[00:00:01]
I'M JENNIFER VERDIN AND UNEXPECTED.
I DID CITY OF RUNNING FOR THE DISTRICT 10 SEAT ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND I GREW UP IN NORTHWEST HILLS.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF WHAT IS NOW DISTRICT 10.
I ATTENDED DOSS ELEMENTARY MARCUS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I'M A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
I'VE BEEN A REAL ESTATE BROKER FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AND TO REMODELING GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, MY DECISION TO RUN FOR COUNCIL WAS INFLUENCED BY FACTORS.
I WANTED TO SEE IN A CANDIDATE, SOMEONE WITH SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS EXPERIENCE WHO WILL MAKE SOUND DECISIONS AND SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT SPENT THEIR ADULT LIFE TRYING TO CURRY FAVOR FOR A FUTURE POLITICAL CAREER.
THE FINAL STRAWS FOR ME WERE THE LIFTING OF THE PUBLIC CAMPING BAN AND DEFUNDING THE POLICE NO LESS IMPORTANT IS HOW CRITICAL TO AFFORDABILITY IT IS FOR US TO DEFEAT PROPOSITION A ON THIS BALLOT.
THE FOURTH ISSUE OF CONCERN IS THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE THAT IS ON OUR HORIZON, NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN HAS OUR CITY COUNCIL DONE ANYTHING AS DAMAGING TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AS THIS CURRENT COUNCIL HAS DONE BY LIFTING THE PUBLIC CAMPING BAN PRACTICALLY OVERNIGHT, OUR HOUSE TOWN HAS BECOME WHAT RESEMBLES A DEVELOPING COUNTRY WHERE LITTERED STREETS AND SHANTIES ARE A COMMON SITE.
OUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS CANNOT DENY THE RECKLESSNESS OF THEIR ACTIONS YET.
THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THEN CORRECT THEIR MISTAKES.
IT IS DISGUSTING WHAT THEY CAUSED TO HAPPEN TO OUR ONES, BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN WORLD-CLASS CITY.
WE PAY AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF TAXES TO LIVE IN WHAT HAS BEEN A BEAUTIFUL AND CLEAN CITY AS IF THIS PANDEMIC ISN'T ENOUGH.
OUR HOMELESS POPULATION CRISIS IS ALSO NEGATIVELY AFFECTING OUR ECONOMY WHEN I'M ELECTED MY STAFF AND I WILL IMMEDIATELY GET TO WORK PROPOSING AND ENACTING POLICY TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS.
WE CURRENTLY BUDGET 62 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS ADEQUATE.
IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE LIKE ME ON THE COUNCIL TO GET IT DONE.
ANOTHER EGREGIOUS MISCARRIAGE OF OUR TRUST AND BREACH OF THEIR DUTY TO KEEP WATCH OVER OUR SAFETY IS OUR CITY.
COUNCIL'S UNANIMOUS VOTE TO DEFUND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, ADEQUATELY FUNDING CORE MUNICIPAL SERVICES, WHICH ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE THE COUNCILS IT'S ABILITIES.
WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE THEY THINKING? WHEN THEY PULLED THE PLUG ON THE PUBLIC CAMPING BAN THING, THE POLICE ARE FIRST RESPONDERS PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO ME THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL WITH SUCKER PUNCHED THESE HONORABLE MEN AND WOMEN FINANCIALLY AND MORALLY WITHOUT MATURE AND PROPER DELIBERATION, WE CANNOT OPERATE OUR CITY IN THIS IRRESPONSIBLE MANNER.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE AT HAND IS OUR EMINENT REWRITE OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
WE HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ MY DETAILED POSITION PAPER POSTED ON MY WEBSITE REGARDING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
MY WEBSITE IS JENNIFER FOR AUSTIN.COM.
GOOFY, RELATIVELY BENIGN CITY COUNCIL OF THE 1970S AND EIGHTIES.
THEY'RE SERIOUSLY GOING AFTER OUR BASIC PROPERTY RIGHTS AND PROPOSING UNPRECEDENTED TAX INCREASES.
WHEN I SAY UNPRECEDENTED TAX INCREASES, I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE DEFEAT PROPOSITION A ON THIS BALLOT.
PROP A IS THAT FANCY PROJECT CONNECT COMMERCIAL THAT WE'RE ALL SEEING ON TV MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY PAID FOR WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS PROJECT CONNECT IS A $7.1 BILLION THAT'S BILLION, NOT MILLION ANTIQUATED FIXED RAIL PROJECT THAT WILL INCREASE OUR CITY PROPERTY TAXES BY AN UNCONSCIONABLE 25% STARTING THIS YEAR AND BE COLLECTED FOR 10 YEARS BEFORE THAT RAIL EVEN MOVES ITS FIRST PASSENGER, PLEASE GO TO MOBILITY, AUSTIN.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY PROJECT CONNECT IS WRONG FOR AUSTIN.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY IRONIC TO ME.
HOW COUNCIL PREACHES ABOUT LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN YET THEY'RE PUSHING AN UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE IN CITY PROPERTY TAXES.
I DON'T LIKE THE DIRECTION OUR CITY IS HEADING.
I PROMISE TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH ALL OF MY DISTRICT, 10 NEIGHBORS, TO BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR CONCERNS AND TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO YOU ALL.
PLEASE HELP ME MOBILIZE ALL OF OUR LIKE-MINDED FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS TO GET TO THE POLLS BY NOVEMBER 3RD AND AGAIN ON DECEMBER 15TH FOR THE RUNOFF VOTING AGAIN.
AND THE RUNOFF IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO OUR WINNING.