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WE'RE HOLDING THE PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY.
QUICK MEDIA THERE WITH MAYOR ADLER.
WE MORE THAN THE DEATHS OF MORE THAN 10,000 TEXANS THAT HAVE DIED FROM COVID-19.
I THINK IT'S ONLY RIGHT INAPPROPRIATE THAT WE TAKE A MOMENT TO SILENCE FOR SO MANY THAT HAVE DIED.
WHY WASN'T THE PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT THE SINGLE BIGGEST PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS IN TEXAS AS A MAYOR OF A TEXAS CITY, I'M PROUD THAT CITIES HAVE STEPPED FORWARD WHEN THE STATE WOULD NOT EFFECTIVELY TO STOP THE VIRUS BACK IN MARCH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STATE WAS.
CITIES LED AND HELPED SAVE THOUSANDS OF LIVES AS A MAYOR OF A TEXAS CITY I'M I'M I'M.
I'M PROUD THAT CITIES WERE NOT HESITANT TO DEMAND AND TO MAKE MANDATORY THE WEARING OF MASKS TO STOP THE VIRUS SPIKE BACK IN JUNE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STATE WAS AND BY PUSHING FOR THAT ACTION CITIES HELPED SAVE THOUSANDS OF BUYS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A RUNAWAY INFECTIVITY RATE IN LARGE PARTS OF OUR STATE RIGHT NOW.
AND OUR LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THAT ON KEEPING THOUSANDS OF TEXANS SAFE FROM THEIR MOST IMMEDIATE THREAT.
THE PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY WAS NOT ABOUT FACTS.
IT PRESENTED NO PLANS THAT PRESENTED NO DATA.
IT WAS ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE US SCARED OF FRIGHTENING US AND OUR FURTHER IN LIES.
THAT'S HOW I'M FEEL THE BEST WAY TO REACH PEOPLE IS TO PEDDLE, FEAR TRADING AND FEAR.
SO AVOID HAVING TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN REAL POLICY CONVERSATIONS IS A SICKNESS THAT I HOPE WE TURN AWAY FROM IN NOVEMBER.
I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE AND MORE OF THIS.
AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, IT'S A BAD THING, AND I HOPE THE VOTERS TURN AWAY FROM IT.
WE SHOULDN'T BE DISTORTING THE FACTS TO MAKE PEOPLE SCARED.
NO, THERE WAS MENTIONED IN THAT PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT A WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE FOR ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THAT SAD THAT, UH, AUSTIN, UH, HAD THE HIGHEST RATE OF INCREASE HOMICIDES.
BUT THAT ARTICLE ALSO SAID WAS THAT AUSTIN HAD THE SECOND LOWEST ALMOST I'D RATE OF MAJOR CITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
THE SECOND LOWEST, EVEN AFTER THE INCREASE THREE OF THE, OF THE TOP SEVEN CITIES IN TERMS OF VICTORIES OR TEXAS IT'S, BUT AMONG ALL THE CITY, SECRETARY AUSTIN, SECOND LOSS, ALMOST IRATE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FACTS.
WHAT DID THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO? THEY GOT $20 MILLION.
IT'S ABOUT 4% OUT OF THE POLICE BUDGET.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THE GOVERNOR REQUESTED BE CUT FROM THE DPS BUDGET PASS SESSION AT $20 MILLION WAS TO SPAT MORE MONEY TO SPEND, TO HELP PEOPLE OUT OUR CHAMPS INTENSE AND INTO HOMES.
SO OUR POLICE SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME BEING SOCIAL WORKERS AND, AND, AND INTERACTING WITH THIS COMMUNITY.
WE EXPANDED EMS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE MORE MEDICAL CALLS AND DIVERT SOME CALLS FROM POLICE.
WE INCREASED THE SHELTERING SO THAT WOMEN CAN BELIEVE SO WOMEN CAN LEAVE ABUSIVE SITUATIONS BEFORE THEY BECOME A CRIME STATISTIC.
IT WAS TO EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO THAT BEING THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONDER IS NOT THE CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITY OF THE POLICE
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AT DID WE PAY FOR A $20 MILLION? WE CAUGHT ABOUT FOUR OR 5% OF THE POLICE BUDGET ONLY GOING AFTER UNFILLED POSITIONS, OR WAS IT HAIRCUT ON OVERTIME? AND WE DELAYED THREE ACADEMY CLASSES.IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE DID NOT LAY OFF ANY OFFICERS.
THERE WAS NO DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
APDS OWN INTERNAL REVIEW SAID THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO MORE CLASSES UNTIL WE FIXED SOME CURRICULUM AND CULTURE ISSUES.
WHAT DID WE NOT DO? WE DID NOT CUT $150 MILLION OF POLICE RECORDS, THREE BUCKETS, THE $20 MILLION BUCKET.
I JUST TALKED ABOUT A SECOND BUCKET WITH $80 MILLION.
IT WAS TO MOVE CERTAIN FUNCTIONS TO CIVILIAN CONTROL IN A MORE INDEPENDENT STATUS.
THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO NOT TAKE A PENNY AWAY FROM ANY OF THESE FUNCTIONS, A FORENSIC LAB AFTER TWO YEARS OF STUDY, AND THEN TWO CONSULTANT REPORTS LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE THE FORENSIC LAB AND MAKE IT INDEPENDENT.
SO IT HAD MORE CREDIBILITY COULD WORK BETTER WITH THE DA IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
NO ONE SUGGESTED TAKING A PENNY AWAY FROM NON-WOOD ONE SPOTS, BUT, BUT INTEGRATING IT WITH THREE, ONE, ONE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT CALLS ARE HANDLED EFFICIENTLY AND QUICKLY.
AND THEY ALWAYS GOT TO THE, TO THE BEST PLACE THAT THE CAUSE COULD BE ROUTED BY MIGHT EVEN END UP WITH A TAX SAVINGS TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
NO ONE SUGGESTED WE TAKE PENNY AWAY FROM SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED BY OUR SWORN OFFICER.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS STILL NEEDS TO BE A POLICE FUNCTION, BUT, BUT MAYBE INDEPENDENT.
AND SO THAT IT'S NOT IN THE SAME CHAIN OF COMMAND BECAUSE THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INVESTIGATE.
SO HIS CONCLUSIONS AND ITS RESULTS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CREDIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY AT $80 MILLION BUCKETS DID NOT INVOLVE THE END OR THE CUTTING OF ANY POLICE FUNCTION.
THE THIRD BUCKET WAS $50 BILLION.
THESE ARE NOT THINGS REMOVED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IN FACT, THERE WAS NO DECISION MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THESE FUNCTIONS SHOULD BE CHANGED, BUT WE HAVE STARTED THE WORK ALREADY TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE FUNCTIONS AS IT NEED TO BE A SWORN OFFICER WITH A CON IS TAKING NOISE AND SOUND MEASUREMENTS DOWNTOWN OUTSIDE OF CLUBS.
YOU KNOW, OFFICERS CERTAINLY HAVE TO SERVE AS ADJUNCT PROFESSORS IN OUR ACADEMY, BUT DOES THE ACADEMY NEED TO BE RUN BY POLICE OFFICERS? WOULD IT BE BETTER? WOULD IT BE A BETTER DEAL FOR TAXPAYERS? IS THAT A BETTER SYSTEM FOR THE COMMUNITY? IF THE ACADEMY HAD CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT AND CIVILIAN CONTROL WITHIN CITY GUARD, THOSE ARE THE THREE MARKETS, 20 MILLION, 80 MILLION, 50 MILLION, THERE WERE $20 MILLION IN CUTS OUT FOUR OR 5% OF POLICE BUDGET.
WHY DID WE DO THAT? BECAUSE SAFETY IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
AND THAT MEANS SAFETY FOR ALL.
THAT MEANS IT HAS TO INVOLVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT JUSTICE AND ABOUT EQUITY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GEORGE FLORIDA.
IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT GEORGE FLOYD IS NOT ALONE.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT REFORMING AND, AND CHANGING AND TRAINING BECAUSE MINNEAPOLIS WAS DOING A LOT OF BOTH.
IT'S ABOUT REDEFINING PUBLIC SAFETY INTO A CONVERSATION THAT CENTERS ON THE SAFETY OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED AND MY MESS.
IT'S RECOGNIZING THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS ALSO ABOUT HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AND THE DELIVERY OF OPPORTUNITY.
IF THIS VIRUS TAUGHT US ANYTHING, AS WE HAVE SAT AT HOME AND WATCHED THE DISPARATE IMPACT AMONG COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN OUR CITY AND IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IT'S THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING WRONG FOR A REALLY LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WE NEED TO FIX IT.
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IT'S ABOUT RE-IMAGINING AND IT IS ABOUT TRUST.IT'S ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER.
IT'S ABOUT SEARCHING FOR THE PROMISE OF FINDING AN INSTITUTIONALIZING JUSTICE.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING US ALL OR SAFE.
THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES ARCHED IN THE STREET, DEMANDING JUSTICE AND ACTION.
THE STATUS QUO AND THE PAST ARE NO LONGER GOOD ENOUGH.
THIS IS THE INFLECTION POINT, AND WE ALL HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE AS TO WHICH SIDE OF HISTORY WE CHOOSE TO BE ON.
IF THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT POLICY AND PUBLIC SAFETY, WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE US SAFER AND I'M READY TO ENGAGE, WE'VE BEEN WAITING.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS A REASON WHY TESLA HAS COME TO AUSTIN TO INVEST OVER A BILLION DOLLARS AND AN APPLE JUST BEFORE IN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WITH THE ARMY FUTURES COMMAND, ALL CHOOSING TO COME TO AUSTIN.
AND IT'S BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY THAT TAKES CARE OF ONE, ANOTHER, ONE OF THE SAFEST BIG CITIES IN THE COUNTRY OF BEAUTIFUL CITY WITH GREAT PEOPLE, ABOUT 5% OF THE STATE POPULATION, BUT A THIRD OF THE PATENTS AND HALF THE VENTURE CAPITAL.
ALL OF OUR CITIES IN THIS STATE ARE GREAT, BUT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, WE NEED NOT ALL BE THE SAME.
OUR STATES SHOULD BE CELEBRATING AND LEARNING FROM ITS CITIES RATHER THAN THREATENING THEM AND TRYING TO CHANGE THEM TOGETHER.
OUR CITIES HELP MAKE OUR STATE STRONGER INTO MY COMMUNITY.
I SAY YOUR SAFETY IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
AND YOUR IN THAT SENTENCE MEANS EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY, THOSE THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY FELT SAFE.
AND THOSE THAT HAVE NOT, WE DO THAT COULD BE BY BECOMING A MORE FAIR AND EQUITABLE CITY.
WE DO THAT BY MAKING JUSTICE PART OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, GLORIA.
WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THE FIRST ONE.
IT'S JENNIFER KENDALL FROM BOX AUSTIN.
I QUOTE YOU HAVE SAID CUTTING.
THE APD BUDGET IS A WAY TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY SAFER.
HOWEVER, POLICE OFFICERS FEEL LIKE THIS WAS A TARGETED ATTACK ON THEIR PROFESSION.
IF THE END GOAL WAS TO REALLOCATE MONEY FOR OTHER SAFETY PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, THEN WHY WAS APDS BUDGET? THE ONLY ONE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK? WHY WAS IT A CITY AUDIT DONE TO FIND OTHER AVAILABLE MONEY TO FUND SAFETY PROJECT? FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS WAS NOT PUNITIVE, NOR WAS IT AN ATTACK ON OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS CITY, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND WE RELY UPON OUR POLICE OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, AT THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION, I TALKED ABOUT PLEASING, BE A PROFESSION WHERE WE'RE ALL POLICE SEEM TO BE JUDGED BY THE CONDUCT OF SOME.
AND IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THIS PROFESSION MORE THAN ANY OTHERS, AND IT IS NOT RIGHT.
I REMEMBER WATCHING OUR POLICE OFFICERS RUN TOWARD THE BOMBER AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE WAS, WAS, WAS NOT, THIS IS NOT PUNITIVE OR DIRECTED AT OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
THIS IS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER RECOGNIZING THAT THAT POLICE IS, BUT ONE ASPECT OF BEING ABLE TO DELIVER PUBLIC SAFETY TO A COMMUNITY, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO LARGEST DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE WAS ALSO THE DEPARTMENT THAT HAD THE GREATEST NUMBER OF UNFILLED POSITIONS.
WE STARTED CUTTING IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE'RE LETTING PEOPLE GO AND WE'RE FIRING PEOPLE AND THE GOAL AND THE CUTS THAT WE MADE, FUNDING, EMS, FUNDRAISING, TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF TENTS AND INTO HOMES, INCREASING EMS CAPACITY AND INCREASING FIRST RESPONDER MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE ALL DESIGNED TO ENABLE OUR POLICE TO HAVE MORE TIME TO GET ON A FOCUS ON DOING THE WORK
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WITH CRIME THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DO AND THAT OUR POLICE WANTED.THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JOHN ANGLE AT CARE EXAM, DO YOU BELIEVE THE STATE HAS THE LEGAL AUTHORITY THROUGH FUTURE LEGISLATION TO RETROACTIVELY PUNISH CITIES THAT REDUCE POLICE BUDGET? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION AND I HAVEN'T SEEN IT WAS JUST, I, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JORDAN BANCA AT CVS SPEAKER, BONNEN ACCUSED YOU OF FLIP-FLOPPING ON THIS ISSUE CITING A 2016 PRESS RELEASE IN WHICH YOU ALLEGEDLY SAID
DID YOU SAY THAT? AND IF SO, HOW IS CUTTING MONEY FROM APD? OKAY.
NOW I THINK THAT THE STATE'S ACTION AND LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT CITIES COULD RAISE IF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY DECIDED TO WANTED TO RAISE THAT MONEY.
AND IF IT HAD PRIORITIES THAT HAD WANTED TO EXPEND RESOURCES AGAINST, I THINK TAKING AWAY THEN THAT LOCAL, THAT LOCAL FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS DOES MAKE CITIES LESS SAFE.
WE HAD MORE FUNDING AND MORE OPPORTUNITY.
WE'D BE ABLE TO DO A BETTER JOB RIGHT NOW.
BEING ABLE TO TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF, OUT OF TENTS AND OUT OF CAMPS AND PUTTING THEM INTO HOMES.
AND I KNOW THAT IF WE COULD DO THAT, WE WOULD HAVE FEWER DEMANDS ON OUR JAILS AND ON OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND ON OUR EMS AND ON OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS. I THINK WHAT I SAID WHEN I WAS AT THE LEGISLATURE WAS IS THAT THE KIND OF CUTS THEY WERE MAKING COULD RESULT IN FEWER POLICE OFFICERS.
BUT AT THAT POINT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS THAT WE WERE DOING.
SO I, SO I, I THINK THAT I WAS PRETTY CAREFUL AND NOT PROMISING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW.
BUT WHAT I DID KNOW WAS THAT IT TOOK AWAY FROM COMMUNITIES, THE ABILITY TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT WERE THEIR PRIORITIES AND HOW THEY WANTED THEIR COMMUNITIES TO OPERATE.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JACQUELYN POWER, KICK SAND IN THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE, DENNIS BON AND SAID IN 2016, YOU PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE, CONCERNED THAT AUSTIN WOULD LOSE 15 MILLION IF PROPERTY TAX REFORM WERE IN EFFECT BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS NEEDED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING POLICE, FIRE, AND EMS. HE THEN COMPARED THAT TO THE 150 MILLION, THE CITY IS NOW CUTTING FROM APD AND QUESTION, HOW IF 15 MILLION WASN'T ACCEPTABLE IN 2016, ONE 50, 150 MILLION FROM THE POLICE BUDGET IS NOW, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO HIS COMMENTS? CAN YOU CONFIRMED? YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE 15 MILLION IN 2016 TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN CUT $150 MILLION OF THESE BUDGET IS NOT TRUE TO SAY WE CUT $150 MILLION.
A POLICE FUNCTIONS IS NOT TRUE.
SO THE PREMISE OF THE QUESTION IS, IS, IS NOT TRUE.
WHAT I DID SAY WAS THAT IF THE STATE LIMITED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CITIES COULD RAISE, IF THEIR COMMUNITIES WANTED TO DO THAT, AND IT COULD HAVE ANY IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
I SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE, BUT ALSO EMS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT EXPANDING EMS AS MUCH AS WE NEED TO EXPAND IT AS WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.
BUT, BUT TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF CAMPS AND INTO HOMES IS ALSO ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
HAVING, HAVING MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONDERS IS ALSO ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY SHELTERING WOMEN.
SO THEY CAN LEAVE ABUSIVE HOMES IS ALSO ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS MORE BROAD AND JUST POLICE AND EMS FIRE IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE HEALTHCARE OPPORTUNITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY IN HOUSE A LOT MORE.
AND THAT IS PART OF THE WAY THAT OUR CITY AND OTHER CITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FRAME PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF THEY WANT TO BE JUST EQUITABLE AND THE SAFEST CITIES THEY CAN BE.
NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM CHRISTOPHER NEELY, COMMUNITY IMPACT.
YOU HAVE REFUSED TO REFER TO WHAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DID LAST WEEK AS A 150 MILLION CUT, SORRY, $150 MILLION CUT TO THE POLICE.
SOME OF YOUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE PREVIOUSLY
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CALLED IT SUCH, ARE THEY WRONG? LASTLY, IS THIS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET $150 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT THE CITY MANAGER INITIALLY PROPOSED.AND IF SO, PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THAT IS NOT A CUT.
THERE WERE ONLY $20 MILLION THAT WERE CUT $20 MILLION FOR UNFILLED POSITIONS FOR OVERTIME AND FOR THREE CADET CLASSES THAT WERE POSTPONED.
UH, A FORENSIC LAB WILL CONTINUE NINE ONE ONE THREE ONE ONE.
WE CONTINUE, UH, THE TURTLE AFFAIRS WILL CONTINUE.
NONE OF THESE THINGS WERE CUT.
AND AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, IN THOSE THREE BUCKETS, THE THIRD BUCKET, THERE WASN'T EVEN A DECISION THAT THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE MOVED OUT OF.
APD IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT NOW.
SO YES, I DISAGREE WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION THAT THERE WERE $150 MILLION.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM AUDREY MCGLINCHY AT KUT.
DO YOU THINK THIS LAW WILL EVEN STAND A CHANCE OF PASSING? WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF A LAW LIKE THIS WAS PASSED? I HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAW AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AFTER NOVEMBER.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ON WHAT HAPPENS.
NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM KRISTA ON CAPS AT ATLANTIC CITY LAB.
DOES THE MAYOR FORESEE THE CAP ON PROPERTY TAXES, BEING A PROBLEM FOR THE CITY? IF THE GOVERNOR'S LEGISLATION IS PASSED NEXT YEAR, I THINK THAT ANY KIND OF CAP THAT'S IMPOSED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE I THINK IT TAKES AWAY FUNDAMENTAL AND BASIC FREEDOM RIGHTS, UH, FROM, FROM, FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES, TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE IN THAT COMMUNITY, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IN THAT COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CITIES, I IN THIS STATE AND, AND, AND ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THE JOB I HAVE IS BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH MAYORS AND CITIES ALL ACROSS THE STATE, BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, UH, WHEN WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, EVEN WHEN OUR VALUES OR PRIORITIES ARE DIFFERENT, WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S THE, THE, THE BEST WAY THAT OUR, THAT OUR STATE COULD BE, RIGHT, RECOGNIZING THAT MEASURE OF, OF, OF LOCAL FREEDOM FOR COMMUNITIES TO DECIDE THEIR OWN PRIORITY.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JOHN ANGLE AT KX A N WERE YOU GIVEN ANY WARNING ABOUT THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION? NO.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM AUDREY MCGLINCHY AT KUT.
WHAT ARE POSSIBLE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH A MEASURE? SHE HAS ALSO NOT SEEN THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
I REALLY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT YET.
SO IT'S REALLY AN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE IS A WRITTEN SOMETHING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
I THINK THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS MOSTLY ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE US AFRAID AND SCARED.
UH, AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE OF THAT.
THE CLOSER WE GET TO NOVEMBER.
THIS LAST QUESTION IS FROM CHRIS DON CAPS AT ATLANTIC CITY LAB.
HE SAYS, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS PREEMPTED A POLICY IN AUSTIN, OR ANNOUNCED A POLICY THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES AUSTIN.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS PREEMPTION? AGAIN, I THINK I'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES BE GIVEN THE FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO SET THEIR, THEIR PRIORITIES SO THAT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES CAN AND GATHER AND REFLECT THE VALUES AND CULTURE OF THOSE, UH, UH, INDIVIDUAL CITIES.
UH, BUT I DO SEE THAT OVER TIME, IT'S APPEARING TO ME LAST, UH, THERE'S PEOPLE GUNNING FOR AUSTIN AND MORE DOES GUNNING FOR CITIES.
GENERALLY I, AND YOU SEE THAT NOT ONLY IN TEXAS, UH, BUT YOU SEE THAT IN OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, CITIES, I THINK ARE THE INCUBATORS OF INNOVATION, UH, IN OUR COUNTRY ARE THE ECONOMIC, UH, GENERATORS, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR STATE AND IN OUR, IN OUR COUNTRY, UH, CITIES MAKE OUR STATES STRONGER.
AND I THINK CITIES WILL HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO OUR STATES.
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ABILITY TO MAKE THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, IF WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND GROW THOSE ATTRIBUTES THAT MAKE THE CITY SPECIAL.THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR TUNING IN AND FOR SENDING IN YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL NEXT TIME.
WE'LL SEE YOU SOON TO BE TRUE.