* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] WELCOME AUSTIN VOTERS, [Austin D3 Candidate Panel on October 1, 2026.] AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS YEAR'S AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM FOR DISTRICT THREE. I'M PAM BIXBY, A VOLUNTEER WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA, AND I'LL BE YOUR MODERATOR TONIGHT. THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA IS A NON-PARTISAN, NON NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE DON'T SUPPORT OR OPPOSE CANDIDATES OR POLITICAL PARTIES. WE HELP PEOPLE REGISTER TO VOTE, UNDERSTAND THE VOTING PROCESS, AND FIND RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT CANDIDATES AND BALLOT ISSUES. OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES OUR FIRST VOTE PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, OUR PRINTED AND ONLINE VOTERS, GUIDES AND FORUMS LIKE THIS ONE. OUR PURPOSE TODAY IS TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR OWN INFORMED CHOICE. THANK YOU CANDIDATES FOR PARTICIPATING, AND TO EVERYONE IN OUR AUDIENCE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE SEEKING TO REPRESENT YOU. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE RULES, THE FORMAT, AND THE TIMING. FIRST AND FOREMOST, CANDIDATES ARE EXPECTED TO BE RESPECTFUL. PERSONAL ATTACKS ON YOUR OPPONENTS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS. I WILL THEN ASK A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ON TOPICS LIKE HOUSING AND GROWTH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION, AND OTHER CONCERNS THAT AFFECT THOSE IN DISTRICT THREE AND THE ENTIRE CITY. EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO RESPOND TO EACH OF THOSE QUESTIONS. WE'LL ROTATE THE ORDER OF RESPONSES SO EACH CANDIDATE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FIRST. DURING EACH ONE MINUTE RESPONSE, OUR TIMER WILL SIGNAL AT THE 15 SECOND MARK. AND THEN AGAIN, WHEN TIME IS UP, CANDIDATES, PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIMER AND STOP WHEN YOUR TIME ENDS. AFTER THE QUESTIONS, THERE'LL BE ONE TO TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS. WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK AND, UH, LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE YOU EACH HAVE FOR YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS. LET'S BEGIN WITH CANDIDATE INTRODUCTIONS. CANDIDATE ROMERO, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. HELLO EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS EDUARDO ROMERO. I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE. I HAVE A PASSION FOR WHOLESALE CHANGES IN THE CITY. AND SEAN DISLIKE TO, UH, MONEY AND POLITICS. THANK YOU, CANDIDATE SKINNER. HELLO, MY NAME IS BROCK SKINNER, AND I AM RUNNING FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE. I AM NOT A POLITICIAN. I AM A REGULAR CITIZEN WHO HAS LIVED HERE FOR 12 YEARS, MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE, AND HAS WATCHED OUR CITY GET EXPONENTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE WHILE ALSO GETTING EXPONENTIALLY MORE DANGEROUS WHEN LOOKING TO SEE WHO IS RUNNING TO REPRESENT ME. AND MY DISTRICT DIDN'T SEE THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, OF MY OPPONENT'S CAMPAIGNS. SO I THREW MY NAME IN THE HAT AND GIVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT FLAVOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ. UH, MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS FERNANDES JR. DEMOCRAT. OKAY. MY NAME IS GINO FERNANDES, JR. DEMOCRAT SOCIALIST CANDIDATE AND MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN DASC, RUNNING FOR THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE. MY LAST APPEARANCE ON THE BALLOT, I RECEIVED OVER 2,500 VOTES. I'M THE MOST QUALIFIED, UH, CANDIDATE POSSESSION EXPERIENCE AS CHIEF OF STAFF FOR TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSION OF PRECINCT 4 91, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE LATE JESSE ORESTE FROM, UH, RE CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND OVER 50 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH EL CONCILIO LANDOWNERS OF EAST AUSTIN. WE HAVE SIX NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN EAST AUSTIN THAT WE WORK WITH. I'M A LIFETIME RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE. I WORKED FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION FOR 18 YEARS AND WAS AN AFME STEWARD DURING THAT TIMEFRAME. MY PRIORITIES WHEN ELECTED IS A NO TAX INCREASE BUDGET. I VOTED NO ON PROP Q AND 60% OF DISTRICT THREE VOTERS VOTED AGAINST. AND THAT'S WHY I AM RUNNING TO REPRESENT THAT VOICE WHEN YOU HAVE A CITY SPENDING $1 MILLION JUST TO CHANGE THE LOGO. WE HAVE LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAY THEY'RE USING OUR TAX DOLLARS. I WILL VOTE FOR A SPENDING FREEZE FOR ONE YEAR EXCEPT FOR FIRE EMS AND POLICE BECAUSE THERE ARE SAFETY DEPARTMENTS. AND I WILL REQUIRE DEPARTMENTS TO SUBMIT A ZERO BASE BUDGET. AND I'M A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR UNINSURED. UH, I DO NOT SUPPORT, UH, DATA CENTERS, AND I LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE OF FUNDING FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR 30 A MI, UH, IN DISTRICT THREE. AND THIS HOUSE IS SINGLE MOMS, SINGLE DADS AND GRANDPARENTS THAT ARE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN. UH, WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS AND WE MUST TREAT HOMELESS WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. [00:05:01] THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SHAH. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. MY NAME IS NEHA SHAH, AND I AM RUNNING TO BE YOUR NEXT COUNCILWOMAN TO REPRESENT THE VIBRANT DISTRICT THREE. I MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY WHEN I WAS 17 ON A STUDENT VISA AND A SCHOLARSHIP, AND TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW, MEN NAVIGATING SYSTEMS, IMMIGRATION SYSTEMS, JOB SYSTEMS THAT WERE REALLY NOT DESIGNED TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS LIKE ME, BUT I DID IT. AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF MY USING MY COMMUNITY SKILLS, USING MY ABILITY TO WORK AND, AND THEN NAVIGATE COMPLEX SYSTEMS TO BE ABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE. AND THIS IS CRITICAL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME OF IMMENSE CHANGE, AI, CLIMATE CHANGE, THREATS AND ECONOMY THAT'S IN A LANDSLIDE BECAUSE OF A WAR NOBODY ASKED FOR. AND IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, WE NEED BOLD, BRAVE LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE AS MOST OF US KNOW, THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT ISN'T COMING TO SAVE US. SO THAT IS WHAT MY CAMPAIGN IS RUNNING ON THE TENANT OF BUILDING TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY BACK IN OUR AUSTIN CITY HALL. AT THIS POINT, I'VE, UH, WORKED IN TECH FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, BOTH FROM FEDERAL ENERGY AND TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILDING SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, TO STARTING A COMPANY FOCUSED ON ONLINE SAFETY. AND THAT WORK TAUGHT ME ONE THING. WHEN YOU ONLY TREAT SYMPTOMS, THE PROBLEMS COME BACK BIGGER. AND THAT'S WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE AUSTIN KEEPS DOING, AND THAT'S WHY OUR BUDGET KEEPS BOOMING. AS CITY COUNCILWOMAN, I SEE MYSELF AS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR BUDGET, OUR TAXPAYER MONEY. AND OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CITY HALL, THAT WE MANAGE THE MONEY IN A WAY THAT YOU DON'T FEEL STRESSED OR LEFT OUT, OR FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TO NOW BECOME AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST OR SOMEONE WHO HAS TO, UM, UNDERSTAND HOW POLICY WORKS THEMSELVES. SO I'M RUNNING A SCRAPPY CAMPAIGN FOCUSED ON TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY. I'VE SIGNED THE FAIR CAMPAIGN PLEDGE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS ELECTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, LET'S GET RIGHT INTO THE QUESTIONS. AND I HAVE A DOOZY LINED UP FOR THE FIRST QUESTION. UH, SOMETHING THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL IN DISTRICT THREE. UM, THE CITY NEGOTIATED A 45 YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE 2,600 ACRE DOGS HEAD DEVELOPMENT, BUT NEARBY RESIDENTS SAY THEY HAD LITTLE NOTICE OR OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT BEFORE THE COUNCIL ACTED. CITY OFFICIALS HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED SHORTCOMINGS IN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, AS ADDITIONAL DECISIONS ABOUT DOGS HEAD COME BEFORE THE CITY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT AFFECTED RESIDENTS HAVE A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN SHAPING THAT DEVELOPMENT CANDIDATE SKINNER? ABSOLUTELY. UM, THAT DOGS HEAD AGREEMENT IS EGREGIOUS AND IT WAS PUSHED THROUGH WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PUBLIC SCRUTINY. UM, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. UH, IT IS INSANE THAT IS BEING ALLOWED TO CONTINUE AFTER SUCH AN UPROAR, ESPECIALLY HERE IN DISTRICT THREE. UH, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEAL THAT HAS BEEN MADE, 45 YEAR LEASE IS CRAZY. BUT EVEN WORSE THAN THAT, WE SEE, UH, THE TAX BREAKS THAT ENDEAVOR, THE DEVELOPER IS ACTUALLY GETTING ATTACHED TO THIS DEAL. I THINK THAT ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE BENEFITING THE AUSTIN TAXPAYER, NOT THE DEVELOPERS. THESE DEVELOPERS ALSO NEED TO BE BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THESE PROJECTS. FOR US. WE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TAXPAYERS FRONT THE BILL AND HAVING THIS GIANT DEVELOPMENT COME UP AT THEIR EXPENSE WHEN IT'S ONLY GONNA MAKE TRAFFIC WORSE. AIR POLLUTION WORSE. AND I MEAN, WE DIDN'T EVEN GET THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS FOR THE PROJECT BEFORE THE VOTE HAPPENED. IT'S ABSOLUTELY INSANE. WE NEED TO HAVE AN OPEN DASHBOARD WHERE THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE ARE ABLE TO SEE EVERY PROJECT THAT IS COMING UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ. YES. AGAIN, THIS, YES, AGAIN, THIS WHOLE PROCESS WAS TOTALLY, TOTALLY DONE BY STAFF AND UNDERMINE IT, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL. IF I'M ELECTED, I'LL, I'LL DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO STOP THIS PROJECT. I KNOW THERE'S ALREADY A LAWSUIT THAT HAS BEEN FILED TO STOP THIS LAWSUIT. UH, THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY. UH, WHEN I WAS WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, IF A PROJECT LIKE THIS WOULD COME UP, THE COMMISSIONER WOULD ALWAYS TELL THE, THE DEVELOPER, YOU MUST MEET WITH THE LANDOWNERS AROUND THIS PROJECT. YOU MUST EDUCATE 'EM BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD. AND THAT IS THE SAME PRACTICE THAT I WOULD HAVE IF ELECTED A CITY COUNCIL. AND THIS TYPE OF, UH, PROJECT WILL COME AGAIN. WE ALREADY HAVE THE, UH, EAST DOMAIN PROJECT COMING INTO OUR AREA, BIG OLD, BIG OLD, UH, BUSINESS, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE HAVING. BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I AM NOT GONNA ALLOW THESE KIND OF, UH, PROJECTS [00:10:01] BE SNEAKED UNDER THE UNDER, UNDER THE RUG. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN BEFORE, UH, YOU KNOW, APPEAR BEFORE A COUNCIL FOR A VOTE, UH, YOU NEED SIX VOTES TO KILL IT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL DO BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOUR OWN COUNCIL, YOUR OWN VOICE, UH, BE THE, UH, DEFENDER OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT, UH, ARE AFFECTED. BUT THESE TYPE OF HUGE, HUGE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS. ENDEAVOR IS NO SMART ENTITY. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE SHAH. I'M LOOKING AT THIS FROM THREE DIFFERENT ANGLES. ANGLE NUMBER ONE, TO, UM, ECHO WHAT GINO SAID, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO KILL THIS PROJECT AS IT EXISTS, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE CANNOT, WHAT DO WE DO THEN? UM, I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS AND I THINK IT'S VERY PROBLEMATIC THAT FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR THAT COMES IN, UM, THE FIRST 20 YEARS, ONLY 25 CENTS ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO THE CITY. THEN IN THE REMAINING 15 YEARS, WE GET 31ST CENTS, AND FINALLY STARTING 2060, WE MAYBE GET A DOLLAR BACK. THAT IS PROBLEMATIC. THOSE ARE TERMS THAT SHOULD BE RENEGOTIATED. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS, UM, THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE DEAL WHEN THE DOG SAID DEAL WAS BEING DEVELOPED, UH, BETWEEN THE UNIONS, WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO CLAIM THAT THERE WILL BE JOBS FOR UNION WORKERS, BUT NONE OF THIS WAS ACTUALLY IN WRITING. I WOULD WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JOB COUNT ON THE WAGE FLOOR IS MADE PUBLIC. AND THEN FINALLY, THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING TARGETS IN THERE EITHER. SO I THINK THE THIRD, SO THAT'S THE SECOND ONE, JUST MAKING SURE WE CAN GET THINGS, UH, IN WRITING. AND THE LAST ONE IS REALLY DRIVING COMMUNITY INPUT AND CHANGING HOW CITY COUNCIL IS WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS VERSUS EVERYDAY CITIZENS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT QUESTION, UH, WAS I ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTION? OH, I'M SORRY. . I'M SORRY I SKIPPED YOU. SORRY. CANDIDATE ROMERO. NO WORRIES. UM, I, I GUESS ONE COULD GIVE, UM, A VERY ELOQUENT ANSWER OF WHAT WENT WRONG WITH DOCS AS DEVELOPMENT. UM, BUT I THINK IT'S MOST, MOST IMPORTANTLY TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE. UM, WHAT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ESTABLISH IF ELECTED WILL BE, UH, SOME TYPE OF BENCHMARK. ANYTIME, UH, SOMETHING CONTROVERSIAL COMES TO, TO COUNCIL, WHETHER IT BE, UH, SOMETHING RELATING TO THE POLICE BUDGET OR, UM, SOMETHING REGARDING AI OR SOMETHING REALLY THAT'S GOING TO TAKE THE CITY'S ATTENTION, UM, I THINK I WOULD INSTALL SOME TYPE OF BENCHMARK, SOME TYPE LIKE, UH, A TOWN HALL. UH, IF I KNOW THAT I HAVE TO MAKE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL VOTE, UM, I WOULD, UM, ESTABLISH A TOWN HALL OR, UH, MEET AND GREET WITH CONSTITUENTS TO GET THEIR EXPLICIT ANSWER, TO GET THEIR EXPLICIT OPINION AND THEN ACT FROM THAT STANDPOINT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE. OUR NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT LIGHT RAIL. SO THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM NOW MOVING TOWARD CONSTRUCTION IS SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN VOTERS APPROVED IN 2020, INCLUDING POSTPONEMENT OF THE CONNECTION THROUGH DISTRICT THREE TO THE AIRPORT. WHEN A MAJOR VOTER APPROVED PROJECT LIKE THIS CHANGES SUBSTANTIALLY BECAUSE OF RISING COSTS, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DOES THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE TO VOTERS? AND WHAT SHOULD DETERMINE WHICH PROMISED ELEMENTS ARE RESTORED IN THE FUTURE CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ? WELL, WHEN A, A MAJOR PROJECT LIKE THAT THAT HAS BEEN VOTED FOR AN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS TAKES A BIG, BIG TURNAROUND FINANCIALLY, I THINK THAT THAT, UH, VOTE NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP AGAIN. I THINK WE, WE HAVE TO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AGAIN, TO REVISIT, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AND ITS, UH, FUTURE IN REGARDS TO, TO THE PROJECT. UH, YES, UH, WE WERE MISLED. I SUPPORTED AND VOTED FOR PROJECT CONNECT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH HOPES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE PROVIDING, ESPECIALLY TO THE AIRPORT. BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE THE FIRST LIGHT RAIL, WHICH WE ALSO OPPOSED BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA BRING GENTRIFICATION INTO RIO. AND, UH, YEAH, THE FIRST LIGHT RAIL WENT TO LEANDER. I MEAN, WHAT BUSINESS DO WE HAVE IN LEANDER? YOU KNOW? SO, AGAIN, UH, YEAH, THAT'S MY POSITION ON THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SHAW. SO, PROJECT CONNECT HAS BEEN A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME AS SOMEONE WHO ALSO VOTED FOR IT, A CREED TO A 20% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. AND TO NOW SIT HERE, SEE THIS PROJECT BALLOON AND COSTS, AND ALSO THE SCOPEY, UH, CHANGED A LOT. THAT'S, UH, I THINK THAT'S AN INSULT TO THE TAXPAYERS WHO WANT TRANSIT. I PERSONALLY DON'T OWN A CAR. I'VE GROWN UP IN BIG CITIES MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M, I'M FROM INDIA, AND WE HAVE PRETTY INTRICATE, UH, RAIL SYSTEMS IN ALL MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSIT. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ONE OF THE RICHEST CITIES AND ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTRIES AS THE WORLD CAN'T GET THIS RIGHT. AND WE KNOW WHY THAT'S THE CASE. IT'S NOT JUST STATE INTERVENTION. IT'S ALSO OUR, OUR CITY IS DESIGNED TO NOT BE, UM, TO NOT BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN BE CAR, UH, YOU CAN BE INDEPENDENT OF HAVING TO DRIVE A CAR. SO THIS, THIS IS JUST ONE SYMPTOM OF A LARGER PROBLEM [00:15:01] AROUND, UM, OPPOSITION TO, UH, LOOKING AT PUBLIC TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE. AND FINALLY, A TP HAS ALSO MADE SOME QUESTIONABLE, UM, DECISIONS LIKE THEIR RECENT HEADQUARTER DECISION. UH, SO I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE, UH, OUT TO, UM, OUT TO SCRUTINY BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND THEN WE DECIDE WHETHER WE PUT THIS BACK OUT FOR VOTERS TO, UH, VOTE ON. AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE ROMERO. UM, I THINK THAT ONCE YOU SHARP PLANNINGS, UH, A BIG PROJECT AND YOU HAVE A, A PLAN A, A PLAN B, A PLAN C, IT KIND OF UNDERMINES PLAN A. UM, I WOULDN'T BE REALLY, UM, FOCUSED ON, ON, ON WORRYING ABOUT HOW PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED AFTER CERTAIN FINANCIAL THINGS HAPPEN DURING THE PROJECT. UM, IF I'M ELECTED, I WOULD JUST SUPPORT, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE 100% FUNDED, 100%, UM, APPROVED. UM, I WOULDN'T LEAVE IT TO A CHANCE THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT 100% FUNDED OR 100% APPROVED, UH, DOWN THE LINE IS GOING TO BE INCREASED. UM, I THINK EVERY CITY PROJECT THAT, UM, I ANALYZE SOONER OR LATER, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME COST RUNS. SO IF ELECTED, I WOULD JUST, UH, SIMPLY APPROVE, UH, AND BE IN FAVOR OF PROJECTS THAT ARE 100% THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SKINNER. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT PROJECT CONNECT WAS SOLD TO THE TAXPAYERS UNDER FALSE PRETENSES, AND IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD GO BACK TO A VOTE. IT'S A THIRD OF THE SIZE THAT WE WERE SOLD. IT'S ONLY GONE UP IN COST. IT'S NOT GOING OUT TO THE AIRPORT, IT'S NOT GOING UNDER DOWNTOWN. IT'S ABSOLUTELY INSANE THAT IT IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE AS IS. WE NEED, WHEN WE'RE PUTTING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARDS MAJOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS. WE NEED BENCHMARKS, WE NEED DEADLINES THAT IN MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, YOU DON'T HIT YOUR QUOTA, YOU DON'T HIT YOUR DEADLINE. THERE'S MAJOR CONSEQUENCES, AND WE DON'T NOT SEE THAT AT ALL IN CITY GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN AUSTIN. WE NEED MEASURABLE RESULTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. OUR, OUR NEXT QUESTION SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGETING AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, 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 BOND PRO PROPOSITION A INCLUDES POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS IN BO DISTRICT PARK AND CTON POOL. THE BOND WOULD ALSO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES AS THE DEBT IS ISSUED. DO YOU PERSONALLY SUPPORT BOND PROPOSITION A, WHICH IS THE LARGE ONE? THERE ARE TWO, BUT, AND WHEN YOU CONSIDER BOND PROPOSALS, HOW DO YOU WEIGH THE COMMUNITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AGAINST CONCERNS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY? SO, I'M GONNA USE THE, THE WORD USE PERSONALLY SUPPORTED PERSONALLY, OF COURSE, I SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA IMPROVE OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCREASE SPACES THAT WE NEED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE READY INFRASTRUCTURE. HOWEVER, AS SOMEONE WHO'S LOOKING TO BE A STEWARD OF TAXPAYER MONEY, I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SUPPORT THIS DEAL WHEN THERE'S ALREADY A BILLION DOLLARS OF PREVIOUS BOND MONEY THAT IS SITTING UNASSIGNED. SO I THINK IF I WAS ON THE DAIS, I WOULD'VE MAYBE CONSIDERED AND DUG DEEPER INTO OUR EXISTING COMMITMENTS THAT VOTERS HAVE ALREADY APPROVED OF THAT HAVE NOT SEEN THE RESULTS YET BEFORE COMING OUT FROM ANOTHER BOND. AND TO ECHO WHAT SOME FOLKS SAID BEFORE, PROP Q FAILS SPECTACULARLY, AND PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT SEEING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES GO UP. UM, AND THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN UP 110% IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WHICH IS THE TIME I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN. SO WE NEED TO TAKE SOME SERIOUS STOCK OF WHERE OUR MONEY'S GOING, EVEN THOUGH WE ALL WANT THAT, UH, THAT GREEN FUTURE FOR AUSTIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE ROMERO. UH, YEAH, I THINK I'M PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, UM, GENERALLY SUPPORTS THE, THE GREEN INITIATIVES AND THE PARKS AND WHATNOT, BUT I THINK, UH, THE SAME MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF, OF ATTAINING THOSE, THOSE GOALS AND THOSE SERVICES, UH, TO RESIDENTS BY TAKING DEBT. UM, I THINK WE SHOULD FIRST EXAMINE HOW THE CITY IS SPENDING ITS MONEY. UM, PROBABLY LOOK AT SOME, UH, EFFICIENCY CUTS, UH, IN THE BUDGET, UH, AND PERHAPS USE SOME OF THOSE SAVINGS, UH, IN ORDER TO ADVANCE, YOU KNOW, PARKS, LIBRARIES, GREEN INITIATIVES, EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY LIKES. UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GET IN DEBT TO ADVANCE, UH, THOSE INITIATIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE SKINNER, I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT SUPPORT EITHER OF THESE BONDS. UM, THIS MONEY IS AVAILABLE AND IT IS ELSEWHERE. WE NEED TO VOTE YES ON PROP I, SO WE CAN GET INDEPENDENT AUDITS, FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR MONEY, HOW IT'S PERFORMING, AND GET RID OF ANY NEEDLESS SPENDING, DUPLICATION AND REALLOCATE THAT MONEY. I LOVE OUR LIBRARIES. I LOVE OUR PARKS, BUT WE NEED TO STOP ASKING THE AUSTIN TAXPAYERS TO BAIL US OUT OF EVERY PROBLEM. [00:20:01] THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ? YES, I DO NOT SUPPORT THE BOND, MAINLY BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A $1 BILLION BACKLOG, A VOTER APPROVED BOND PROJECTS THAT GO ALL THE WAY TO 2006. AND IN ORDER FOR ME TO SUPPORT A BOND, I FEEL WE NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE AND GET 'EM, UH, SHOVEL GROUND, BREAKING GROUND, UH, UH, SO THAT WE GET, WE CAN GET THEM, UH, DONE AS WHAT THE VOTERS HAVE ALREADY VOTED FOR. UH, THE O THE OTHER THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY DESPERATELY, UH, NEEDING A BREAK FROM ALL THESE HIGH TAXES. TODAY. WE ARE BEING HIT WITH A $7 INCREASE IN WATER, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, UH, LIMITED FUNDS, YOU KNOW, THEY, WELL, IT'S JUST $7. IT, IT'S A BIG HIT, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN SOMETHING LIKE THIS. SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, BE MORE CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE IN HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY, AND THEREFORE, I BEING AT PARKS, OH, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. YOU CAN'T FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. THAT'S OKAY. BUT, UM, OUR NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, FOR CANDIDATE ROMERO. DISTRICT THREE IS HOME TO MANY LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES, ARTISTS, MUSIC VENUES, AND CREATIVE ENTERPRISES. THE CITY CURRENTLY SUPPORTS THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH CULTURAL GRANTS, CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE AND PROGRAMS AIMED AT PRESERVING LEGACY BUSINESSES. WHAT MORE, IF ANYTHING, SHOULD THE CITY DO TO HELP THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CREATIVE SPACES REMAIN AND THRIVE? AGAIN, I THINK EVERYBODY'S IN FAVOR OF REMAINING, UH, OR SAVING OUR, UH, WHAT'S LEFT FOR OUR WEIRD CULTURE HERE IN AUSTIN. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CITY IS SUPPOSED TO, UM, BE PREOCCUPIED WITH CITY SERVICES AND WHATNOT. UM, I THINK ONCE SPENDING LIKE THIS IS, IS TAKING PLACE, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF AMBIGUITY AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, ROOM FOR DISAGREEMENT, WHICH I THINK IS SOMEWHAT UNNECESSARY. UM, I THINK THE CITY SHOULD FOCUS ON BEING THE CITY ON, ON PROVIDING SERVICES TO RESIDENTS. UH, WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURE, UM, PERHAPS IT WILL BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULDN'T BE SUCH A FAN OF SPENDING MONEY. NOT THAT I DON'T WANT TO RESCUE, UM, OUR, OUR CULTURE OR WHATNOT, BUT, UH, THERE'S FAR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO, TO SPEND OUR, OUR, OUR MONEY ON THE BUDGET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SKINNER. THANK YOU. YEAH. UH, WE WANNA MAKE IT EASIER FOR 'EM. LET, LET'S STOP RAISING TAXES. UM, THAT IS DEFINITELY A GOOD START. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND THE INCREASES THAT THEY'RE SEEING, OBVIOUSLY IT IS THE TAXES, HOW EXPENSIVE THE PROPERTY IS HERE, BUT NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO HIRE PRIVATE SECURITY JUST TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESS SAFE BECAUSE OF INEFFECTIVE CITY LEADERSHIP AND THE ABSOLUTE DISASTER. THAT IS. JOSE GARZA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ. UH, YES. I THINK, UH, DEFINITELY ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE WAYS IS TO STOP TAXING THEM OUT OF THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING, THEY'RE BEING TAXED OUT OF BUSINESS. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN DISTRICT THREE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST, WE, WE, BECAUSE OF GENTRIFICATION, WE LOST AL WE LOST LOSAL. YOU KNOW, ALL THESE RESTAURANTS HAD BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS, SERVING OUR POPULATION CAN NO LONGER SUSTAIN CHAP'S RENT WENT UP TO $20,000 A MONTH, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, GENTRIFICATION AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE CORPORATIONS COMING IN, UH, THE TARGETED , THE WHOLE FOODS AND ALL THAT DOESN'T ALLOW SMALL BUSINESSES TO EXIST. AND, UH, I'M A REAL STRONG, UH, SMALL BUSINESS PERSON, AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UH, ASSIST THEM IN MAINTAINING AND STAYING IN BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU CANDIDATE CHA. YEAH. SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS, OTHER CROWN JEWELS OF AUSTIN, AND WHAT MAKES AUSTIN AUSTIN, WHY PEOPLE COME HERE. UH, WHY PEOPLE WANNA SETTLE AND HAVE ROOTS HERE. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A STRONG STAND AGAINST THE CORPORATE BUYOUT OF MANY SYSTEMS IN AUSTIN THAT ARE LEADING TO THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND THE PROBLEMS THAT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITIES ARE FACING. SO, YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT HOUSING ALMOST 71%, SORRY, 41% OF HOUSING PURCHASED WHEREBY INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS. UM, IF YOU LOOK AT PROPERTIES THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD, I MEAN, UH, [00:25:01] WE HAVE RENTS THAT HAVE GONE DOWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, EVICTIONS ARE ON THE RISE IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AT THE SAME TIME. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS, NOT JUST AS WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESS AS THEY ARE, BUT WHAT IS AROUND THE BUSINESS? THE OTHER PART IS, YOU KNOW, AS GINO MENTIONED, I MEAN, THE PLAZA SALTILLO, THE ANCHOR TENANT PREVENTS SMALL BUSINESSES FROM BEING IN A VERY ACTIVE RETAIL SPACE THAT THE ENDEAVOR GROUP NEGOTIATED WITH THE CITY. UH, AND FINALLY, I HAVE TO SAY, UM, A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES HIRE IMMIGRANTS. AND WITH ICE P CITY, THAT IS REALLY HURTING OUR BUSINESSES AS WELL. NOT JUST ANAS, BUT REALLY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, WE'LL STICK WITH THIS, UM, KIND OF LIVABILITY OF DISTRICT THREE FOR THE NEXT QUESTION. DISTRICT THREE IS HOME TO URBAN FARMS, COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND THE FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOREST, WHICH PROVIDE LOCALLY GROWN FOOD AND HELP IMPROVE ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE AS LAND VALUES AND DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE INCREASE. WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE CITY PLAY IN PRESERVING AND EXPANDING URBAN AR AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOOD? THAT IS A, IS ME? YEAH. OKAY. YEAH, IT IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN RIGHT NEXT TO OUR HOUSE, SO I, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, IT'S NOT ONE THAT I WAS EXPECTING TO CONTINUE HAVING THESE COMMUNITY GARDENS. UH, I MEAN, IT SHOULD JUST BE DONE THROUGH OUR SOCIAL SERVICES ON CITY LAND. UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE LOT, UM, THAT WOULD GENERATE REAL REVENUE FOR THE CITY. UH, WHILE I DO SEE IT AS BEING IMPORTANT, I SEE THAT AS BEING A PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AND PROVIDING HEALTHY, CHEAP FOOD TO THE RESIDENTS, UH, OF COURSE IS IMPORTANT AS WELL. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH THE SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ? YES, I MUCH, I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF COMMUNITY GARDENS. FESTIVAL BEACH WAS ON SECOND STREET, THAT'S WHEN IT FIRST STARTED, AND IT WAS BEGUN BY THE LATE, UH, A ISD TRUSTEE, DEANNA CASTANEDA. UH, TODAY, UH, IT, IT IS RIGHT BY THE RBJ FACILITY. IT HAS SERVED OUR, OUR COMMUNITY A LOT. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE AREA THAT ARE LOW INCOME AND THAT GO AND, AND GET VEGETABLES AND, AND OTHER ITEMS FROM, FROM THIS COMMUNITY GARDEN, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO, TO THE HEALTH LI OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, UH, ASSIST THE NONPROFITS THAT RUN FESTIVAL BEACH IN SECURING CORPORATE DOLLARS TO FURTHER, UH, EXPAND AND ENHANCE THEIR, THEIR PROGRAM AND THE DELIVERY THAT THEY MAKE TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE LOW INCOME TO BEGIN WITH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE SHAH. I REALLY LIKE THIS QUESTION. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS I STUDIED IN BUSINESS SCHOOL WAS SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. AND I THINK FESTIVAL BEACH, FOOD FOREST AND ALL THE NONPROFITS WORKING ON THESE INTERFA ON, ON THESE PROJECTS ARE SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF LOCAL RESILIENCE, OF TA UH, TAKING ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND REALLY BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE CAN FIGHT AGAINST, HONESTLY, THE CORPORATIZATION OF OUR FOOD CHAIN. AND, AND, AND ESPECIALLY THESE DAYS WITH THE BREAKDOWN OF SUPPLY SYSTEMS, WITH THE BREAKDOWN, AGAIN, OF FEDERAL STANDARDS. I MEAN, I WAS AT THEIR SOLAR FESTIVAL RECENTLY, AND I GOT TO LEARN THE POWER OF SOLAR COOKERS, AND I HAD MOLE STEAK, UH, A THAI CURRY MADE WITH THE POWER OF THE SUN. SO IT WAS ALSO VERY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR ME. AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE WHEN WE JUST DISMISS CLIMATE RELATED INITIATIVES, WE ARE PART OF AN ECOSYSTEM. WE'RE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, AN OUTSIDE ENTITY LOOKING IN. AND CLIMATE CHANGE INVESTMENTS SHOULD NEVER JUST BE A LINE ITEM. AND I THINK THESE INITIATIVES SHOULD HONESTLY BE MADE TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE, SHOULD BE MADE TO BE SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY THE CITY SUPPORTS, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THE CITY SUPPORTS IN MAKING SURE THEY CAN KEEP SUSTAINING THEMSELVES OVER TIME, BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS THIS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE ROMERO. UH, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE INSTANCES WHERE I GUESS WE CAN FIND, UM, A COMMON GROUND. UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S, UM, A COMMUNITY GARDEN IN EAST AUSTIN BY I 35. UM, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN EAST AUSTIN NOW, UH, THEY'RE, THEY DON'T TEND TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO, UM, COMMUNITY GARDENS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, UH, MOST OF THE HOMES IN EAST AUSTIN ARE ABOVE $1 MILLION. SO I THINK THERE'S A COMPROMISE WHERE WE COULD IDENTIFY AREAS IN AUSTIN WHERE, UH, LOW INCOME RESIDENTS ACTUALLY RESIDE AND, UH, MOVE, UH, COMMUNITY GARDENS LIKE THAT TO THOSE AREAS. UM, AND IT WILL FREE UP LAND THAT THE CITY ALREADY OWNS, SYDNEY'S AUSTIN, WHICH CAN BE LEVERAGED INTO THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THIS TOPIC WAS TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY BY ONE OF THE CANDIDATES. [00:30:01] UH, FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS INCREASED IN AUSTIN SOMETIMES CREATING TENSION BETWEEN FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES AND THE POLICIES AND PRIORITIES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE CITY PLAY IN RESPONDING TO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES WHILE OPERATING WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ITS LEGAL AUTHORITY, CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ? WELL, HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, UH, CHIEF OF POLICE ALREADY SIGNED THE 2 87 G AGREEMENT WHERE SHE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATING OR WORKING WITH ICE IN THEIR OPERATIONS HERE. UH, SHE HAD, UH, SHE HAD UP TO DECEMBER, UH, TO SIGN OFF OR, OR, OR NOT, UH, UH, COOPERATE WITH THE, UH, WITH A MANDATE THAT THAT WAS SENT DOWN. AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, WHILE IT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE, WE PRETTY MUCH DON'T HAVE MUCH, MUCH TO DO WITH, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, REMOVING ICE OR WHATEVER. THAT DOESN'T FALL UNDER A PURVIEW. BUT, UH, I THINK THAT WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE A STRONG, A STRONG STAND ON GOVERNMENT WHEN IT BECOMES SO ABUSIVE. IT IS RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY'RE JUST VIOLATING EVERYBODY'S RIGHTS. UH, UH, MR. JOSEPH, UM, KENNEDY USED TO TELL HIS KIDS, UH, ONE, ONE LESSON AT DINNER. HE SAYS, YOU MUST ALWAYS RESPECT AUTHORITY, BUT YOU SHOULD NEVER FEAR IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SHAW, HONESTLY, THIS IS A PERSONAL ISSUE FOR ME. I'M THE ONLY IMMIGRANT, ONLY NATURALIZED CITIZEN IN THIS RACE, AND PROBABLY IN THE ENTIRE RACE. UH, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT CANDIDATES. AND THE TRUTH IS, NOBODY'S SAFE IF EVERYONE IS NOT SAFE AND LEGAL AND JUST ARE NOT ALWAYS THE SAME THING. UM, I LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY, AND THIS IS NOT NORMAL, AND I ALREADY SAID THIS EARLIER, OUR FEDERAL AND STATE INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT SUPPORTING EVERYDAY CITIZENS, AND IT IS NOT COMING TO SAVE US. SO, LOCAL CITIZENS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN NEED MORAL COURAGE FROM THEIR LEADERSHIP AT THIS TIME. I MEAN, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN LIKE THE 1940S WITH THE JAPANESE INTERNMENT CAMPS. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. AND WE HAVE TO HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT IS WILLING TO, WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE LAW, PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE APD DOES NOT COOPERATE WITH ICE. AND HONESTLY, WHAT ICE IS DOING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. SO WE SHOULD GET OUR BEST LEGAL DEFENSE OUT THERE, WORK WITH OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND TAKE ON THEM TOGETHER, BECAUSE HISTORY WILL REMEMBER US IF WE STAY SILENT ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE ROMERO. YEAH. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I GUESS WE, WE, THE MAJORITY OF THE CANDIDATES HERE AGREE THAT, UM, THIS RATES ARE PERHAPS LEGAL, BUT THEY'RE EXTREMELY UNJUST. UM, UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE MUCH AUTHORITY TO ACT BY ITSELF. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF STATE MANDATES AND FEDERAL MANDATES THAT FORCE, UH, CITIES AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF CITIES TO COOPERATE WITH, UH, FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. UM, PERHAPS WE COULD FORCE, UH, A PD TO COOPERATE WITH FEDERAL AUTHORITIES, UM, ONTO THE VERY LAST END UNTIL IT'S, UH, LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO DO SO. AND ALSO, LIKE NEHA, UH, STATED THAT WE HAVE TO BE, UH, REALLY OUTSPOKEN IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A PLATFORM THAT, UM, CAN BE USED EFFECTIVELY, UH, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY IN THIS SITUATION. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE SKINNER. YEAH, THANK YOU. UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING CITY COUNCIL HAS ANY POWER OVER, UNFORTUNATELY. AND IF THEY DID, SOMETHING HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. I, I THINK THAT THE CANDIDATES SHOULD BE REALLY FOCUSED ON ISSUES THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO AFFECT. THAT'S WHERE OUR INNER ENERGY SHOULD BE PUT. UM, LISTENING TO THE PANEL, WE HEAR A LOT OF, UH, THE OTHER CANDIDATES TALKING ABOUT STATE AND FEDERAL ISSUES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CITY COUNCIL. WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON LOCAL ISSUES WHERE WE CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE, NOT GRANDSTANDING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH HOMELESSNESS. UH, CANDIDATE SHAW AUSTIN HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES IN SHELTER, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OUTREACH, AND OTHER RESPONSES TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. YET IT REMAINS ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST VISIBLE CHALLENGES. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE AUSTIN SHOULD DO DIFFERENTLY OR DO MORE OF TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS? HONESTLY, WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE CRISIS WE'RE FACING WHERE OUR NEIGHBORS ARE BEING FORCED TO BE ON THE STREETS AND BE FORCED TO BE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, I THINK THIS IS SYSTEMIC FAILURE. [00:35:01] AND I ALSO THINK OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET, OUR MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET, AND OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY OFFICE BUDGET AS NOT THREE DIFFERENT, THREE DIFFERENT BUDGETS, BUT THINGS THAT HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE, AND ALSO, WHEN ONE SYSTEM FAILS, THE OTHER ONE FEELS THE IMPACT OF IT. AND FOR TOO LONG, UM, I JOKE ABOUT THIS IS LIKE THE SPIDER-MAN MEME THAT MOST GEN ZERS MIGHT GET. UH, IT'S LIKE EVERYONE'S POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. UH, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY PROBLEMATIC. IT ALSO SHOWS UP IN, AGAIN, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE FAILING THESE INDIVIDUALS, RIGHT? SO WE SPEND A MILLION DOLLARS A MONTH ON HOMELESSNESS SWEEPS, AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THEM IS THAT PEOPLE LOSE THEIR IDS WITHOUT YOUR ID, YOU CANNOT ACCESS BASIC SERVICES. AND THEN THAT BECOMES A ROUTINE THAT WE CONTINUE TO, TO REPEAT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO BRING COMMUNITY TO THE TABLE, RESIDENTS BUSINESSES, AND ALSO NEED TO HAVE CITY DEPARTMENTS TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN A WAY THAT CAN ACTUALLY BRING REAL CHANGES, NOT JUST FOR FOLKS LIKE YOU AND I, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THAT PERSON WHO HAS TO MAKE THIS CHOICE OR HAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO, BUT BE ON THE STREETS. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE ROMERO. UH, I GUESS THIS WILL BE A PERFECT SITUATION WHERE THE CITY COULD ELIMINATE MIDDLEMAN. UM, MOST OF THE SPENDING THAT GOES INTO HOMELESS GOES INTO, UH, NGOS AND, UH, DIFFERENT TYPE OF FOUNDATIONS AND CHURCHES, AND, YOU KNOW, IT, IT JUST GETS SENT TO EVERYBODY, UH, AS WELL INTENTIONED AS IT IS. AND AS MUCH AS I, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT. UM, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE SITUATIONS THAT THE CITY HAS TO TAKE THE SERVICES IN-HOUSE. UM, THERE WAS, UM, A REPORT, I'M NOT SURE IT WAS ONE OR TWO YEARS AGO, UM, THAT THE CITY, UH, WROTE, UH, AN AUDIT REPORT REGARDING, UM, HOW EFFECTIVE MONEY IS SPENT WHEN IT'S GIVEN TO, UH, OUTSIDE PARTIES. UM, AND IT WAS A REALLY, UH, IT, IT WASN'T REALLY GOOD. UM, MOST OF THE SERVICES WERE NOT BEING EFFECTIVELY, UH, ACHIEVED. UM, SO I GUESS THIS, UM, WE KEEP SPENDING MONEY EVERY YEAR, UH, BOND MONEY, BUDGET MONEY, UH, INTO HOMELESSNESS. AND THE PROBLEM DOES NOT GET SOLVED. AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF MANY MIDDLEMEN. UM, SO THIS ONE WILL BE A, A SITUATION WHERE I WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO BRING IN HOUSEHOLD SERVICES. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE SKINNER. YEAH, I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF US NEEDING TO AUDIT THE SPENDING AND SEE WHERE THIS MONEY IS ACTUALLY GOING, HOW IT'S PERFORMING, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE ACTUALLY HELPING WITH THIS. UM, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE GIVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO EVERY YEAR CONTRACTS, NO DISCREPANCY, GETTING RESIGNED, UH, THEY'RE GIVING THEIR EXECUTIVES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, $450,000 A YEAR, SOME OF THEM. SO ALL THOSE TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TOWARDS SOLUTIONS, CLEANING UP OUR STREETS, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE GOING TOWARDS EXECUTIVE PAY PACKAGES. AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. SO I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH, UH, ROMERO OR EDUARDO HERE, AND THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GET THIS AWAY FROM NGOS AND OUTSIDE SERVICES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE DICTATING WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING AND HOW IT'S BEING SPENT. AUDIT CITY COUNCIL, AUDIT, CITY SPENDING. SEE WHERE IT'S GOING. SEE HOW THE MONEY'S PERFORMING AND REDISTRIBUTE REVIEWED. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ? UH, YES. UH, AGAIN, WE, AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY SPEND $101 MILLION ON THE HOMELESS. UH, ACCORDING TO ECHO, THERE'S 3,500 HOMELESS IN AUSTIN. HALF OF THEM ARE ALREADY BEING HOUSED AND HELD, AND THE OTHERS STILL LIVE, UH, IN CAMP. SO, BUT IF YOU LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD REMOVE THE CITY, I WOULD REMOVE THE CITY STAFF FROM DEALING WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I WOULD RATHER SEE FUNDS. DO YOU KNOW THAT OUR HOMELESS DIRECTOR MAKES $180,000 AND HE'S, AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE ON THE STREET? UH, I WOULD RATHER SEE THAT MONEY GO DIRECTLY TO THE HOMELESS AND, UH, BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 'EM A VOUCHER FOR RENT, A VOUCHER FOR HEALTH, A VOUCHER FOR, THEY'RE ALREADY ELIGIBLE FOR FOOD STAMPS. UH, SO, UH, REMOVING THIS, THE BUREAUCRACY WITHIN THE CITY WHO HAS SHOWED, HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE. AND THAT'S WHY I STRONGLY SUPPORT, UH, CARITA S AND ALL THESE NONPROFITS THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THE WORK BOOTS ON THE GROUND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SHAW? OH, I THOUGHT I ANSWERED, DID YOU ANSWER? NO, I'M SORRY. QUESTION BEGINS, I'M NOT PAYING ATTENTION. OKAY. UM, LET'S, UM, THIS WAS, UH, ADDRESSED BY ONE OF OUR CANDIDATES, UH, [00:40:01] BUT I'D LIKE TO GET A RESPONSE FROM EVERYBODY. UM, IT'LL BE CANDIDATE ROMERO. AUSTIN HAS BEGUN AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF CITY OPERATIONS, WHILE A PROPOSITION I ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT WOULD REQUIRE RECURRING EFFICIENCY REVIEWS IN THE, WITHIN THE CITY CHARTER. ARE YOU FOR OR AGAINST? PROP I? AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT VOTERS DECIDE, WHERE SPECIFICALLY DO YOU BELIEVE THE CITY COULD OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY WITHOUT COMPROMISING ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES? UH, CERTAINLY, I THINK, UH, AN AUDIT NEVER AFFECTED SOMEBODY DOING THEIR JOB . UM, SO I'D BE TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF A YEARLY AUDIT, UH, REGARDING THE CITY BUDGET. UH, COULD YOU REPEAT THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION? OH, UM, GO AHEAD. UM, ARE, UH, ARE YOU FOR OR AGAINST PROP EYE, AND WHERE DO YOU BELIEVE THE CITY COULD OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY WITHOUT COMPROMISING ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES? DO YOU HAVE THINGS IN MIND? CERTAINLY. I THINK IT TIES TO OUR LAST QUESTION REGARDING HOMELESSNESS. UM, I REMEMBER LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AGO OR SO, UM, I WAS, UH, PERUSING THE REDDIT SUB, THE SUBREDDIT OF AUSTIN. UM, A LADY WHO WAS IN A SHELTER, UM, TOOK A PICTURE OF THE FOOD THAT SHE WAS BEING RECEIVED, UM, AND IT WAS, UM, COLD SANDWICHES. AND SHE HAD STATED THAT IT, THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING REPEATEDLY. UM, PEOPLE MOBILIZED OUTSIDE THE SUBREDDIT. AND, UM, IT WAS SOMEWHAT DISCOVERED THAT THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THE TYPE OF FOOD THAT SHOULD BE SERVED IN THOSE SHELTERS. UH, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING HOT FOOD AND WHATNOT. UM, I THINK, AGAIN, TO THE, TO THE LAST QUESTION, UM, IF WE REMOVE, UH, MIDDLEMAN, UM, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO, TO REDUCE WASTE IN THE CITY. BUDGET CANDIDATE SKINNER, I OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT PROP EYE. WE NEED AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT, AND WE NEED THEM REGULARLY. UM, A PLACE WHERE I THINK THAT THE MONEY CAN BE FOUND CURRENTLY, I AGREE AGAIN, IN OUR HOMELESS EFFORTS, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF DUPLICATION, WE HAVE A LOT OF WASTE, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED. WE SEE JUST WITH THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE VOTED ON THE OTHER DAY, 12 RENEWED CONTRACTS, NO ONE ASKS, WHY AREN'T Y'ALL DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER RIGHT AFTER THE VOTE? IT COMES OUT, FIVE OF THOSE CONTRACTS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN RENEWED, UH, BECAUSE OF COSTS THAT WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET, AS WELL AS THEY WERE INFLATING THE DATA TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEY WERE EVEN CLOSE TO THEIR TARGET. THEY WERE NOT. AND NONE OF THEM ARE. WE ARE SPENDING MORE NOW THAN EVER ON HOMELESSNESS, AND IT IS VISIBLY WORSE. ASK YOURSELF WHY THANK YOU, CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ. I TOO, UH, DO NOT, UH, SUPPORT THE, UH, THE PROPOSITION BECAUSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS GROWN SO BIG. WHEN I USED TO BE WITH AFSCME AND I WAS ON THEIR BUDGET COMMITTEE, THE CITY BUDGET WAS 1 BILLION. TODAY IT'S $6.6 BILLION. UH, SO WE NEED OUTSIDE LENSES TO LOOK AT OUR MONIES AND HOW WE SPEND AND WHERE IS IT SPENT? ARE WE DUPLICATING? ARE WE DOING THINGS THAT, UH, WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE CONSOLIDATED AND BE BROUGHT, UH, BE BROUGHT, BE BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER? I THINK THE FOCUS SHOULD BE, AGAIN, IN BUILDING LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR 30% AND UNDER AGAIN. SO, UH, SINGLE DADS, UH, RAISING CHILDREN, SINGLE MOMS, RAISING CHILDREN, GRANDPARENTS, RAISING CHILDREN. THIS WILL HELP 'EM STAY IN A HOME BECAUSE LOW INCOME HOUSING IS THE NEXT STEP IF YOU DON'T DO IT PROPERLY TO HOMELESSNESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SHAW? YEAH. I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF PROP EYE, AND I WANNA CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS. I WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, SO THE IDEA OF MCKINSEY SUITS WALKING IN AND TELLING US WHAT YOU MIGHT ALREADY KNOW IS NOT WHAT I ENVISION THIS PROPOSITION TO GET US, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A WIN FOR ANYBODY. BUT I HAVE TALKED TO CITY EMPLOYEES AND WHAT I, HARVARD AS A MORALE IS DOWN. EVERYONE'S WORRIED ABOUT THEIR JOB. AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, BUDGET CUTS ARE HAPPENING EVEN WITHOUT THIS AUDIT. SO MY HOPE IS THIS AUDIT, WHICH IS NOT GONNA BE LIKE DOGE, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA REPLICATE THE HORRORS WE SAW IN OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. UM, THIS IS GOING TO HELP US PRESERVE JOBS, SAVE JOBS, AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE NOT OVERBURDENED BY, YOU KNOW, ALREADY HAVING TO DO, UH, MORE WITH LESS RESOURCES. AND THEN LET'S ALSO, WE'LL GET, HONESTLY, WHERE SOME OF OUR REVENUE'S COMING FROM AND WHERE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY. I ALREADY CALLED OUT HOW WE'VE BEEN GIVING A LOT OF TAX BREAK TO CORPORATE BILLIONAIRE TECH COMPANIES. UM, THERE'S ALSO SOME CONCERNS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND HOW THAT'S LED TO CERTAIN CONTRACTS, OR THE A PD THAT HONESTLY WERE MEANT TO BE SALARY BUMPS SO THAT POLICE COULD ACTUALLY BE LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THEY'RE IN. BUT THAT HASN'T REALLY PANNED OUT THE WAY WE HOPE. SO, UM, FOR ALL THOSE REASONS, [00:45:01] I DO THINK WE NEED THIS AUDIT AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. UH, THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION BEFORE CLOSING STATEMENTS. UM, CANDIDATE SKINNER, WHAT SPECIFIC STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND DISTRICT THREE RESIDENTS? THANK YOU. I LOVE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I MEAN, WE LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND WE SEE HOW HARD IT IS TO GET PEOPLE TO TOGETHER, TO ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY ABOUT OUR DISTRICT. UM, I'VE TRIED TO SCHEDULE PLANS WITH THREE PEOPLE, TRY A HUNDRED THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, UH, NO ONE SCHEDULES LINE UP. AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED AN OPEN DASHBOARD FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT THREE. YOU GOTTA HAVE AN ADDRESS HERE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS. BUT WE'RE ABLE TO SEE MINUTES FOR MEETINGS LIKE THIS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, ALL UPCOMING PROJECTS, BUT ALSO JUST AN OPEN FORUM WHERE THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT THREE CAN ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE AND TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS. UH, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CURRENTLY. AND IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT, UH, HOW WE'RE CURRENTLY SPENDING OUR MONEY OR THE BOND PROPOSALS, YOU HAVE TO DIG DEEP IN VERY COMPLICATED FORMS. IT SHOULD BE VERY EASY TO FIND, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, AND RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ. YES. ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE IS IN, UH, CONTINUING COMMUNICATION AND, UH, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, BUSINESSES AND DISTRICTS BEING, IS TO HAVE THEM INVOLVED, HAVE, HAVE THEM BE ENGAGED IN, IN THE, IN THE PROCESS OF ZONING THAT'S GONNA AFFECT THE PROPERTY, OR IT'S GONNA AFFECT THEIR, UH, THEIR BUSINESS. SO, UH, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO GO THAT DIRECTION IN ORDER TO BE A, A, YOU KNOW, A MORE AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, CANDIDATE SHAH. I THINK THERE IS A BURDEN THAT, THAT SEEMS TO EXIST ON CITIZENS TO COMPLAIN, AND THAT'S HOW THEY GET HEARD. I WANT TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TOOLS THESE DAYS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, LOVE IT OR HATE IT, THAT CAN ALLOW FOLKS TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. UM, EDUARDO GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF REDDIT, AND THERE ARE WAYS THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD KNOW THE PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, WITHOUT HAVING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR NEIGHBORS HAVING TO RELENTLESSLY CALL, EMAIL THEIR OFFICE FOR A RESPONSE. SO I WANNA, SO PROACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS IS ONE OF MINE, LIKE, REACHING OUT IN ADVANCING, I HEARD SOMETHING HAPPEN. THE SECOND COMPLAINT THAT I HAVE, HONESTLY, IS THAT CITY HALL DOESN'T SEEM VERY ACCESSIBLE. CITY COUNCIL MEETS ON THURSDAY MORNING AT 10:00 AM I HAVE TO BE AT WORK. I NEED TO PAY MY MORTGAGE AND ALL THE TAX BILLS THAT COME MY WAY. AND PEOPLE HAVE CHILDCARE RESPONSIBILITIES, SENIOR CARE RESPONSIBILITIES. SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN DOES CITY COUNCIL MEET AND WHAT ISSUES ARE THEY DISCUSSING BECAUSE THE AGENDAS ARE ALSO NOT EASILY AVAILABLE OR UNDERSTANDABLE FOR FOLKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE ROMERO. I WOULD REVERT TO MY, ONE OF MY INITIAL, UH, RESPONSES, UH, TO STANDARDIZE SOME TYPE OF BENCHMARK. UM, ANYTIME THERE'S A CONTROVERSIAL VOTE COMING ON THE CITY BUDGET OR, OR JUST CITY COUNCIL IN, IN GENERAL, UH, HAVE, UH, A TOWN HALL, UH, OR A MEETING GREET WITH CONSTITUENTS. UM, I WOULD PROBABLY EVEN GO AS FAR AS SAY EVERY WEDNESDAY, UH, BEFORE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETS, WELL, NOT WEDNESDAY BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL MEETS BEHIND THE DOORS, BUT, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES. SO I GUESS EVERY TUESDAY, EVERY TWO WEEKS, UM, HAVE A MEETING WITH MY CONSTITUENTS, UM, TELL THEM WHAT'S GOING TO BE UP FOR VOTE NEXT MEETING AT CITY COUNCIL. UM, THAT WAY I CAN GET THEIR EXPLICIT APPROVAL OPINION, UH, ON THE INCOMING MATTERS THAT, UM, ARE GOING TO AFFECT EVERYBODY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, SO WE WILL DO TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS AND WE'LL START WITH CANDIDATE FERNANDEZ. THANK YOU. I ONCE AGAIN, WANNA THANK THE LEAGUE, WOMEN MOTORS VOLUNTEERS FOR DOING THIS, UH, AND EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ELECTORAL PROCESS AND HOW YOU CAN GET ENGAGED. LIKE I MENTIONED, I HAVE OVER 50 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN DISTRICT THREE. UH, THROUGH THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN CLOSING THE HOLLY POWER PLANT. THROUGH THAT, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL AT KILLING THE BOAT RACES. THROUGH THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, UH, TO AUSTIN FOR, UH, TO BE MORE EQUITABLE IN GOVERNING. UH, SO, UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF PROP Q RESULTS OF 60% IN OUR DISTRICT AGAINST IT, LIKE I MENTIONED, THAT IS THE REASONS WHY I'M RUNNING, BECAUSE I WANNA BE THE VOICE FOR THOSE 60% IN DISTRICT THREE. AND IF YOU OWN LAND [00:50:01] IN DISTRICT THREE AND DON'T WANNA SEE A TAX INCREASE ON YOUR PROPERTY, I'M YOUR CANDIDATE. UH, THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR VOTING PARTICIPATION, BECAUSE WE CAN SIT HERE AND TELL YOU WE'RE GOING DO THIS AND GOING TO DO THAT, BUT IF A VOTER TURNOUT IS NOT GOOD, THEN THAT'S NOT A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE WORKED ALL MY, ALL MY LIFE THROUGH LULAC AND OTHER NONPROFITS AND, UH, GETTING THE VOTE OUT DOING VOTER REGISTRATION. SO, UH, AGAIN, I, I FEEL VERY, UH, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPERIENCED IN BEING ABLE TO TAKE A SEAT ON THE DAAS AND BEGIN, UH, SAVING MONEY FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE TAX DOLLARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SHAH. THANK YOU. UM, HI EVERYONE AGAIN. MY NAME IS NEHA SHAH, AND I'VE BEEN AN IMMIGRANT MY WHOLE LIFE. UH, I WAS BORN IN INDIA, GREW UP IN THE PERSIAN GULF, AND I MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY WHEN I WAS 17. AND HERE'S THE THING ABOUT BEING AN IMMIGRANT. YOU'RE DEALING WITH CONSTANT CHANGE, RULES, ENVIRONMENTS, AND YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE TO ADAPT. AND HERE'S WHAT HELPS YOU ADAPT TO CONSTANT CHANGE COMMUNITY. AND YOU CAN ONLY BUILD COMMUNITY WITH TRUST. I SAID THIS AT THE BEGINNING IN MY OPENING STATEMENT. WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN ERA OF MASSIVE CHANGE IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTRY, AND AT THIS POINT, MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED CITIZENS. WE NEED COMMUNITY TO BELIEVE AND TRUST THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THERE'S ENOUGH AI MISINFORMATION OUT THERE THAT CAN CAUSE MORE DIVISIONS AND MORE PROBLEMS FOR NOT TOGETHER. I'VE SPENT 20 YEARS IN TECH BUILDING SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, BUILDING POLICY SOLUTIONS, ENABLED GRID MODERNIZATION, AND I ALSO DON'T OWN A CAR. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT A MODERN AUSTIN LOOKS LIKE, FOR ME, IT IS AFFORDABILITY, IT IS TRANSIT, IT IS LOOKING AT SUPPORTING AND HAVING OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, REALLY FLOURISH IN THE CITY THAT WE ALL GET TO CALL HOME. AND I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I BELIEVE AUSTIN IS STUCK IN A CRISIS OF IMAGINATION WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE FOR US, WHY THAT IS HAPPENING. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. IS IT BECAUSE OF THE CORPORATE, UH, DEVELOPER INTERESTS THAT SEEM TO BE TAKING OVER OUR COUNCIL AND CITY? IS IT BECAUSE WE'RE JUST IN THIS LOOP RIGHT NOW WHERE WE KEEP PUTTING BANDAID FIXES TO SOLUTIONS THAT GO DEEPER AND THAT NEED ASSISTANCE BASED THINKING? IS IT BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE STATE IN A WAY THAT CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE ALSO DESIRE? SO I'M JUST GONNA END WITH, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE RESIDENT DOESN'T REALLY KNOW WHEN CITY COUNCIL MEETS, BUT CORPORATIONS AND DEVELOPERS DO. AND SO FOR ME, IN ANY DECISION THAT I WANNA MAKE TO BUILD THAT TRUST, THAT ACCOUNTABILITY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE EVERY CITIZEN, EVEN FOLKS LIKE MYSELF, UM, WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS AND WHO MAY NOT BE CITIZENS YET, BUT ARE CERTAINLY PART OF OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE ROMERO. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO END THIS FORUM BY SAYING THAT ALL ROADS, UH, LEAD TO MONEY, UH, REGARDING, UH, WHY POLITICS DOESN'T WORK FOR, FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE. UM, I HOPE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT E DON'T VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO TAKE MONEY FROM DEVELOPERS AND EXPECT THEM TO, UM, BE VERY, UM, CONTR, UM, ASK THEM TOUGH QUESTIONS TO DEVELOPERS. UM, I HOPE THAT PEOPLE DON'T VOTE FOR, UH, CANDIDATES WHO DON'T SHOW UP FOR FORUMS AND EXPECT THEM TO RESPOND TO THEM, UH, THEIR PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS OR WHENEVER THEY VISIT CITY HALL. UM, I THINK THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT THREE DESERVE SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T TAKE MONEY FROM SPECIAL INTEREST. AND AT THE VERY MINIMUM, SHOW UP TO FORUMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CANDIDATE SKINNER. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. UH, I HAVE SHOWN UP TO ALL THE FORUMS. I AM NOT BACKED BY DEVELOPERS, AND I AM NOT BACKED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT ME. UM, UH, AGAIN, I AM A TAXPAYER FIRST CANDIDATE. I AM NOT A POLITICIAN. I AM A REGULAR AUSTIN CITIZEN. I HAD TO RETIRE MY POSITION AT WORK SO I COULD CONTINUE RUNNING THIS CAMPAIGN. UM, I LOVED MY JOB. SO TH THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY HERE JUST TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY OUT. UH, I, UH, NOT IN ANYBODY'S POCKET. SO, UM, I'M ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE ON NOVEMBER 3RD, AND I WOULD BE HONORED TO REPRESENT US HERE IN DISTRICT THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU CANDIDATES FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES TONIGHT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM. WE, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SEEK PUBLIC OFFICE AND TO SERVE YOUR FELLOW AUSTINITES. DEMOCRACY DOES WORK BEST WHEN CITIZENS TAKE PART, NOT ONLY BY CASTING A BALLOT, BUT BY TAKING TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES, LEARN ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, AND MAKE INFORMED CHOICES ABOUT WHO WILL REPRESENT THEM. BY BEING HERE TONIGHT OR LISTENING IN, YOU'VE TAKEN AN IMPORTANT PART IN THAT PROCESS. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, THE RECORDINGS WILL BE POSTED [00:55:01] AFTERWARD ON ATX N'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON ALL THE RACES AND MEASURES ON YOUR BALLOT AT VOTE 4 1 1 ORG, WHICH IS THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS NATIONAL, UM, UH, NATIONAL VOTER EDUCATION VOTER INFORMATION SITE. 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. ALTHOUGH WE ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE DO IT NOW. , DON'T WAIT TILL THE 23RD. UH, EARLY VOTING IS FROM OCTOBER 19TH TO OCTOBER 30TH, AND ELECTION DAY IS OF COURSE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD. ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AUSTIN AREA, THANK YOU FOR BEING AN AN ENGAGED VOTER. PLEASE MAKE YOUR VOTES VOICE HEARD AT THIS ELECTION. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.