Special Meeting of the “Economic Prosperity Commission” April 17, 2020 of meeting Economic Prosperity Commission to be held April 17, 2020 at 3 pm with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Day before the scheduled meeting, April 16, 2020 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the April 17, 2020 Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the board liaison at Michelle Clemons at Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov / 512-974-2713 or Nydia Castillo at Nydia.Castillo@austintexas.gov / 512-974-6452 no later than noon, April 16, 2020. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 30 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •Residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Economic Prosperity Commission April 17, 2020 3:00 pm VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Amy Noel, Chair AGENDA Holt Lackey, Vice Chair 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES from January 2020 Meeting CALL TO ORDER 2. STAFF BRIEFINGS on a. Briefing 3. OLD BUSINESS 4. NEW BUSINESS on http://www.austintexas.gov/covid19 website from David Grey, Economic Development Department Information COVID-19 overview general b. Briefing on Austin Economic Injury Bridge Loan Program for small businesses, Xavier Zarate, Economic Development Department. a. South by Southwest Cancellation impact a. Update form working groups on Veteran’s Affairs Study or Land Ordinances/Use b. Creation of new working groups related to New Business Items or Future Agenda Items a. Discuss COVID-19 Information on http://www.austintexas.gov/covid19 website b. Action and Discussion on non-City of Austin Relief Programs and ideas: a. Federal Arts Funding Opportunities for Nonprofit and Commercial Arts Organizations and Individual Artists b. Keep Austin Working c. Action and Discussion …
Special Meeting of the “Economic Prosperity Commission” April 17, 2020 of meeting Economic Prosperity Commission to be held April 17, 2020 at 3 pm with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Day before the scheduled meeting, April 16, 2020 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the April 17, 2020 Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the board liaison at Michelle Clemons at Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov / 512-974-2713 or Nydia Castillo at Nydia.Castillo@austintexas.gov / 512-974-6452 no later than noon, April 16, 2020. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 30 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •Residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Economic Prosperity Commission April 17, 2020 3:00 pm VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Amy Noel, Chair Holt Lackey, Vice Chair AGENDA ADDENDUM CALL TO ORDER 4. NEW BUSINESS ADJOURNMENT e. Mandatory Face Coverings in Austin- All customers wear fabric face coverings. The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Michelle Clemons or Nydia Castillo at Economic Development Department, at (Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov at Nydia.Castillo@austintexas.gov / 512-974-6452 for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. 512-974-2713 Castillo Nydia or / For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission, please contact Board Liaison’s Michelle Clemons or Nydia Castillo at Economic Development …
Federal Arts Funding Opportunities for Nonprofit and Commerical Arts Organizations and Individual Artists As of April 8, 2020 C.A.R.E.S. Act Opportunities www.congress.gov/bill/116th- congress/house-bill/748/text Nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations Governmental Arts/Humanities Agencies (State, Regional, Local) Commerical Arts Business with employees Individual Professional Artists, Self-employed, Indep Contractor Artists, "Gig" and 1099 workers Individual Taxpayers n/a n/a n/a See Individual Taxpayers $1,200 for single filers with AGI of $75K (5% less per $1K up to $99K) $1,200 for Head of House filers with AGI of $112.5K (5% less per $1K up to $146.5K) $2,400 for married filers with AGI of $150K (5% less per $1K to up to $198K) $500 each for dependents (16 years old or younger) Federal government expanded STATE unemployment benefits by supplementing with an additional $600/week for 39 weeks. Eligibility also expanded to now include 1099 workers, self- employed workers, who are unable to work because of Covid-19 shutdown. Federal government expanded STATE unemployment benefits by supplementing with an additional $600/week for 39 weeks. Eligibility is available for furloughed W2 workers who are no longer employed or receiving benefits because of Covid- 19 shutdown. n/a n/a n/a Source: Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund, 2020 www.ArtsActionFund.org/CaresActTable Page 1 of 6 IRS Recovery Rebate payments $250 Billion Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) based on 2019 tax return. Otherwise, 2018 tax return. Direct electronic payment to your checking acct by mid-April if your account is already on file with IRS. Otherwise, checks mailed May- Sept. Pandemic Unemployment Compensation $250 Billion Apply Now to your state's unemployment office. www.CareerOneStop.org Payment made on weekly basis. Covered period includes 1/27/20 - 12/31/20. Federal Arts Funding Opportunities for Nonprofit and Commerical Arts Organizations and Individual Artists As of April 8, 2020 C.A.R.E.S. Act Opportunities www.congress.gov/bill/116th- congress/house-bill/748/text Nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations Governmental Arts/Humanities Agencies (State, Regional, Local) Commerical Arts Business with employees Individual Professional Artists, Self-employed, Indep Contractor Artists, "Gig" and 1099 workers Individual Taxpayers Employee and Retirement Benefits Extended Organizations with 50 or more but fewer than 500 employees, paid sick leave is extended to a minimum of 80 hours, regardless of length of employment. n/a n/a Companies with 50 or more but fewer than 500 employees, paid sick leave is extended to a minimum of 80 hours, regardless of length of employment. Paid Medical & Family Leave extended if you work for a business 50-500 employees. 10% Early distribution penalty waived for COVID-19 …
Keep Austin Working .” . Austin’s NYT’s UpShot thinks see the loss of around , idea right now right this is about taking While public health outcomes continue to be unclear as we test more people and see infection and death rates and predictions rise and fall, the economic picture is clearly dire. The Department of Labor has set the official unemployment rate at 4.4% nationally, but unemployment nationwide has risen to somewhere close to 13% and will continue to rise unemployment numbers are just as dire, as the city is expected to “ 261,000 jobs, or an unemployment rate of about 25% – levels last seen during the Great Depression Because the City of Austin has, understandably, paused many Commission meetings due to public health concerns, the Commissions I’m on (Economic Prosperity, D-8, and Ethics Review, D-2) have not been able to meet to talk through and make recommendations to Austin’s City Council. This is a running brainstorm of economic development, recovery and jobs programs that I think have merit and may be worth trying. You should know that, for me, this isn’t about having action and, in doing so, finding the right solution as the we go. It’s about challenges we’re facing right now as a city. The goal with these ideas is to spur opportunity , small business creation and sustainability Some of these are already being considered by Austin City Council and Travis County leadership, many of these ideas have been curated and refined based on discussions I’ve had one-off with fellow commissioners, other local nonprofit and business leaders, and constituents. These are not know if they will work, but fully-baked, I don’t know what public reception of them will be, I don’t unprecedented moments require unexpected solutions so I’m throwing this open-source list out there. If you’re on a City Commission, please feel free to take any of these and build recommendations around them. They’re in a public Google Doc for a reason. Whether you’re on a board or commission or not, if you have more ideas, please feel free to and I may add them to the list. We’re all in this together, y’all. We’re gonna get through it together, too. trying a whole bunch of ideas to mitigate all of the different, interconnected , economic security , job retention , job creation equality of financial relief. tweet at …
Economic Prosperity Commission April 17, 2020 3:00 pm VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING 301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701 Minutes CALL TO ORDER 1) OPENING REMARKS Introduction of members and staff liaison a) Attendance: Larry Anazia - District 1; Kirsha Haverlah – District 2; Alexis Taylor - District 3, Ivanna Neri- District 4; - Amy Noel- District 7;- Nathan Ryan- District 8; and ; Rachel Green – Mayor’s Appointee b) Absent: Preston Tom- District 5 c) Staff in Attendance: Michelle Clemons and, Nydia Castillo 2) CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: a) No citizens signed up to speak. 3) PRESENTATIONS AND Q&A a) David Gray, Public Information and Marketing Manager for Economic Development Department, presented general information on COVID- 19 overview b) Xavier Zarate, Business Information Coordinator for Economic Development Department. Briefing on Austin Economic Injury Bridge Loan Program for small businesses. i. The presentations addressed agenda items Small Business: Resolution from March 26, 2020 Agenda Item 88 and Creatives: Resolution from 4/9/2020 4) WORKING GROUPS a) Creation of Keep Austin Working Group- A, 1st by Commissioner Ivanna Neri, 2nd by Commissioner Kirsha Haverlah. (i) Members: Nathan Ryan, Larry Anazia, Alexis Taylor, Ivanna Neri b) Creation of Working group B implantation of orders specific to job creation and construction of Keep Austin Working Members: Amy Noel, Holt Lackey, Kirsha Haverlah 5) DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS a) Reviewed Keep Austin working document for possible council recommendation. b) Discussed the Creatives: Resolution from 4/9/2020 Agenda Item 86 related to the use of the Live Music Fund for Emergency Assistance grants for musicians and implementation of the program. c) Discussed the SXSW Cancellation impact to the Austin Community – no insurance for cancelled event. ADJOURNMENT d) Meeting was adjourned at 5:19 pm i) 1st by Commissioner Kirsha Haverlah , and 2nd by Commissioner Amy Noel The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Michelle Clemons at the Economic Development Department, at (512) (974-2713), for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission, please contact Michelle Clemons at (Michelle.Clemons@austintexas.gov ) or (512-974-2713).
