* 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. [David Chincanchan] [00:00:02] HI, ALL MY NAME IS DAVID AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE RUNNING, TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE I WAS RAISED IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN. I GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED DOVE SPRINGS AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN IS A COMMUNITY THAT I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN AND LOVED. AND IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT DESPITE BEING SO UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED HAS REMAINED VIBRANT AND RESILIENT AND HAS GIVEN ME AN OTHER SO MUCH THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS AND BILINGUAL EDUCATORS, LIBRARY AND REC CENTER STAFF, COMMUNITY LEADERS THROUGHOUT. I WAS ABLE TO REALIZE MY DREAM OF ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND BECOMING THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE. AND SINCE MY TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY, I WORKED TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES WHO ARE STILL FACING MANY OF THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND WHO FACE EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGES THAT HAVE ARISEN AS OUR CITY HAS CONTINUED TO GROW. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR MY LABOR UNION. APP'S ME 1624 AS A CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN TEJANO DEMOCRATS, UH, AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY. AND FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, I WORKED AS A SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR AND CHIEF OF STAFF. I'M AUSTIN CITY HALL, WORKING TO MOVE FORWARD, PROGRESSIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES, UM, AT THE CITY COUNCIL MORE RECENTLY DURING THE DEMEC I SERVED AS A COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR TRAVIS COUNTY WORKING TO PROVIDE FOOD PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND OTHER VITAL RESOURCES TO THE FAMILIES IN SOUTH AUSTIN THAT ARE BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED DEPENDENT BY THE PANDEMIC. AND THE REASON THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN AND IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE FACED DECADES AND DECADES OF INSTITUTIONAL NEGLECT, WHICH HAVE LEFT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS VULNERABLE WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS LIKE HOUSING INSTABILITY, FOOD INSECURITY, LACK OF ACCESS TO QUALITY, HEALTHCARE CHILDCARE, EDUCATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. MANY OF OUR FRIENDS, FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS, UM, ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AS MINE, ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO ARE OUT THERE RISKING THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR LIVES PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT NOT BEING GIVEN THE ESSENTIAL PROTECTIONS THAT THEY NEED OR DESERVE. THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO RISK THEIR LIVES WITHOUT BEING GIVEN A WHOLE LOT OF CHOICE, UM, OR COMPENSATION OR PROTECTIONS. AND SO I'M RUNNING TO DO ALL THAT I CAN TO HELP BETTER THE LIVES OF WORKING FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M RUNNING TO MAKE SURE THAT SOUTHEAST AUSTIN HAS OWN VOICE. WHEN DECISIONS ABOUT HEALTH OR SAFETY OR QUALITY OF LIFE ARE BEING MADE AT CITY HALL AND I'M RUNNING TO HELP BUILD AN AUSTIN FOR ALL WHERE EVERY SINGLE PERSON, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE COME FROM, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS AND ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL. AND FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE, WE HAVE EARNED THE ENDORSEMENT OF SO MANY LABOR AND DEMOCRATIC LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE SUPPORT, THE WORKERS, DEFENSE ACTION FUND OF APPS, ME AND THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES ORGANIZATIONS LIKE EDUCATION, AUSTIN, LIKE YUNA UNITE HERE IPW AND SO MANY MORE. AND WE EARNED THE SUPPORT OF EVERY DEMOCRATIC CLUB THAT HAS ENDORSED LOCALLY, INCLUDING THE SOUTH AUSTIN DEMOCRATS, THE AUSTIN TEJANO DEMOCRATS, THE BLACK AUSTIN DEMOCRATS, THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS, UH, AND SO MANY OTHER GROUPS. WE'VE ALSO EARNED THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. AND, UH, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. UM, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS INVESTING IN, IN OUR CAMPAIGN. AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, IF YOU SHARE THIS VISION, UH, I HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR BOAT. UH, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS DAVID DOT COM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [Casey Ramos] WELL, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE AND VOICING MY OPINION AND GIVING MY CONCERNS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE AS A COMMUNITY TO STAY PUT, TO STAY IN TECH AND TO LIVE OUR LIVES. AS WE SEE FIT, THIS IS A CRUCIAL TIME IN OUR CITY OF AUSTIN. THERE ARE MANY DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE ON OUR BEHALF THAT MANY IN OUR DISTRICT DON'T AGREE WITH. FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM THE POLICE VOTING FOR A $9 BILLION RAIL, TRYING TO REWRITE OUR LAND CODES THAT ARE OUT OF OUR FAVOR. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT AND THINGS THAT I WILL FIGHT FOR FOR US AT, AT THE TOP LEVEL. AND I'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE GENERATIONS. MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A LIBRARIAN AT SOUTHEAST BRANCH LIBRARIES FOR OVER 25 [00:05:01] YEARS. MY MOTHER THERESA RAMOS WAS A COMMUNITY PARENT COMMUNITY LIAISON AT SMITH ELEMENTARY AND DEL VALLEY ISD FOR OVER 25 YEARS. AND THEY'VE HANDED THAT TORCH ON TO ME TO BE SOMEBODY WHO'S A PART OF THE COMMUNITY, WHO IS THE COMMUNITY WHO WON'T GO AGAINST THE COMMUNITY IN FAVOR OF SPECIAL INTERESTS. EVEN THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, AS AN ELITE PROFESSIONAL BOXER, FIGHTING ON NATIONAL TELEVISION TRAINING ALL OVER THE WORLD AND GETTING MY EDUCATION AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY. I NEVER FORGOT WHERE I CAME FROM AND I NEVER FORGOT WHERE I WAS, WHERE I PLAN TO LIVE IN THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S RIGHT HERE IN DISTRICT TWO IN THE DEL VALLEY DOES SPRINGS AND DID MAR AREAS. THIS IS WHAT I CALL HOME. THIS IS WHERE I PLAN TO RAISE MY FAMILY. THIS IS WHERE I PLAN TO BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT'S CONNECTED. THAT'S VIBRANT, THAT'S DIVERSE. THAT IS FOR ALL INCOMES AND ALL WALKS OF LIFE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOTE FOR ME, YOU CAN FIND ME YET. CASEY RAMOS, THE NUMBER FOUR, THE LETTER B THE NUMBER TWO.COM. AND YOU CAN FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE WE STAND AS A COMMUNITY AND WHERE WE STAND AS THE CAMPAIGN AND HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. HI, [Vanessa Fuentes] I'M VANESSA FUENTES AND I'M RUNNING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT. I'M A PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCATE, AND I'VE SPENT MY CAREER FIGHTING FOR EQUITY IN EVERY BOARDROOM ORGANIZATION AND WORKPLACE THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF. I'VE WORKED ON POLICY AT THE LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, HELPING MOBILIZE THE EVERYDAY TEXAN FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. I'M THE DAUGHTER OF AN IMMIGRANT AND A MILITARY. THAT ERA. I COME FROM A WORKING CLASS FAMILY WHERE MY FATHER WAS A HARD WORKING ELECTRICIAN AND ANOTHER LITTLE BIT WORKS AT WALMART. I'M THE YOUNGEST OF SEVEN SIBLINGS, WHICH TAUGHT ME TWO THINGS THAT GUIDE ME EVER SINCE ONE, HOW TO MAKE MY VOICE VERB AND TO THEN NO MATTER WHAT I DID, I NEEDED TO BRING OTHERS ALONG WITH ME. AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING. I ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AND I'M A PROUD FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE GRADUATE. I'VE WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT, AND WE'RE NOT NONPROFIT WHERE I SAW FIRSTHAND HOW OUR SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO INCLUDE SOME VOICES AND LEAD OTHERS. THIS ONLY MADE ME WORK HARDER FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION WHERE I HELPED PASS LIFE SAVING POLICY, INCLUDING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, RAISING THE TOBACCO SALES AGE TO 21, FIGHTING FOR SMOKE FREE AIR AND NEWBORN IN GENERAL, HEARTSTRINGS AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF UPLIFTING OTHER WOMEN AND ENSURING GENDER JUSTICE. I'VE LED MY COMMUNITY AS PRESIDENT OF THE YOUNG WOMAN'S ALLIANCE, REFOCUSED ON TRAINING, THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN LEADERS IN AUSTIN. AND I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF AN HISPANIC WOMEN'S NETWORK OF TEXAS, WHERE WE ADVANCED LATINAS AND BUSINESS AND CIVIC LIFE. I VOLUNTEERED WITH GIRLS EMPOWERMENT NETWORK AND LET THE NEED THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE HAVE DIVERSE VOICES AT THE TABLE, OUR POLICIES AND OUR SOCIETY, AND THIS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, WE MUST FIRST RECOGNIZE THAT OUR CITY IS ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY RACIALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY SATURDAY CITIES IN THE NATION. WE SEE TODAY AS NEARLY A CENTURY AGO IN 1928 ARE CITY PLAN IS CREATED SEGREGATE AUSTIN, AND IT WORKED. THESE ARE REASONS WHY THERE ARE NOTABLE SERVICE HOSPITALS, EAST OF 35. THERE'S A REASON WHY WE HAVE TWO DESERTS AND THE EASTERN CRESCENT. THE FACT THAT DUE TO DECADES OF INSTITUTIONAL NEGLECT OR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES WHO LIVE EAST OF 35, HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF 10 YEARS, LESS THAN THOSE WHO REQUESTED 35 SHOULD GIVE US ALL PAUSE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL AUSTINITES AND WE ALL DESERVE A FAIR CHANCE, BUT WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY IS ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES. AND AS SOMEONE WILL BE RAISING A FAMILY IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT MAKING AUSTIN. THAT IS MORE LIVABLE FOR ALL. I HAVE A VISION OF AUSTIN WHERE EVERY AUSTIN, NEW SAFELY AROUND THE CITY, BUT A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD SHOULD BE A GIVEN THE HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS IS A PRIORITY. AND THAT HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT EVERY AUSTINITE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE LIFE THAT THEY WANT TO LIVE. HERE'S WHAT I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS RESILIENT FROM SURVIVING, A HISTORIC AND DEADLY FLOODS OF 2013 AND 2015. AND NOW THIS PANDEMIC, WE NEED A LEADER WHO WILL ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT THEN OUR COMMUNITY FROM DISPLACEMENT AND STAND UP FOR OUR MEETING ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST. AND THAT'S WHY I GOT INTO THIS FIGHT. NOT ONLY IS THERE AN ECONOMIC DIVIDE IN OUR CITY, BUT THERE'S A HEALTH DIVIDE. COVID-19 AS EXPOSED. WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS [00:10:01] IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST AUSTIN ARE GETTING, ARE NOT GETTING ADEQUATE HEALTH SERVICES. WE DESERVE AS WE LOOK TO OUR LOCAL LEADERS TO GET US THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. I BELIEVE THAT MY EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY COMBINED WITH MY BACK ROADING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, THAT'S POSITIONED ME TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND TO TAKE ON THE STATUS QUO OR THE PANDEMIC. YET, I ROLLED UP MY SLEEVES AND I GOT TO WORK ON THE FRONT LINES, THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE WERE ABLE TO ORGANIZE THREE PPE DRIVES AND DEL VALLEY AND IN DEPTH SCREENS AND DISTRIBUTED THOUSANDS OF MASKS AND GLOVES FOR OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT AUSTIN COULD BE A CITY THAT EVERY PERSON CAN CALL HOME A CITY THAT WAS RESPONSIBLY AND THIS SUSTAINABLE. I LOVE OUR CITY. I LOVE OUR COMMUNITY. I WILL WORK HARD WORK COMMUNITY. IT'S TIME TO SHOW UP FOR US, AND WE NEED TO SHOW UP FOR US TO JOIN ME IN THIS FIGHT. PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE TO READ MY PLANS ON COMMUNITY HEALTH, MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, SMALL BUSINESS, AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY@VANESSAFORAUSTIN.COM. THANK YOU. [Alex Strenger] MY NAME IS ALEX STRINGER AND I AM RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL IN DISTRICT TWO. I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I WAS HAPPY TO BE HERE, BUT I'M NOT. I'M NOT A POLITICIAN NOR DO I WANT TO BE. BUT THE INEPTITUDE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL, WHEN IT CAME TO DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC AND NATTING POLICIES THAT ARE DESTROYING SMALL BUSINESSES AND PERPETUATING CIVIL UNREST LEAVES ME NO CHOICE. I'M AN ENTREPRENEUR WHO DRIVES A PETTY CAB. I AM THE WORKING MAN WHO OUR QUOTE UNQUOTE PROGRESSIVE CITY COUNCIL PLAN TO CARE SO MUCH ABOUT YET EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING FROM THE CRIPPLING ECONOMIC SHUTDOWNS TO RAISING PROPERTY TAXES BY OVER 25% WHILE WE WERE IN OUR BIGGEST ECONOMIC RECESSION IN HISTORY TO DEFUNDING APD IN A MANNER THAT IS BOTH UNSAFE AND DIVISIVE, NOT TO MENTION IT IS GOING TO GET OVERTURNED BY THE STATE NEXT YEAR. SO PUSHING A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR TRANSIT PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE COMPLETELY OUTDATED AND OBSOLETE. BY THE TIME THE RAIL GETS BUILT BY PUSHING A HOUSING MODEL BASED ON URBAN DENSITY WHILE WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF BIG GLOBAL PANDEMIC IS AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER. AND TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN BE SO INEPT THAT THEIR JOB, UNLESS THEY ARE DOING IT ON PURPOSE. WELL, WE NEED A MORE AFFORDABLE, ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE AUSTIN WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE BACKBONE OF OUR CITY CAN THRIVE AND FLOURISH HERE. WE NEED TO DOUBLE THE HOMESTEAD TAX EXEMPTION TO 20%, AND WE NEED TO KEEP OUR PROPERTY TAXES AT A SUSTAINABLE LEVEL SO THAT WORKING FAMILIES CAN AFFORD TO STAY HERE. WE NEED MEANINGFUL POLICE REFORM FOR THE SAFETY OF BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS. WE NEED COMPASSIONATE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR HOMELESS THAT DO NOT ENABLE A CULTURE OF FAVORITES. AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE AID AND RELIEF TO THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE THE MOST EFFECTED BY OUR RESPONSE TO THE PEN, DEBIT, EATING BARS, RESTAURANTS, MUSIC, VENUES, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE INDUSTRY. THEY NEED OUR HELP AND THEY NEED OUR HELP. NOW THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING ME TO BE YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY CAMPAIGN, PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE, WWW.ALEXANDERSTRINGER.COM. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW MY CAMPAIGN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PLEASE CHECK ME OUT ON TWITTER. AND ON INSTAGRAM AT THE ALEX STRINGER, WE NEED A MORE AFFORDABLE, ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE AUSTIN. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING US ACHIEVE THAT. 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.