN FOR CONGRESS IN A DISTRICT THAT INCLUDED FAYETTE COUNTY.
I WENT OUT TO FAYETTEVILLE, WHICH IS IN THE SHADOW OF THE PLANT.
I LEARNED HOW THERE'S, UH, A CORRIDOR OF, OF CANCER, UH, UM, SURVIVORS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, DEATHS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND THE, THE DETENTION POND AT THE COAL PLANT, THERE'S INCREASED RATES OF ASTHMA.
THE AIR POLLUTION FROM THAT FACILITY HAS POLLUTED, MAYBE TWO DOZEN COUNTIES.
I MET THE OWNER OF A MULTI-GENERATIONAL PECAN ORCHARD WHOSE PECAN ORCHARD USED TO PRODUCE THE MOST PECANS IN TEXAS A AND M, USED TO STUDY THEIR PECAN ORCHARD, AND NOW PRODUCES ZERO PECANS FROM THE ACID RAIN.
IT'S POLLUTING THE WATER, THE GROUNDWATER, IT, THE, UH, RUNOFF IS GOING INTO THE COLORADO RIVER.
IT, IT COUNTS FOR 75% OF OUR CITY'S FOSSIL FUEL EMISSIONS.
UH, COUNTLESS THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS OF TONS OF AIR POLLUTION.
AND SO WE NEED TO CLOSE THE FAT COAL PLANT FOR OUR CONSCIENCE, FOR THE PLANET, FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR HEALTH, AIR, AND WATER.
NOW, HOW DO WE DO IT IS THE BIG QUESTION, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF AGREEMENT THAT WE SHOULD DO IT.
AND SO THIS IS A, A BIG NEGOTIATION.
WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH LCRA, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY, WHICH IS THE LEADERSHIP WHICH IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
WE ALSO NEED TO NEGOTIATE WITH ERCOT, THE, THE GRID, UH, YOU KNOW, AGENCY BECAUSE THEY WON'T LET US CLOSE THE COAL PLANT IF WE DON'T HAVE TRANSMISSION TAKEN CARE OF IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT FACILITY.
AND SO, TO ME, WE NEED TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN NEGOTIATING A SOLUTION THAT MEETS ALL THE NEEDS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS.
SO WE DO NEED TO TAKE CARE OF TRANSMISSION IN THE REGION.
WE NEED TO HAVE OTHER SOURCES OF RELIABLE, UH, GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION THAT CAN REPLACE THE COAL PLANT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE INVESTING IN.
I DON'T WANT A NEW GAS PLANT, AND I'M GLAD IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITY IS MOVING AWAY FROM THAT IDEA.
BUT I DO WANT US TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, BATTERY STORAGE.
THEY'RE AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN BATTERY POWER TECHNOLOGY.
WHY CAN'T WE BE A REGIONAL OR OR NATIONAL LEADER HERE IN BUILDING UTILITY GRADE, UH, B BATTERY POWER STORAGE, RIGHT? THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS.
GEOTHERMAL IS ANOTHER SOLUTION, UH, THAT TO ME COULD BE SOMETHING A, A PLANT WE BUILD AT THAT FACILITY.
UH, ONE OF THE VERY STRATEGIC THINGS ABOUT THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT IS IT'S LOCATED NEAR MASSIVE TRANSITION LINE TRANSMISSION LINES AS WELL AS NEAR MASSIVE RAIL LINES.
AND SO THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S GENERATING A LOT OF ELECTRICITY FROM THAT AREA, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE COAL.
BUT, SO WE NEED TO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
UH, THERE'S PROBABLY A COST TO WINDING DOWN THE PLANT BEFORE ITS LIFESPAN
[00:40:01]
IS OVER, SO WE MIGHT HAVE TO PAY TO GET OUT OF SOME OF IT.THERE'S ALSO A NEGOTIATION ABOUT WATER RIGHTS.
THAT FACILITY USES COUNTLESS MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER IN A REGION THAT, UH, IS FACING INCREASING DROUGHT.
AND SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE USING WATER FOR, FOR COAL POWER.
WE SHOULD BE USING IT FOR PEOPLE.
AND SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO TAKE ON AND, AND ORGANIZE AROUND IN THE YEARS TO COME.
AND AT ZO, WHAT DO WE DO? WELL, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, ISSUE.
I THINK IT'S, UH, IT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE COULD JUST LEAVE, UH, THE COAL POWER PLANT TOMORROW AND NO LONGER PARTICIPATE IN IT.
BUT I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, NOT ONLY DO WE NOT HAVE QUITE THE RIGHT, UH, TO DO SO, AS MIKE HAS MENTIONED, UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO, UH, THE QUESTION OF WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T.
UH, WE'RE NO LONGER THERE, WE'RE NO LONGER PART OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WITH IT.
AND THINGS THAT MAY BE BAD NOW MAY CONTINUE.
WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN WHAT'S ACTUALLY OCCURRING THERE.
WE NEED TO DO THAT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UH, SO, SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE NOT DOING CORRECTLY IN MY MIND, IS IT, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE, WE, WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO PULL AWAY FROM THAT PLAN, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE EXHIBITED THE SERIOUSNESS TO INDICATE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO, BUT WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULDN'T LEAVE UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT'LL BE MORE HARMFUL TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE DO THAT? HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE CHANGE ITS FOCUS? UH, HOW CAN WE LEAVE, HOW CAN WE DO SOMETHING THAT WON'T FURTHER INJURE, OR EVEN MORE SO INJURE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY OR THOSE COMMUNITIES WITH, UH, WITH THE KINDS OF HAZARDS ARE ACTUALLY BEING PRESENTED.
SO, UH, WHAT WE, WHAT WE, AND, AND PLUS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE OTHER ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL RESULT FOR ANY KIND OF CHANGE THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE.
I THINK WE HAVE MANY, UH, CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVES THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE, UH, THAT THAT ONE COULD LOOK AT IN THAT COMMUNITY WHEN, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLAR FARMS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, OBVIOUSLY ARE POSSIBILITIES THAT ONE COULD LOOK AT THAT MIGHT HELP PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.
UH, BUT I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND SOME OF THAT'S GOING TO BE POLITICAL.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO IS TO BE ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE IN WAYS WHERE WE CAN ENGAGE THEM.
AND WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAWSUITS THAT WE MIGHT THINK OF THAT ARE SOMEWHAT UNIQUE AND SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT, WHERE WE CHANGE AND WE FLIP THE SCRIPT, AND MAYBE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING MORE INNOVATIVE FROM WITHIN THE CITY INSTEAD OF PEOPLE FROM, WITHOUT HAVING TO CARRY THE BURDEN.
UH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THOSE ISSUES AS MAYBE SEGUES TO SOLUTIONS.
AND SO THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BY THINKING DIFFERENTLY AND PUTTING ON A DIFFERENT NAIN, UH, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY LEAD TO A MORE EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
UH, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE RECKLESS IN TERMS OF HOW WE LEAVE OR CHANGE.
BUT THE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, UH, PLANT, UH, THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO SHUT IT DOWN SMARTLY.
AND I THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT SHUTTING SOMETHING DOWN OR LEAVING RATHER, BUT IF YOU'RE HARMING YOURSELF, IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE.
SO, CANDIDATE BLEDSO, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU AND, AND CANDIDATE SIEGEL ALLUDED TO WATER.
AND SO WE LOOK AT LAKE TRAVIS AND WE LOOK AT THE DROUGHT THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF.
AND I'D LIKE YOU TO GIVE THE CITY A GRADE OF A THROUGH F ON MANAGING ITS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY.
DURING THIS RAPID GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN, INCLUDING PURIFICATION SYSTEMS, SEWERS, AND DRAINAGE.
WHAT IN WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE THAT? WELL, UM, UH, I WOULDN'T GIVE IT A, A FAILING GRADE, BUT I'D GIVE IT A LOW GRADE, UH, BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE LOW HANGING FRUIT, UH, THAT COULD BE DONE OR THAT SHOULD BE DONE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH OUR PIPE SYSTEM, AND WE LOSE SEVEN, UH, BILLION, UH, UH, GALLONS OF WATER EVERY YEAR, UH, FROM LEAKAGE THAT, UH, IS AND IS A COMPLETE WASTE.
UH, WE TAKE A LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, LAKE TRAVIS.
AND, AND, AND LAKE TRAVIS IS, IS, IS WHAT THAT, UH, 40, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HALF.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UH, WE, WE LOOK AT THAT AND YOU WONDER WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE LOOK AT THE DROUGHTS THAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING NOWADAYS WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGE THAT'S ACTUALLY OCCURRED.
AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE REAL, UM, THE REAL,
[00:45:01]
UH, DESIRE TO ACTUALLY COMBAT THE ISSUE.AND, UM, AND THE PROBLEM, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT'S OCCURRING THAT MAY BE SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC IS, UH, ALL OF THE, UH, ALL OF THE CONTAMINATION, UH, OF, OF, UH, OF WATER SOURCES THAT MIGHT OCCUR, UH, FROM MANY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE UNDERTAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO, UH, BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF WATER.
I THINK WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A WATER PLAN.
PEOPLE SAY IT'S A GOOD WATER PLAN.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WATER PLAN THAT WE HAVE IS REALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED IN, IN A, IN A, IN A PROPER WAY BECAUSE THE EXPERTS I TALK WITH SAY GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE WATER PLAN.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF WATER, UH, IS ACTUALLY FOR US TO TAKE A, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY, UH, BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WE MAY NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE TO, UH, TO ZOO ESCAPING OR SOME OTHER TYPES OF LAWNS.
UH, SO YOU DON'T HAVE QUITE THE OBLIGATION OF USING THE WATER BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, UH, WHAT'S ACTUALLY OCCURRING IS GONNA OCCUR MORE AND MORE IN TERMS OF THE DROUGHT.
AND SO WE'RE USING WATER, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, UH, USING SOMETHING, UH, HAVING DIFFERENT LAWNS AND THINGS TO TAKE AWAY THE DEMAND FOR THAT WATER.
WE NEED TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF HOW WE ACTUALLY CAPTURE AND UTILIZE WA RAINWATER.
AND WE NEED TO, UH, ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS AND THINGS THAT WE USE MIGHT BE, UH, POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AS AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT WE MIGHT DO, UH, TO ADDRESS WHAT'S LIKELY TO HAPPEN.
WE LOOK ALL AROUND US AND WE SEE, WE SEE DROUGHTS ALL AROUND.
IT HASN'T QUITE HIT THAT LEVEL HERE, BUT WE SAW THE, THE WILDFIRES OUT IN WEST TEXAS, AND, UH, OTHER LOCATIONS.
WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND ALL OF THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE.
SO WE NEED TO BE A WHOLE, UM, WHOLE LOT MORE PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING, UH, AND ASSESSING.
SO WE NEED REALLY AN AUDIT, FOR EXAMPLE, OF, UH, WE NEED TO AUDIT THE, THE ACTUAL WATER PLAN, UH, TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'VE DONE RIGHT, AND WHAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING PROPERLY IN TERMS OF THE ALREADY ADOPTED WATER PLAN THAT WE HAD.
CAN SIEGEL JUST A THROUGH F ON, ON INFRASTRUCTURE, PURIFICATION, SEWERS, DRAINAGE, AND WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCED THAT GRADE? WELL, I, I, I GIVE, UH, OUR WATER EMPLOYEES A HIGH GRADE, UM, MAYBE B PLUS, A MINUS.
UM, I DO REMEMBER THOSE BOIL WATER NOTICES A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
WE, WE'VE MADE SOME MISTAKES HERE AND THERE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE AS A CITY ATTORNEY IS I GOT TO REPRESENT A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
AND I FOUND TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT WE HAVE WONDERFUL PEOPLE, WONDERFUL CIVIL SERVANTS WHO ARE WORKING ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY.
AND AUSTIN WATER IS NO EXCEPTION.
AND THE WATER FORWARD PLAN THAT MR. BLEDSOE REFERENCED IS REALLY A VISIONARY, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED YEAR PLAN TO TAKE CARE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY AND TO DEVELOP NEW SOURCES OF, OF WATER.
I MEAN, FRANKLY, CLOSING THE FAA COAL PLANT IS ONE NICE EXAMPLE IN AND ONE FELL SWOOP.
WE COULD, UH, CREATE ACCESS TO A LOT MORE WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT PLAN NEEDS TO BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THE MANAGER IS RIDING HEARD IN GETTING THAT DONE.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MR. BLEDSOE DISCUSSED ARE THINGS I WOULD AGREE WITH.
YOU KNOW, I THINK CONSERVATION AND RECLAMATION ARE TWO BIG CATEGORIES WE NEED TO WORK ON.
SO CONSERVATION, YOU KNOW, YEAH, HOW DO WE WASTE LESS WATER? I WOULD LOVE TO FIX THESE PIPES, YOU KNOW? UH, BUT IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, THAT'S GONNA BE A CHOICE.
I MEAN, THE CITY COUNCIL IS TALKING ABOUT CAPPING THE FREEWAY THAT MIGHT COST A BILLION DOLLARS.
THAT WHAT ABOUT THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS TO, TO FIX THE PIPES? I MEAN, WE WE'RE CLOSING POOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE LOSING TOO MUCH WATER.
SO, UH, CERTAINLY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO, HOW DO WE MAKE CONSERVATION COOL? HOW DO WE MAKE IT FUN? YOU KNOW, CAN WE TURN IT INTO A GAME ON YOUR APP WHERE IF I USE A LITTLE BIT LESS WATER EVERY DAY, I GET POINTS SOMEHOW, UH, FROM THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE WATER CATCHMENT, YOU KNOW, CATCHING WATER FROM THE RAIN? HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, GETTING RID OF LAWNS? UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON MORE AND MORE.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECLAIM WATER, WHETHER IT'S FROM TOWN LAKE OR OTHER SOURCES.
I MEAN, THIS IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE.
UM, UH, THERE'S EVEN TALKS ABOUT DESALINATION.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT.
I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FOLKS IN THE AREA WHO ARE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UH, BRACKISH WATER IN, IN THE, THE SHALE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE BALCONES HERE.
AND SO THAT MIGHT BE A SOURCE OF WATER WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION.
WE HAVE CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE ALREADY SHIPPING WATER FROM SEVERAL COUNTIES AWAY, RIGHT? BASICALLY DRAINING WATER FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES TO, TO TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE WATER TO THEIRS.
THAT'S A LESS THAN IDEAL SITUATION WHERE BASICALLY SOME PARTS OF TEXAS ARE ROBBING OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS.
SO I WANT US TO BE AS SUSTAINABLE AS
[00:50:01]
POSSIBLE AND REALLY, UM, SHOW A LOT OF LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA.WELL, IN A FEW SHORT WEEKS, ONE, UH, ONE OF YOU IS GONNA MAKE SOME DECISIONS, AND YOU MENTIONED SPENDING MONEY ON THE CAPS AND STITCHES IN SOME OF THAT OVER THE INFRASTRUCTURE OVER I 35.
ARE YOU IN SUPPORT OF SPENDING MONEY? AND WILL IT, UH, HELP THAT DIVIDE OF EAST AND WEST BY PUTTING THOSE LARGER CAPS OVER I 35? ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF SPENDING MONEY TO DO THAT? NO.
UM, TO USE KIND OF A CRUDE, UH, PHRASE, I ALMOST THINK OF IT AS LIPSTICK ON A PIG.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO EXPAND OUR FREEWAY, BUT THAT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE FOR US BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, ACTUALLY, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH MY DAUGHTER EARLIER.
UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S LIKE, WHO WOULD WANNA GO TO A PARK ON TOP OF A FREEWAY? ISN'T THAT GONNA BE NOISY? ISN'T THAT GONNA SMELL BAD? UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT ARE THE COSTS? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? AND, YOU KNOW, EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT WOULD A BILLION DOLLARS DO TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN THIS COMMITTEE? OR WHAT COULD A BILLION DOLLARS DO IN SOME OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES? I DON'T FEEL LIKE COVERING A FREEWAY IS, IS TOP OF THE LIST FOR AUSTIN.
WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FACING A WATER CRISIS.
WE'RE IN A CLIMATE CRISIS, THERE'S A HOUSING CRISIS.
UH, WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF BIG NEEDS OUT THERE.
AND I, I WOULDN'T PUT THAT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST COUNCIL.
WELL, I WOULD, UM, UH, I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO STUDY EXACTLY, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN REFERENCE TO THIS DECISION THAT'S BEEN MADE.
UH, MIKE IS RIGHT, THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, AND I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IF THIS INDEED DOES BECOME A REALITY, AND THE LITIGATION THAT MAY BE OUT THERE DOESN'T SUCCEED THAT IT, UH, DOES, UH, THE, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF HARM TO OUR CITIZENS AND TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, UM, AS WE COULD POSSIBLY HOPE.
AND SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THAT LIVE, UH, IN AND AROUND THE, THE AREA AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WILL BE NEGATIVELY, UH, IMPACTED BY THAT.
WE NEED TO NEED TO WORK TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HARM IS DONE, UH, TO AS FEAR OF THEM AS POSSIBLE.
AND TO THE EXTENT WE CAN USE WHATEVER, UH, WHATEVER MIGHT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH CITIZENS.
IT MIGHT EVEN MAKE IT, UH, UH, LESS LIKELY THAT THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN, WE SHOULD DO THAT TOO.
BUT IT DOES APPEAR AS THOUGH IT'S KIND OF A FATAL PLEA, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, UH, THAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND I THINK IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, UH, THAT, UM, END UP, UM, UH, BEING, LOSING PROPERTIES, ET CETERA, THAT THEY'RE PROPERLY COMPENSATED.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT DISPLACEMENT, THAT PEOPLE ARE RESPECTED AND THAT, UH, THAT THINGS ARE HANDLED, UH, IN THE APPROPRIATE WAY AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE, MAKE SURE THAT TO THE EXTENT WE CAN AFFORD THOSE, THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.
BECAUSE HAVING ALL THOSE LANES COME THROUGH AUSTIN IS GONNA ENCOURAGE MORE AND MORE TRAFFIC.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AND, AND BALANCE THOSE THINGS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY, UH, AND WE WOULD WANT TO AVOID THAT.
I THINK THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO SEE, UH, THIS ACTUAL, UH, FREEWAY BE EXPANDED IN THE WAY THAT IT IS BEING EXPANDED.
BUT IF IT IS GOING TO BE EXPANDED, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO OUR CITY AND WHAT IT DOES TO OUR, UH, WATER, WHAT IT DOES TO OUR AIR, UH, BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WILL OCCUR THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY IMPACT OUR WATER AND OUR AIR.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE TO, UH, LOOK SERIOUSLY AT POSSIBLY, UM, UH, UH, GOING AHEAD AND UNDERTAKING SOME OF THOSE, UH, ACTIVITIES.
WHETHER IT'S A BILLION DOLLARS FOR A PARK OR NOT, THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY, AND YOU DO HAVE TO BALANCE OTHER EXPENSES.
WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, TAXPAYERS AREN'T LIKE, UH, FAUCETS.
YOU JUST CAN'T TURN 'EM ON AND TURN 'EM BACK OFF.
AND SO WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, UH, ACTUALLY GO OUT AND, AND DO ANY AND EVERYTHING.
WE HAVE TO ASSESS, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE VIABILITY OF PROJECTS.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF GROUPS OUT THERE THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS.
AND WE NEED TO TRY TO WORK WITH THOSE NONPROFIT GROUPS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS BEST FOR OUR CITY AND BEST FOR, UH, THE PEOPLE.
BUT IT POINTS OUT A GREATER PROBLEM, AND THAT IS HOW DID THIS HAPPEN IN THE WAY THAT IT DID WHERE WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE PROPER PUBLIC INPUT? THANK YOU.
WE'VE ABOUT COME TO THE END OF OUR TIME.
WE HAVE PAGES OF OTHER QUESTIONS AND EMAILS THAT HAVE COME IN, BUT I'M GONNA ASK A, A QUESTION AND IT'S GONNA BE YOUR CLOSING.
UM, AND WE STARTED THE INTROS WITH CANDIDATE BLEDSO.
WE'RE GONNA START THE CLOSING WITH CANDIDATE SIEGEL.
AND IF WE LOOK AT WHAT AUSTIN HAS FACED, WE HAVE FACED A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
[00:55:01]
SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.WE HAD SOME VERY UGLY ONGOING PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLICING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THOSE EFFECTS.
UM, WHAT LEADERSHIP SKILLS DO YOU POSSESS THAT WOULD PREPARE YOU TO GUIDE US THROUGH SIMILAR EVENTS, SHOULD THEY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU TWO MINUTES AND WE'RE GONNA TIME IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SAY I, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR MR. BLEDSOE AND HIS BODY OF WORK OVER DECADES, WHETHER IT'S BACK IN THE ANN RICHARDS ERA WITH THE TEXAS NA NAACP ADVOCATING AT THE STATE CAPITOL.
BUT I, I DO THINK I'M THE CANDIDATE WHO'S RIGHT FOR THIS MOMENT AND RIGHT FOR THIS DISTRICT.
UH, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM VOTERS IS THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE NEW PRESIDENT COMING IN AND THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN, UH, TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND ABBOTT IN THE STATE HOUSE, AND HOW DO WE CARE FOR EACH OTHER HERE IN AUSTIN? HOW DO WE CARE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY? AND I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO HAS WORKED AT CITY HALL WHO HAS WRITTEN ORDINANCES AND DEFENDED THOSE ORDINANCES IN COURT.
I, I'VE SUED GREG ABBOTT AND WON ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
I'VE DEFEATED CHEM PAXTON IN COURT MULTIPLE TIMES.
I'VE CHALLENGED THE FOLKS WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO COME AFTER US IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
AND I'M ALSO THE CANDIDATE WHO'S BEEN MOST ACTIVE IN THIS CITY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, ORGANIZING ON ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONCERN, WHETHER IT WAS MY WORK AT, AT, AT CITY HALL AS A CITY ATTORNEY, UM, CHALLENGING ANTI-IMMIGRANT POLICIES AND WINNING AGAINST THE GOVERNOR, WHETHER IT WAS, UM, STANDING UP DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC TO SUE GOVERNOR ABBOTT TO ALLOW FOR MASK RULES IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT WAS PASSING A MARIJUANA REFORM POLICY, WHETHER IT WAS PASSING, UH, THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT.
I'VE BEEN A PART OF COALITIONS, AND THAT'S REALLY REFLECTED WITH WHO SUPPORTS MY CAMPAIGN.
I'M ENDORSED BY THE CITY WORKERS, BY THE EMS WORKERS, BY THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL.
I'M ENDORSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PROGRESSIVE LEADERS OF ALL TYPES.
AND I THINK WE NEED A CITY COUNCIL THAT'S READY TO STAND UP AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO ACTIVELY ORGANIZE AMONG ALL SECTORS, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, DEVELOP SOLUTIONS, AND BE EFFECTIVE.
AND, AND SO THAT'S MY PITCH, WHY I, I'M THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS MOMENT.
UH, AND I'D BE HONORED TO EARN THE, THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
I'VE SPENT A LIFETIME OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DIVERGENT INTERESTS IN BRINGING THEM TOGETHER.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL THINGS THAT I BRING TO THE TABLE.
I HAVE A HISTORY, NOT JUST BACK IN THE ERA WITH, UH, MY FRIEND GOVERNOR ANN RICHARDS, BUT I'VE DONE IT MANY TIMES SINCE.
ON ISSUES OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE ANTI-RACIAL PROFILING LAW, OR THE TOP 10% LAW, OR WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LITIGATION AND BRINGING ABOUT SUCCESSES AND, UH, REDISTRICTING AND OTHER, UH, ARENAS.
I HAVE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF SUCCESS OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE AND ACTUALLY WORKING TO BRING ABOUT GOOD AND POSITIVE POLICIES THAT POSITIVELY IMPACT PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES AND TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND REACH ACCOMMODATION ON IMPORTANT ISSUES OVER, UH, AT THE LEGISLATURE.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH POLICE AND, UH, MINORITY GROUPS TO PRO PROVIDE FOR, UH, SOME KIND OF, UH, RESOLUTION TO IMPORTANT ISSUES.
MANY THAT HAVE CHANGED OUR CITY, UH, THAT IMPROVED OUR CITY, UH, TO THE CITY THAT WE LIKED TODAY.
UH, THAT INDEED MANY OF THOSE CHANGES CAME FROM ME BEING, UH, THAT TYPE OF PERSON.
UH, I HAVE A REAL TRACK RECORD OF DOING THINGS WITH MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT OTHERS WILL ATTEST TO.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I HAVE SUCH A GREAT VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE ENDORSED ME.
I'VE GOT A CAMPAIGN THAT LOOKS LIKE AUSTIN.
I'VE GOT A CAMPAIGN, UH, THAT, THAT HAS DIVERSE, UH, WORKERS.
AND I HAVE A CAMPAIGN WHERE I'VE BEEN ENDORSED BY, UH, THE, THE HANO DEMOCRATS, THE BLACK AUSTIN DEMOCRATS, THE CENTRAL AUSTIN DEMOCRAT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS.
I'VE BEEN, UH, ENDORSED ALONG WITH MR. SIEGEL BY THE SIERRA CLUB, BUT ALSO, UH, THE, THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN ENDORSED BY, UH, BY, BY, BY PAC, BY, UH, BY, UH, OUR TECH, BY, UH, OUR TEXAS AND OTHERS THAT, THAT ARE REALLY, UH, THAT ARE REALLY SO IMPORTANT, UH, TO US THAT, THAT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WORK WITH THE BEING BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I WORK WITH THE MINORITY COMMUNITY.
I CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I CAN REPRESENT YOU AND BE INDEED A PERSON THAT WILL BE YOUR WATCHDOG ON THE COUNCIL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR SINCERITY AND YOUR CANDOR IN ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK THEY DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, AND WE, WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
BE SURE TO, UH, WATCH THESE ON A TXN NETWORK ALONGSIDE OTHER COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AND YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT EVENING.