BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Downtown Commission Recommendation Number 20240417-003: Request to centralize graffiti programs; create and fund a new City of Austin department WHEREAS graffiti is a crime under the laws of the state of Texas; and WHEREAS Title 7 of the Texas State Penal Code 28.02 addresses offenses against property, including graffiti. WHEREAS title 7 of the Texas Penal Code addresses criminal trespass; and WHEREAS Title 3 of the Texas Penal Code 12.43 establishes penalties for repeat and habitual misdemeanor offenses; and WHEREAS graffiti is a public nuisance; and WHEREAS graffiti defaces public and private property, leaving property owners and taxpayers to bear the burden of remediation, and adversely affects citizens, communities, businesses, and property values; and WHEREAS graffiti is a growing problem that cost the Austin Parks and Recreation Department $546,00; Building Services $437,325; TxDot and CTRMA more than $150,000 just for central sections of Mopac Loop 1 and IH35; and WHEREAS the Downtown Austin Alliance abated 26,485 instances of graffiti and stickers/posters in 2022 in the Downtown PID through a third-party vendor, incurring a considerable cost to do so that would have been better spent elsewhere; and WHEREAS tagging traffic signage creates public safety hazards and damages the reflective coating needed for visibility, resulting in replacement of signage at a considerable cost to taxpayers. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Downtown Commission requests that the City of Austin centralize its various graffiti programs into a new Department of Nuisance Abatement; and that it be placed under the authority of the Code Enforcement Department; and that it be funded to the sum of $2 million dollars. Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: (Unanimous on a 7-0 vote, 4-3 vote with names of those voting no listed) Attest: _____________________________________________ (Staff or board member can sign)
Integral Care: Mental Health Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness Marlene Buchanan, Director of Systems of Care Ruth Ahearn, Practice Administrator of Housing and Homeless Initiatives Since 1967, Integral Care has supported the health and well-being of adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Integral Care was the first community center to provide directly or contract for high-quality, community-based behavioral health and intellectual disabilities services in Central Texas. FY24 Funding from Sponsoring Agencies • Total = $15,622,400 • Contracts =3 • Areas of Focus • Medication Assisted Treatment ($400K) Bed Days – In-Patient and Crisis Respite ($8.1M) Sendero Health Insurance ($122.4K) Behavioral Health Services ($7M) • • • *Central Health's Inpatient/Crisis Respite contract provides the required match of $855K for HHSC's Inpatient/Crisis Respite funds of $3.420M. • Total = $14,342,894 • Contracts = 22 • Areas of Focus • Homeless Outreach Crisis Response • Adult Behavioral Health Substance Abuse Managed Care Organizations (SAMSO) • • • Burnet Rd & Seabrook Square Renovations • Downtown Austin Community Court *Not all renewed contracts have been received. There may be some contract amount adjustments. City of Austin Interlocal funds of $1.999M provides a portion of the required match for HHSC MH & IDD Main Performance contracts total $27,211,125 and match for HHSC Path contract total of $572K and HUD contract of $491K. The City's $1.999M match provides a total of State & Federal Contracts of $28,724,438 to the local community. • Total = $13,006,731 • Contracts = 13 • Areas of Focus • Adult Behavioral Health Child & Family Services IDD Crisis Services Substance Abuse Managed Care Organizations (SAMSO) Criminal Legal System Juvenile Justice • • • • • • *Not all renewed contracts have been received. There may be some contract amount adjustments. Travis County Interlocal funds of $1.601M, which $1.476M provides a portion of HHSC MH & IDD Main Performance contracts total of $27,211,125 for local community funds. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) • In addition to being a Local Mental Health Authority, Integral Care is also a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). • CCBHC is a model of care designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care across the system of care. • Integral Care was first certified as a CCBHC in 2016. As of March 2022, all 39 LMHA’s in Texas have achieved CCBHC certification. • Just as …
Sound Assessment & Disclosure Requirements Proposal Presentation to City of Austin Downtown Commission April 17, 2024 Background • Council approved Resolution No. 20181018- 038 directing the City Manager to propose programs, rules, and ordinances necessary to improve compatibility between residents, lodging establishments, and music-related businesses. • The resolution was part of Council efforts to support music, arts and culture. Purpose • Policy related to residential development responsibility is still outstanding. • In addition to the sound ordinance and enforcement, the sound management system should also anticipate and address quality of life issues for residences in proximity to nightlife and entertainment establishments and districts. Ensure Accurate Expectations Policy Goals • Improve compatibility between entertainment uses with amplified sound and residential and hotel uses. • Anticipate, plan for, and minimize common conflicts between residential and hotel uses and entertainment-related amplified sound. • Ensure residential and hotel development projects understand the sound levels in the area so they can design and construct the building considering the sound impact from nearby code-compliant entertainment uses. • Provide residential development projects and new residents with accurate expectations about the level of sound that will be present in the environment, and the information they need to make informed decisions. Approach A commonsense solution that is not prescriptive and focuses on education and awareness Sound Assessment & Disclosure Requires residential and hotel developments near Outdoor Music Venues and Performance Venues to: • conduct a sound assessment • disclose to future residents when they sell or lease units about the presence of nearby venues, and that a sound assessment was conducted Description and Intent • Does NOT mandate building standards. • Requires residential developers to: Promotes Education and Informed Decisions 1. document that they have studied the sound levels in the area they are building. • This includes assessing the impact of legally compliant sound from nearby music and nightlife establishments. 2. disclose to future residents the presence of nearby music and nightlife establishments, and that a sound assessment has been conducted. Description and Intent • Residents are encouraged to ask questions about sound mitigation efforts, make informed decisions Promotes Education and Informed Decisions • Does NOT require anything further from Outdoor Music Venue Permit Holders or Performance Venues. • Their sound level is already regulated with a fixed sound level standard that is appropriate for the context, is predictable and doesn’t change when new residential is built nearby. …
CITY OF AUSTIN DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN Developed to Meet Requirements Outlined in 30 TAC § 288.20 and § 288.22 Water Conservation Division City of Austin, Texas PWS # 2270001 May 2, 2024 City of Austin Drought Contingency Plan Table of Contents SECTION I: Declaration of Policy, Purpose and Intent ................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. SECTION II: Background ........................................................................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. SECTION III: Trigger Conditions and Goals .................................................................................................... 8 SECTION IV: Drought Response Measures .................................................................................................. 11 SECTION V: Wholesale Contract Provisions ................................................................................................ 20 SECTION VI: Public Involvement ..................................................................................................................... 20 SECTION VII: Public Notification and Education ........................................................................................ 21 SECTION VIII: Coordination with Regional Planning Groups (RPG)...................................................... 21 SECTION IX: TCEQ Notification ....................................................................................................................... 21 SECTION X: Plan Review and Updates .......................................................................................................... 21 APPENDIX A: Water Conservation Code ....................................................................................................... 22 APPENDIX B: Water Conservation Penalty Code ........................................................................................ 23 APPENDIX C: Water Use Triggers for Water Use Management Ordinance .......................................... 24 APPENDIX D: Resolutions In Support of Adoption of The Drought Contingency Plan .................... 25 APPENDIX E: Resolution Adopting The 2024 Drought Contingency Plan ........................................... 26 APPENDIX F: Transmittal Letter to Regional Planning Group ................................................................. 27 APPENDIX F: Public Response to November 2023 Survey ........... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1 City of Austin Drought Contingency Plan DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN City of Austin, Texas May 2024 Section I: Declaration of Policy, Purpose and Intent The City of Austin (the City) maintains a decades-long commitment to ensuring a sustainable water supply through demand management measures. The latest update to Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan (the Plan) builds upon this legacy. This iteration of the Plan retains all measures from previous versions while incorporating new strategies to better address droughts in the future. Designed as a comprehensive strategy, the Plan focuses on addressing water shortages and emergencies, with specific attention to domestic water use, sanitation, fire protection, and public well-being. In accordance with Section 11.1272 of the Texas Water Code and Chapter 288 of Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code, the City regularly updates this plan, underscoring the importance of adaptability to evolving water supply dynamics. This document outlines the City's strategic response to challenges posed by demand surges, infrastructure constraints, and droughts, including historical critical droughts. Through coordination with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), the Drought Contingency Plans of both the LCRA and the City are consistent in terms of targets and goals. The City’s plan is more proactive, including the implementation activities necessary …
Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile CITY OF AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION PLAN Developed to Meet Requirements Outlined in 30 TAC §288.2 and §288.5 May 2, 2024 Page 1 of 50 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Page 2 of 50 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Message from the Director Thank you for your interest in Austin’s most precious natural resource: water. The city was founded in the mid-1800s on the banks of the Colorado River to take advantage of that abundant water resource. Our water supply is just as critical today, but now we face unprecedented challenges: record high temperatures, record low flows into the Highland Lakes, water quality concerns, and continued rapid population growth. Together, we can meet these challenges. The City of Austin’s 100-year Water Forward Integrated Water Resources Plan is focused on water conservation and water use efficiency, as well as strategies to strengthen the diversity of Austin’s water supply. Austin has come a long way over the last decade – in 2023, we used essentially the same amount of water as we did in 2011, despite having 140,000 more residents. But the impacts from climate change require us to become even more water-wise and water-efficient. The update of this Water Conservation Plan is required by the State of Texas every five years to provide short-term strategies to address changing conditions. Even more importantly, the update is a necessary part of the city’s future sustainability. This document describes Austin Water’s conservation initiatives, programs, and projects to help residents and businesses increase their water use efficiency. In addition, it describes how Austin Water is maximizing our water supply from the Highland Lakes through conservation and water reuse. Learn more about what you can do to conserve our most precious resource at AustinWater.org. Shay Ralls Roalson, P.E. Austin Water Director Page 3 of 50 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Table of Contents Executive Summary 5 Conservation Program History 7 Public Education and Information 9 Residential Customer Programs 11 Commercial Customer Programs 15 Regulatory Programs 17 Metering and Water Loss 20 Water Reuse 23 Water Rates 25 Goals for Water Use and Water Loss 26 Utility Profile 30 System Data 35 Appendices 42 Page 4 of 50 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Executive Summary The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board require an update to the City of Austin’s Water Conservation Plan …
M E M O R A N D U M TO: Mayor and Council Members THROUGH: Robert Goode, P.E., Assistant City Manager FROM: Shay Ralls Roalson, P.E., Director, Austin Water DATE: April 15, 2024 SUBJECT: Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan Updates We would like to share an overview of Austin Water’s upcoming Recommendations for Council Action, which update both the Water Conservation Plan (WCP) and Drought Contingency Plan (DCP), along with related amendments to the City Code to enforce the plans. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires the City’s WCP and DCP to be updated every five years. Staff have coordinated revisions with changes being made to the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) DCP. RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTIONS On May 2, 2024, Austin Water is requesting consideration of the following: • • • Approve a resolution adopting the Water Conservation Plan, as required by the TCEQ, and repeal the resolution for the 2019 Water Conservation Plan. Approve a resolution adopting the Drought Contingency Plan, as required by the TCEQ, and repeal the resolution for the 2016 Drought Contingency Plan. Approve an ordinance amending Austin City Code Chapter 2-13, Chapter 6-4, and Chapter 15-9 to codify necessary changes to enact the updated 2024 Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan. BACKGROUND The City of Austin’s 100-year Integrated Water Resources Plan, known as Water Forward, includes a number of strategies to provide for a sustainable water future for Austin, including water conservation and water use efficiency, reclaimed water use, like that of the recently adopted GoPurple Program, and strengthening the diversity of Austin’s water supply. While these plans have always served as an important element to water conservation and water supply planning, they are increasingly important tools as Austin continues to grow and as our region faces a prolonged drought. Current drought conditions have reduced the combined storage of the Highland Lakes to 43% of the available storage when full. The updated WCP and DCP describe current and additional activities to increase water efficiency and reduce water use. Page 1 of 3 WATER CONSERVATION PLAN The WCP provides a description of the activities by Austin Water to conserve water, both in times of plenty and in scarcity. Activities include customer education, incentives, and enforcement; water loss reduction activities; and water reuse, both centralized reclaimed and onsite. In addition to current and expanded conservation activities, the WCP includes goals for 5- …
2024 Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans Updates Water and Wastewater Commission – April 17, 2024 Kevin Critendon, P.E., Assistant Director Agenda Water Supply Planning Overview Proposed Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Proposed Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Next Steps 2 Austin’s Water Supply: 325,000 Acre Feet Per Year Colorado River • Combination of State-granted water rights & long-term contract with LCRA • Up to 325,000 acre- feet per year (afy) LCRA reservation & use fees pre-paid in 1999 • Additional use payments trigger when average for 2 consecutive years exceeds 201,000 afy Centralized Reclaimed System 3 What plans and why do we need them? Texas utilities must provide a Water Conservation Plan (WCP) and a Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Required by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) every 5 years WCPs identify programmatic activities aimed at reducing overall water consumption and improve water use efficiency 4 DCPs identify water supply triggers and related drought response activities How are these plans different? Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Plan for all weather conditions Focuses on drought conditions Describes Describes • Utility and water use information • Conservation (rebates, education, enforcement) • Water loss reduction • Reuse activities Includes water consumption and water loss • Drought Stages • Drought Triggers (demand and supply) • Drought Actions & Restrictions Must be consistent with the LCRA DCP Requires Chapter 6-4 changes goals 5 How does this work regionally with our water supply partner? LCRAs Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) AWs DCP aligns with LCRAs DCP LCRA recently updated its DCP on March 26, 2024 LCRAs significant updates include: • Adjusting drought trigger levels (From 4 stages to 5 stages) • Adding LCRAs inflow trigger for Drought Stage 2 • Adding specific drought condition water use restrictions 6 Austin’s Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Public education & outreach Residential assistance Incentive programs Regulatory programs Water loss reduction Water reuse 7 2024 WCP Updates Updated program activity and water savings Increased integration with My ATX Water Updated Conservation Goals and Water Loss goals 8 2024 WCP Proposed Goals Based on a 5-year average and measure attainable achievements and updated targets for: • Total Population Gallons Per Capita per Day (GPCD) reduction of water use • Residential Gallons Per …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240417-002A Luis Osta Lugo (8) Date: April 17, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Renters) Motioned By: Michael Nahas (4) Seconded By: Recommendation The Budget of the City of Austin should respect renters as the equal of homeowners. Description of Recommendation to Council Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget respect renters as "Typical" residents of Austin. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" add a line for the average tax per rental unit, which includes the property tax and all other taxes and annual fees on rental properties. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" rename the line "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT" to "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (homeowner)" and add a line for "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (renter)", which includes the average taxes and fees paid per rental unit. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" include a calculation of "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (renter)" for the previous budget, Fiscal Year 2023- 24, and compute a percentage increase from Fiscal Year 2023-24 to Fiscal Year 2024-25. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" use the bottom half of the page to hold a table of "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT" for Austin residents at all income levels. Rows should be by household income for every 10th percentile, from bottom 10% to top 10%. City Staff should estimate what proportion of each income bracket are homeowners and renters and assign an average (mathematical mean) property tax weighted by that proportion, based on properties that income bracket would rent or own. Unless City staffCity staff may have have more detailed knowledge;, they should investigate ifcan assume that residents in the bottom 10th percentile of income uses the average (mathematical mean) of the bottom 10th percentile of residential Austin Energy usage, residential Austin Water usage, etc. Rationale: The City of Austin 2023-24 Budget's “Taxpayer Impact Statement” refers to a “Typical” Resident Ratepayer” who pays property tax with a homestead exemption and, therefore, 1 of 2 must be a homeowner. The 2023-24 budget claims that this “Typical” Austin resident owns a house worth $499,524. In fact, the City of Austin actually has a majority of renters. The U.S. Census Bureau for the time period 2017-2021 reports that only 44.7% of the housing units in Austin are owner-occupied. A household owning a property worth $499,524 is likely …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240417-002B Date: April 17, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Retirement Programs) Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation Reduce risk by moving retirement programs from pensions to defined contribution. Description of Recommendation to Council Remove risk by changing our retirement programs from pensions to defined-contribution programs. Remove risk by paying other parties to accept Austin’s existing pension liabilities. Payment could be either a series of future annual payments or an immediate payment, using funds raised by General Obligations bonds. Rationale: The City of Austin currently promises pensions to its employees. That is, we specify benefits after they retire for as long as they live. This sounds nice, but the hard truth is that we do not know the financial future. We do not know the price today of those promises. Those promises have already created a gigantic problem. The 2023-24 Budget says our unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities in 2020 were “nearly $2.4 billion”. That is more than one-and-a-half years of the annual General Fund. Every resident, adults and children, lost more than $100 benefits in Fiscal Year 2023-24 because the City of Austin spent that money fixing just 1/30th of our pension liability. Pensions are dangerous. They crippled America’s car industry. They almost ended America’s steel industry. And multiple cities have declared bankruptcy due to the burdens of pension: Detroit MI, Stockton CA, San Bernardino CA, and more. Pension programs can harm more than the City of Austin; they might harm our employees in the future who would be relying on the City of Austin for those pensions in their retirement. To ensure the City of Austin’s economic prosperity, it should not make unpredictable promises about the future. It should “pay as we go” with its employees. That means a defined contribution plan, which puts a fixed-multiple of the employee’s salary into a retirement program this fiscal year, without any promises about the future. 1 of 2 The risk from existing liabilities caused by past pension programs should be removed from the City of Austin budget. That can be done by paying a financial firm to accept the risk, in exchange for fixed future payments or a lump sum, raised with General Obligation bonds. The risk could also be removed by offering fixed or lump sum payments to holders of the pensions. Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest: [Staff or board member can sign] 2 …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240417-002C Date: April 17, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Sales-Tax Income) Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendation Investigate hedging sales-tax income to reduce uncertainty and increase the budget. Description of Recommendation to Council Ask the City Manager to investigate hedging as a way to reduce the uncertainty in sales-tax income. Specifically, the City Manager should ask financial institutions how much they might bid in exchange for 80% of next fiscal-year’s sales tax revenue. If City Council accepted such an offer, the City of Austin would have a more stable and predictable income, allowing us to plan better and increase the budget. Rationale: The City of Austin’s income from sales tax is large and unpredictable. The 2023-24 Budget states that sales tax was 7% of income. But it also shows that, over the last decade, its income is unpredictable: growing 25% some years and 0% in others. But most of the City of Austin’s expenses are predictable and fixed. According to staff, “70 to 80%” of the expenses are wages, which are steady expenses. With a variable income and fixed expenses, it is easy for the City of Austin to overspend and run out of money. The result would be drastically slashing programs during the middle of a fiscal year, which would be harmful to the economic prosperity of all Austinites. The City’s staff knows about this danger and warns about it in the 2023-24 Budget: “City financial staff have long advocated thoughtfulness and restraint in projecting sales tax revenues, in the knowledge that periodic economic disruptions and resulting contractions of sales tax revenue—such as the one witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic—are inevitable.” And “… actual sales tax receipts falling short of budgeted levels can have severe repercussions with respect to maintaining a balanced General Fund budget, there are no corollary consequences should this revenue exceed projections.” The City of Austin could plan better and have a larger budget if we exchange the variable income from sales tax for a steady predictable income. That is, find a financial institution that is willing to trade: it will pay Austin a stead income in return for 1 of 2 accepting the unsteady income from sales tax. In the financial lingo, this is called “selling risk” or “hedging”. It is very common in the business world. For example, Southwest Airlines could lose a lot of money if fuel …
& A U T M H Q P R O G R A M S Austin Urban Technology Movement (AUTMHQ) is increasing diversity in tech through its workforce development tech ecosystem . Us Digital Equity Workforce Development Job Placement OUR Christian B. Darrell K. Yasenia E. During my three-month tenure at AUTMHQ, I evolved from a blind volunteer into a tech-savvy AI enthusiast. My collaboration with the supportive AUTMHQ team made my experience memorable, introducing me to the tech world and instilling a lifelong fascination with AI. I was an Austinite facing housing challenges, but I found a lifeline in AUTMHQ's digital literacy class at Operation Liberty Hill. The program gave me a laptop, hotspot, and skills to help me online so I could apply for more opportunities with the Affordable Connectivity Program, too! As a busy mom of five living near Operation Liberty Hill, I found a way to change my life in AUTMHQ's digital literacy class. The program gave me a device to support my kids’ education and gave me a passion for learning. Now, I’m excited to master Excel to manage my money and imporove my conversational English. The Problem There's a significant gap between the number of tech jobs available and the qualified individuals to fill them. The tech industry highlights: sectors. 1. Millions of unfilled tech roles across 2. Barriers for underrepresented groups to entre the tech industry, thus not meeting industry talent demand. The takeaway: There's a clear disconnect. Tech jobs are being created exponentially, but the number of talented individuals from underrepresented groups are not entering the tech field at the rate needed to meet 1. The Diversity Index Score uses the Simpson’s Diversity Index methodology, a calculation of tech occupation diversity across the 7 top level race and ethnicity groups as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. demand. 2. Job postings are a measure of employer demand for tech talent during 2022. The total figure represents job postings across the 17 tech occupations used within Cyberstates. The emerging tech job posting figure uses a basket of 15 emerging job roles and skills, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, digital business transformation, and more. Source: Lightcast Labor Market Trends www.autmhq.org Demographics Trends Across the U.S. Zippia. "25 Trending Tech Industry Statistics [2023]: Tech Industry Demographics, Worth And More" Zippia.com. Jun. 29, 2023, https://www.zippia.com/advice/tech-industry-statistics/ The Solution: Awareness-to-Employment Pipeline Digital Equity Workforce …
Bond Oversight Commission Discussion Items April 17, 2024 Executive Lead: Stephen Grace, PE, PMP Assistant Director Capital Delivery Services “Effectively and Efficiently Deliver Quality Projects with the Concept of Speed” 1 Agenda Items - Discussion Item #2: Feedback on the Capital Project Public Improvement Bond Dashboard - Discussion Item #3: Progress of the 2016 Mobility Bond execution - Discussion Item#4: Proposed resolution for the Bond Oversight Commission to submit to Council - Discussion and Action Item #5: Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair - Future Agenda Items City of Austin | Capital Delivery Services Department | One City, One Team, One Approach 2 Discussion Item #2: Dashboard Discussion City of Austin | Capital Delivery Services Department | One City, One Team, One Approach 3 Discussion Item #3: 2016 Mobility Bond Discussion 2020 bond - Power BI (powerbigov.us) City of Austin | Capital Delivery Services Department | One City, One Team, One Approach 4 Discussion Item #4: Proposed Resolution Discussion City of Austin | Capital Delivery Services Department | One City, One Team, One Approach 5 Discussion and Action Item #5: Elections Discussion: • Chair nominations and elections • Vice Chair nominations and elections City of Austin | Capital Delivery Services Department | One City, One Team, One Approach 6 Future Agenda Items Public Improvement Bond Projects of Interest: - Longhorn Dam - Barton Springs Bridge - Trail Conservancy Update - Watershed Improvement Projects - PARD Project Portfolio - Fire/EMS Five New Stations Other Topics: - Capital Project Milestones - Examples of Capital Project delivery delaying factors City of Austin | Capital Delivery Services Department | One City, One Team, One Approach 7
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Downtown Commission Recommendation Number 20240417-003: Request to centralize graffiti programs; create and fund a new City of Austin department WHEREAS graffiti is a crime under the laws of the state of Texas; and WHEREAS Title 7 of the Texas State Penal Code 28.02 addresses offenses against property, including graffiti. WHEREAS title 7 of the Texas Penal Code addresses criminal trespass; and WHEREAS Title 3 of the Texas Penal Code 12.43 establishes penalties for repeat and habitual misdemeanor offenses; and WHEREAS graffiti is a public nuisance; and WHEREAS graffiti defaces public and private property, leaving property owners and taxpayers to bear the burden of remediation, and adversely affects citizens, communities, businesses, and property values; and WHEREAS graffiti is a growing problem that cost the Austin Parks and Recreation Department $546,000; Building Services $437,325; TxDot and CTRMA more than $150,000 just for central sections of Mopac Loop 1 and IH35; and WHEREAS the Downtown Austin Alliance abated 26,485 instances of graffiti and stickers/posters in 2022 in the Downtown PID through a third-party vendor, incurring a considerable cost to do so that would have been better spent elsewhere; and WHEREAS tagging traffic signage creates public safety hazards and damages the reflective coating needed for visibility, resulting in replacement of signage at a considerable cost to taxpayers. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Downtown Commission requests that the City of Austin centralize its various graffiti programs into a new Department of Nuisance Abatement; and that it be placed under the authority of the Code Enforcement Department; and that it be funded to the sum of $2 million dollars. Date of Approval: 4/17/2024 Record of the vote: 6-0 vote Ayes: Chair Harris, Vice Chair Ishmael, Commissioners Levinson, Major, Ortega, Shifferd Absent: Commissioners Cardona-Beiler, Coufal and Lavigne Attest: Christi Vitela (Downtown Commission Staff Liaison)
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240417-002 Luis Osta Lugo (8) Date: April 17, 2024 Subject: City’s FY 2024 – 2025 Budget (Renters) Motioned By: Michael Nahas (4) Seconded By: Recommendation The Budget of the City of Austin should respect renters as the equal of homeowners. Description of Recommendation to Council Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget respect renters as "Typical" residents of Austin. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" add a line for the average tax per rental unit, which includes the property tax and all other taxes and annual fees on rental properties. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" rename the line "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT" to "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (homeowner)" and add a line for "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (renter)", which includes the average taxes and fees paid per rental unit. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" include a calculation of "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT (renter)" for the previous budget, Fiscal Year 2023- 24, and compute a percentage increase from Fiscal Year 2023-24 to Fiscal Year 2024-25. Require that the City of Austin 2024-25 Budget's "Taxpayer Impact Statement" use the bottom half of the page to hold a table of "TOTAL YEARLY IMPACT" for Austin residents at all income levels. Rows should be by household income for every 10th percentile, from bottom 10% to top 10%. City Staff should estimate what proportion of each income bracket are homeowners and renters and assign an average (mathematical mean) property tax weighted by that proportion, based on properties that income bracket would rent or own. City staff may have more detailed knowledge; they should investigate if residents in the bottom 10th percentile of income uses the average (mathematical mean) of the bottom 10th percentile of residential Austin Energy usage, residential Austin Water usage, etc. Rationale: The City of Austin 2023-24 Budget's “Taxpayer Impact Statement” refers to a “Typical” Resident Ratepayer” who pays property tax with a homestead exemption and, therefore, 1 of 2 must be a homeowner. The 2023-24 budget claims that this “Typical” Austin resident owns a house worth $499,524. In fact, the City of Austin actually has a majority of renters. The U.S. Census Bureau for the time period 2017-2021 reports that only 44.7% of the housing units in Austin are owner-occupied. A household owning a property worth $499,524 is likely in the top 25th percentile …
