SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2026, 5:00 PM CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101 301 W. 2ND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Economic Prosperity Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Chelsea Pfeifer at chelsea.pfeifer@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2498. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Appointment Nicole Tomaszewski Ofelia Zapata District 1 District 2 Raquel Valdez Sanchez (Vice Chair) District 3 Michael Nahas VACANT Shakeel Rashed CALL TO ORDER District 4 District 5 District 6 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Commissioner Zain Pleuthner VACANT Appointment District 7 District 8 Aaron Gonzales (Chair) District 9 Aditi Joshi Jake Randall District 10 Mayor The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1. 2. Approve a revised version of Recommendation 20251119-010: Pensions and OPEB Benefits based on additional information received from stakeholders. Approve an impact assessment framework and recommendation approval guidelines for the Economic Prosperity Commission. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Chelsea Pfeifer at the Austin City Clerk’s Office, at 512-974-2498 or chelsea.pfeifer@austintexas.gov to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Economic Prosperity Commission please contact Chelsea Pfeifer at 512-974-2498 or chelsea.pfeifer@austintexas.gov.
. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Economic Prosperity Commission Recommendation Number: 20260225-006 : Revised Version of Pensions and OPEB Benefits Recommendation Rationale: The following is an update to the Economic Prosperity Commission’s update regarding Pensions. This document should be the authoritative document regarding the Commission’s stance should it be enacted and voted on by a majority of commission members. This recommendation that was previously made has been updated to reflect community input and feedback since the initial vote as well as new information that was not known regarding this issue at the time it was introduced. Given the large amount of information that is still not known by commission members regarding this issue, given that none of us are licensed financial auditors with retirement planning experience, and the economic impact and significance on everyday city employees’ lives, we have removed many provisions from the previous recommendation. In addition, we have learned that the status of city pensions has changed since the Annual Financial Comprehensive report was issued. Many of the provisions that remain from the initial recommendation cover reporting, given the potential impact on the city’s financial health, we believe that more information will be helpful for all community leaders and elected officials to earlier identify periods of misaligned financial expectations and potential risks. Recommendation: WHEREAS, City Council created the Economic Prosperity Commission to advise the council on matters related to job creation and the City of Austin is one of the largest employers in Austin and retirement benefits make up a large percentage of the compensation of City of Austin employees. WHEREAS, City Council the financial health of the City of Austin’s government is a signal used by employers to decide where to create jobs. WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report says “The deficit in governmental unrestricted net position is largely due to the net pension liability of $2.3 billion and other postemployment benefits (OPEB) liability of $1.9 billion.” WHEREAS, the Legacy Liability of all 3 pensions is expected to increase. The police pension’s increases until 2030, COAERS until 2031, and the firefighter’s until 2032. . WHEREAS, the payments to reduce the Legacity Liability will exceed $190 million in 2028. And those payments will continue until 2051 for the police pension, until 2053 for COAERS, and until 2055 for the firefighters’. WHEREAS, the City of Austin has not formally set aside saved any money to pay for “other …
City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance Executive Summary This document attempts to establish a clear, shared operating framework for the Austin Economic Prosperity Commission to improve consistency, effectiveness, and accountability in its policy work. The document attempts to define how the Commission measures success, how policy ideas should be developed from concept to Council-ready recommendation, and how potential initiatives are evaluated for impact, feasibility, and readiness. By articulating a North Star Metric and a standardized policy development process, the document is intended to support both new and tenured Commissioners in producing high- quality, actionable recommendations that are well-aligned with City priorities and capable of achieving necessary external buy-in. City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 Table of Contents I. Context & Purpose of Document II. Scope of Recommendations III. North Star Metric Definition IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. Communications and Representation Guidelines Impact Assessment Framework Phased Policy Development Workflow Policy Recommendation Template Example Policy Recommendation City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 I. Context & Purpose of Document Situational Context: The Economic Prosperity Commission has benefited from the addition of new Commissioners that bring fresh perspectives and expertise. However, newer Commissioners have at times expressed difficulty orienting to the Commission’s core goals, the metrics that define Commission success, and the practical mechanics of forming an initial idea into a well-formed, Council-ready policy recommendation. Historically, the Commission has been unclear on how policy potential is assessed, how Commission success is measured, and how both internal and external policy alignment are achieved. Document Purpose: The purpose of this document is to provide a shared operating context for Commissioners. The document attempts to establish a clear North Star Metric for defining Commission output and success, and it lays out a standardized process for policy development, including a structured rubric for assessing the potential impact, feasibility, and readiness of policy initiatives. The intent is to improve clarity, consistency, and effectiveness across Commission work, while supporting Commissioners in their efforts to produce high-quality, actionable recommendations for City Council and adhering to Commission bylaws. City of Austin | Economic Prosperity Commission Impact Framework and Procedural Guidance January 21st, 2026 II. Scope of Recommendations The Economic Prosperity Commission may advance …
