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[1. Presentation and discussion of the City Manager’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Proposed Budget and possible tax rate election.]
IN THE MORNING ON AUGUST 5TH, 2025, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION.WE HAVE CONVENED WITH A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, UH, QUORUM.
UM, NOBODY GOT THAT JOKE, SO, ALL RIGHT.
UH, MAY, MAYBE IT'S JUST THE MORNING.
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESIDENT, AND WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN AUSTIN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UH, THE WAY WE'LL PROCEED MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IS WE WILL HAVE, UH, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WE HAD ORIGINALLY INDICATED THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS WORK SESSION, WHICH WAS ALWAYS A TENTATIVE WORK SESSION, BUT WE DECIDED WE WERE GONNA HAVE A WORK SESSION SO THAT, UH, THE FINANCIAL STAFF COULD LAY OUT THE VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THE PROCESS IS WORKING VERY WELL, AND WITH THOSE ALTERNATIVES HAVEN'T BEEN LAID OUT WITH THE VARIOUS, UH, WORK SESSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UH, AND NOW WE'VE KIND OF GONE PAST THE NEED TO HAVE, TELL US WHAT'S IN 1, 2, 3, 4 ON UP TO EIGHT, BECAUSE ALTERNATIVES HAVE BEEN POSTED.
AND AS OF SIX O'CLOCK YESTERDAY, THE, THE BUDGET, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND PROPOSED BUDGET IFCS HAVE ALSO BEEN POSTED AND ARE AVAILABLE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TODAY IS IF, UH, HEAR, HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, AND THEN IF ANYBODY HAS, MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS RELATED TO DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET, UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT.
WE DO HAVE AN AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR ONE 30 TODAY.
UH, BUT THAT'S THE INDEPENDENT OF THIS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN TO THE, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS OR OBJECTIONS, I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THAT YOU PLEASE GUIDE US THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST, UH, SCREENER, OR THE FIRST SPEAKER.
I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH AUSTIN RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ATTENDED THEIR TOWN HALLS.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO VERY FRUSTRATED THAT OUR VOICES ARE NOT BEING HEARD, AND OUR QUESTIONS GO UNANSWERED EVERY WEEK.
YOU ALL HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO COME TO CITY COUNCIL WITH HANDS OUT ASKING FOR MONEY.
YOU DON'T HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO WANT YOU TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND FOCUS ON ESSENTIAL SERVICES BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.
SOME ARE JUST TRYING TO GET BY.
OTHERS ARE BUILDING THEIR DREAMS, THEIR SERVICE TO THEIR FAMILIES, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES KEEP THE CITY RUNNING AND PREVENT THEM FROM COMING HERE TO SPEAK.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE PAYING TAXES AND FUNDING THIS GOVERNMENT.
THEY DON'T WANT MONEY FROM YOU.
THEY JUST WANT THE CITY TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE FREEDOM TO LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
THEY WANT SAFE AND MAINTAINED NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS, STREETS, AND UTILITIES.
THE OPTICS OF THIS BUDGET ARE PARABLE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A MANUFACTURED CRISIS.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES ARE CONVENIENTLY LEFT UNDERFUNDED.
WHEN WE ASK ABOUT CUTTING SPENDING, YOU REPLY THAT WE'D HAVE TO CUT BACK ON TRASH, EM, FS, FIRE AND POLICE.
YOU ALL SIT AT THE DA AND ACT SURPRISED BY SUCH GAPING HOLDS IN THIS BUDGET.
BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE CITY MANAGERS SERVE THAT YOUR REQUEST, YOU APPOINTED HIM, HIS OFFICE EXECUTES YOUR VISION OF GOVERNANCE.
CITY COUNCIL IS NOT A VICTIM OF THIS BAD PROPOSAL.
YOU ALL HAVE PLAYED A HAND IN RECOMMENDING POLICY, AND YOU ALL HAVE FINAL SAY IN THE OUTCOME.
AUSTINITES ARE TIRED OF YOUR IRRESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT AND EXCUSES FOR TAX INCREASES.
WE FULLY INTEND TO VOTE AGAINST THE TAX RATE ELECTION THIS NOVEMBER.
SO I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUESTION.
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THE TAX RATE ELECTION DOESN'T PASS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.NEXT, WE HAVE KABA WHITE I, MS. WHITE.
HELLO, THIS IS KABA WHITE SPEAKING FOR PUBLIC CITIZENS TEXAS OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THE BUDGET.
WANNA START BY THANKING COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL AND ALTER FOR THEIR WORK TO PRIORITIZE CLIMATE IN THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND IFCS, AND WANT TO URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT A FEW ITEMS THAT I, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED AS AMENDMENTS AND IFCS FIRST, UH, MONEY FOR A REVOLVING FUND TO PAY FOR SUSTAINABILITY UPGRADES THAT WILL SAVE MONEY IN CITY BUILDINGS.
SECOND, AN ENERGY MANAGER AT THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE TO MANAGE THAT FUND.
THIRD, A SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING MANAGER OR SIMILAR POSITION FOR THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING PLAN AND IMPLEMENT THAT PLAN AT THE CITY.
AND FOURTH, TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR EITHER THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS OR SIMILAR PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE SHIFTED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
AND ALSO SUPPORT PLEASE THE IFCS TO DIRECT, UH, THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A SOLAR RECYCLING PROGRAM ASSOCIATED FEE AND DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO EVALUATE CITY LANDS FOR CLIMATE PROJECTS, INCLUDING SOLAR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK, AND I HOPE YOU WILL SUPPORT ALL OF THESE ITEMS. THANK THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS, STARTING WITH AKI SHAW, WALTER MORROW, IAN, NATHAN FERNANDEZ.
SCOTT COBB, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AOKI SHAW, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED WORKERS OF INTEGRAL CARE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD FIRST ALLOCATE AT LEAST $3 MILLION A YEAR IN ONGOING FUNDING FOR 24 7 EM COT.
OUR MOBILE CRISIS CLINICIANS ARE THE ALTERNATIVE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT PREVENT TRAGEDIES REDUCE EMS AND POLICE CALL LOADS AND KEEP EMERGENCY ROOMS CLEAR FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
THIS AMOUNT WAS BUILT TO INCLUDE WAGE INCREASES IN DIFFERENTIALS BECAUSE A 24 7 MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SYSTEM ONLY WORKS IF WE CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN SKILLED STAFF.
STABILITY SAVES LIVES AND MONEY.
SECOND, ALLOCATING 2.5 MILLION FOR LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR NEIGHBORS WHOSE ARPA FUNDED EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS ARE EXPIRING WITHOUT A BRIDGE.
PEOPLE WHO DID EVERYTHING RIGHT AND THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN WILL BE PUSHED BACK INTO HOMELESSNESS, IS FAR CHEAPER TO KEEP SOMEONE HOUSED AND TO REHOUSE THEM AFTER THEY'VE LOST EVERYTHING.
AGAIN, THIS IS A TARGETED, TIME-SENSITIVE INVESTMENT THAT PREVENTS A PREDICTABLE WAVE OF RETURNS TO THE STREET.
LASTLY, PUTTING A TAX RATE OR ELECTION LEVEL ON THE BALLOT THAT WILL ALLOW NEEDED INVESTMENT INTO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE PLAN, ESPECIALLY THE RAPID REHOUSING TO PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING PIPELINE, AND BROADLY, THE STAFFING LEVELS AND RETENTION NEEDED ACROSS THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
BEDS, VOUCHERS AND CASE MANAGEMENT ONLY WORK WHEN WE HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO STAFF THEM.
A SUSTAINABLE REVENUE TOOL LETS VOTERS CHOOSE STABLE FUNDING INSTEAD OF CRISIS BY CRISIS PATCHES.
OUR UNION CAN PROMISE, SUPPORT AND COMPANION TO EDUCATE VOTERS ON THE NEED FOR A HIGHER TAX RATE.
THESE AMENDMENTS ARE NOT ABSTRACT NUMBERS.
THEY'RE COMMITMENTS TO KEEP AUSTIN IN PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SURVIVE A CRISIS, KEEP THEIR HOUSING, AND GET THE HELP THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT.
BY SUPPORTING THEM, YOU'RE NOT JUST FUNDING PROGRAMS, YOU'RE PREVENTING POLICE AND EMS OVERLOAD.
AVOIDING THE FAR GREATER COST OF REHOUSING SOMEONE AFTER EVICTION AND ENSURING THE CITY'S OWN STRATEGIC PLAN ON HOMELESSNESS IS ACHIEVABLE.
YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO SHOW VOTERS THAT THE CITY IS SERIOUS ABOUT SOLVING HOMELESSNESS, PROTECTING MENTAL HEALTH, AND VALUING THE WORKFORCE THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE.
I AM WALTER MORROW, THE DIRECTOR AT FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
I THINK IT WAS 23 YEARS AGO, MAYOR, YOU HELPED US GET ZONING FOR GARDEN TERRACE ON WILLIAM CANNON.
THAT WAS OUR FIRST SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMMUNITY.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND A GREAT COMMUNITY FOR 23 YEARS.
UM, AT THE TIME I THOUGHT WE KNEW, WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WE DID SOME THINGS, RIGHT? WE, YOU'RE NOT GETTING READY TO SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.
WELL, WE ALL LEARNED, BUT MAKE SURE YOUR TESTIMONY'S CLEAR.
WE DID THAT, RIGHT? WE HIRED ONE CASE MANAGER FOR 88 APARTMENTS.
UH, WE'VE SINCE LEARNED THAT IT TAKES A ROBUST SOCIAL SERVICE TEAM ON SITE TO REALLY CARE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
NOW WE HAVE NINE COMMUNITIES, ABOUT
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A THOUSAND RESIDENTS, MOST OF WHOM WE'RE HOMELESS.IT'S A ROBUST, WE HAVE A $7 MILLION BUDGET, AND WE REALLY DEPEND ON CITY FUNDING FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION OF THAT.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY ON THE BUDGET TO JUST SAY HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO SUPPORT THE HOMELESS OFFICE PLAN.
I THINK I'VE PARTICIPATED IN 15 HOMELESS PLANS IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, AND THEY, WHAT THEY ALL LACK IS CONCRETE GROUNDED INTERVENTIONS WITH A PRICE TAG.
LIKE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
IF WE GO TO THE VOTERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT, THEY'RE GONNA WANNA KNOW WE'VE GOT A PLAN AND WE DO IT.
IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM SHELTER TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO REALLY, UH, MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CARING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
I BELIEVE THE VOTERS WANNA SEE THAT PROGRESS AND, AND DIFFERENCE.
UM, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT IN 25 YEARS, AND, UH, THIS PLAN REALLY REFLECTS THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED.
HI, MY NAME'S KAKI YOUNG AND I'M REPRESENTING FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE WHY BEHIND THIS REQUEST FOR THESE IMPORTANT TRE DOLLARS.
CHARLES LIVES AT BAI'S TERRACE, OUR NEWEST SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMMUNITY, AND HE IS A MEMBER OF OUR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM, OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM.
IN TECHNICAL TERMS, THAT MEANS THAT HE HAS BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND ALSO HAS A CO-OCCURRING DISABILITY.
HOWEVER, WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT HE'S BEEN LIVING ON THE STREETS FOR AN INCREDIBLY LONG TIME, AND THAT HE'S ENDURED IMMENSE TRAUMA.
AND FOR HIM, THAT MEANS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND SEEMINGLY INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS TO GAINING HOUSING.
WHEN HE LEARNED THAT HE HAD A HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, HE WAS SO EXCITED, BUT THEN OUR NAVIGATOR COULDN'T FIND HIM FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAD TO JUST PUT HIM ON BOLO AND GO ON TO THE NEXT REFERRAL.
WEEKS LATER, WHEN HE SHOWED UP AT B CO'S HE HAD BEEN WALKING, WE FOUND OUT THAT HE HAD BEEN WALKING AND ROLLING WITH HIS WHEELCHAIR FROM NORTH AUSTIN, FROM THE TRINITY CENTER DOWNTOWN TO NORTH AUSTIN TO GET HIS NEW APARTMENT.
WE WERE SO EXCITED TO SEE HIM, BUT WE HAD TO TELL HIM THAT THE BUILDING WASN'T READY YET.
HE CAMPED NEARBY AND WAITED, BUT THEN HE HAD TO GO INTO A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY BECAUSE OF HEALTH CONCERNS.
EVENTUALLY, HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO HIS NEW APARTMENT.
NOW HE HAS ACCESS TO CASE MANAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORTATION TO HIS MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.
WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT HIM WITH SOAR SERVICES AND HE GOT HIS SSI.
HE NOW HAS INCOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY, MANY YEARS.
ALL OF THIS IS AVAILABLE TO HIM AT ALCON'S TERRACE.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL PRIORITIZE THESE TRE DOLLARS AND HS O'S PLAN IN ITS IN ITS ENTIRETY TO THE VOTERS OF AUSTIN THIS FALL.
UH, MY NAME IS NATHAN FERNANDEZ.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
UH, I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF AUSTIN.
I GREW UP IN THE SUBURBS OF DISTRICT SIX, WENT TO UT IN DISTRICT TWO, UH, NINE, AND I WORK IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I'M GLAD TO SEE A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
UM, I'M ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF AFSCME LOCAL 1624.
UH, AND WHILE TODAY'S COMMENTS DON'T NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF MY EMPLOYER OR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, I DO ECHO THE PLAN, UH, ECHO THE, THE CALLS FOR THE HSO PLAN TO BE FULLY INVESTED IN.
BUT WHEN I WENT TO WRITE DOWN MY TESTIMONY TODAY, UM, I REALIZED I STILL HAD MY TESTIMONY FROM LAST YEAR WHEN THE COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY URGED THIS BODY NOT TO APPROVE THE OUT OF THE BLUE A PD CONTRACT WITH NO OVERSIGHT FOR THE REST OF CITY AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
DESPITE OVERPERFORMING EVERY YEAR WITH NO, UH, WITH, UH, WITH LIMITED STAFF AND RESOURCES, NO WAGE INCREASES ARE EVER GUARANTEED.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING FOR A 4% ACROSS THE BOARD RAISE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WITH A FIXED RATE FOR THOSE MAKING UNDER 53,000.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE TRE WAS GOING TO BE NECESSARY THAT FATEFUL EVENING WHEN ALL THE CM CADRE VOTED FOR A POLICE CONTRACT THAT WE KNEW WOULD SET OUR BUDGET BACK FOR YEARS AND WERE, WOULD REQUIRE THE VOTERS OF TODAY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS TO FORK UP MORE TAX DOLLARS TO FUND CRUCIAL SERVICES LIKE THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WHICH ARE IN DIRE NEED OF ROBUST INVESTMENTS.
THESE PRIORITIES WERE PUT ON THE BACK BURNER AND NEGOTIATED TO THE LOFTS OF A TRE THAT WILL REQUIRE, AT MINIMUM 7 CENTS TO FUND THE CLIFF THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FALLING OFF OF.
PLEASE ACT ACCORDINGLY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
NO ONE LEAVES A LEGACY IN THIS CITY BY BEING MODERATE AND MODEST WHEN THEIR CONSTITUENTS NEED THE MOST.
MY NAME IS SCOTT COBB AND I WANT TO TALK AGAIN ABOUT ACCESS TO HEALTH AND DENTAL INSURANCE.
I LOOKED AT THE OLD CITY COUNCIL MINUTES, AND IT WAS FEBRUARY 26TH, 2015, WHERE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER THROUGH A RESOLUTION TO IDENTIFY AND PLAN AND A COST TO OFFER ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.
ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE ALL
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MEANT TEMPORARIES, NO MATTER IF THEY WORKED 30 PLUS OR UNDER 30 HOURS A WEEK.AND IN 2022, CITY COUNCIL AGAIN PASSED A RESOLUTION FOR THE FIRST TIME OFFERING DENTAL INSURANCE TO TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.
IT HADN'T BEEN OFFERED IN 2015.
RIGHT NOW, THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED, AND AS OF JANUARY 1ST, THERE ARE GONNA BE 50 PEOPLE WHO WILL LOSE EITHER THEIR MEDICAL OR DENTAL BENEFITS BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES THAT HR IMPLEMENTED.
JUNE 15TH, 25 OF THOSE PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.
10 WILL LOSE THEIR DENTAL INSURANCE, 15 WILL LOSE, UH, JUST THEIR DENTAL INSURANCE TEAM WILL LOSE THEIR MEDICAL.
SO A TOTAL OF 50 25 WILL LOSE BOTH.
THOSE ARE 20, THOSE ARE 50 PEOPLE WHO HAVE REAL TEETH, THEY HAVE REAL CHRONIC PROBLEMS, AND THEY ARE REAL EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE LOSING ANY OF THEIR HEALTH OR DENTAL BENEFITS.
I REMEMBER ONE DAY WHEN I WAS WORKING AT DEEP EDDIE SCRUBBING THE POOL.
I HAD A VERY PAINFUL TOOTHACHE.
AT THAT TIME, I DID NOT HAVE DENTAL INSURANCE, WHICH IS ONE REASON WHY IN 2022, I WENT TO CITY COUNCIL AND TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD IMPLEMENT DENTAL INSURANCE FOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.
SO I ASK YOU TO NOT ALLOW HRD TO TAKE AWAY THOSE 50 PEOPLE'S BENEFITS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.
OKAY, I'LL CALL THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE CANDACE COSTED, LIZ BAKER, EDMA, MEEK AARON, UH, ROL, ALCON, AND CHRIS BAKER WITH TIME DONATED FROM NATE.
AND ALSO LEANNE, TIME DONATED FROM LEANNE.
PLEASE WAKE YOUR, UH, MAKE YOUR WAY UP TO THE FRONT AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CANDACE AND I'M A, A LIFELONG AUSTINITE AND MEMBER OF UNITED WORKERS OF INTEGRAL CARE.
COULD YOU GIVE YOUR FULL NAME, PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, AND I'M A LIFELONG AUSTINITE AND MEMBER OF UNITED WORKERS OF INTEGRAL CARE.
I APPRECIATE THIS TIME TO SHARE MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE EVERY WEEK IN MY ROLE AS A CRISIS COUNSELOR, I WITNESS THE SAME PATTERN.
PEOPLE WHO LACK STABLE HOUSING AND EXPERIENCE SYSTEMIC NEGLECT, OFTEN CYCLE THROUGH EMERGENCY ROOMS, JAILS, SHELTERS, AND TREATMENT FACILITIES, WHICH REINFORCES TRAUMA AND INSTABILITY RATHER THAN RESOLVING IT.
THIS APPROACH IS NOT JUST INEFFICIENT, IT'S DEEPLY COSTLY, HARMFUL, AND INHUMANE.
IT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE, WHICH IN TURN MAKES OUR COMMUNITY MORE PRONE TO COUNTLESS OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING REDUCES HOSPITALIZATIONS AND INCARCERATION RATES.
MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS LIKE EM COT ARE PROVEN TO REDUCE MORTALITY AND DIVERT PEOPLE FROM ERS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
YET IN OUR CITY, THESE SERVICES REMAIN UNDER THREAT.
A RPA FUNDS THAT EXPANDED HOUSING ARE EXPIRING EM COTS 24 7 MODELS STILL LACK STABLE FUNDING AND SUPPORT STAFF, SUCH AS CASE MANAGERS, PEER SPECIALISTS, SUPPORT WORKERS, AND CRISIS COUNSELORS LIKE MYSELF, ARE OFTEN UNDERPAID AND OVERLOOKED DESPITE PLAYING A CENTRAL ROLE IN ACCESS AND CONTINUITY OF CARE.
IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, WE MUST INVEST IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PREVENTS CRISES BEFORE THEY ESCALATE VIOLENCE.
PREVENTION STARTS WITH STABILITY, A PLACE TO SLEEP, SOMEONE TO CALL, AND SOMEONE TRAINED TO RESPOND.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING ON THE CITY TO SUSTAIN 24 7 EM COT FUNDING.
EXPAND LOCAL TENANT-BASED HOUSING VOUCHERS, INVEST IN THE PATHWAY FROM RAPID REHOUSING TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND FULLY FUND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR EVERY HOUSING SUBSIDY.
THESE ARE SMART EVIDENCE-BASED INVESTMENTS.
LET'S BUILD A CITY WHERE PEOPLE DON'T JUST SURVIVE, BUT TRULY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.
I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PEER SUPPORT AT THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION.
AND I'M ALSO SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED THROUGH HOMELESSNESS, INCARCERATION, AND ADDICTION.
I'M A PERSON IN LONG-TERM RECOVERY FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO SURVIVE OUTSIDE, TO CARRY YOUR TRAUMA IN EVERY CELL OF YOUR BODY, AND STILL FIGHT EACH DAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
I ALSO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO FIND A MOMENT OF SAFETY, TO BE SEEN BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T TREAT YOU LIKE A BURDEN, AND TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP TOWARD REBUILDING YOUR LIFE.
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ESPERANZA COMMUNITY, I NOW WORK WITH PEOPLE MAKING THAT SAME JOURNEY OFF THE STREETS INTO SHELTER AND TOWARD HOPE.OUR SHELTER IS FULL EVERY NIGHT.
WE'VE ADDED 100 BEDS, AND STILL WE TURN PEOPLE AWAY.
WE OFFER NOT JUST A PLACE TO SLEEP, BUT VOCATIONAL TRAINING, LIFE SKILLS SUPPORT, PEER SUPPORT, RECOVERY, AND ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CARE.
BUT WE NEED MORE RESOURCES TO KEEP THAT PATH OPEN.
THE BUDGET PROPOSED BY THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE REFLECTS WHAT WE KNOW WORKS, MORE SHELTER BEDS, MORE HOUSING, MORE OUTREACH, AND MORE PEER LED SUPPORT.
IT MEETS PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND HELPS THEM GET WHERE THEY DREAM TO BE SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT, SUSTAINABLE HOUSING, SUSTAINABLE WELLNESS.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY BECAUSE SOMEONE MADE THAT INVESTMENT IN ME ONCE UPON A TIME.
PLEASE MAKE IT FOR THE NEXT PERSON.
WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE FUNDING THAT THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE IS ASKING FOR.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN TODAY.
THE PLAN FROM THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE PROVIDES THE CRITICAL FUNDING NEEDED TO PREVENT THE COLLAPSE OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM WITHOUT FULL SUPPORT OF THIS PLAN.
YEARS OF PROGRESS AND BASIC SERVICES THAT THOUSANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS DEPEND ON ARE IN JEOPARDY.
IN 2023, OVER 8,000 PEOPLE ACCESSED THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM COMPARED TO 4,000 IN 2019, THE NEEDS ARE GROWING AND NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DEFUND THESE SERVICES.
AND WITHOUT FUNDING, LIVES WILL BE AT RISK.
AN ENORMOUS STRAIN WOULD BE PLACED ON THE REST OF OUR CITY'S HEALTH AND SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY VALUABLE SERVICES PEOPLE WANNA SEE FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET, BUT FULLY FUNDING THIS ESSENTIAL SERVICE MUST BE THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF ANY PACKAGE THAT GOES TO VOTERS.
ANYTHING LESS FALLS SHORT OF THE COMMUNITY'S GROWING NEED AND THE COUNCIL'S OWN STATED GOALS.
SO I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PUT FORWARD A BUDGET AND TRE PACKAGE THAT FULLY OPERATIONALIZES THE HSO PLAN AND REFLECTS THE VITAL SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON.
ERIN ALARCON, CEO OF FAMILI ELDER CARE, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT FOR 33 YEARS, HAS BEEN PROVIDING SERVICES TO OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES THAT PROMOTE DIGNITY AND STABILITY.
TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN MY VOICE TO THE OTHERS THAT HAVE EXTENDED THEIR SUPPORT TO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE PLAN, UM, THAT ADDRESSES HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS PLAN, UM, ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM FROM SEVERAL ANGLES, FROM PREVENTION TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, ENSURING THAT OUR HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IS SUSTAINED.
THIS COUNCIL AND THIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE SET HOMELESSNESS AS ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR WHICH I AM GRATEFUL.
THIS CHALLENGING TIMES PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT THIS COMMITMENT IS REAL, IN THAT UNLIKE OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT TURN ITS BACK ON THE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND SPEAKING OF THE MOST VULNERABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE TO THIS COUNCIL THAT HERE IN AUSTIN, JUST LIKE IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, OLDER ADULTS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
THIS INCREASES CONCERNING IN MANY WAYS, FIRST, BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND VULNERABILITIES THAT THIS POPULATION FACES.
AND SECOND, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, IT PROVES THE HARSH TRUTH THAT THE ELDERLY HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN FORGOTTEN AND NEGLECTED BY OUR SOCIETY.
AND TO CLOSE, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY MAYOR, MAYOR PROM, FUENTES, BUT PARTICULARLY ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AMONG OLDER ADULTS.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS LIKE HATE THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS.
UH, BUT I HAVE LIKE SEVERAL DIFFERENT HATS TO WEAR.
SO, UH, I'M, MY NAME IS CHRIS PAY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE, AND THE FIRST HAT THAT I'M GONNA WEAR IS MY HOMELESS SERVICE
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PROVIDERS CONSORTIUM HAT.AND, UH, THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN SENDING.
UH, BUT I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT I'VE BEEN IN THIS WORK FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE, I HAVE NEVER BEFORE SEEN SUCH UNITY IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
THE, ALL OF THE PROVIDERS BEING IN AGREEMENT WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE AND WITH THE CONT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE LEAD APPLICANT ECHO IS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
IT'S LIKE INSANE THAT IT'S HAPPENING NOW.
UH, AND IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS BLUEPRINT.
IT'S THE PLAN THAT WAS PAINSTAKINGLY PUT TOGETHER BY THE TEAM OVER AT HSO, AND WE HAVE TO GET THAT PLAN FULLY FUNDED.
IF WE DON'T, UH, WE ARE NOT ONLY RISKING NOT BEING ABLE TO ADD NEW SERVICES THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED, BUT ALSO MAINTAINING THE CRITICALLY, UH, NEEDED SERVICE THAT OUR SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS COME TO DEPEND ON.
AND SO, I KNOW THAT A TRE IS A BIG COMPLICATED DECISION.
UH, WE, THAT IS THE CONSORTIUM, HAVE NEVER, AND DON'T PLAN ON TAKING A POSITION ON HOW MANY PENNIES WE ASK OF VOTERS.
I ONLY ASK THAT WE PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WINDS UP, UH, IN THE TRE PACKAGE IS, UH, A CRITICAL COMMUNITY, A CRITICAL COMMUNITY.
AND JUST IN CASE IT'S NOT CLEAR ALREADY, THE ENTIRE HSO PACKAGE, UH, IS A CRITICAL COMMUNITY NEED THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE DEPENDING ON, UH, AN OLD FRIEND.
I'M TAKING MY CONSORTIUM HAT OFF NOW.
UH, A VERY OLD FRIEND OF MINE NAMED DAVID GOMEZ HAS BEEN, DO I USED TO WORK FOR HIM? HE'S AN OLD BOSS OF MINE.
UH, HE KIND OF TAUGHT ME ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, UH, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
UH, AND HE WANTED TO COME AND TALK TODAY.
SO I'M GONNA READ, UH, HIS TESTIMONY AND HE SAYS, GREETINGS TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS DAVID GOMEZ, AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS SINCE THE LATE 1980S.
I HAVE WORKED ON MANY PLANS TO END HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN.
THE MOST ROBUST WAS A PRODUCT OF THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE TO END HOMELESSNESS IN THE LATE 1990S.
IT WAS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, MUCH LIKE THE HSO PLAN, BUT IT DID NOT COME TO PASS GREED FOR LAND AND BUILDINGS AND AUSTIN, ALONG WITH NIMBYISM AND A LACK OF POLITICAL WILL TO FIND FUNDING DERAILED THAT PLAN, THE SITUATION RESULTED IN A SYSTEM OF CARE THAT DID NOT PRESENT A TRUE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING CATCH UP EVER SINCE.
THE HSO BUDGET IS QUITE COMPREHENSIVE AND TRIES TO ADDRESS ALL WE NEED.
BUT AGAIN, OUR NEEDS EXCEED OUR RESOURCES.
THIS SHOULD NOT STOP THE HSO BUDGET FROM GOING FORWARD.
WE, UH, IT WILL INVITE AND ATTRACT MANY RESOURCES TO MATCH THE DOLLARS FROM THE CITY, BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE GAPS WHERE PRIVATE DONORS AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS MAY JOIN THIS EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE REAL CONTINUUM OF CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT A HOLISTIC APPROACH WITH THE HSO PLAN.
LET'S NOT TURN AWAY FROM A GOOD NEW BEGINNING, A GOOD RECIPE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S DAVID GOMEZ.
SOME, AN ELDER STATESMAN OF HOMELESS RESPONSE.
UM, AND SO NOW I'M JUST GONNA TALK TO YOU GUYS FROM MY, UH, OWN HEART.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I DEEPLY, DEEPLY, DEEPLY, DEEPLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, IS DOING ON THIS ISSUE AND TRYING TO GET THIS FIGURED OUT.
YOUR WORK HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED.
I KNOW THAT EVERY PERSON ON THE DAIS HAS A HEART THAT'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
UH, MAYOR, YOU HELPED BROKER A DEAL, UH, THAT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUR SHELTER CAPACITY BY MORE THAN 500 BEDS.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER HERE HAS BROUGHT AMENDMENTS AND IFCS THAT HELP.
I KNOW IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'VE DEPRIORITIZED HOMELESSNESS, AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE DEPRIORITIZED HOMELESSNESS AS AN ATTACK ON ANYONE'S CHARACTER.
YOU GUYS ARE ALL DOING YOUR BEST.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW PROFOUNDLY DIFFICULT IT IS TO SAY NO.
ALL OF US THAT WORK IN HOMELESS SERVICES, WE'VE HAVE TO SAY NO ALL THE TIME.
FOR EVERY ONE TIME WE GET TO SAY YES, WE HAVE TO SAY NO TO SOMEONE.
70, 80 TIMES WHEN THE FIRST ROUND OF ARPA CLIFF CAME LAST YEAR, LOTS OF AGENCIES HAD TO GO AND SELL BIG SWATHS OF THEIR STAFF.
NO, YOU CANNOT COME TO WORK TOMORROW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY YOU.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THIS FIGHT HAVE AT SOME POINT HAD TO SAY NO TO SOMEONE ONLY TO LEARN THAT WITHIN A WEEK OR, OR, OR SOME SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THEREAFTER THAT PERSON DIED.
THIS IS REAL, REAL AND ALL THIS.
KNOW, IT COMES FROM DEPRIORITIZING HOMELESSNESS FOR YEARS.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'VE DEPRIORITIZED IT.
[00:30:01]
TO COME TO COMPROMISE ON THIS THING.WE ALL KNOW THE STATE IS WATCHING THIS VERY CLOSELY.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT PROPERTY TAXES RAISED AT ALL.
AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THE RAILS ON THIS THING.
WE MAY GET NOTHING, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE ASK FOR TOO LITTLE, WE'RE SCRAMBLING AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
BUT JUST KNOW, LIKE WE HAVE DONE IN THE TRENCHES FOR YEARS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SAY NO TO SOMETHING.
BUT THE HSO PLAN AND EVERYTHING THAT'S IN IT IS THE WRONG THING TO SAY NO TO.
THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS ARE WELL.
DID, DID YOU EVERYBODY GOT SPEAK.
YOU DID NOT, RIGHT? YEAH, SHE I DID NOT.
WAS YOUR NAME CALLED? NO, I WAS, IF YOUR NAME WASN'T CALLED THEN WAIT, PLEASE WAIT.
THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS ARE JOSHUA HOUSTON, JOE BLAND, PETE INMAN, ZENOBIA, JO JOSEPH, AND CHASE WRIGHT.
PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I'M JOSHUA HOUSTON, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT CARITAS OF AUSTIN.
UH, CARITAS SUPPORTS THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE'S PLAN.
IT IS BALANCED AND SETS US ON THE RIGHT COURSE.
SINCE COVID ONE-TIME, FEDERAL FUNDS HAVE FUELED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN OUR SYSTEM, BUT NOW WE FACE A FINANCIAL REALITY SCALE BACK THOSE SERVICES TO PRE ARPA LEVELS OR CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM WITH LOCAL REVENUE.
IF IT'S FUNDED, THE HSO PLAN CONTINUES THAT MOMENTUM.
THEREFORE, WE SUPPORT A TAX RATE ELECTION.
HOWEVER, THE HIGHER THE RATE, THE HIGHER THE RISK, AND THE RISKS ARE BEYOND JUST THE BALLOT BOX.
THERE IS THE RISK OF STATE INTERVENTION.
WE ARE CLOSELY MONITORING THE SPECIAL SESSIONS OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
THERE IS AN ITEM ON THE CALL THAT COULD AFFECT A TRE.
AND ON FRIDAY, THE SENATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING ON SENATE BILL NINE.
A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT HEARING WAS ABOUT AUSTIN'S POTENTIAL 24% RATE INCREASE.
I WANT TO COMMEND YOUR CITY STAFF.
THEY DID A TREMENDOUS JOB IN PUTTING THIS FIRE, UH, AT LEAST CONTAINING THIS FIRE, MR. VAN EW.
AND THE IGO OUR RO TEAM DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT.
UH, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, THE FEDERAL LEVEL CONTINUES TO BE AN UNPREDICTABLE SITUATION.
WE FACED FUNDING FREEZES, CHANGING REGULATIONS, EXECUTIVE ORDERS, NEW CONTRACT TERMS, BUDGET CUTS, AND RETENTIONS.
WE DESPERATELY NEED AND DEEPLY APPRECIATE A STABLE AND PREDICTABLE PARTNER IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO FIND, UH, THE GOLDILOCKS PATH, UM, THE PATH THAT IS JUST RIGHT, UH, THE PATH THAT IS MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED.
UH, GIVEN OUR PRECARIOUS SITUATION AS A SECTOR, WE WOULD RATHER HAVE SOMETHING THAN NOTHING.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND MANAGER, BROAD.
NEXT, UH, TO BEGIN WITH, I WANT TO COMMEND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A, AN UNGRATEFUL, UNGRATEFUL TASK THAT YOU SERVE IN A, IN A CITY.
I, I LEARNED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO FROM A VERY WISE MAN THAT AUSTIN WILL ALWAYS HAVE TAX PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS WITHIN OUR CITY THAT ARE TAKEN OUT OF OUR TAX BASE.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE IN A, YOU'RE IN A BIND.
AND KNOWING THAT A TAX INCREASE IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, EVERYBODY KNOWS PRICES HAVE GONE UP.
BUT IN THAT STATEMENT, YOU ALSO NEED TO BE, UH, MODERATE.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEFINE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, LIKE FUNDING AT XPS, LIKE FUNDING THE, THESE HOMELESS, UH, INITIATIVES.
TELL US, THE VOTERS WHAT IT IS YOU WANT US TO SUPPORT, AND WE WILL DO IT.
AND BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT COMPASSION FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE HOMELESS AND THE LOST, I'VE, UH, BEEN FORTUNATE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS TO BE INVOLVED IN AN INITIATIVE CALLED DREAM TOGETHER 2030.
AND IT'S BASICALLY A COLLABORATION OF, OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE TRYING TO MAKE THIS CITY THE BELOVED COMMUNITY THAT, THAT WE ALL ASPIRE IT TO BE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE.
[00:35:02]
MAYOR, UH, COUNCILMAN AND COUNCILWOMAN, AND CITY MANAGER.BROAD ACTS, UH, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE THANKS THAT MR. BLAND, UH, JUST SHARED.
IT IS A TRULY A THANKLESS JOB.
WE'RE ALL NOT THAT SMART, BUT EVEN LOOKING FROM, FROM THE SIDELINES, WE CAN TELL IT'S INTENSE AND COMPLEX.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA DEFER TO YOUR WISDOM.
WE DO GENERALLY, AS SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP HERE, WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, STARTED BUSINESS HERE, DONE MINISTRY HERE FOR A LONG TIME, UM, BELIEVE THAT WE'RE AT RISK.
IF THE WE GO FOR TOO MUCH, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET IT.
UH, IF WE GO FOR TOO MUCH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CITY THAT'S LESS AFFORDABLE, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO FORCE, UH, OUR CITIZENS OUT.
SO WE KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO THREAD THAT NEEDLE AND, AND NAVIGATE THAT.
THERE'S TWO OR THREE THINGS WE WANTED TO UNDERSCORE AS DREAM TOGETHER, 2030.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT SOME OF OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES BEHIND US AND OUR INCOMING PRESIDENT, UH, SHERWIN PATTON, UH, WHO I THINK HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS Y'ALL LAST WEEK.
BUT THE FIRST ONE IS THE WORK THAT A TX PIECE DOES IN COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION.
UH, WE'VE HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO SEE THAT, AND IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST INVESTMENT IN GOVERNMENT I I'VE EVER SEEN.
UM, THE SECOND PIECE IS JUST GENERALLY ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE, UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOTTA PUT SOME PRIORITY THERE, UH, GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND SO I JUST WANT, WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES, UM, OF Y'ALL'S TIME TO NUMBER ONE, AFFIRM YOU AND THANK YOU, UH, AND JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE MODERATE AS YOU GO FORWARD.
SO WE DON'T MAKE THIS CITY LESS AFFORDABLE.
WE MAKE IT SAFER, AND WE INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
I, I INITIALLY CAME UP HERE, UH, AND I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? MY NAME IS CHASE WRIGHT.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE HUNGRY HILL FOUNDATION.
UH, AND I AM PARTNERS WITH YOU GUYS, BUT I'M ALSO A D ONE CONSTITUENT.
UH, AND, AND AT THAT POINT, I WAS ASKED BY SEVERAL DISTRICTS, UM, MOST OF YOUR DISTRICTS HERE, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH YOU GUYS IN REGARDS TO THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER, MAKING SURE WE CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM FOR THESE UNHOUSED, UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT ON OUR STREETS, UH, EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY GO THROUGH, SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, UM, LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE'VE INVESTED OVER $3.8 MILLION SPECIFICALLY IN THIS ECOSYSTEM TO COMPLIMENT.
THIS SPECIFICALLY CAME FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
SO TODAY, I SPEAK AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
UM, I HEARD THE FIRST TESTIMONY HERE TODAY, AND THE LADY SAID, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TAX RATE ELECTION DOESN'T PASS? I, I, I CHALLENGED AND I THOUGHT IMMEDIATELY, I ASKED HER, WHAT IF IT DOESN'T PASS? WHAT IF WE DO LOSE FUNDING IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM? WHAT IF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO SELF SUSTAIN AND WORK OUR PROGRAM SO THAT THEY DO BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS? WE HAVE OVER 20 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXIT HOMELESSNESS AND NOW WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ACTUALLY BRINGING VALUE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
WHAT HAPPEN IF WE LOSE THIS OUTLET? AND I TELL THEM, BECAUSE WE ALSO, HUNGRY HILL HAS ALSO WORKED WITH OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION HERE AND CREATED LOGISTICS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY BASED PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'VE WORKED WITH GREAT GROUPS IN AUSTIN, SUCH AS URBAN ALCHEMY.
WE'VE WORKED WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SAFER STREETS.
WHAT HAPPEN IF THESE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS LOSE ACCESS TO THESE PROGRAMS? I TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED.
THEY GO BACK TO OUR SCHOOLS PARKS, THEY GO BACK TO OUR LOCAL PARKS.
THEY GO BACK TO IN FRONT OF YOUR HOMES.
THEY GO BACK TO TRYING TO FIND MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR SELVES OUTSIDE OF WHAT'S NORMAL IN SOCIETY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU RAISE OTHER AREAS, YOU PUT STRAINS ON OTHER SYSTEMS. IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR CITIES, ONE OF OUR GREATEST PROBLEMS IS COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY.
RIGHT NOW, IF YOU ALLOW UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXIT INCARCERATION, THEY WILL LAND RIGHT BACK IN YOUR FRONT OF YOUR HOME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WHAT YOU DO.
THE LAST SET OF SPEAKERS ARE DELIA DIAZ, DAVID JOHNSON, JEN CRAGER, AND RACHEL LAIR.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY UP TO THE FRONT AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS RACHEL LAIR WITH SAFE ALLIANCE.
I'M A LEAD COMMUNITY RESOURCE ADVOCATE, AND IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR, WE WORK WITH SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, I WORK VERY CLOSELY ON THE BSS GRANT, WHICH IS ALL CITY FUNDED.
UM, AND I'M JUST KIND OF HERE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT AND A SUCCESS STORY.
SO, YOU KNOW HOW THIS MONEY IS VERY HELPFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, MOST OF MY CLIENTS ARE YOUNG, SINGLE MOMS, ALREADY A
[00:40:01]
VERY DIFFICULT HAND TO HAVE BEEN DEALT.AND SO THROUGH MY LAST FOUR YEARS IN THIS POSITION, I HAVE HELPED HOUSED AND MAINTAIN NUMEROUS CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO VERY KEY, IS A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ALSO HAVE CHILDREN.
UM, SO THIS FUNDING ASSIST IN ELIMINATING HOUSING BARRIERS, MAINTAINING HOUSING, PROVIDING A C CONTINUOUS CONTINUUM OF CARE, AND A SENSE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY.
SO JUST KIND OF IN CONCLUSION, THE HSO PLAN PROVIDES CRITICAL NEEDED FUNDING THAT WILL HELP PREVENT THE COLLAPSE OF OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND IF HOMELESSNESS IS A TOP PRIORITY OF CITY LEADERSHIP, THEN FUNDING THE HSO PLAN IN IT, IN ITS ENTIRETY SHOULD BE THE TOP PRIORITY AND ANY SPENDING PACKAGE THE COUNCIL PRESENTS TO ITS VOTERS.
LET'S JUST MOVE AWAY THIS DIRECTION.
I'M A DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENT, AND I'M COMMENTING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH I'M CURRENTLY AGAINST DUE TO ITS INSUFFICIENT INVESTMENT IN DEFENDING AGAINST THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
I RECENTLY CONDUCTED A COMMUNITY SURVEY OF RESIDENTS IN AUSTIN IN OUR FIVE COUNTY REGION TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW OUR LOCAL POPULACE IS IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHAT THEY WANT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS TO DO ABOUT IT.
THOUGH I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHARE THE SURVEY RESULTS THIS MORNING, I DO WANNA SHARE THAT I CRIED WHILE I WAS PROCESSING THE SURVEY DATA BECAUSE IT BROUGHT TO LIFE FOR ME JUST HOW MUCH AUSTINITES AND CENTRAL TEXANS ARE ALREADY SUFFERING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND AS RELEVANT TO MANY OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS YOU'VE RECEIVED THIS MORNING, IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED FOR ME HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MAKES BEING UNHOUSED AND ADDRESSING OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY HARDER AND MORE TAXING ON BODIES AND MINDS AND FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AS THE COST OF CLIMATE CHANGE MOUNT.
THIS PROPOSED BUDGET SHOWS AUSTIN SHRINKING FROM ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CLIMATE ACTION LEADER.
THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE IS BUDGET IS EFFECTIVELY HELD FLAT EXCEPT FOR A TRANSFER OF URBAN FORESTRY POSITIONS AND PROGRAMS FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO FLATLINE OUR INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE RESPONSIBILITY.
AND IT IS NOT WHAT THIS COUNCIL ASKED FOR JUST A YEAR AGO WHEN YOU DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM.
TO FULLY REALIZE OUR CLIMATE COMMITMENTS, OCAR AND THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HAVE CREATED A ROADMAP FOR PROJECTS TO FUND THIS UPCOMING TWO YEAR BUDGET CYCLE VIA THE CLIMATE INVESTMENT PLAN.
I'M ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE OUTLINED IN THE CLIMATE INVESTMENT PLAN, STARTING WITH THE FOLLOWING TWO PRIORITIES, ESTABLISH A REVOLVING FUND TO PAY FOR SUSTAINABILITY UPGRADES TO CITY BUILDINGS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE TWO AND A HALF MILLION ALLOCATED TO THE FUND THIS YEAR AND ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF MILLION NEXT YEAR TO CAPITALIZE THE FUND WITH $5 MILLION INVESTMENT.
I'M A, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT.
UH, I JUST DROPPED OUR DAUGHTER OFF AT CAMP, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK AS PARENTS, WE, WE DO, WE RAISE OUR KIDS PRETTY WELL, AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING LITTLE KIDS THAT, UH, CONTINUALLY REMIND YOU OF WHAT ACTUALLY IS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL YOU TELL THEM.
AND MY WIFE HAS, HAS THIS HABIT OF SAVING DOLLAR BILLS.
JUST, YOU KNOW, THE WAY PEOPLE SAY FIVES, BUT INSTEAD SHE SAVES THE DOLLARS AND SHE TUCKS THEM IN THE SIDE OF THE DOOR OF THE CAR OR OF OUR CARS.
AND, UH, WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE IN NEED, GIVES SOMEONE A DOLLAR.
AND SO OUR, OUR YOUNGEST GIVES SOMEONE A DOLLAR, AND OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER AT, YOU KNOW, SHE'S SIX, SHE DOESN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ISN'T A, A, AN ENDLESS POOL OF MONEY TO DRAW FROM.
AND WHEN WE RUN OUTTA DOLLAR BILLS, SHE'LL SAY, WELL, DAD, GET, WHY CAN'T YOU PULL SOMEBODY OUTTA YOUR POCKET? AND, AND SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE ARE CARDS, AND SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BILLS.
BUT WHAT WE HAD TO EXPLAIN TO HER WAS THAT WE, WE AREN'T ALWAYS IN A POSITION TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A WAY TO DO IT.
AND SHE SAID, WELL, LET ME KNOW WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO DO IT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS RECENTLY, UM, I RECENTLY LED A, A REENTRY RELATED ORGANIZATION BEFORE THAT.
A LOT OF YOU KNOW ME FROM MY COMMUNITY WORK AND WORKING WITH, WITH GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP.
BUT I'M HERE AS A, A PARENT DISTRICT EIGHT RESIDENT WHO HAS A DAUGHTER THAT WANTS TO GIVE EVERY DOLLAR POSSIBLE TO EVERYONE IN NEED, BUT SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
BUT SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING POSSIBLE BEYOND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS MOMENT WITH YOU, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I CANNOT TELL HER THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PLAN AND WE DO HAVE A WAY.
[00:45:01]
TO DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO INVEST IN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULLEST.I OVERSEE OUR RAPID REHOUSING PROJECT, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT HSO HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A STORY WITH ABOUT THOSE FUNDS THAT PROVIDE DIRECT CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS.
UM, A TYPICAL DAY FOR OUR CASE MANAGERS, ONE PARTICULAR, OUR CASE MANAGER RECENTLY SPENT A DAY SUPPORTING HER CLIENT ON HIS BIRTHDAY, HELPING HIM TAKE IMPORTANT STEPS TOWARDS STABILITY AND WELLBEING.
TOGETHER, THEY VISIT THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE TO OBTAIN HIS AWARD LETTER, SECURE GROCERIES FROM TWO LOCAL FOOD VANS, ENSURE HE HAD ENOUGH FOOD UNTIL HIS BENEFITS RETURNED, RESUMED, RECOGNIZING OTHER NEEDS.
THE CASE MANAGER ASSISTED HER CLIENT IN GETTING CLEAN CLOTHING, SCHEDULE A DPS APPOINTMENT TO REPLACE HIS TEXAS ID AND UPDATED HIS ACCOUNT INFORMATION.
A KITCHEN TABLE AND CHAIRS WERE DELIVERED TO IMPROVE HIS LIVING CONDITIONS AND HIS MEDICATIONS WERE PICKED UP.
A JOYFUL NOTE WITH BIRTHDAY ICE CREAM, CELEBRATING NOT JUST ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE, BUT MEANINGFUL PROGRESS TOWARD INDEPENDENCE AND STABILITY.
UM, RAPID REHOUSING DOESN'T JUST PROVIDE HOUSING.
IT UNLOCKS PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE, LEARN, AND THRIVE.
STABLE HOUSING CREATES THE FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUALS TO PURSUE EDUCATION, FIND EMPLOYMENT, AND ENGAGE BULLYING AND COMMUNITY OF LIFE.
UM, YOUR NAME WAS CALLED PREVIOUSLY, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, COME FORWARD, YOU CAN WRAP US UP.
JOSEPH, I'M GLAD TO WRAP YOU UP.
MAYOR, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THE PROCESS HAS CHANGED.
JOSEPH TOLD ME AT ENTRANCE THAT YOU'RE NO LONGER TAKING OUR THUMB DRIVES.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION.
MAYOR, YOU HAVE A STANDING ITEM ON YOUR COUNCIL AGENDA EVERY WEEK TO DISCUSS YOUR PUBLICLY PROMULGATED RULES, REGULATIONS, AND PROCEDURES.
AND YOU HAVE UNILATERALLY CHANGED THIS PROCESS WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION.
MY COMMENTS AND THE SLIDES THAT I WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT NORTH LAMAR.
I SENT YOU A MEMO AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO RECOGNIZE RIGHT ACROSS FROM NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL IS WHERE THERE WAS A FATALITY ON JULY 27TH, 2025.
AND SO SPECIFICALLY IT WAS IMAM ISLAM MOSSAD, 50 YEARS OLD.
I'VE TALKED TO YOU SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE FATALITIES IN THIS AREA.
THIS IS THE SAME AREA WHERE DONALD NORTON WAS KILLED IN HIS WHEELCHAIR.
BUT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE, MAYOR, IS THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED $720 MILLION BOND, THE MOBILITY BOND ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2016.
SO TO THE CITY MANAGER COUNCIL, AND YOU, I WOULD SAY IT IS TIME RESPECTFULLY TO FIRE SOME PEOPLE IN THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU CAN START WITH MENDOZA.
THE VOTERS DID NOT GIVE THE DEPARTMENT A BLANK CHECK.
NORTH LAMAR IS ACTUALLY NUMBER ONE.
I'M ASKING YOU SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU DECIDE TO PUT CONCRETE BARRIERS ON SIXTH STREET, TO TAKE THAT AND PUT IT IN THE AREA OF NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL AS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
THIS WAS A PREVENTABLE DEATH AND MANY ARE AS IT RELATES TO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
YOU TOLD US SPECIFICALLY IT WAS FOR FIRE WILDFIRE MITIGATION.
WHEN YOU OPEN THE MARSHALING YARD AND IT NEEDS TO CLOSE, I WOULD ASK YOU NOT TO FUND 12 MORE PEOPLE TO PICK UP THE ENCAMPMENT LITTER, BUT INSTEAD TO USE THAT AS A PILOT SO THAT YOU CAN INCENTIVIZE FAMILY MEMBERS.
MAYOR, MAY I BRIEFLY RESPOND? SURE.
UM, AND THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
UM, YOU KNOW, SHEIKH MOSHA WAS KILLED ON, UH, IN DISTRICT SEVEN ON NORTH LAMAR.
AND THIS IS, UH, A TREMENDOUS LOSS TO THE COMMUNITY.
I ATTENDED HIS MEMORIAL ON FRIDAY.
HE HAD, THERE WERE FOUR MEMORIALS.
THE ONE I ATTENDED HAD OVER FOUR OH PEOPLE AT IT.
I MEAN, THIS PERSON WAS SO BELOVED, UH, WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR DECADES.
AND, UH, MY OFFICE IS CURRENTLY WORKING.
MS. JOSEPH, YOU BROUGHT UP A LOT.
AND, UH, UH, CARE AUSTIN, THE COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CENTER, HAVE REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE TO ASK FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THIS, UH, PEDESTRIAN AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT A CM ROGERS AND DIRECTOR MENDOZA HAVE AGREED TO MEET WITH MY OFFICE TODAY TO WORK ON THIS.
[00:50:01]
AND, UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE PRIORITIZING IT.I ALSO WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN VELA AND COUNCILMAN CADRE.
THE THREE OF US ARE STARTING A SUB QUORUM TO, TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BRING THIS UP.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I JUST, UH, WANTED TO ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS, AND I THINK YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED IN PUTTING IMMEDIATE ACTION THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY APPROVED AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY FUNDING FOR FATALITY MITIGATION AS WELL.
I ALSO, UH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
I ACTUALLY HAD A NOTE I WAS ABOUT TO REQUEST TO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY YOU, MS. JOSEPH, THAT, UM, I HAVE BEEN HEARING YOU SINCE I TOOK OFFICE ON THE NEEDS AROUND PARER, AROUND US BEING CLOSE TO A SCHOOL IN A CITY THAT PROFESSES TO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS NEAR SCHOOLS.
AND I ALSO WAS VERY STRUCK, ALTHOUGH DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEMORIAL, UM, AT THE MOST RECENT FATALITY.
AND I WANT TO TELL EVERYONE WHO CAN HEAR ME RIGHT NOW THAT WHEN I HAVE SPOKEN FROM THE DAIS ABOUT THE NEED FOR SAFER WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND ON FOOT AND BIKE ACROSS THE ENTIRE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF AUSTIN, WHEN I SAY PALMER LANE FROM DESA ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I MEAN IT.
AND ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, I HAVE SOUGHT OUT THE SLIDES THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT IN THE PAST BECAUSE I FIND THEM TO PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION, UH, IN THE AREAS THAT I HAVE MENTIONED AND ALSO IN THE VERY REAL EQUITY CONCERNS THAT YOU RAISE AND CONTINUE TO KEEP ON PEOPLE'S RADAR.
AND, UM, I HOPE YOU'LL INVITE ME TO JOIN YOU IN THE MEETING.
BUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THAT PARTICULAR STEP HAPPENS, I HAVE INDEPENDENTLY BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS WITH WILLIAMSON COUNTY, CAMPO, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION BOARD, AND, UH, WE'LL BE IN FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH NA, A COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S OFFICE ON THIS TOPIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, MAYOR, I JUST WOULD SAY RESPECTFULLY, I DID TRY TO GO TO THAT MEMORIAL, BUT ENDED UP JUST TAKING PICTURES AND WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU THE TRAFFIC BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE DODGING IN AND OUT, BUT THERE WAS NO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON, SO YOU CAN'T CROSS THAT AREA SAFELY.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, FOR THIS WORK SESSION.
UH, AS INDICATED, WE HAVE OUR PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL STAFF HERE AND WE HAVE SOME DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND OTHERS.
IF THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UH, NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT.
JUST A BRIEF QUESTION ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE, THE TRE.
AND JUST IN, IN THINKING ABOUT IT, I KNOW IN AUDIT AND FINANCE, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, A, A FOUR YEAR CYCLE FOR PLANNING AROUND A TRE.
UM, AGAIN, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH BONDS, WHERE BONDS SHOULD BE KIND OF ON A, ON A SIX YEAR CYCLE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WANT TO KIND OF MAKE IT INTO A, A REGULAR AND, AND, UH, UH, UH, A PATTERN BASICALLY OF GOING BACK TO THE VOTERS WITH THESE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, AND I HAD KIND OF TWO THOUGHTS THAT I WANTED TO, TO THROW OUT THERE.
UM, WE, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN, UH, NOVEMBER OF, UH, A YEAR WHERE THERE'S NOT A PRESIDENTIAL OR CONGRESSIONAL, UH, ELECTION.
AND, UH, I, I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTA DO WHAT WE'VE GOTTA DO, BUT THAT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE, UH, NOT JUST THIS COUNCIL, BUT PRIOR COUNCILS HAVE PRIORITIZED STICKING TO THOSE, YOU KNOW, 22, 24, 26, 28, KIND OF EVEN NUMBERED YEARS WHERE WE HAVE HIGHER TURNOUT AND WE GET A BETTER SENSE OF A BROADER SWATH OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND I GUESS IT'S A LONG WAY TO SET UP.
THE QUESTION WOULD BE, SINCE WE'RE JUST STARTING OFF, THIS IS GONNA BE OUR FIRST OF THIS TYPE OF, OF TRE, WHAT IF WE DID A THREE YEAR CYCLE, UH, AND KIND OF WE'RE PLANNING FOR LET'S SAY A 2028 TRE, ANOTHER TRE IN 2028, SO THAT WE COULD GET IT ONTO AN EVEN NUMBERED YEAR AND BETTER LINE UP WITH, UH, A HIGHER ELECTION TURNOUT.
HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT THE, THE, THE, THE FINANCES? 'CAUSE AGAIN, MY, MY SENSE WOULD BE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A KIND OF A, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO A TRE THAT WILL CARRY US, THAT'S
[00:55:01]
SUFFICIENT TO CARRY US TO THE NEXT TIME THAT WE DO A TRE.SO I'VE BEEN, IN MY MIND, THINKING ABOUT A FOUR YEAR CYCLE, BUT TO GET IT LINED UP WITH 28, WHAT WOULD, HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE THE NUMBERS? UH, WHAT WOULD, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK ABOUT THAT? AND, AND IF I MIGHT JUST ADD SOMETHING TO THAT QUESTION, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE, THE POLICY THAT WE ADOPTED EXPRESSLY CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR EXCEPTIONS ON THE FOUR YEAR RULE.
AND, AND, AND, AND IT'S EXPRESSED TO THE FOUR YEAR RULE.
UH, IF, IF, AS WE WALK THROUGH THE DECISION TREE, IF THE QUESTION IS HAS IT BEEN LESS THAN FOUR YEARS IS ANSWERED, UM, OR HAS IT BEEN FOUR YEARS AND WE SAY NO, THEN WE HAVE EXCEPTIONS THAT AREN'T GEARED SPECIFICALLY TO GETTING IT INTO A SINK WITH, UH, UH, PRESIDENTIAL OR, YOU KNOW, UH, A, A EVEN NUMBERED YEAR, LET'S JUST SAY THAT MM-HMM
UM, AND SO THOSE EXCEPTIONS WOULD, WOULD BE ALLOWED.
WE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE EXCEPTIONS.
AND THEY RANGE EVERYTHING FROM FINANCIAL EMERGENCY BECAUSE OF A DISASTER TO CHANGES IN FEDERAL AND LEGISLATIVE APPROACHES TO FINANCES.
UM, AND THOSE, THOSE ALSO PLAY A ROLE, AT LEAST IN THE WAY I THINK ABOUT WHERE WE MIGHT GO DEPENDING UPON OUTCOMES OF TRES IN A YEAR, LIKE TODAY, THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, MS. LANG, I, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THAT, THAT WE BUILT INTO THE POLICY SOME EXCEPTION.
CARRIE LANG, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
UM, I THINK THE INITIAL THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT THE, OF COURSE THE AVAILABLE DOLLARS DO NOT CHANGE.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, EACH PENNY IS ABOUT 21.9 MILLION.
IT WOULD BE THE STRUCTURE OF THE, UM, OF THE TRE SCENARIOS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT THROUGH, ARE, ARE, THE GROWTH IS THROUGH THREE YEARS VERSUS FOUR YEARS.
SO IT WOULD CHANGE YOUR INCREMENT ON THAT FIRST YEAR.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON RELATED TO THAT.
AND HOW WOULD IT CHANGE, I GUESS I'M, I'M THINKING THAT IT WOULD COMPRESS THINGS SO THAT THERE WOULD BE, IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE KIND OF SWITCHING TO A THREE YEAR PLANNING CYCLE.
AND I GUESS MY SENSE WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE A SMALLER NEED.
AGAIN, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT NOW, I WOULD LEAN TOWARD, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LAST US THROUGH THE FOUR YEARS ANTICIPATING INFLATION, ANTICIPATING, UM, UH, COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND TRYING TO KIND OF BUDGET IT OUT FOR THE FOUR YEARS IF WE WERE TO COMPRESS IT INTO THREE YEARS.
THEN, UH, HOW, I GUESS, COULD YOU PUT LIKE SOME, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DEFINITIVE EXAMPLES, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF WHERE WOULD WE END UP, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TERMS OF THE, OF THE, THE FUNDING LEVELS OR, OR THE, THE, THE KIND OF THE PLANNING CYCLE? HI, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
ERIC NELSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
I THINK FROM A BUDGET STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE WITH THE TRE IS TO, UM, GET ENOUGH RUNWAY IN THE FIRST YEAR SUCH THAT WHEN WE LOOK OVER WHATEVER FORECAST PERIOD, WE ARE PREPARED TO SORT OF ABSORB THAT GENERAL, UM, IMBALANCE BETWEEN EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE GROWTH.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE SHORTEN THAT WINDOW, WE NEED LESS RUNWAY.
SO ESSENTIALLY LOOKING AT A THREE YEAR VERSUS A FOUR YEAR CYCLE, YOU COULD AFFORD A LITTLE BIT MORE ONGOING SPENDING IN THE FIRST YEAR IF YOU ONLY NEED THE RUNWAY, UM, TO BALANCE OUT FOR THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF FOUR.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW I, THIS, I, I DON'T THINK I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, BUT JUST IN THINKING ABOUT THE TRE AND, AND, UH, I, I, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS IT AND APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
UH, IF, IF YOU WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED, I, I, I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TIM, THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER LANE.
UM, AND, BUT IF YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED, LET ME KNOW.
THIS QUESTION IS FOR DAVID GRAY, OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY OFFICER, COLLEAGUES.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WE'VE HAD REGARDING THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE PLAN AND A LOT OF COMMENTARY AROUND THE NEED FOR US TO HAVE IT FULLY FUNDED.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR OUR DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR, GRAY, TO SPEAK TO AS PART OF THE BASE BUDGET PROPOSAL AND THE TRE, THE CITY STAFF, TRE SCENARIOS, WHAT ELEMENTS OF THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE PLAN ARE YET UNFUNDED AT THIS POINT? THANK YOU, MAYOR PORT TIM FOR THE QUESTION.
DAVID GRAY HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE,
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THE ELEMENTS OF THE STAFF PROPOSAL THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNFUNDED ARE SOME OF THE UPSTREAM INVESTMENTS, WHICH ARE PREVENTION, DIVERSION, AND LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT.HOWEVER, WHILE THOSE AREN'T REFLECTED IN THE BASE BUDGET OR THE TRE SCENARIOS, WE DO HAVE MONEY IN OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET THAT WE PLAN TO CARRY FORWARD INTO FY 26 FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. BUT THAT IS ONE TIME FUNDING.
SO ONCE THAT FUNDING RUNS OUT IN FY 26, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THOSE PROGRAMS BEYOND WHENEVER THOSE DOLLARS END.
AND, UM, COLLEAGUES JUST WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE TRE PROPOSAL THAT I PUT FORTH ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL VELASQUEZ, COUNCIL ALTER AND COUNCIL VELA, WHICH ENSURES THAT THESE MISSING PIECES ARE FULLY FUNDED FOR THOSE OUT YEARS, SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE SUSTAINED INVESTMENTS AND REALLY JUST RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE COMMENTARY, THE FEEDBACK WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
THE PROPOSAL FROM OUR SUB QUORUM AND AS CHAIR OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, IS OUR PAST VICE CHAIR AND, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE DO HAVE THAT UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU.
UH, I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU.
OH, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT YOU WERE SIGNALING YOU DID.
UH, I WAS CURIOUS IF BUDGET STAFF HAD THAT UPDATED CHART WITH THE SENIOR IMPACT OF THE BILL THAT Y'ALL COULD SHARE WITH US TODAY AND, AND EMAIL OUT IF POSSIBLE.
WE DIDN'T PREPARE A FORMAL PRESENTATION, BUT WE HAVE A FEW BACKUP SLIDES, UM, WITH SOME, UM, DIFFERENT IMPACT DATA IN CASE ANYONE WANTED TO REFERENCE IT.
CLICKER, CAN WE GET A CLICKER? SO THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TABLE WE'D CREATED, UH, ABOUT OUR TYPICAL HOMEOWNER, AND THEN THIS IS A SIMILAR TABLE, UH, REFLECTING OUR TYPICAL SENIOR DISABLED HOMEOWNER.
SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS, THE, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, IT'S THAT DECREASE THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND THEN THE MIDDLE COLUMN IS OKAY VERSUS THE BASE BILL.
IF, IF, IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE, UH, EMAIL THIS SLIDE OUT TO US, THAT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, YEAH, I THINK JUST IN SOME, UM, BECAUSE THE SENIORS AS A RESULT OF YOUR ACTION TO INCREASE THE SENIOR AND DISABLED EXEMPTION WILL BE, UH, EXPERIENCING AN $88 DECREASE AT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE LEVEL.
THEY WOULD NOT BEGIN TO, UM, FEEL ANY IMPACT FROM A TRE YEAR OVER YEAR UNTIL YOU EXCEEDED THE FOUR PENNY LEVEL.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, UH, THAT I THINK WE HAVE SEEN OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S, UM, AT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OR ANY OF THESE PARTICULAR SCENARIOS, SOMEONE WILL SAY IT'S 25% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S A COMPARISON OF LAST YEAR'S RATE OF 0.4 7, 7 6 TO WHATEVER THE PROPOSED RATE IS.
AND I WAS HOPING YOU COULD TALK ABOUT WHY THAT'S ACTUALLY AN INACCURATE COMPARISON IN HOW, HOW WE THINK ABOUT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, UH, VERSUS LAST YEAR'S RATE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS.
UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PERCENTAGES AND PENNIES AND RATES AND, UM, FLYING AROUND, BUT, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE, THE NO NEW REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE IS TRYING TO BE THE RATE THAT WILL GET YOU THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR M AND O FROM THE SAME PEOPLE TAXED IN BOTH YEARS.
AND THEN THE STATE ALLOWS YOU TO GET AN ADDITIONAL 3.5% ABOVE THAT, BUT THAT'S 3.5% MORE REVENUE.
SO, AND THE RATE WILL JUST ADJUST BASED ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE VALUES TO, UM, GET YOU THAT REVENUE.
SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS, UM, A MEANINGFUL COMPARISON TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE RATE ITSELF OR PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN THE RATE ITSELF, BECAUSE THAT RATE IS ADJUSTING IN RESPONSE TO WHAT HAPPENS TO VALUES AND, UM, HOME VALUES ARE CHANGING AS WELL AS PART OF THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE, WE TRY TO DISTILL WITH OUR TYPICAL HOMEOWNER NUMBER.
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AND SO ON THIS CHART YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE, UM, COMPARED THE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PENNIES TO, UM, THE AMOUNT ABOVE THAT, NO NEW REVENUE, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE TO TRY TO, UH, HAVE A CONSISTENT STANDARD WITH THE THREE AND A HALF.AND UH, I KNOW WE, A LOT OF THE SENSE VERSUS PERS YEAH, AND ALL OF IT GETS VERY
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
DID, DID YOUR, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? YES, I DID.
ONE I WANTED TO SAY, I I APPRECIATE YOUR MESSAGE BOARD POST WHERE YOU LET US KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S EXPECTED DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING.
I THINK IT MAKES IT SO EFFICIENT AND, UH, YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED I APPRECIATE EFFICIENCY, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, THEN I ALSO HAD A QUESTION FOR, UM, DIRECTOR LANG AND TEAM ABOUT TRE DISCUSSION.
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T SEE THAT SIDE OF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
SO MY QUESTION ESSENTIALLY IS, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND, YOU CAN IMAGINE EVERYBODY WAS ANTICIPATING THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF AMENDMENTS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED HOW FREQUENTLY THE CONSTITUENT INTERACTION, UM, MOST ESPECIALLY IN MY IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, HAD TO DO WITH FOLKS WHO WERE ASKING WHAT I REALLY CONSIDERED VERY MUCH PRAGMATIC QUESTIONS.
AND IT WAS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF WHEN DETERMINING WHAT, UM, WHAT AMENDMENT YOU DECIDE TO SUBMIT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU DECIDE, AND THEN YOU KNOW, IT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME, UNCA, I MEAN, UH, IT WAS UNCANNY THE CONVERSATION WENT TO, BUT HOW CAN YOU MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON A TRE WHOSE RATE YOU HAVEN'T ESTABLISHED AND A VOTE THAT HASN'T TRANSPIRED WITH NO DEGREE OF CERTAINTY WHATSOEVER? DON'T YOU HAVE TO EXCLUSIVELY FOCUS YOUR POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS ON WHAT IS TANGIBLE? AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS KEPT GOING THERE.
UM, BUT I DO FIND THAT, I GUESS THIS IS MORE ADVICE THAN ANYTHING ELSE ON HOW TO CONVEY THAT I SHARE THEIR CONCERNS THERE ABOUT MAKING DECISIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMS THAT WE HOPE EXIST IN PERPETUITY BASED ON REAL MADE UP NUMBERS.
UM, I, I GUESS THE ADVICE THAT I'M ASKING IS HOW DO YOU CONVEY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THE NEED FOR US TO FOCUS OUR TIME AND ATTENTION ON THE REAL PROPOSED BUDGET THAT'S IN FRONT OF US AS OPPOSED TO SORT OF GETTING OUT IN FRONT OF OURSELVES AND BASING ASSUMPTIONS NEED AND THE PROVISION OF SUPPORT ON MADE UP TRE NUMBERS? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I THINK FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, PRESENTED THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET AND, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT EACH YEAR THE COUNCIL HAS A OPPORTUNITY OR OPTION TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THAT PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, AND IN THIS PROCESS IN PARTICULAR, I THINK PART OF THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY WANTS TO MAKE TO THE CITY MANAGERS PROPOSED BUDGET, THAT'S, THAT THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT AS THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL, UM, MONTHS ABOUT THE NEED TO EXPAND THE SERVICES, UM, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS ACROSS THE GENERAL FUND, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL TRE IS HOW WE GOT TO THAT SPACE AND HOW WE DISCUSS WHAT COULD BE, UM, POTENTIAL ENHANCEMENTS ACROSS THE FUND.
AGAIN, GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE VOTERS AT ABOVE THAT VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
AND SO FOR ME, IT'S JUST THAT CONVERSATION THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL IS HAVING AND DETERMINING WHAT THE NEXT STEPS AS WE, AS YOU ALL CONSIDER A POTENTIAL VOTE BY THE, BY THE COMMUNITY.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT COMPLETELY ANSWERS THE QUESTION FOR ADVICE, BUT I I ALSO THINK THAT MIGHT BE SORT OF AN IMPOSSIBLE ASK.
SO I, I JUST DO, I GUESS FOR THE RECORD, WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE FOLKS ARE ASKING, UM, AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR OUR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO REDIRECT THEIR FOCUS ON ATTENTION IN A SITUATION THAT FEELS UNTENABLE.
I MEAN, IT, THE LIMITATIONS ARE REAL AND THE NEED IS REAL.
UM, I GUESS I'LL CLOSE MY COMMENTARY BY SAYING I REALLY DO APPRECIATE HOW MUCH OF THE FOCUS AND ATTENTION TODAY HAS BEEN ON, UM, FOLLOWING THROUGH ON STAFF'S
[01:10:01]
RECOMMENDATION AROUND HSO FUNDING AND APPRECIATE MAYOR PERAM AND THAT SUB QUORUM FOR, UM, THE VERBALLY STATED COMMITMENT TO SEEING THROUGH OUR OBLIGATION THERE.UM, COLLEAGUES, I WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A QUESTION I SUBMITTED IN OUR Q AND A PORTAL ON THE BUDGET.
QUESTION EIGHT, I'D ASKED STAFF, AND IF Y'ALL CAN SPEAK TO IT, OUR FINANCIAL TEAM, IF STAFF COULD ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE STATE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, THE LEGISLATION, THERE ARE THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT PASSED LAST CYCLE AND ITS IMPACT TO AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
SO IF, UM, OUR FINANCIAL TEAM CAN SHARE WITH US THAT ANALYSIS ON HOW MUCH A TYPICAL HOMEOWNER IN AUSTIN ISD IS EXPECTED TO SAVE AS PART OF THE STATE LEGISLATION, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S POSTED OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I THINK, UM, OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE ANALYSIS WAS $380 FOR THE TYPICAL HOMEOWNER.
UM, BASED ON THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE, I WOULD WANT TO RECONCILE THEIR HOME VALUE WITH OUR TYPICAL HOME VALUE TO MAKE IT APPLES TO APPLES.
BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE VERY CLOSE.
UM, SO IT'S IN THAT $380, UH, ANNUAL SAVINGS RANGE FROM THE THANK YOU FROM THE ADDITIONAL, UH, SCHOOL EXEMPTION.
AND, AND I ASKED A ISD THAT QUESTION MM-HMM
AND THEY HAD IT, THE, THE, THE THING THEY SENT ME WAS THREE 17, SO IT WAS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE THREE 80 THAT HE'S MENTIONED.
BUT HE, AS HE POINTS OUT THEIR TYPICAL AND OUR TYPICAL, WHILE CLOSE TO BEING THE SAME, MAY NOT BE THE SAME.
AND THAT'S DIFFERENT FOR A SENIOR, RIGHT? YES.
AND SO FOR SENIOR HERE, YES, FOR SENIORS IS A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
I DO SEE THAT IT IS POSTED ON THE Q AND A FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED HOMEOWNERS IN THE AUSTIN ISD SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY CAN EXPECT TO SAVE APPROXIMATELY $833 ANNUALLY.
SO JUST WANTED TO DRAW EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO, TO THAT BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE CONTEXT IN WHICH WE ARE CONSIDERING OUR TAX RATE PROPOSAL.
TIM, ANYTHING ELSE? MEMBERS? OKAY, AS I TRY TO DO AT THE END OF EACH OF THESE MEETINGS, UH, I'LL MENTION THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE.
UH, TODAY AT ONE 30 THERE WILL BE AN AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH WILL BE A COMMITTEE, UH, A MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THE, UH, POLICY AND MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WITH REGARD TO GOING FORWARD WITH A TRE.
IT WILL, THE DISCUSSION WILL BE RELATED TO WHETHER TO HAVE A TRE, IT WILL NOT BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE AS TO AN AMOUNT OF THE TRE THAT WILL BE FOR THE FULL COUNSEL TO DECIDE AS WE GO THROUGH OUR BUDGETING THAT THE CONTINUING PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS ALONG THOSE LINES.
UH, THURSDAY, UH, I START TO SAY WEDNESDAY, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHY.
UH, THURSDAY WE HAVE ANOTHER SCHEDULED WORK SESSION AT NINE O'CLOCK.
THAT IS THE WORK SESSION THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS SO THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WILL BE IN A POSITION TO LAY OUT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT AND PROPOSED IFS.
THEN WE ARE SCHEDULED, UH, AND HAVE ON THE BOOKS AUGUST 13TH, 14TH, AND 15TH IF NEEDED, UH, FOR US TO CONSIDER AND PASS A BUDGET.
UH, I ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, WE WILL TAKE UP, UH, HAVING AT LEAST ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION RELATED TO ITEMS, UH, ON THURSDAY.
SO MEMBERS, WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE WOULD DO ON THURSDAY IS HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, THEN TAKE A, UH, HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THAT POINT, AND THEN COME BACK AND LAY OUT ALL THE AMENDMENTS.
THIS JUST FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF PLAN THEIR DAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, THANK YOU FOR LAYING THAT OUT.
MAYOR, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS AND IFCS.
I KNOW YESTERDAY AT 6:00 PM WAS OUR DEADLINE TO BE ABLE TO SEND THOSE TO STAFF.
UM, SHOULD WE POST THOSE TO THE MESSAGE BOARD, WILL STAFF POST THEM TO THE WEBSITE? HOW SHOULD WE ALL SHARE WHAT HAS BEEN? WELL, THAT'S REALLY GOOD.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT STAFF WAS GOING TO POST THOSE TO A WEBSITE, BUT LET'S, UM, UH, LET'S, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION OUT LOUD.
WE ARE WORKING ON COMPILING THE LIST RIGHT NOW, AND SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO POST IT ON THE, UM, WITH THE, FOR THE MEETING ON THURSDAY.
SO IF YOU WANTED, I GUESS PUT OUT BEFOREHAND, THEN, THEN LET'S GO.
I MEAN, WE, WE WE'RE, I, I THINK WE'RE DOING A, A GOOD JOB AND AN APPROPRIATE JOB OF UTILIZING THE MESSAGE BOARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER APPROPRIATELY.
SO IF YOU WANT IT OUT THERE EARLY, UH, GET IT OUT THERE EARLY.
[01:15:01]
WILL HAVE IT SO THAT THE, AND THE PUBLIC PUBLIC CAN ACCESS THAT MESSAGE BOARD AS WELL.I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT PUBLIC.
FEEL FREE TO USE THAT MESSAGE BOARD AS WELL.
BUT THEN WE WILL HAVE A, A, A SINGLE PLACE, NOT IN DIFFERENT MESSAGE BOARD POSTS WHEN THEY, THEY COMPLETE THAT FOR BEFORE, UH, THURSDAY.
THAT'S A GOOD, A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS MEMBERS? THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION, UH, ON AUGUST 5TH, 2025.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10:15 AM THANK Y'ALL.