[Austin D5 Candidate Panel on September 17, 2026.]
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LET'S MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR PHONES ARE ON SILENT.
EVER FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A FOOTBALL FIELD? WAITING ON THE REFEREE.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO LIVE IN 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU AUSTIN VOTERS AND EVERYONE THAT IS HERE AND LISTENING ONLINE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN THIS YEAR'S AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUMS FOR DISTRICT FIVE.
I'M CAROL ECKEL CAMP, A VOLUNTEER WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA, AND I'LL BE YOUR MODERATOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU TO OUR CANDIDATES FOR PARTICIPATING AND TO EVERYONE IN OUR AUDIENCE AND ONLINE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE SEEKING TO REPRESENT YOU.
CITY COUNCIL DECISIONS AFFECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR DAILY COMMUTES, HOW WE ENJOY THE CITY, AND SO MUCH MORE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.
THIS FORUM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE CANDIDATES ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES AND THEIR APPROACHES TO THE ISSUES FACING ALL OF US HERE IN AUSTIN.
AUSTIN AREA IS A NON-PROFIT, NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION.
WE NEITHER SUPPORT NOR OPPOSE CANDIDATES OR POLITICAL PARTIES.
WE HELP VOTERS REGISTER TO UNDERSTAND THE VOTING PROCESS, TO EDUCATE VOTERS AND TO FIND, HELP THEM FIND RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT CANDIDATES AND BALLOT ISSUES.
OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, OUR FIRST VOTE PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, OUR PRINTED AND ONLINE VOTERS GUIDE AND FORUMS JUST LIKE THIS ONE.
OUR PURPOSE TODAY IS TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR OWN INFORMED DECISIONS.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE FORMAT AND THE TIMING SO THAT EVERY CANDIDATE HAS A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
YOU'LL START TODAY WITH THE TWO MINUTE INTRO, AND I WILL THEN ASK A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ABOUT PRESSING ISSUES BOTH IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE, AND ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY HERE IN DISTRICT FIVE.
EACH CANDIDATE, YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION.
WE'RE GONNA ROTATE THE ORDER OF RESPONSES SO THAT EACH OF OUR CANDIDATES HAVE A CHANCE TO ANSWER FIRST.
DURING EACH ONE MINUTE RESPONSE, OUR TIMER WILL SIGNAL AT THE 15 SECOND MARK FOR YOU TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS.
AND WHEN THE STOP THE RED STOP COMES UP, DO STOP OR FINISH YOUR SENTENCE, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS FOLLOWING OUR QUESTION PERIOD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, ANOTHER TWO MINUTES FOR YOU TO HAVE YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS, AND IT'S A FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHY YOU BELIEVE THE VOTERS SHOULD CHOOSE YOU TO SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR HELPING US TO KEEP THIS FORUM RESPECTFUL, FOCUSED, AND USEFUL FOR OUR VOTERS.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO AND WE'RE GONNA BEGIN OUR QUESTIONS IN BALLOT ORDER.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN ON THIS GROUP WITH DAVID, UH, CANDIDATE WEINBERG.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU ANSWER OUR FIRST QUESTION AFTER YOU DO YOUR TWO MINUTE INTRODUCTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND LET YOU DO THE INTRODUCTION.
AND THEN RYAN, WE'RE GONNA START YOU ON THE CLOSING.
UH, I HAVE LIVED IN AUSTIN'S, UH, DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT FOR 17 YEARS.
UH, I HAVE A BACKGROUND WORKING IN AND AROUND GOVERNMENT.
UH, I'VE DONE THAT FOR ALMOST 26 YEARS NOW.
UM, I LIVE OVER IN BARTON HILLS.
GOT A DAUGHTER IN AUSTIN, HIGH SON AT O HENRY.
UM, I AM RUNNING BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2012, THE CITY OF AUSTIN MOVED AWAY FROM AN AT LARGE SYSTEM OF CITY COUNCIL AND THEY MOVED TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
I SUPPORTED THAT THEN AND I SUPPORT IT NOW.
BUT IN ORDER FOR THAT SYSTEM TO WORK, YOU NEED TO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE REALLY REPRESENTING THEIR DISTRICTS AND REPRESENTING THEIR DISTRICT.
WELL, I FEEL LIKE WE DO NOT HAVE THAT TODAY IN DISTRICT FIVE.
THERE ARE A COUPLE BIG WAYS IN WHICH WE ARE LACKING IN IT.
NUMBER ONE, WE NEED REPRESENTATIVES WHO REALLY LISTEN TO FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND TAKE THEIR VOICES TO CITY HALL ON BIG ISSUES LIKE TAXATION DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC AMENITIES.
I FEEL LIKE OUR CURRENT CITY COUNCIL IS REALLY DOMINATED THESE DAYS BY SOME BIG SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS THAT DO A LOT OF BUSINESS AT THE COUNCIL.
LIKE AT THE TOP OF THAT PYRAMID WOULD BE BIG, BIG REAL ESTATE, UH, GROUPS THAT CONTRIBUTE A LOT OF MONEY TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, BIG DEVELOPERS, BIG ENGINEERING FIRMS, UM, AND THEY ARE LISTENING TO THOSE FOLKS AND NOT THE PEOPLE BACK HOME IN THEIR DISTRICTS.
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THE SECOND THING I REALLY WANT TO CHANGE IN DISTRICT FIVE IS I WANT TO BE A, A SUPERB PUBLIC SERVANT.AND I WANT TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT CONSTITUENT SERVICE TO PEOPLE ACROSS A VERY VAST DISTRICT THAT GOES ALL THE WAY FROM ZILKER PARK TO ONION CREEK.
UM, NO PROBLEM, TOO SMALL, NO PROBLEM, TOO LARGE.
I WANT BE ACTIVE ON THE GROUND, ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT, HELPING THEM OUT.
I'VE HEARD FROM WAY TOO MANY FOLKS.
I'VE BEEN RUNNING FOR THIS, THIS OFFICE FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM WAY TOO MANY FOLKS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT THAT THEY REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNCIL OFFICE.
UM, EITHER THEY WANT HELP WITH SOMETHING OR THEY WANT TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ABOUT SOMETHING.
UH, THEY, THEY, THEY CALL THE OFFICE OR THEY EMAIL IN AND, UH, THEY JUST DON'T HEAR BACK.
AND THAT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, PARTICULARLY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING IN THE CITY WHERE THEY'RE GETTING SQUEEZED ECONOMICALLY.
THEY'RE PAYING A BUNCH OF PROPERTY TAXES.
AT THE VERY LEAST THEY CAN EXPECT IS TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS VERY ACTIVE, ENGAGED, AND RESPONSIVE TO THEM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR THIS OFFICE, I WAS TALKING TO SENIORS, MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, UH, STUDENTS ALL LOOKING AT THEIR FUTURE AND WONDERING IF THEY COULD AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
AND FOR TOO MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO I DECIDED TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE.
AND FOUR YEARS LATER, WE HAVE MADE SOME AMAZING RESULTS.
YOU KNOW, HOUSING COSTS IN AUSTIN HAVE GONE DOWN FASTER HERE THAN ANY MAJOR CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE FINALLY BUILT THE HOUSING THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEEDED.
UH, WE HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED THE SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION SO SENIORS CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
WE HAVE, UH, THANKS TO A RESOLUTION THAT I PASSED, PREVENTED LANDLORDS FROM SURPRISING THEIR TENANTS WITH HIDDEN FEES, UH, IN SOMEWHERE IN THEIR LEASE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED OUR SHELTER AND HOUSING CAPACITY, AND WE HAVE SEEN NOW FEWER PEOPLE ENTERING HOMELESSNESS TWO YEARS IN A ROW THAN THE YEAR PRIOR.
SOMETHING THAT, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN A WHILE.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, CRIME HAS GONE DOWN, RESPONSE TIMES HAVE GONE DOWN.
AND NOW WHEN SOMEONE IS FACING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, WE CAN SEND A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL INSTEAD OF A POLICE OFFICER 24 7, NOT JUST DURING WORKING HOURS.
SO YOU JUST GO ISSUE BY ISSUE, PROBLEM BY PROBLEM.
WE HAVE MADE THE PROGRESS AND DELIVERED THE RESULTS THAT MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO NOW IN THIS RACE, WE FACE A A REALLY STARK CHOICE.
DO WE GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE OR DO WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD? AND I CHOOSE TO DO MORE.
I CHOOSE TO DO MORE TO LOWER HOUSING COSTS.
I CHOOSE TO DO MORE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES BECAUSE IF THERE'S ONE THING I KNOW THAT WE STILL CAN'T AFFORD, IT'S TO GO BACKWARDS.
SO DAVID, I MEAN CANDIDATE WEINBERG, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH YOU THIS EVENING AND WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY.
DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS, FREQUENTLY SITE CONGESTION ON SOUTH LAMAR, BRODY LANG AND MINKA.
WHAT TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY AND WHY? SURE.
UM, LET ME SAY THEY, YOU DIDN'T ASK ABOUT IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I, THAT I'M, I'M FRANKLY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT IS, UM, WE'RE ALL PAYING A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT CONNECT, UM, LIGHT RAIL, WHICH IS ABOUT 30% TODAY OF WHAT WE ALL VOTED ON BACK IN 2020.
UH, AND IT IS A SYSTEM THAT IS NOT GOING TO SERVE ANY PART OF DISTRICT FIVE OR DISTRICT FIVE ADJACENT.
I THINK WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE.
UM, BUT WE ARE BUILDING THAT OUT AT SORT OF THE SAME COST AND GETTING 30% OF THE, OF THE PRODUCT.
UM, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO, I THINK, IN DISTRICT FIVE IS INCREASE NORTH SOUTH BUS SERVICE, UM, WORK ON, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW CONGESTION COULD BE IMPROVED, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME SIMPLE THINGS THERE THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT.
SO WHAT TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY IF YOU'RE ELECTED? YEAH.
SO 40 YEARS AGO WHEN, WHEN I CAME IN, WE HAD SPENT ABOUT 20% OF THE BOND FUNDS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION.
UH, AND THAT WAS A REAL PROBLEM.
'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2016 BONDS, 2018 AND 2020.
SO WE'D HAD A LOT OF TIME TO GET THESE PROJECTS DELIVERED AND HADN'T
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DONE THAT.NOW LOOK FORWARD TO OR LOOK AT TODAY, THAT NUMBER IS ALMOST 70%.
WE HAVE FINALLY CLEARED THE LOG JAM AND GOTTEN THESE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS MOVING AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THE LAST OF WHICH IN, IN THE ORDER SADLY, IS SOUTH LAMAR, BUT IT IS SCHEDULED TO BREAK GROUND THIS YEAR AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR SOUTH LAMAR.
WE, IT WILL BECOME AN AREA THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK, CAN RIDE THEIR BIKE IS SAFER FOR CARS.
AND SO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT JUST ONE MAIN THOROUGHFARE FOR PEOPLE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE DISTRICT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE THAT WE NEED TO GET GOING AND WE NEED TO GET DONE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MOVE ABOUT THE DISTRICT, UH, A LOT EASIER.
CANADA, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY.
AND YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT IN YOUR OPENING AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES IN OUR CITY'S LAND USE RULES OVER THE PAST YEARS.
AND DISTRICT FIVE HAS MADE PROGRESS TOWARDS ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION GOALS, BUT THAT HOUSING COSTS STILL ARE A CHALLENGE FOR MANY IN THIS, IN THE DISTRICT.
WHAT STRATEGIES WOULD YOU SUPPORT TO EXPAND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING THAT MISSING MIDDLE, THOSE DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS OR ADUS AND TOWNHOUSES WHILE STILL PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER? YEAH, WE'VE DONE A LOT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD IN ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT CHANGED IN OUR HISTORY IN, IN 1984, WE ADOPTED A NEW CODE AND AT THAT POINT YOU HAD SEEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF WHETHER THEY WERE DUPLEXES, QUADPLEXES, COTTAGE COURTS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT STYLE OF HOME THAT'S OFTEN A STARTER HOME, BUT A MORE ACCESSIBLE PRICE POINT.
AND FROM 1984 ON, WE HAD A CODE THAT REALLY INCENTIVIZED BUILDING A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND OVER TIME A REALLY EXPENSIVE SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
I MEAN, YOU DRIVE AROUND SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, BARTON HILLS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
YOU'LL SEE TIME AFTER TIME, SOMEONE BUY A LOT, SCRAPE IT AND PUT A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR MANSION THERE.
AND SO WE REFORMED OUR CODES TO MAKE IT SO THAT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY OPTION.
YOU CAN DO SOMETHING MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP DOING THAT BY ESPECIALLY CUTTING DOWN SOME OF OUR DEVELOPMENT TIMELINES BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE SAVE, THAT'S MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS AT THE END OF THE, IN THE, THE PROCESS CANDIDATE WEINBERG.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AS A CITY ON HOUSING IS IT'S A MIXED BAG.
THERE'S SOME THINGS WE'VE DONE WELL AND SOME THINGS WE HAVE NOT DONE WELL.
WE HAVE BUILT IN THE LAST FIVE, 10 YEARS A WHOLE LOT OF NEW RENTAL UNITS THAT HAS SORT OF HELPED EASE THE, THE, THE MARKET PRICE OF THOSE OF THOSE UNITS.
WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE AS MUCH OF IS, AGAIN, PROVIDING HOUSING THAT IS, IS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES, FOR GROWING FAMILIES, WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT SOME OF THE THINGS COUNCIL'S DOING IS NECESSARILY CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT FIVE OVER IN BARTON HILLS.
WE'VE GOT SOME NEW HOME HOMES FOR SALE ON BARTON HILLS DRIVE.
THEY ARE PRICED AT $2 MILLION A PIECE THAT IS NOT AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED.
UM, AND I ALSO AM SOMEONE, I KNOW WE'RE GROWING AND WE NEED MORE HOUSING, BUT I ALSO AM SOMEONE, I THINK THIS IS A BIG DISTINCTION POINT BETWEEN ME AND THE INCUMBENT WHO DOES BELIEVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY, IN LISTENING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW WE BUILD, HOW WE GROW, UM, THAT CANNOT BE A ONE WAY STREET IN TERMS OF DEVELOPERS AND COUNCIL, JUST TELLING PEOPLE HOW IT'S GONNA BE.
IT NEEDS TO BE A REALLY ENGAGED, MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION WITH COMMUNITY.
STAYING IN THE AREA OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND REALLY WANNA KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE YOU BOTH IN MAKING THESE TYPE OF DECISIONS.
THE PROPOSED, AND WE'LL START WITH YOU.
CANDIDATE WEINBERG, THE PROPOSED BRODY OAKS REDEVELOPMENT INCLUDES NEW HOUSING, COMMERCIAL SPACE PARK LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION OVER THE BARTON SPRINGS RECHARGE ZONE.
BUT THAT PROJECT IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD DUE TO SHIFTING MARKETING CONDITIONS.
IF THE DEVELOPER RETURNS TO CITY COUNCIL WITH REQUESTS TO MODIFY THOSE COMMITMENTS DUE TO THEIR COSTS, WHAT PRINCIPLES WOULD GUIDE YOUR DECISIONS? UH, SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT, THAT PROPERTY CURRENTLY, THE, THE, IT'S BEEN PUT ON HOLD.
I HEARD A RUMOR THAT SOMEONE WANTS TO PUT AN NHL HOCKEY ARENA THERE, SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ACTUALLY COOKING, UH, FOR THE BRODY OAK SITE.
UM, I THINK THERE WERE SOME PLUSES TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN, UH, YOU KNOW, BUILDING OUT SOME COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AND REDUCING IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THAT SITE.
BUT AGAIN, I GO BACK TO COMPATIBILITY.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THAT SITE WHO THOUGHT THAT 25 STORY BUILDINGS, THERE WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE CHARACTER OF SOUTH AUSTIN FOR BEING RIGHT NEXT TO THE GREEN BELT.
AND I WOULD TEND TO AGREE WITH THEM AND I'D WANNA LISTEN TO THOSE PEOPLE IN TERMS OF WHAT SORT
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OF DENSITY IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SITE.YEAH, I'D, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS BECOME A VIBRANT MIXED USE SPACE THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK TO, CAN, UH, BIKE TO AND IS ACTUALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN, WHICH SAW THIS BEING, UH, A SORT OF HUB FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL AND, AND RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITY.
UH, WE SAW, OR WE, WE LOOKED AT THIS PLAN AND IT'S TAKING A SEA OF PAVEMENT THAT IS BRODY OAKS AND TURNING 30% OF THAT SPACE INTO PARK SPACE, THE WATER QUALITY IS GONNA BE GREATLY IMPROVED.
SO YOU'RE NOT DISCHARGING A BUNCH OF RUNOFF THAT HAS CHEMICALS INTO THE BARTON CREEK, UH, AREA.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE PROTECTIONS CONTINUE.
AND I THINK AS WE LOOK AT WHATEVER IS COMING FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT, THERE HAS TO BE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THAT DEVELOPMENT.
THERE HAS TO BE, UH, THE GREEN SPACES AS PART OF THAT DEVELOPMENT, BUT A PLACE THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO, TO GO TO AND ARE ABLE TO, TO WALK AROUND, UH, REALLY ENJOYABLY.
SO YOU, YOU BOTH HAVE ANSWERED QUESTIONS ON A NEWER DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE HAD A QUESTION COME IN FOR THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND SO CANDIDATE ALTER, IF THERE'S RAPIDLY GROWING COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IN THIS DISTRICT, THERE'S ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THAT AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THE QUESTION IS, IF, IF ELECTED AGAIN, WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS WOULD YOU MAKE YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY AND WHY? WELL, WE, WE DO HAVE AN AGING INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM AND IT'S SADLY A NOT JUST ONE CATEGORY.
UM, I THINK CERTAINLY OUR ROADS, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, UH, OUR, OUR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE ROADS, THE SIDEWALKS, JUST OUR ABILITY TO GET AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO REINVEST IN OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
I'D SAY THAT'S PROBABLY MY HIGHEST CONCERN.
I THINK WATER IS SOMETHING THAT IS THE LIMITING FACTOR FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO BE REALLY PROTECTING OUR WATER SUPPLY.
TWO YEARS AGO WE SAW THREE LADY BIRD LAKES WORTH OF WATER LEAK OUT OF OUR PIPES.
AND IF WE CAN DO MORE TO FIX THOSE LEAKY PIPES AND PREVENT THEM FROM BREAKING TO BEGIN WITH, UH, THAT IS CRITICAL WATER THAT, THAT WE ALL NOW HAVE, UH, AVAILABLE.
SO THAT I THINK IS, IS TOP OF MIND FOR ME.
CANDIDATE WEINBERG, WHAT'S YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY? SO, I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S TOO MUCH TO COVER HERE IN A, IN A, IN A 32ND ANSWER.
I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST, UH, A MINUTE FOCUS IN ON A ONE MINUTE.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I WOULD, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO REPRESENTATION, I WOULD WANT TO LISTEN VERY CLOSELY TO THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT ABOUT WHAT THEIR TOP PRIORITIES ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE HAD OR PROPOSITION Q BE PUT BEFORE VOTERS.
AND I THINK FOR ME, ALL THE CONVERSATIONS I WAS HAVING WITH FOLKS IN THE DISTRICT, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION WITH THAT PROPOSAL AND IT DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT.
AND THAT BORE OUT SORT OF IN THE ELECTION WHERE IT DID NOT PASS IN A SINGLE VOTING PRECINCT IN DISTRICT FIVE, WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A PARKS BOND COMING UP THIS FALL.
UM, I WOULD'VE PREFERRED THE CITY TO FOLLOW STAFF, UH, DIRECTION ON, UM, WHEN TO PUT THAT BEFORE VOTERS.
BUT I'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT REALLY INVESTING IN THE GARRISON PARK POOL AND KEEPING THAT A VITAL, UH, WORKING ACCESSIBLE RESOURCE THAT'S IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT FIVE OPEN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOUSING, THE HOUSING, THE UNHOUSED.
AND THIS DISTRICT HAS ITS CHALLENGES.
AUSTIN HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES IN SHELTER, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OUTREACH AND OTHER RESPONSES TO HOMELESSNESS, YET IT REMAINS ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST VISIBLE CHALLENGES.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE AUSTIN SHOULD DO TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM? SURE.
SO, I MEAN, I WANNA BE CLEAR-EYED ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DAUNTING, COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING ISSUES FACING THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND IF I WERE ELECTED TO COUNCIL, I WOULD HAVE TO WORK INCREDIBLY HARD ON IT AND LEAN VERY HEAVILY INTO OUR SORT OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELD ON, ON THE ISSUE.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WE COULD BE DOING MUCH BETTER IN AUSTIN, AND I THINK THAT THAT, UM, THIS RINGS TRUE IN DISTRICT FIVE IS WE CAN BE COMMUNICATING A LOT BETTER ON RESULTS.
NOT JUST HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS, HOW MANY PEOPLE AREN'T ENTERING HOMELESSNESS, BUT LIKE HAPPENS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THERE'S SORT OF A MORE CENTRALIZED SYSTEM WHERE
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PEOPLE CAN REALLY SEE ARE WE MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS? I ALSO THINK DISTRICT FIVE, FRANKLY HAS BEEN A, UH, UM, AN EXAMPLE IN HOW YOU CANNOT DO THINGS.THE SUNRISE SERVICE CENTER IS A CENTER THAT IS SERVING A HOMELESS POPULATION IN A CITY OF A MILLION PEOPLE.
IT CANNOT BE IN ONE CONCENTRATED AREA THAT IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
THERE NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED HOMELESS SERVICES AROUND THE CITY.
WHEN, WHEN I TOOK OFFICE FOUR YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE POINT IN TIME COUNT JUST A COUPLE MONTHS IN AND THAT REVEALED THAT DISTRICT FIVE SAW THE GREATEST INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS OF ANY COUNCIL DISTRICT OVER THE TWO YEARS, UH, BEFORE I'D GOTTEN THERE.
SO THE PROBLEM, UH, THAT WE ALL SEE EVERY DAY BORE OUT IN THE NUMBERS.
AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF WORK TO DO, UH, OVER THAT TIME.
WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, DOUBLED OUR SHELTER AND HOUSING CAPACITY.
SO WE ARE FINALLY GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND INTO HOUSING AND INTO SHELTER.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO REALLY MADE STRONG INVESTMENTS IN PREVENTION TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND OUTCOME EFFECTIVE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL THAN KEEPING SOMEONE FROM BECOMING HOMELESS TO BEGIN WITH.
AND NOW TWO YEARS IN A ROW, WE HAVE FEWER PEOPLE ENTERING HOMELESSNESS YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO I WANNA SEE US LEAN INTO MORE OF THAT, KEEP MAKING THAT TYPE OF PROGRESS.
AND HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO BE A, A CHALLENGE THAT, THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS, WE'VE SEEN THE RESULTS.
CANDIDATE ALTER, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BUDGET AND FISCAL STEWARDSHIP.
AUSTIN RECENTLY ADOPTED A BUDGET THAT INCLUDED DIFFICULT TRADE-OFFS AND DEFERRED SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS TO A BOND PROPOSAL THAT VOTERS WILL CONSIDER THIS FALL.
AND INCLUDING IN THIS IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS DISTRICT TO GARRISON MUNICIPAL POOL, GRAND MEADOW PARK, AND THE WILLIAMSON CREEK AND GREENBELT TRAILS.
WHAT SHOULD GUIDE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION WHEN BALANCING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AFFORDABILITY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY? YEAH, I, I FIND IT FASCINATING TO BE FOR, YOU KNOW, RE UH, REPAIRING GARRISON POOL, BUT AGAINST THE BOND RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT POOL WERE TO FAIL IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO FIX IT AND IT WOULD CLOSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY I'M SUPPORTING, UH, THE PARKS BOND BECAUSE THAT IS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE A PRIVATE POOL IN THEIR BACKYARD OR GO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE KALAHARI OF THE WORLD, THEY GET TO GO TO OUR AUSTIN POOL SYSTEM AND, AND HAVE THAT AVAILABLE ON THESE REALLY HOT DAYS.
AND SO I WANT TO KEEP INVESTING IN, UH, THOSE TYPES OF AMENITIES.
OUR, OUR PARKS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WE ADDED MONEY TO ADD SPEED BUMPS, RIGHT? SOMETHING THAT IS SIMPLE IN NATURE, BUT THAT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER AND MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY FOR PEOPLE.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT I'M FOCUSED ON.
THE, THE SMART TYPES OF INVESTMENTS THAT REALLY IMPROVE PEOPLE'S DAILY QUALITY OF LIFE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE I'LL STAY FOCUSED CANDIDATE WEINBERG.
SO, I MEAN, I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE BOND A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA COME BACK TO, UM, I WANNA COME BACK TO MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS BUY-IN FROM THE DISTRICT ABOUT WHAT POLICY DECISIONS THE CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING ON TAXATION, ON AUDITING, ALL THE ABOVE.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA BE PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE TO THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS DISTRICT ARE FEELING THE PINCH, UH, IN OUR ECONOMY RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO EVEN THOUGH THIS BOND WOULD ONLY ADD LIKE $40 A YEAR TO SOMEONE'S PROPERTY TAX BILL, THAT'S NOT IRRELEVANT.
UM, UH, THERE ARE, PEOPLE ARE GETTING PRICED OUT OF THE DISTRICT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR BILLS.
UH, ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AND THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO HAVE ROBUST COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON IN GUIDING HOW I VOTE AT CITY HALL.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW OUR CITIZENS, THE CITIZENS WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE CITY RESIDENTS OFTEN SAY THAT THEY WANT EARLIER AND MORE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN CITY DECISIONS.
IF ELECTED, HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND THE CITY? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HARDEST JOB I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE WAS WORKING, UH, FOR A STATE REPRESENTATIVE WHO, UM, REALLY
[00:25:01]
TREATED HER OFFICE.LIKE IT WAS A CITY COUNCIL OFFICE, AND IT WAS IN A VERY, VERY BUSY AND VERY, VERY CIVICALLY ENGAGED DISTRICT.
UM, AND THERE IS NO, UH, SUBSTITUTE FOR THE EXTREMELY HARD WORK OF HAVING A STAFF AND A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO ARE EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE TO THEIR DISTRICT IN TERMS OF ANSWERING PHONE CALLS, ANSWERING EMAILS, MAKING SITE VISITS, MEETING PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, AND DOING A LOT OF REALLY HARD WORK, REALLY ARDUOUS WORK AND TRYING TO FIX PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTS.
UM, IF ELECTED, I WOULD OF COURSE BE AS, AS COMMUNICATIVE AS I COULD WITH THE PUBLIC AND ALSO PUSH FOR THE, FOR THE CITY TO MAKE PROGRESS ON CERTAIN THINGS, LIKE FINALLY GETTING ITS HOMELESSNESS DASHBOARD UP, UH, SO THAT FOLKS CAN, CAN SEE INFORMATION FOR THEMSELVES.
YEAH, I, I I WOULD TEND TO AGREE WITH DAVID BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, WE HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS IN THE DISTRICT AND WE MOVE THOSE MEETINGS ACROSS THE DISTRICT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACCESS AND ASK QUESTIONS AND SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK IN, IN A LOCATION THAT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM.
'CAUSE NOT EVERYBODY CAN MAKE IT TO CITY HALL.
UH, WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED OVER, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR YEARS.
WE HAVE RESOLVED HUNDREDS OF CONSTITUENT CASES, UH, RESPONDED TO THOUSANDS OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS.
UH, WE, WE GET A, A LOT OF, A LOT OF TRAFFIC, A LOT OF VOLUME, AND WE ARE DOING THE WORK TO RESPOND AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WHETHER IT'S A POTHOLE OR A PARK ISSUE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAD, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD AT ONE POINT ASK IF, IF THEY COULD OR IF WE COULD SEND OUT A, A SPECIAL NEWSLETTER JUST ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND GIVE THEM DIRECT UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE, WE SENT THEM A BIWEEKLY NEWSLETTER IN ADDITION TO THE BIWEEKLY NEWSLETTER THAT WE SEND OUT ON ALL CITY ISSUES.
SO I WANT TO KEEP, UH, THAT GOING AND, AND HAVE ADDITIONAL METHODS THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC.
LET'S TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH AND THE CITY'S ROLE IN CANDIDATE ALTER.
THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH RECENTLY CONFIRMED A SECOND MEASLES CASE IN TRAVIS COUNTY THIS YEAR, INVOLVING AN UNVACCINATED INFANT UNDERSCORING THE IMPORTANCE OF DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS.
AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT ROLE DO YOU BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD PLAY IN PROTECTING COMMUNITY HEALTH WHILE WORKING WITHIN ITS LOCAL AUTHORITY? YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE FACING SOME REAL CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE HAVE STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE UNDERMINING PUBLIC HEALTH LEFT AND RIGHT AT EVERY CHANCE THEY CAN.
AND SO IT IS UP TO US AT THE CITY LEVEL TO REINFORCE THAT, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEALTH IS FIRST AND FOREMOST REAL, IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, AND THAT WHAT IS JUST TRUE AND WHAT IS NOT TRUE.
GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE VERY ACCESSIBLE PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU WANNA GET VACCINATED, UH, IF YOU NEED TO ACCESS A CLINIC, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE DO PARTNER WITH CENTRAL HEALTH.
THEY ARE THE, YOU KNOW, HEALTH AUTHORITY HERE, UH, AND HAVE TAKEN OVER A NUMBER OF THOSE ROLES FOR THE CITY.
AND, AND MOST RECENTLY, UH, THROUGH WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH THEM, ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING THE MENTAL HEALTH ELEMENT OF PROVIDING SERVICES AND THAT GAP THAT WE SO DESPERATELY ARE NEED TO FILL.
SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE NEEDS THAN THERE ARE DOLLARS IN TIME, BUT WE HAVE TO JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
OKAY,
SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BE, I'LL BE HONEST AND FRANK AND CANID WITH YOU FOLKS.
I'M, I'M PRO-VACCINE, I'M ANTI MEASLES.
UM, IT'S EXCITING THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN THE 20TH CENTURY WITH, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATED SMALLPOX, UH, AND OTHER, OTHER EASILY PREVENTABLE DISEASES.
I THINK THE CITY SHOULD PLAY AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED ROLE THERE.
I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT SOME BAD ACTORS AT THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL WHO ARE, UM, PUTTING THE WRONG MESSAGE OUT THERE.
UH, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO BE AS ACTIVE AS ENGAGED IN KEEPING THE KIDS IN AUSTIN HEALTHY AND HAPPY.
IF I'M ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL, I WANNA ASK A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT SUCCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU WERE IN THIS DISTRICT ELECTED FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
SO HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE WHAT WOULD BE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT ABOUT DISTRICT FIVE IN
[00:30:01]
FOUR YEARS IF YOU'RE ELECTED CANDIDATE WEINBERG? ONE MINUTE.UM, SO ALL, I BELIEVE THAT IN DISTRICT FIVE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TRUST LOST WITH CITY HALL.
UM, PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL LIKE CITY HALL IS SPENDING THEIR MONEY WISELY.
PEOPLE DON'T FEEL LIKE CITY HALL IS LISTENING TO THEM.
PEOPLE IN DISTRICT FIVE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS GOTTEN INTO SOME ETHICS PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF HOW HE IS.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO IS NOT TALK ABOUT THE OTHER CANDIDATE.
LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR VIEWS ARE, WHAT'S, WHAT SUCCESS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU AND FOR YOURS.
SO SUCCESS IN MY BOOK IS BEING AN EXCELLENT PUBLIC SERVANT AND SERVING THE DISTRICT EXTREMELY WELL.
AND BY DOING THAT, YOU BUILD UP TRUST AND SUPPORT AND RESPECT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WITHOUT THAT, UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME MOVING FORWARD.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, YOU SAW THAT PLAY OUT IN, WE ALL IN AUSTIN HAVE A BIG HEART.
WE ALL ARE VERY HUMANITARIAN MINDED, BUT WE WERE JUST IN A PLACE WITH PROP Q WHERE, UM, IT DIDN'T PASS IN A SINGLE PRECINCT IN DISTRICT FIVE.
I THINK SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE PRESERVING, UH, OUR PEOPLE THAT, THAT WE DON'T SEE WORKING CLASS FOLKS, FAMILIES RUNNING FOR THE HILLS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE HERE OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T, UH, HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY THAT THEY SEE IN CEDAR PARK OR ROUND ROCK OR BUTA.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GOING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IS BECAUSE FAMILIES SEE OPPORTUNITIES ELSEWHERE.
THEY'RE MOVING TO OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, AND THAT IS DOLLARS LOST TO OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT DISTRICT FIVE REMAINS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE HAS A SHOT, WHERE EVERYONE CAN MAKE IT, CAN AFFORD TO MAKE IT, AND THAT MEANS CONTINUING TO LOWER HOUSING COSTS.
THAT MEANS CONTINUING TO BUILD THAT NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO THRIVE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CON SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION IN THE CORRIDORS HERE.
UH, A QUESTION CAME TO US ABOUT THE, UH, SOUTH LAMAR CORRIDOR PROJECT, AND ONE OF YOU ALLUDED A LITTLE BIT TO IT, BUT THE QUESTION WAS THAT IT, IT HAD BEGUN, HAD IT'S BEGUN IN THE SOUTHERN SEGMENT, BUT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NORTHERN SEGMENT HAVE BEEN DELAYED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SIDEWALK GAPS, ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES, AND TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS.
WHAT ROLE SHOULD CITY COUNCIL PLAY IN ADVANCING PROJECTS LIKE THIS MORE QUICKLY TO LESS, UH, DISRUPTION? YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE LESSONS WE LEARNED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS WAS IF YOU'RE GONNA PASS A BOND PROPOSITION AND TELL PEOPLE THAT THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE GONNA DELIVER, THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE THE ENGINEERING DONE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL THE STEPS NECESSARY TO BREAK GROUND, GET DONE.
AND, AND THAT HADN'T HAPPENED.
WHEN THE CORRIDOR PROJECT PASSED IN 2016, THE THEORY WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO EXPAND OUR STAFF AND THEREFORE BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR OUTPUT.
WELL, MANAGEMENT DIDN'T DO THAT.
AND WE SAW NOW, 10 YEARS LATER, WE STILL HAVEN'T BROKEN GROUND.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT STARTS WITH JUST GETTING THAT PRE-CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE, UH, AND NOT ALLOWING COST OVERRUNS TO THEN HAVE TO MAKE YOU GO RE-ENGINEER AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BUT THEN WE NEED TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH BUSINESSES.
I'VE TALKED WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE GONNA BE IMPACTED ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THEM THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND HAVING THEM UNDERSTAND HERE'S HOW LONG THIS AREA IS GONNA BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND ACTUALLY MEAN IT, YOU KNOW, IF WE TELL 'EM THAT THIS IS GONNA BE CLOSED FOR A YEAR, IT NEEDS TO BE A YEAR AND DONE.
I DON'T WANNA HOODWINK ANYONE SOUTH OF MARS.
A BIT OF A HOT MESS OF A ROAD.
UM, IT IS NOT A, IT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO TAKE A BIKE.
IT'S NOT A GREAT PLACE TO WALK DOWN.
UH, IT IS FREQUENTLY JAMMED WITH TRAFFIC.
I MEAN, I GOTTA SAY, LIKE, IT GOES BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE COMMUNITY BUY-IN FOR THE PROJECT? I, I'M NOT COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH WHAT THE CITY WANTS TO DO IN TERMS OF TAKING OUT THE TURN LANE ON THAT ROAD.
UM, I THINK THAT MAYBE WILL NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF, UH, A LOT OF BUSINESSES THERE WILL PUSH A LOT OF TRAFFIC, I THINK, ONTO SIDE STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO A GOOD STARTING POINT IS MAKING SURE YOU GOT A PLAN THAT EVERYONE IS ON BOARD WITH.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
WE PASSED THAT BOND IN IN 18 AND THE MONEY'S JUST SITTING THERE.
AND I THINK THE, THE MAYOR HAD A SORT OF DECISION TREE MATRIX THAT SAID, WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T PUT A BOND BEFORE VOTERS THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD'VE SUPPORTED IF I HAD BEEN ON COUNCIL.
WE GOTTA SHOW PEOPLE RESULTS BEFORE WE GO BACK AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY.
[00:35:04]
CANDIDATE WEINBERG, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE MOST PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE? WELL, THE MOST PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN FOR ALL OF US IS CLIMATE CHANGE.UH, I I, I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU ARE ENJOYING OUR 100 DEGREE SEPTEMBER AS MUCH AS I AM, LIKE WE HAD A 100 DEGREE SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.
UM, SO WE LIVE IN A REGION THAT IS RAPIDLY HEATING UP.
WE, UH, HAVE A FINITE SUPPLY OF WATER.
I SAW SOME STAT FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU THAT THEY EXPECT ANOTHER MILLION PEOPLE TO LIVE HERE IN 30 YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF PRESSURES ON US TO DO RIGHT BY CLIMATE CHANGE.
I THINK THIS YEAR AT COUNCIL, WE'VE BEEN HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
WE'VE, WE HAD A SECRET VOTE FROM COUNCIL TO BUILD MORE NATURAL GAS PEAKER PLANTS.
THAT IS, THAT IS TAKING US AWAY FROM GOOD CLIMATE STEWARDSHIP, THAT'S TAKING US AWAY FROM TRANSPARENCY WITH THE PUBLIC THAT IS TAKING US AWAY FROM A FUTURE BUILT ON, UH, ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
CANDIDATE ALTER THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR CLIMATE IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY TOP OF MIND TO ME.
AND I HAVE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN AND, AND IMAGINING WHAT THIS WORLD WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THEM, UH, 20, 30, 50 YEARS FROM NOW IS A REALLY SCARY THOUGHT.
AND I, I MENTIONED IT EARLIER, BUT TOP OF THAT LIST IS OUR WATER.
I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT WATER IS THE THING THAT LIMITS US AS A COMMUNITY.
AND IN 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS, IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO DRINK TO JUST THRIVE OR, OR SURVIVE AS A COMMUNITY, THAT'S GONNA BE A REAL PROBLEM.
SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN OUR WATER REUSE AND RECLAIMED SYSTEMS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING OUT MORE OF THAT SO THAT WE DON'T PULL IT FROM THE LAKES.
WE REUSE THE WATER THAT WE HAVE ALREADY USED ONCE.
UH, SO I WANNA SEE US DO MORE.
I LAUNCHED THE INITIATIVE TO PUT SOLAR ON ALL OUR CITY FACILITIES SO THAT WE WOULD NOT ONLY SAVE OPERATING COSTS, BUT THAT WE WOULD LOWER OUR LOCAL CARBON EMISSIONS.
AND SO I WANNA SEE US DO MORE OF THAT AS WELL.
CANDIDATE WEINBERG? OH, THAT WAS BOTH OF US.
OH, YOU, UH, SORRY, MY CHECK MARKS GOT BEHIND HERE.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE EMAILS ON IT AND IT'S ON THE DATA CENTERS AND THE CITY'S RESPONSE.
AND THE QUESTION WAS, UM, AUSTIN IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE NEW RULES FOR LARGE SCALE DATA CENTERS BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL USE OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER.
HOW WOULD YOU BALANCE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES WITH THEIR DEMANDS ON CITY RESOURCES CANDIDATE ALTAR? YEAH, WE TOOK ACTION RECENTLY TO BAN LARGE SCALE DATA CENTERS HERE IN AUSTIN, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT MOVE.
IT WAS THE FIRST STEP IN A, A TWO STEP PROCESS, BUT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE LARGE AI DATA CENTERS HERE IN AUSTIN.
IT'S JUST, IT'S INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, AND I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT.
UM, WHAT WE DO REALLY NEED TO DO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COUPLE VERY SMALL SCALE DATA CENTERS HERE.
WE'VE HAD 'EM HERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN A PROBLEM.
THEY DO THINGS, YOU KNOW, BACKEND COMPUTING FOR HOSPITALS AND FOR THE UNIVERSITIES.
AND, AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BUILD ONE OF THOSE, THEY NEED TO COME TO US AND TELL US EXACTLY HOW MUCH ENERGY ARE THEY GONNA BE USING, HOW MUCH WATER ARE THEY GONNA BE USING, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF NOISE, IN TERMS OF LIGHT, UH, ALL, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GONNA HAVE ONSITE GENERATION? THAT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY'LL PUT NATURAL GAS GENERATION RIGHT THERE AND ADMIT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET THE INFORMATION ON FIRST AND THEN BE ABLE TO SAY YES OR NO CANDIDATE WEINBERG.
OKAY, SO I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF A MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DATA CENTERS IN TEXAS, PERIOD, POINT BLANK.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I AM, UH, GETTING VERY MIXED SIGNALS FROM WHAT CITY COUNCIL'S BEEN DOING THIS YEAR WITH DATA CENTERS.
WE HAD AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOLUTION COME UP BACK IN MAY, WHICH SAID, WE WANNA PRIORITIZE BRINGING INDUSTRY TO TOWN, WHICH DEALS WITH DATA STORAGE AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT TO ME THAT SAYS DATA CENTER.
AND THEN WE ALSO GAVE THIS BIG, UH, GIVEAWAY TO A DEVELOPER OUT AT THE DOG'S HEAD, HUGE PIECE OF PROPERTY NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IS SAID, EH, YOU GUYS DON'T REALLY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT IS, THAT DEFINES HOW YOU CAN OPERATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, ANY FUTURE RULES THAT AUSTIN MIGHT MAKE ON DATA CENTERS WOULD NOT APPLY OUT THERE.
SO IF I WERE ON COUNCIL, I WOULD ACTUALLY BE DOING THINGS QUITE DIFFERENTLY ON THIS SUBJECT.
[00:40:01]
ME TO MY NEXT TOPIC, WHICH CAME IN ABOUT THE DOG HEAD DEVELOPMENT AND JUST ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL IN THE CITY.SO I WANT YOU TO THINK OF IT CITYWIDE ALMOST.
IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND OVER OUR LAND USE CODE, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS A, COULD BE, SHOULD BE A PRIORITY? YOU KIND OF ANSWERED IT AND I'M GONNA LET YOU ANSWER IT.
WHAT WOULD BE A PRIORITY IN THESE NEW BIG DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS? WHAT'S A TOP PRIORITY THAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION ON? YEAH, WELL, I MEAN WITH WITH THE DOG'S HEAD WHAT WE HAD IT, WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO REWRITE THE PLAYBOOK.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO FOLLOW IT.
UM, AND WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC.
WE HAD THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, AND THIS ANNEXATION KIND OF FALL OUT OF THE SKY BACK IN MAY RIGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL WENT ON TO SUMMER RECESS.
UH, AND, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON COUNCIL TO PUSH THIS DEAL THROUGH.
UM, AND THIS, THIS DOGS HAD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT DID NOT GO BEFORE.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DID NOT GO BEFORE.
OUR PARKS BOARD DID NOT GO BEFORE CITY WATERSHED STAFF IN AN ADEQUATE WAY.
UM, SO WHAT YOU SAW, THERE WAS BIG SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS IN REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT WHO POUR A TON OF MONEY INTO THE CAMPAIGN ACCOUNTS OF OUR CURRENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, GETTING THEM JUST TO DO THEIR BIDDING.
IT'S LIKE, WE NEED YOU TO DO THIS NOW AND, UH, CUT CORNERS AND NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT INVOLVE THE PUBLIC IN HOW YOU DO IT.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN AL ALTER.
I THINK THE DOG'S HEAD IS, IS EMBLEMATIC OF, OF HOW WE LOOK AT THIS MORE BROADLY, RIGHT? UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS WAS AN AREA THAT WASN'T IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO IT HAD ZERO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT THE CITY, IN TERMS OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL RULES, UH, BY BRINGING IT INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THOSE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE THAT INCLUDES IMPERVIOUS COVER, WHICH DOESN'T EXIST OUT IN THE COUNTY.
SO THEY COULD HAVE PAVED THE ENTIRE THING IF THAT STAYED IN THE COUNTY.
UH, BUT WE CAME IN AND, AND AMENDED, UH, OR HAD THIS AGREEMENT THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM DOING THAT SET AN IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITATION.
WE ALSO, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE, ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT IT NEEDS TO BENEFIT NOT JUST THOSE THERE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BENEFIT THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I'VE HEARD THIS, THIS GIVEAWAY, THEY ARE PAYING 100% OF THEIR TAXES.
THERE IS ZERO GIVEAWAY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
IN FACT, THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE SUPPORTING US, THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE GONNA BE PAYING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PARKS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ALL CURRENTLY SHOULDER THE BURDEN FOR.
SO THIS IS A GOOD DEAL FOR AUSTIN KNIGHTS AND THAT'S WHAT NEW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE'VE DONE IN SOME OF OUR PAST FORUMS, AND IT'S KIND OF, IF I SAY SOMETHING, I WANT YOU TO RESPOND, WHAT THE KIND OF, THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, YOU COULD TAKE AN A MINUTE TO ANSWER.
UM, LET'S SEE, ARE WE, WE'RE STARTING WITH, ALRIGHT, RAPID FIRE CANAL, ALTER RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, AVOIDING SPRAWL, OUR ENVIRONMENT.
IS THAT, AM I JUST GIVING YOU ONE WORD OR AM I GIVING YOU A WHOLE MINUTE? YOU CAN, YOU CAN GIVE A SENTENCE, YOU CAN GIMME A WORD.
JUST KIND OF, I THOUGHT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR LIKE A SINGLE WORD.
NO, I'M JUST, JUST RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND, AND WE, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT TOPICS THAT HAVE COME IN THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T ASKED ABOUT.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE, SORRY.
I MAY HAVE MISSED THE CHALLENGE HERE.
I, I THINK THAT WE ARE A GROWING CITY AND SO WE NEED TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
WE CAN'T STICK OUR HEAD IN THE SAND AND SAY, IF WE DON'T BUILD IT, THEY WON'T COME.
THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR A LONG TIME AND IT MADE AUSTIN REALLY EXPENSIVE.
AND SO RESPONSIBLE GROWTH STARTS WITH, I THINK AVOIDING THE HARM OF SPRAWL, WHICH STRESSES OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, STRESSES OUR ENVIRONMENT AND GROW.
WE NEED TO GROW THE WAY THAT CITIES CAN AND SHOULD GROW.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK AS WE REFORM OUR DEVELOPMENT RULES, THEY NEED TO POINT TOWARDS, UH, GROWTH THAT IS SMARTER, THAT CONNECTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE, UH, AND CONTRIBUTES TO SOCIETY.
NOT, UH, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT TAKING AWAY OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND, AND BEING INEFFICIENT.
WE CAN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT DRAIN OUR LAKES.
CANDIDATE WEINBERG RESPONSIBLE GROWTH.
SO AUSTIN IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW, PERIOD POINT BLANK.
UM, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE SMART GROWTH AND WE'RE DOING SOME OF THAT BUILD ALONG THE CORRIDORS BUILD WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BUT THE GROWTH ALSO NEEDS TO BE A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A VERY ROBUST AND ENGAGED DIALOGUE ABOUT HOW WE ARE GROWING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
NOW, WHAT WE HAVE AT CITY COUNCIL TODAY IS A COUNCIL THAT IS DOMINATED BY BIG
[00:45:01]
REAL ESTATE MONEY AND IS A RUBBER STAMP FOR ALL OF THE REZONINGS AND UP ZONINGS THAT COME ACROSS THEIR DESK.THERE IS NO MEANINGFUL, UH, GOVERNMENT SORT OF, UH, DEBATE ABOUT, UH, THAT, AND THAT'S A BIG, BIG PROBLEM WE NEED, UM, TO HAVE A COUNCIL THAT IS NOT UP THERE WORKING FOR THE BIG DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE INTERESTS OF THE CITY.
CANDIDATE WEINBERG TO GO FIRST.
SO WE COULD TALK ALL NIGHT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU GOT A MINUTE? UM, I GOT A MINUTE.
UM, HERE IN DISTRICT FIVE, THAT IS ONE OF THE TOP THINGS THAT PEOPLE TALK TO ME ABOUT, UH, MORE IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THAN OTHERS, BUT IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY BIG ISSUE ALL AROUND.
I THINK WE NEED, FIRST OF ALL TO HAVE, UM, A MUCH MORE ACTIVE ENGAGED COUNCIL OFFICE AND, AND POLICE LIAISONS IN TERMS OF BEING COMMUNICATIVE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
I WAS TALKING WITH A COUPLE TONIGHT WHO HAD THEIR CAR STOLEN AND THEY COULD NOT GET ANY SORT OF RESPONSE FROM A PD OR ANY INVESTIGATION GOING ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, ALSO THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE.
THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THAT I THINK HAVE, HAVE BORNE THE BRUNT OF, UM, A LOT OF DISRUPTIONS TO THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WE NEED TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH AND BEYOND THOSE.
I THINK WE NEED, YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO BE SMARTER AND MORE INNOVATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, WE, PUBLIC SAFETY IS TWO THIRDS OF OUR BUDGET.
IT IS CONTINUES TO GROW AT A, UH, IT'S GROWING VERY QUICKLY.
AND IF WE ARE GONNA GET THOSE COSTS UNDER CONTROL, WE NEED TO DO SO BY BEING SMARTER.
AND, AND THAT INVOLVES PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T JUST THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.
SO I TALKED ABOUT SENDING A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO SOMEONE IN CRISIS INSTEAD OF A POLICE OFFICER THAT GETS BETTER OUTCOMES.
UH, WE HAVE PROGRAMS THROUGH EMS, LIKE THE PARAMEDIC PRACTITIONER PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE ARE TREATED ON SCENE INSTEAD OF TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP INVESTING IN PROGRAMS LIKE THAT THAT END UP ALLOWING FOR US TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE AND AT A LOWER COST.
YOU KNOW, I WILL NOTE WHEN WE CAME IN, WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE FOUR YEARS AGO, WE WERE BLEEDING POLICE OFFICERS.
UH, WE WERE DRAMATICALLY UNDERSTAFFED SINCE THEN, WE ARE GROWING THE FORCE AGAIN AND RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE THAT PRESENCE, UH, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
YEAH, TOURISM IS A, A VITAL PART OF OUR ECONOMY AND WE HAVE SEEN, UH, A LOT OF RESIDENTS MOVE HERE BECAUSE THEY COME TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR ACL ON THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND OF THE YEAR AND THINK THAT, UH, THAT'S WHAT AUSTIN IS LIKE, 52 WEEKS OF THE YEAR.
UH, BUT TOURISM REALLY DOES, YOU KNOW, IT, IT PAYS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE'S BILLS.
UH, THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HERE IN AUSTIN IS MASSIVE.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THAT INDUSTRY.
UH, AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT WHEN TOURISM GOES DOWN, YOU JUST LOOK AT, UH, A MICROCOSM THE AREA AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THIS IS AN AREA THAT USED TO BE THRIVING WHERE YOU'D HAD MUSICIANS BE ON A PLAY RESTAURANTS FULL OF, OF PATRONS, AND THAT WAS PAYING FOR THE WORKERS, PAYING FOR THE MUSICIANS.
AND TODAY, WHILE IT'S UNDER RECONSTRUCTION, WHILE THAT HAS NOT BEEN PRESENT, THOSE PLACES ARE, ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONT YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT PROJECT IS DONE.
BUT MORE BROADLY, TOURISM IS, IS REALLY VITAL FOR OUR ECONOMY.
CANDIDATE WEINBERG TOURISM, TOURISM IS A BIG AND IMPORTANT PART OF THE AUSTIN ECONOMY FOR SURE.
UM, I THINK THERE ALSO MAYBE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BALANCE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, HOW WE SPEND OUR TOURISM DOLLARS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER, IT, IT'S BEING BUILT.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN OUT THERE, I'VE SEEN THE CON, I'VE SEEN THE COLUMNS GOING UP, SO I DON'T WANT TO RE-LITIGATE THAT, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN SPEND HOT TAX ON.
BUT PEOPLE, AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE FEELING PINCHED.
PEOPLE ARE FEELING, YOU KNOW, PRETTY GRINDED DOWN IN THIS ECONOMY AND, AND SPENDING $5 BILLION OVER THE LIFE OF THIS NEW CENTER.
I THINK I WOULD'VE MAYBE WANTED TO SEE THAT MONEY MONEY'S BEEN IN SOME MORE CREATIVE WAYS.
IT SORT OF REACHED SOME PEOPLE A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE LADDER, MAYBE THROUGH, THROUGH A LIFELINE TO, UH, ALL THE VENUES THAT ARE STRUGGLING ON, UM, RED RIVER STREET.
LASTLY ABOUT THAT NEW CONVENTION CENTER, ABSOLUTELY INSANE THAT WE ARE BUILDING A LIGHT RAIL LINE THAT STOPS ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT AND DOES DOES NOT CONNECT THAT NEW CENTER TO THE AIRPORT THAT
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NEEDS TO CHANGE.WELL, ON THAT NOTE, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU GUYS TWO MINUTES AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T ASK ABOUT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS, LIKE THAT RAIL LINE, UH, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WHEN YOU'RE CLOSING TO HIT A TOPIC THAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT OR JUST CLOSE AND TELL US WHY YOU THINK WE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU.
AND, UH, I THINK WE STARTED, YEAH, RYAN, UH, CANDIDATE ALTER.
WE STARTED WITH CANDIDATE WEINBERG.
WELL, WELL THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, FOR TAKING SOME TIME, UH, OUT OF YOUR THURSDAY NIGHT TO, TO BE HERE.
UH, IT HAS BEEN THE PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME TO GET TO REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FIVE AND TO REALLY DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER FOR EVERYBODY.
I, UH, I'M AN ENGINEER FIRST AND FOREMOST.
I WENT TO UT AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR.
UH, AND SO WHEN I SEE A PROBLEM, I WANT TO FIX IT.
THAT IS MY, MY NATURAL INCLINATION.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE FIXED.
UH, WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE HAVE MADE SOME REALLY IMPRESSIVE MEASURABLE PROGRESS THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
AND I WANNA SEE US KEEP DOING MORE.
YOU KNOW, I, I SAID EARLIER, WE, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO BACKWARDS.
WE NEED PEOPLE IN THIS POSITION WHO ARE READY WITH IDEAS, WHO ARE READY TO SHOW UP AND DELIVER THE RESULTS THAT YOU ALL DESERVE TO HAVE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE BEFORE THE COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S AN AMENDMENT, UH, SOME POLICY ISSUE, YOU CAN'T GO COMMISSION A POLL FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND THEN DELIVER.
AND THAT IS WHAT I HAVE DONE TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND WHAT I HOPE TO GET TO CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HOSTING THIS TONIGHT.
I THINK WE'VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD CONVERSATION, PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.
YOU HOPEFULLY FOLKS CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCES IN GOVERNING STYLE THAT YOU WOULD GET FROM THE TWO CANDIDATES WHO ARE UP HERE.
UH, I WANNA SPEND MY LAST MOMENTS TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, I DID A POLL.
I ASKED PEOPLE WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
TERRIBLE THING I ASKED FOLKS IN DISTRICT FIVE, UH, DO YOU THINK YOU, THE, THE CITY IS MORE AFFORDABLE NOW THAN IT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO FOR YOU? 2% OF RESPONDENTS SAID YES, 85% SAID NO.
AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE HIGHEST THEY HAVE BEEN IN 10 YEARS.
SENIORS IN DISTRICT FIVE AND OTHERS ARE BEING PRICED OUT.
THEY'RE MOVING OUT OF THE DISTRICT AS THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT.
UH, I WAS AT SPROUTS THE OTHER DAY AND MY, I DID A DOUBLE TAKE.
THE PRICE OF A POUND OF COFFEE WAS LIKE $19.
OKAY? WHAT I AM NOT GOING TO DO IS WHEN THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU OF HOW GOOD A FIREFIGHTER I'M BEING.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF I GET ELECTED TO THIS JOB, THIS POSITION, I'LL BE WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THEM, TO BE ACTIVE AND ENGAGED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
BUT ALSO WE'RE GONNA BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE STRUGGLING.
UH, AND THE ONLY WAY WE COULD MOVE FORWARD IS BY HAVING A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS, WHO LISTENS TO THEM, WHO TAKES THEIR VOICE TO CITY HALL AND IS SEEN AS A PARTNER IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL THAT REALLY IS LOOKING OUT FOR BIG SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BE, THERE'S A LOT OF WINDOW DRESSING THAT MIGHT SUGGEST OTHERWISE, BUT THAT FOLKS, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY'RE THERE TO DO.
SO I WANNA REALLY BRING A PEOPLE FOCUSED DIFFERENT APPROACH TO CITY GOVERNMENT, AND I HOPE TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT THIS NOVEMBER.
LET'S GIVE THESE CANDIDATES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB IN CLOSING.
YOU KNOW, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES TO OUR QUESTIONS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SEEK PUBLIC OFFICE AND TO SERVE ALL OF US HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE THIS EVENING THAT ARE WATCHING LIVE OR THAT ARE STREAMING THIS AT A LATER DATE.
DEMOCRACY WORKS BEST WHEN CITIZENS TAKE PART, NOT ONLY BY CASTING A BALLOT, BUT BY TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES, LEARN ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, AND MAKE INFORMED CHOICES ABOUT WHO WILL REPRESENT THEM.
BY VIEWING THIS FORUM, YOU HAVE TAKEN AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THAT PROCESS.
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON ALL THE RACES AND MEASURES ON YOUR BALLOT@VOTEFOURONE.ORG.
AS A REMINDER, THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 5TH.
THE LAST DAY TO APPLY FOR A BALLOT BY MAIL IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD.
EARLY VOTING IS FROM OCTOBER 19TH TO OCTOBER 30TH.
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ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD.ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF AUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ENGAGED VOTER AND PLEASE MAKE YOUR VO VOICE HEARD IN THIS ELECTION VOTE.