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GOOD EVENING AND[2020 City Council Candidate Forum District 7 ]
WELCOME ALL TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S DISTRICT SEVEN CANDIDATE FORUM.I AM CAROL ECHO CAMP WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA.
TODAY, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
TO HELP YOU GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES VYING FOR YOUR VOTE.
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA WAS FOUNDED IN 1919 AND IS A NONPARTISAN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF MEN AND WOMEN MEMBERS.
WE BELIEVE IN EMPOWERING VOTERS AND DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.
TODAY'S QUESTIONS ARE PUT TOGETHER BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA, AND HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN IN ADVANCE BY THE CANDIDATES.
THESE QUESTIONS COME TO US FROM MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND THROUGH OUR PUBLIC EMAIL BOX THIS YEAR, STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, STEVE HICKS, SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, HELP CONSTRUCT SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS.
THESE STUDENTS WOULD NORMALLY BE OUT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, COMPLETING THEIR SERVICE LEARNING HOURS, BUT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THEY ARE LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE THEIR LIVES AND STUDIES DIFFERENTLY.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THESE STUDENTS AND THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AUSTIN AREA TO OUR CANDIDATES.
THIS EVENING, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR YOUR OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENTS, AND YOU WILL BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION.
OUR TIMEKEEPER WILL HOLD UP A YELLOW WARNING CARD AT THE 32ND MARK AND A RED CARD.
WHEN TIME EXPIRES, YOU ARE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS OF YOUR OPPONENTS AND LET US STICK TO THE ISSUES AND POLICIES AND OUR QUESTIONS.
IN THE EVENT, YOU LOSE YOUR CONNECTION TO THIS FORUM.
YOU MAY RE RECONNECT AND WE'LL BE ALLOWED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS YOU MISS TIME PERMITTING.
WE WILL BEGIN IN BALLOT ORDER AND ROTATE SO THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER FIRST.
SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT FROM MS. WITT.
MY NAME IS MORGAN WITT AND I'M RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL IN DISTRICT SEVEN BECAUSE AUSTIN NEEDS A NEW LEADER.
WHO'S GOING TO BRING MUCH NEEDED CHANGE TO OUR CITY.
UM, WE'VE SEEN HOW MANY LONG STANDING PROBLEMS AUSTIN HAS FACED AFFORDABILITY, TRAFFIC PROBLEMS WITH EQUITY, UH, DROUGHT AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT OUR RECORD, THESE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR A LONG TIME.
WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO HAS A FRESH PERSPECTIVE AND IS REALLY IN TOUCH WITH THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS SO THAT WE CAN RESOLVE THEM.
I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE STRUGGLES FACING MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND WITHIN DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I BRING REALLY DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND SKILLS, UM, TO THE TABLE.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE TECH COMMUNITY AND AN EDUCATOR.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING JUST TO MAKE A LIVING IN THIS CITY.
AND THROUGH THESE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES, I'VE SEEN HOW BADLY WE NEED BOWLBY, PROGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE LEADERS WHO ARE REALLY IN TOUCH AND REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.
ANYBODY CAN CALL THEMSELVES A PROGRESSIVE, BUT WHAT A PROGRESSIVE REALLY MEANS IS ADDRESSING A ROOT CAUSES, BRINGING COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE TABLE.
AND MOST OF ALL, BEING A REPRESENTATIVE OF EVERYBODY THAT THEY SERVE INCREMENTAL CHANGE OBVIOUSLY HAS NOT WORKED OVER THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS IN AUSTIN.
AND WE HAVE THE CHANCE RIGHT NOW TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT US, BUT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.
SO I AM THE BOLD CANDIDATE, THE REAL PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT, THAT DISTRICT SEVEN NEEDS TO GET US GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'M LESLIE POOLE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SEVEN SINCE BEING ELECTED SIX YEARS AGO, I'VE FOUGHT HARD FOR DISTRICT SEVEN AND ALL OF AUSTIN I'M RUNNING FOR REELECTION BECAUSE THE WORK IS NOT YET DONE.
AND WE ARE AT AN ESPECIALLY CRITICAL MOMENT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVASTATION TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND DEEPLY ROOTED RACIAL INEQUITIES TO THE URGENCY OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS, TO AFFORDABILITY AND REWRITING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE ARE MASSIVE THEY'RE COMPLEX, AND THEY ARE IMMEDIATE.
I HAVE PUT IN THE WORK AND I HAVE A DECADES LONG RECORD OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
MY RECORD OF LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS THE EVIDENCE I OFFER WHAT I'VE DONE AND WHAT I WILL DO.
AND DURING THESE EXTRAORDINARY TIMES, OUR CITY NEEDS LEADERS WHO
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ARE READY TO FACE THESE CHALLENGES WITH THE EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILL TO LEAD OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE DIFFICULT MONTHS.AND YEARS AHEAD, I HAVE A PROVEN RECORD OF STRONG LEADERSHIP ON PROGRESSIVE INITIATIVES AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES ARE MY CORE VALUES.
I'VE GOT A STRONG LIST OF ENDORSEMENTS TO DATE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, THE QUESTION, AMERICAN STATESMAN, BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, AND AUSTIN EMS EDUCATION, AUSTIN, THE 17 LOCALS OF THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL AND NUMEROUS DEMOCRATIC CLUBS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE MOST INTERESTED IN IS MY RECORD, WHAT I'VE DONE WHILE ON COUNCIL.
SO HERE'S A QUICK OVERVIEW OF MY LEGISLATIVE RECORD FROM THE LAST SIX YEARS.
THE MAJORITY OF MY WORK CIRCLES AROUND RESILIENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ENVIRONMENTAL LIVABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY, THINGS LIKE FLOOD MITIGATION AND THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR WATER AND IMPROVING STANDARDS FOR CLEAN AIR AND WATER AND EXPANDING THE CITY'S OPEN SPACE AND GREEN SPACE AND TRANSPORTATION, BETTER TRANSIT OPTIONS AND SAFER STREETS.
AND THAT'S JUST THE, THAT'S JUST THE TOP OF THE ICEBERG OF, OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE LEGISLATIVELY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. COOL.
WE WILL START WITH YOU ON THIS QUESTION.
AND THIS IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN MEETING AND SERVING IN DISTRICT SEVEN, OR WE'LL BE SERVING IN DISTRICT SEVEN, AS YOU'VE DONE YOUR CAMPAIGNING AND MEETING YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND WHATEVER FORM THAT MAY BE.
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MORE POSITIVE OR SURPRISING THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH YOU? MS. POOL? THERE WAS AN AFTERNOON BACK IN EARLY APRIL.
UM, WHEN I HEARD, UM, SOMEONE AT MY FRONT DOOR, THIS WAS AFTER THE PANDEMIC HAD HIT AND, UH, THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WALKING UP WHO HAD WALKED UP TO MY DOOR AND, AND HE PUT A NOTE IN MY, IN MY MAILBOX AND I KNEW HE DIDN'T WANT TO ENGAGE.
AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THAT MADE A LOT OF SENSE.
SO I WAITED FOR HIM TO WALK DOWN THE STREET AND I WENT AND PULLED OUT THE ENVELOPE AND HE HAD WRITTEN ME A REALLY HEARTFELT NOTE SAYING THAT HE WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT HIS COMMUNITY AND HE LIVED JUST UP THE STREET FROM ME AND HE WAS 18 YEARS OLD AND, AND HE WASN'T REALLY SURE WHAT THE FUTURE WAS GOING TO HOLD FOR HIM, BUT HE WANTED ME TO KNOW THAT HE WAS THERE AND THAT HE KNEW THAT I WAS HIS COUNCIL MEMBER AND THAT HE LOOKED TO ME FOR REASSURANCE AND FOR THE LEADERSHIP ON THE COUNCIL, I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST TOUCHING, UM, AND MOST HEARTFELT EXPRESSIONS THAT I'VE HAD.
THANK YOU, MS. WITT, WHILE YOU'VE BEEN MEETING, UH, THE PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT, WHAT HAS BEEN MORE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN THE MORE POSITIVE OR SURPRISING THING THAT THEY DISCUSSED WITH YOU? YEAH, I'VE BEEN MEETING PEOPLE IN A LOT OF DIVERSE WAYS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CANVASSED FOR BALLOT SIGNATURES AND I GOT TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
BUT OF COURSE WITH THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING A LOT OF DIGITAL OUTREACH AND WE ALL KNOW HOW POLITICALLY DIVIDED OUR COUNTRY IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND IT'S KIND OF SCARY TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
WE CAN'T COME TO THE TABLE AND DISCUSS DIFFERING OPINIONS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST, I GUESS, HEARTWARMING THINGS TO ME IS THAT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO WE'RE VOTING FOR, UM, OR WHERE WE LIE ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER, WE REALIZED THAT WE ALL PRETTY MUCH WANT THE SAME THING FOR AUSTIN.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO LIVE AND BE ABLE TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE HERE.
WE WANT TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS LIKE AFFORDABILITY AND TRAFFIC.
UM, AND SO IT WAS GREAT TO KIND OF MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE THAT OTHERWISE I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL DIVISIVENESS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
SO IN THE SAME VEIN, AND THIS COULD BE FROM PERSONAL STORY THAT YOU SAW OR AN ISSUE, WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DISAPPOINTING THING THAT YOU HAVE HEARD PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT TELL YOU AND MS. WHITT, WE WILL START WITH YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALL OVER THE DISTRICT, BUT SPECIFICALLY THOSE IN THE NORTH EASTERN PORTION, UM, THEY JUST FEEL COMPLETELY UNDERREPRESENTED, NOT JUST WITH A VOICE, UM, BUT WITH ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE NORTHEASTERN SECTOR OF OUR DISTRICT AROUND THE TECH RIDGE AREA IS HISTORICALLY
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UNDERSERVED WITH THINGS LIKE PARKS, TRAILS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEGGING FOR THAT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO JUST BEGGING FOR AN EMAIL RESPONSE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I HEAR PEOPLE SAYING, I WANT SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA MORE PROACTIVELY REACH OUT TO ME AND LINDEN EAR, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE WITH WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, UM, AT LEAST HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH ME ABOUT IT AND MAKE ME FEEL REPRESENTED.
UM, IF THIS IS THE RIVER OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD OR EUBANK ACRES OR HARRIS BRANCH, UM, BUT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT INTERACTION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE DISTRICT, JUST LIKE I DO ALL THE WAY WEST TO MILLWOOD AND RACING WOODS AND BRENTWOOD AND CRESTVIEW AND ROSEDALE, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN AND ALLENDALE.
THERE'S NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT SEVEN WITH ISSUES OF CONCERN WHO, UM, HAVE REACHED OUT TO US, OR WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH LOOKING ON A NEIGHBORHOOD LIST SERVES CAUSE I, MY STAFF AND I ARE ON A NUMBER OF THEM BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF MY WORK.
SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN TOUCH WITH THE CONSTITUENTS.
IT MAY BE THAT THERE'S A COUPLE OF FOLKS WHO WE'VE MISSED ALONG THE WAY.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT DISTRICT SEVEN AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV.
AND LET US KNOW THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD YOU OR THAT WE HAVE SOMEHOW OVERLOOKED YOU BECAUSE I FEEL PRETTY BAD ABOUT THAT.
SO LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE MISSED YOUR VOICE.
THANK YOU, MS. POOL, THIS QUESTION, WE WILL ALLOW MS. POOL TO ANSWER FIRST.
AND THIS IS ON DISTRICT SEVEN SPECIFIC ISSUES.
THE BURNET ROAD CORRIDOR IS A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA OF AUSTIN.
CURRENTLY 1,394, APARTMENT UNITS ARE PROPOSED ALONG THE BURNET ROAD CORRIDOR.
MEANING MORE AREAS ARE BEING REZONED TO ALLOW FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THIS HAS PROMPTED NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS ABOUT COMPATIBILITY WITH ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THE INCREASED TRAFFIC VOLUME.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THESE CONCERNS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS? WELL, WE TRY TO WORK WITH EVERYONE FROM THE REPRESENTATIVES AS THE DEVELOPERS, TO THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE MOST DIRECTLY AFFECTED.
WE HAD A SPECIFIC CASE, UM, UH, UP ON BURNET AROUND THE 7,000 BLOCK A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND WORKED VERY WELL TO COME TO COMPROMISES, TO HAVE HEIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, FACING ONTO BURN.
IT WAS STEP DOWNS TOWARD THE BACK WHERE IT INTERSECTS WITH, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BEHIND, UH, BEHIND THE BLOCK WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT IS.
THERE ARE WAYS TO REACH ACCOMMODATION ON ALL SIDES, AS LONG AS ALL PARTIES ARE, ARE WILLING TO DO SO.
AND IN THIS CASE, THE NEIGHBORS WERE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR AND IT WAS A SPECIFIC CONCRETE LIST OF REQUESTS.
AND THE REPRESENTATIVE, THE AGENT FOR THE DEVELOPER WAS, UH, VERY ADROIT AT, AT BRINGING, UM, BRINGING AGREEMENT TO THE TABLE FROM THE SIDE OF THE DEVELOPER.
AND SO WE HAD, UM, WE HAD A NEW, FAIRLY LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEX APPROVED ON FIRST READING ON CONSENT.
AND WHEN WE INK, UH, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS, UM, IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, PROBABLY BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND I SEE THAT STOP SIGN, I'LL JUST FINISH MY SENTENCE.
UM, I HOPE AND EXPECT THAT WE WILL GO TO SECOND AND THIRD READINGS EQUALLY, UM, TOGETHER, UH, WITHOUT ANY, UH, DIVISION IT'S, IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO IT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO WANT TO DO IT.
AND SO MY TEAM AND I WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. POOLE, MS. WITT.
AND IF YOU EVER, IF EITHER OF YOU NEED ME TO REPEAT THE QUESTION, JUST LET ME KNOW.
CAN YOU REPEAT IT PLEASE, CAROL? YES, IT WAS THE BURNETT ROAD CORRIDOR IS A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA OF AUSTIN.
CURRENTLY 1,394 APARTMENT UNITS ARE PROPOSED ALONG THE BURNET ROAD CORRIDOR.
MEANING MORE AREAS ARE BEING REZONED TO ALLOW FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THIS HAS PROMPTED NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS ABOUT COMPATIBILITY WITH ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THE INCREASED TRAFFIC VOLUME.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THESE CONCERNS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS? WELL, UH, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS ARE WE PROMOTING INCLUSIONARY ZONING? UM, AND THE OTHER CONCERN IS IF WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TACKLE THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND REDUCE TRAFFIC, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING HOUSING AROUND OUR TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT BUILDING ALONG THAT CORRIDOR
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CORRIDOR, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, WHAT IS THE RESULT? WELL, WE HAVE TWO EXAMPLES OF IT AND IT'S CAR LOTS.AND WHILE THERE ARE FOUR DOOR SEDANS ON THOSE CAR, LOTS, NOBODY CAN LIVE THERE.
UM, THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVEN'T ADDRESSED OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE.
THEY HAVEN'T MADE, UM, HOUSING UNITS, UH, CLOSER TO PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT PEOPLE CAN USE SO THAT WE CAN BECOME LESS CAR RELIANT.
SO OF COURSE WE NEED HOUSING THERE AND I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND OUR DEVELOPERS, AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE DO IMPLEMENT IT, IT'S EQUITABLE AND IT'S SUSTAINABLE AND IT FITS INTO OUR COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF A BETTER AUSTIN.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAME IN UNDER, UNDER THE DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, ON URBAN INFILL PROJECTS.
AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THE ENTIRE CITY AND THIS QUESTION IS AS SUCCESSFUL AND WE WILL, I'M SORRY.
UH, MS. WHIT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOU.
THIS QUESTION IS A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPER OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS IN TEXAS.
CITIES TOLD US THAT NEIGHBORS, FEAR OF DENSITY AND TRAFFIC IS SOMETHING MANY DEVELOPERS FACE WHEN THEY PROPOSE THESE URBAN INFILL PROJECTS YET BUILDING OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE RESULTS IN SPRAWL STRAINS RESOURCES AND CONTRIBUTES TO OUR TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND THESE TYPES OF BUILDING PROJECTS? MS. WITT? YEAH.
I SEE A TWO PRIMARY WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
THE FIRST IS TO DEMYSTIFY SOME OF THE MYTHS THAT EXIST AROUND URBAN INFILL DEVELOPMENT, INFILL DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT MEAN REQUIRING THAT EVERYBODY BUILD A FOURPLEX ON THEIR PROPERTY.
WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND THAT'S PROTECTING INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO DO THAT, IT ALSO, UM, CAN ADDRESS OUR GENTRIFICATION ISSUES BY OPENING UP MORE HOUSING OPTIONS ON THE WEST SIDE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
WHAT DOES IT REALLY LOOK LIKE TO INFILL, UM, AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS, AND I'M SO SORRY.
I FORGOT THE SECOND HALF OF THE QUESTION.
UM, I HAD A SECOND PIECE ON IT.
UM, I KNOW I ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS, UH, BUT THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THOSE THINGS AND WE DON'T COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO DO IT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BECOME MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE, UM, ONGOING IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
MS. POOL, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND THESE TYPES OF BUILDING PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY? SURE.
I, I DON'T THINK THESE, UM, SITUATIONS ARE AT ALL UNUSUAL AND IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO MY SIX YEARS ON THE COUNCIL.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, DIFFERENT SMALL URBAN INFIELD TYPE PROJECTS OVER THE DECADES.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT KIND OF ORGANIC, UH, EVOLUTION IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE HOMES MAY AGE OUT.
SOME OF THEM AREN'T BUILT AS, AS STRONG AS OTHERS.
AND SO THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE REMOVED OR THEY'RE RENOVATED AND MAYBE A NEW STRUCTURE IS, IS PUT IN PLACE.
WE HAVE CERTAIN REGULATIONS, LAND USE CODES AND REGULATIONS THAT KIND OF WORK TO KEEP A CERTAIN SENSE OF COMMUNITY ON THE STREETS AND NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THIS, AS LONG AS EVERYBODY'S PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES AND, UH, WORKING TOGETHER, I THINK THESE KIND OF INFO PROJECTS THEY'RE GENTLY DONE.
CHUCK MARONE WITH STRONG TOWNS, TALKS A LOT ABOUT GENTLE DENSITY AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
UM, MOSTLY, UM, CERTAINLY IN DISTRICT SEVEN ON THE EAST SIDE, NOT SO MUCH, BUT GENTLE DENSITY IS THE WAY TO GO AND THAT REDUCES THE KIND OF RUBS AND THE RAW FEELINGS.
SO THAT I THINK THE QUESTION RIGHT, OR MIGHT'VE BEEN MAKING REFERENCE TO.
THANK YOU, MS. WITT ACTUALLY STARTED THE QUESTION.
SO MS. POOL, MS. POOL, UH, LET'S TALK TRASH.
LET'S STRUCTURE SEWER TRASH WATER.
UM, HAS THE ONE STREAM RECYCLING SYSTEM THE CITY HAS ADOPTED WORKED? WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF GARBAGE IN AUSTIN? YES, IT HAS.
AND ONE OF THE MOST DELIGHTFUL THINGS THAT I LEARNED ABOUT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES BACK IN ONE OF MY FIRST IN MY FIRST TERM WAS WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER OR A HOUSTON STOOD UP AND ADVOCATED FOR, UM, THE, UM, THE COMPOSTING, UM, THE KITCHEN WASTE PICKUP DOOR TO DOOR.
AND SO THE CITY WORKED A PILOT THAT WAS
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ON THE EAST SIDE AND SHE WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, MOST VOCAL ADVOCATE FOR EXPANDING OUR SINGLE STREAM.AND THEN THE, THE DIFFERENT BINS, THE BLUE, THE BROWN AND THE GREEN, UM, THAT I HAD I HAD SEEN.
AND IT WAS JUST DELIGHTFUL TO WORK WITH HER ON, ON THOSE ISSUES.
AND I WORKED VERY HARD TO TRANSFER THE COMMUNITY LANDFILL TO GET THAT OUT.
UM, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AUTHORITY AND INTO TRAVIS COUNTY INTO THE ETJ TO RELEASE OF, INTO THE TJ, BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT TRAVIS COUNTY CAN BRING TO THAT LANDFILL OVER BY THE BAR MANSION AND SPRINKLE CUTOFF ROAD, UM, THEY THEY'RE IN A BETTER POSITION TO DO BETTER OVERSIGHT OF THAT LANDFILL.
AND WE DID ACCOMPLISH THAT LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS IN THAT PART OF TOWN, WHICH IS A NEWLY RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THERE'S MORE BEING BUILT OUT THERE.
THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT LAND CLOSE.
SO THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WHIP.
YEAH, BUT IT'S A GREAT START, BUT IT COULD DEFINITELY USE SOME REFINEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU HAVING AS A RENTER, HAVING LIVED IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES ALL OVER THE CITY, THERE IS DEFINITELY IN A UNEQUAL ENFORCEMENT OF RE GENERAL RESOURCE RECOVERY FOR HOME OWNERS VERSUS RENTERS.
UM, I HAVE TRADITIONAL DUMPSTERS FOR MY TRASH AND I HAVE ONE SINGLE USE RECYCLING BIN FOR, UH, PROBABLY FIVE BUILDINGS IN MY COMPLEX.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY ACCESS TO COMPOSTING.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S A COMMON ISSUE THAT A LOT OF US ARE FACING.
SO I THINK IF WE REALLY WANT TO COMMIT TO BEING MORE SUSTAINABLE, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RECOVERING THESE RESOURCES AND LIMITING OUR WASTE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S, UM, APPROPRIATELY AND EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED AND ENFORCED ALL OVER THE CITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
CHERYL, IF I COULD, SINCE IT'S A CONVERSATION, I MIGHT JUST SWAP HER, UM, SOME INFORMATION FROM THIS WHIP THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO QUESTION SIX.
MORGAN TALKED TO ME AFTERWARDS AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, WE'RE GOING TO START MS. WITT.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH YOU.
AND THIS IS WE'RE STILL ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, FROM SEWERS DRAINS, PIPES AND FAUCETS TO ROADS AND SIDEWALKS.
WHAT ARE THE MOST TIME CRITICAL CITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN? AND HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO ADDRESS THOSE PROJECTS? YES.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE PUBLIC AND, UH, TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH INCLUDES, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, NORTHERN AND NORTHEASTERN PARTS OF THE DISTRICT NEED TO, WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NOT DELAY, BUT THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE INCLUDE A CRITICAL MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE BIKE LANES, UH, TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MILES OF SIDEWALKS, NOT YET DEVELOPED IN THE CITY AND SPECIFICALLY IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND WE NEED TO, UM, RE FULLY REALIZE AND IMPLEMENT THOSE PLANS SO THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS WITHOUT HAVING TO USE A CAR.
AND WE CAN REALLY COMMIT TO REDUCING OUR RELIANCE ON BOTH CARS AND FOSSIL FUELS.
WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST JUMP IN AND SAY, AS FAR AS THE APARTMENTS AND THE PICKUP, THE, UM, RECYCLING AND SO FORTH, UM, THEY'RE NOT COVERED UNDER CITY ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION HAS ASKED THAT THEY NOT BE, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THEM AND MAYBE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE VARIOUS APARTMENT BUILDINGS WOULD BE WILLING TO COME UNDER THE CITY OF AUSTIN RULES, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE THE PRIVATE ALL ENDS.
THEY'RE NOT ON THE CITY SCHEDULES.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S THE WAY THAT IS.
UM, AS FAR AS, UM, ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, WE'VE BEEN, UM, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET SIDEWALKS TO THE PARTS OF TOWN THAT USED TO BE IN THE COUNTY AND THEN WERE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY.
AND SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AND THE, THOSE, UH, COMMUNITY ASSETS, AREN'T AT THE, AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY ARE WITH SOME OF THE MORE INTERNAL NOW INTERIORS INSIDE THE LOOP CITY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THE SIDEWALKS ARE ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS A BIG EFFORT.
UM, THE PROP B WILL HELP WITH THAT.
IT'S ON THE BALLOT ON NOVEMBER THREE.
UM, PROBABLY THIS WAS THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION COMING IN OUR INBOX FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
AND THIS IS ON, UH, CHANGES TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOU, MS. POOL, MANY QUESTIONS CAME INTO US THIS YEAR ON THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY COUNCIL CONCERNING THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
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REGARDING PROTESTS OVER SYSTEMIC RACIAL INJUSTICES IN POLICING AND REGARDING THE PUBLIC'S CONCERN FOR THEIR OVERALL SAFETY ON THE STREETS OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? AND IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS A, IS A REALLY SAFE CITY.I'VE BEEN TO MY SHARE OF RALLIES AND PROTESTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS, AND DONE A LOT OF WALKS.
AND I NEVER FEARED FOR MY LIFE.
I NEVER WORRIED THAT MY DAUGHTER, WHEN SHE, UM, WOULD DO THE SAME WHEN SHE WAS HERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, UM, IN AUSTIN, I NEVER WORRIED THAT I WOULD GET CALLED THAT SHE HAD BEEN INJURED FOR, UM, PARTICIPATING IN A PEACEFUL PROTEST.
AND SO I WAS, UM, STUNNED AND HEARTBROKEN TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE END OF MAY THIS YEAR, UM, THAT WASN'T ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS NOT BEING SAFE.
THAT WAS ABOUT AN OVERLY MILITARISTIC APPROACH FROM THE POLICE.
AND SOME, SOME AGGRESSION FROM FOLKS IN THE, ON THE STREET AS WELL, WHO SAW THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY MAYBE TO DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE NECESSARILY FROM AUSTIN.
UM, MY CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN BLACK LIVES MATTER ISSUES AND, AND CRIMINAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, UM, WERE VERY CLEAR THAT THOSE FOLKS WERE NOT PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND, UM, WELL, OK.
IT IS HARD TO ANSWER IN ONE MINUTE.
UM, MS. WITT ANSWER THE PART SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PROTESTS BY SAYING THAT I AM ONE OF THOSE PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, UH, WHO'S BEEN TEARGASSED SPIT ON AND OTHERWISE BRUTALIZED BY POLICE.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT EVERY AUSTINITE AND AMERICAN HAS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS OUR RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE AND PROTEST TO REDRESS GRIEVANCES WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
UM, SO JUST AS WE PROTECT THINGS LIKE THE SECOND AMENDMENT, WE ALSO NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT OUR RIGHT TO PEACEFUL PROTEST.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, WE NEED TO BE ASKING OURSELVES WHAT MAKES PEOPLE SAFE IN A COMMUNITY.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND PROVEN THAT INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT KEEP PEOPLE FROM BEING IN DESPERATE SITUATIONS IS WHAT KEEPS CRIME LOW.
BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, ALTHOUGH WE HEAR ABOUT CRIME ALL THE TIME, AUSTIN HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST CRIME RATES OF ANY METRO AREA IN THE U S SO WE NEED TO ALL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW SAFE IS AUSTIN, UM, AND WHEN IT ISN'T SAFE OR WHAT CAN WE DO IN A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE WAY, UM, TO IMPROVE THAT.
AND MS. WHITT, WE WILL START WITH YOU.
AND THIS IS ON TRANSPORTATION ON PROP A, HAS SOME RESIDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT CONCERNED AS THE CITY PROPOSES AN INCREASE IN THE OVERALL TAX RATE, FURTHERMORE, WITHIN DISTRICT SEVEN, A NEW RAPID BUS LINE, AS WELL AS AN EXTENSION OF THE RAIL LINE CROSSING THROUGH THE DISTRICT WOULD MEAN MORE CONSTRUCTION IN THIS ALREADY RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA, EVEN THESE CONCERNS, HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THESE CITIZENS? YEAH, I'LL START BY SAYING THAT THE TAX RATE IS A LOT LOWER THAN IS BEING PURPORTED IN A LOT OF AREAS.
IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, 4%, NOT 25%, WE SHOULD BE ASKING, WHY DID WE NOT DO THIS DEVELOPMENT FIVE, 10, 20 YEARS AGO WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHEAPER TO DO? AND HOW DO WE MAKE HOUSING MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE? MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE MORE PROPERTY TAX PAYERS TO MORE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED THAT BURDEN.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND CONGESTION DURING THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THERE ARE DISPLACEMENT OF FUNDS AND INVESTMENT INCLUDED IN PROP EIGHT THAT, UM, IT'S KIND OF, UH, ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE U S UM, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT IF WE WANT TRANSPORTATION TO BE EASY, AFFORDABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE, WE HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET AND DO THIS BECAUSE THE
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. POOL YOU'RE MUTED.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION FOR ME? YES.
PROPOSITION A, HAS SOME RESIDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT CONCERNED AS THE CITY PROPOSES AN INCREASE IN THE OVERALL TAX RATES? FURTHERMORE, WITHIN DISTRICT SEVEN, A NEW RAPID BUS LINE, AS WELL AS AN EXTENSION OF THE RAIL LINE CROSSING THROUGH THE DISTRICT WOULD MEAN MORE CONSTRUCTION IN THIS ALREADY RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA, GIVEN THESE CONCERNS, HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE CITIZENS?
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SO TWO THINGS, CAUSE THIS HAS BEEN CONFUSING FOR FOLKS.THE TEXT RATE INCREASES BY ABOUT 24%, BUT THE ACTUAL, UM, PROPERTY CHECKS PAYMENT IS ABOUT 4%.
SO ONCE THE RATE THAT IS THEN CHARGED AGAINST THE VALUATION OF THE HOME, AND THEN THAT'S THE AMOUNT THAT IS PAID AND THAT'S LARGELY IN THE UNIVERSE OF THE PROPERTY TAX BILL IS ABOUT 4% OR PEOPLE CAN GO AND LOOK AT THEIR, AT THEIR TAXES ON TRAVIS CAT AND SEE WHAT THEY PAID LAST YEAR.
AND THEN WE'LL CAN SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TAXING ENTITIES OR THAT FIVE.
I'LL JUST SAY THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S SHARE OF THAT IS ABOUT 22%, WHICH IS WHY IT'S JUST THE 4% OVERALL INCREASE.
AND THAT HAS BEEN CONFUSING FOR FOLKS.
AND SO I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME ON THAT AS FAR AS MORE CONSTRUCTION.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, THE, UH, THE TIMEFRAME FOR, I FINISHED MY SENTENCE, CAROL.
THE TIMEFRAME FOR PROJECT CONNECT TO LAY DOWN THAT SYSTEM PLAN IS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS AND IT WOULD BE PHASED IN, IT WOULD NOT ALL HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, HOPEFULLY IT WOULD BE AT A PACE THAT COULD BE ACCOMMODATED BECAUSE I DO THINK IT BRINGS SOME ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND COMMUNITY ASSETS TO THIS CENTRAL NORTH PART OF THE STUDENT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE WILL BEGIN THIS NEXT QUESTION.
THIS IS THE SECOND MOST POPULAR TOPIC FROM MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND MANY, MANY OF THE IN BOX THAT WE IN, IN OUR MAILBOX IN JULY CITY OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED MORE THAN 60 MILLION IN FUNDING DEDICATED TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET OF THAT AMOUNT.
20.5 MILLION WILL GO TO PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS, 31.9 MILLION TO CRISIS MITIGATION AND 8.6 MILLION TO PROVIDE ONGOING ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND HOUSING.
HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT THESE EXPENDITURES ARE USED EFFECTIVELY? HMM.
WELL, THOSE ARE THE PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS AND THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF THE CITY MANAGER AND OUR NEW DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WHO IS OVERSEEING ALL THE WORK ON HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.
UM, FINDING, FINDING HOMES FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE HOMES, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AROUND SERVICES, PRODUCT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE HOMES WHO HAVE A HARD TIME, EITHER WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, EVEN KEEPING A JOB AND FEEDING THEMSELVES.
FOR ME, IT'S A MORAL ISSUE, TAKING CARE CARE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED.
AND SO IT'S A BIG EXPENDITURE AND IT'S, IT'S A LARGE CONCERN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE GOOD PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE WORKING ON THE ISSUE WITH OF CITY STAFF WITH A LOT OF EXPERTISE.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY DIP INTO THE EXPERTISE FROM, UM, FOLKS IN OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WITT.
I HAVE, UH, FOUR POINTS TO RESPOND TO THIS WITH ONE, WE NEED A REALLY STRONG, CENTRALIZED, UM, DIRECTOR ROLE.
THAT'S GOING TO BE COORDINATING, UM, UH, RESOURCES AND OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CENTRALIZED AND RUNNING EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
UM, SO WE CAN PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE USING DATA TO IDENTIFY WHAT STRATEGIES WORK AND ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SO THAT WE CAN MATCH PEOPLE WITH THE SPECIFIC RESOURCES THEY NEED.
GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY'RE IN.
THE THIRD THING WE NEED TO DO IS ACTUALLY USE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THE CITY'S BOUGHT UP, UM, HOTELS AND OTHER ASSETS FOR HOUSING, THE HOMELESS, BUT THEY'RE CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR COVID QUARANTINE.
SO HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY TRANSITION THAT OVER TO OFFER BEDS, UM, AND COORDINATE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THERE.
AND THEN THE FOURTH THING IS THAT WE NEED TO BE LIKE MORE HOLISTICALLY PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM BECOMING HOMELESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IF WE HAD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IF TRANSPORTATION DIDN'T ON AVERAGE COST, 20% OF YOUR ANNUAL INCOME, THEN PEOPLE WOULDN'T BE SO VULNERABLE TO ONE TRAUMATIC EVENT THAT, UH, SENT THEM INTO HOMELESSNESS TO BEGIN WITH.
AND MS. WITT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOU ON THIS QUESTION ON A LITTLE BIT ON AFFORDABILITY, BUT MORE ON THE AUSTIN CODE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM TIME VALUE OF MONEY, ACCORDING TO SEVERAL DEVELOPERS, CURRENTLY BUILDING PROJECTS IN OUR CITY, THE LENGTH OF TIME, AND THE DIFFICULTY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PERMITTING PROCESS IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE INCREASED
[00:35:01]
RENT AND RISING HOME PRICES.THE TIME IT TAKES TO BUILD IN THE CITY OF ALL IS TWICE WHAT DEVELOPERS EXPERIENCE IN OTHER CITIES.
DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THIS? PLEASE EXPLAIN.
YEAH, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH IT.
UM, AS A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY AND ALSO AS AN EXPERIENCED PROJECT AND PROGRAM MANAGER, THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A STREAMLINED, ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, AND EFFICIENT PROCESS FOR THIS, UH, IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO ME.
I'VE TALKED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY WHO ARE FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS VERY TIME CONSUMING.
AND AT THE END OF IT, THEY MAY NOT EVEN GET A YES ANSWER.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM TO, UH, EASE THOSE BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING AND MAKE IT EASIER, MORE AFFORDABLE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO DEVELOP WHAT THEY WANT TO DEVELOP.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT DOING SO WILL ALSO MAKE, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CHEAPER BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUCH A COST PROHIBITIVE PERMITTING PROCESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. POOL YOU'RE MUTED STILL.
I THINK SOMEBODY IS TURNING OFF THE, IF IT COULD, I THINK WE WERE GONNA DO HER ON MUTE AND STUFF'S HERE.
THEY HAVEN'T NOTICED THAT IT'S TURNED OFF.
SO WITH REGARD TO PERMITTING, I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF AUDIT AND FINANCE, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY AUDITOR TO CRAFT THE AUDIT PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
MY STAFF AND I HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AREAS THAT NEED INTENSIVE REVIEW, INCLUDING THE CITY'S AMANDA PERMIT RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM.
IT'S USED BY OVER 11 DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.
AND IT'S OUTDATED, IT'S INEFFICIENT AND BURDENSOME.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY DISAGREES WITH THAT.
IT DOES OFTEN CAUSE UNDUE DELAYS AND CONFUSION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
SO WE NEED TO IMPROVE OR REPLACE THE SYSTEM.
UM, IT MAY BE INVISIBLE TO MANY IN THE PUBLIC, BUT THESE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO USING A TIME AND COST BURDEN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND PERMITTING, WE DID INITIATE WHAT I CALL A PAY TO PLAY ROUTE TO PERMITTING APPROVAL WHERE SOME OF THE BIG DEVELOPERS COULD, UH, WITH LARGER, UM, UH, PROJECTS COULD, UH, GET TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE, UM, WITH, UH, BY PAYING A FEE.
BUT ALL THAT DID WAS SLOW DOWN.
EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS BEHIND THEM.
IT WASN'T REALLY FAIR TO PEOPLE WHO HAD SMALLER PROJECTS.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT APPROACH WAS REALLY NECESSARILY THE BEST.
THIS IS OUR, UH, PROBABLY OUR LAST QUESTION.
AND WE'D LIKE TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE, AND THIS IS, UH, OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR ALL FACETS OF OUR GOVERNMENT FROM CITIES AND SCHOOLS AND STATES.
AND WE WILL BEGIN THIS QUESTION, THIS ASK OF YOU MS. POOL, AUSTIN HAS A SIGNIFICANT YOUNG ADULT AND STUDENT POPULATION LIVING AND ATTENDING UNIVERSITIES HERE.
WHAT LOCAL POLICIES WOULD YOU PROMOTE THAT SENDS A MESSAGE OF HOPE TO THIS DEMOGRAPHIC? WELL, IT'S A HARD TIMES RIGHT NOW TO FIND HOPE.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE DEPTH OF THE EMOTION THAT'S IN THAT QUESTION.
AND I THINK, UM, THAT WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE HERE IN AUSTIN, IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE SYSTEMS AND POLICIES AND PHILOSOPHIES OF TOLERANCE AND WELCOMING AND A BELIEF THAT WHEN WE ALL PULL TOGETHER IN COMMON, PROGRESSIVE FORWARD MOTION, THAT WE WILL MAKE GOOD CHANGE, UM, AND MAKE GOOD CHANGE FOR THE GENERATIONS AHEAD OF US BUILDING ON THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
I THINK IF WE CAN KEEP CLEAR EYES ON WHAT OUR VALUES ARE THAT WE WILL FIND THE HOPE AND BE WRAPPED IN THAT FEELING OF POSITIVITY, THAT REALLY IS GONNA BE NECESSARY TO GET US FROM TODAY INTO NEXT YEAR.
UM, I, I DO APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND ALL THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WITT.
UM, AS A YOUNGER PERSON, I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND, UM,
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THAT GETTING INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AT A LEADERSHIP LEVEL, UM, WHEN YOU ARE YOUNGER, CAN BE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THERE IS SORT OF THIS, UM, SORT OF PRACTICE IN PLACE THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE THE THING THAT MUST MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT SKILLED OR QUALIFIED ENOUGH TO DO IT.AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
SOMETHING THAT I WOULD REALLY FOCUS ON IS DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, NOT JUST HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT COLLEGES IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO SET UP A PIPELINE, HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CONNECTED TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP, UM, WHERE THE FUTURE OF THE CITY, WE SHOULD BE A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE RIGHT NOW ARE GOING TO AFFECT US AND OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SO I WANT CLOSE PARTNERSHIP AND I WANT YOU INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE DECISION MAKING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING.
YOU WILL NOW HAVE, UH, TWO MINUTES FOR YOUR CLOSING AND MS. WITT, WE STARTED THE OPENING WITH YOU.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO START THE CLOSING, UH, ALLOW MS. POOL TO HAVE THE FIRST TWO MINUTES.
WELL, THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY, UM, FOR LISTENING IN TONIGHT AND FOR CARING SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT GOES ON, ON, ON, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WE FACE UNPRECEDENTED ISSUES, THEY'RE LARGE AND COMPLEX AND IMMEDIATE FROM REWRITING THE SOUS LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO PASSING AND IMPLEMENTING HISTORIC BALLOT MEASURES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND CIVIL PROTEST, ALL IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT REALLY CONCERNS PEOPLE AND GIVES THEM, MAKES THEM QUESTION, WHERE IS THE HOPE WE FACE SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION AND UNREST, AND THAT'S JUST FROM THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
AND THE LEARNING CURVE IS VERTICAL.
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO LEAN ON A PROVEN RECORD, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.
KNOWING WHAT I DO ABOUT THE RESILIENCE OF THIS COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITIZENS, YOUNG AND OLD, AND EVEN KNOWING THE COMING DAYS WILL BE HARD AND CONTINUE TO, TO AMANDA RESERVES OF STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH.
I HAVE DONE THE WORK OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS AND DONE IT.
WELL, MY RECORD OF LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS THE EVIDENCE I'VE OFFERED WHAT I'VE DONE AND WHAT I WILL DO.
I'M READY, WILLING, AND FULLY CAPABLE TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT DISTRICT SEVEN FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO CONTINUE MY WORK ON THE BIG ISSUES TO KEEP INVOLVING EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO STAY THE COURSE AS A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ISSUES THAT MATTER TO ALL OF US.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE TONIGHT WITH A CALL TO ACTION, TO STAY SAFE, STAY ENGAGED, BE SURE YOU'RE REGISTERED.
AND BY ALL MEANS, BE SURE TO VOTE.
THAT IS WHERE THE HOPE IS EARLY.
VOTING STARTS OCTOBER 13 AND ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER THREE.
SO I'LL SEE YOU ALL AT THE POLLS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WITT, YOUR CLOSING TWO MINUTES PLEASE.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT, UM, COVID-19 HAS NO DOUBT BEEN DEVASTATING FOR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY OUR, UH, HISPANIC AND BLACK COMMUNITIES AND EVEN OUR MUSIC INDUSTRY, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE.
THE PROBLEMS WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW WERE NOT CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS, YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF, WHY ARE WE STILL THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITY? WHY IS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AS OUR BLACK POPULATION SHRINKING? WHY ARE WE THE LEAST LIVABLE CITY FOR MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS? AND WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AN OUTDATED LAND USE CODE THAT IS INEQUITABLE AND SEGREGATIONIST AND WAS UPDATED BEFORE I WAS BORN.
THIS CITY IS GOING IN A DIRECTION THAT IS GOING TO LEAVE A LOT OF US BEHIND AND THE INCREMENTAL CHANGE, THE FEET DRAGGING THE WORKING HARD TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO HAS NOT BEEN, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE ARE FACING MUCH STRONGER STRUGGLES THAN I AM.
AND I KNOW THAT WHAT WE NEED IS REAL PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP.
AND LIKE I SAID, ANYBODY CAN CALL THEMSELVES A PROGRESSIVE, BUT YOU HAVE TO REALLY BE COMMITTED TO CHANGING THINGS AT A SYSTEMIC LEVEL, ADDRESSING THESE PROBLEMS, UH, IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY AND MOVING THE NEEDLE SO THAT THIS IS A MORE EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE AND AFFORDABLE
[00:45:01]
CITY FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THOSE WITH THE LOUDEST VOICE.SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRACK RECORD AND WE TALK ABOUT EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THAT EXPERIENCE.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT EVERYBODY IS NOW SAFER AND, UH, HAS EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN THIS CITY? AND THE ANSWER IS NO.
I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF COMMUNITY, UH, ADVOCACY OF EMPOWERING PEOPLE THROUGH EDUCATION AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND USING DATA TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.
SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE BOLD CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN AUSTIN THIS NOVEMBER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH CANDIDATE WHIT AND COUNCILMEMBER POOL.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SINCERITY IN ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS THIS EVENING AND TO ALL OF YOU LISTENING.
MONDAY, OCTOBER THE FIFTH WAS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING 2020 ELECTIONS TO CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS, YOU MAY GO TO VOTE TRAVIS.COM.
THAT IS V O T E T R A V I S.COM.
YOU CAN ALSO PRINT OFF A SAMPLE COPY OF YOUR ACTUAL BALLOT FROM THIS SITE.
I HAVE MINE ALREADY PRINTED, AND YOU CAN TAKE PAPER INTO THE BALLOT WITH YOU IN TEXAS.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 13TH AND ENDS OCTOBER 30TH, OCTOBER 23RD IS THE DEADLINE TO APPLY TO VOTE BY MAIL.
IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE, NOVEMBER 3RD IS OUR ELECTION DAY.
OUR NONPARTISAN VOTERS GUIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
THE PAPER COPIES OF OUR GUIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE AROUND TOWN AND INSERTED INTO THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE.
THE WEEK BEFORE EARLY VOTING BEGINS MORE VOTING INFORMATION AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO HANDLE DROPPING OFF YOUR MAIL IN BALLOT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR LEAGUE SITE AT EL WV, AUSTIN.ORG, YOUR PERSONAL BALLOT, AND ALL CANDIDATE INFORMATION, QUESTIONS, AND ANSWERS THAT THEY PUT FORTH CAN BE VIEWED AT VOTE FOR ONE, ONE.ORG.
IT IS NOW LIVE AND POPULATED VOTE FOR ONE, ONE.ORG WAS LAUNCHED BY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS EDUCATION FUND IN 2000.
AND IT'S A ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL ELECTION RELATED INFORMATION.
NOW MORE THAN EVER, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ON ISSUES THAT WILL AFFECT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO FIND A POLLING PLACE AND GO VOTE, CAST YOUR VOTE, BUT DO NOT STOP THERE.
KEEP TRACK OF THOSE ELECTED TO SERVE BY COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR OFFICES AND HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.