REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 6:30 PM AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM, #1101 301 WEST 2ND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 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 Commissioner Zain Pleuthner VACANT Appointment District 7 District 8 Raquel Valdez Sanchez District 3 Aaron Gonzales (Chair) District 9 Michael Nahas Kevin Roberts Shakeel Rashed CALL TO ORDER District 4 District 5 District 6 Aditi Joshi District 10 Jake Randall (Vice Chair) Mayor PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 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. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission regular meeting on June 17, 2026. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion of Language Access in the workplace. Elizabeth Mack, Founder and CEO, Freestyle Languages. 3. Discussion regarding Austin Parks and Recreation programs and infrastructure needs. Presented by Liana Kallivoka, PhD, PE, Assistant Director, Austin Parks and Recreation and Alyssa Tharrett, RA, NCARB, Architectural Development Division Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. 5. Approve a recommendation to Council regarding support for Austin Parks and Recreation programs and infrastructure as it relates to job creation. Approve a recommendation to Council regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Austin Residents: Labor Market and Economic Security. 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 …
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2026 The Economic Prosperity Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at Boards and Commissions, Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Randall called the Economic Prosperity Commission Meeting to order at 6:31 P.M. Commissioners in Attendance: Jacob Randall, Vice Chair Michael Nahas Kevin Roberts Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Aaron Gonzales, Chair Raquel Valdez Sanchez Ofelia Zapata Zain Pleuthner Aditi Joshi PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None Present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Economic Prosperity Commission Regular Meeting on May 20, 2026. The minutes from the Economic Prosperity Commission regular meeting on May 20, 2026 were approved on Commissioner Valdez Sanchez’s motion and Chair Gonzales’ second on a 8-0 vote. Commissioners Tomaszewski and Rashed were absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve a recommendation regarding Communities In Schools funding. The motion to approve a recommendation regarding Communities In Schools funding was made by Chair Gonzales and seconded by Commissioner Zapata. The following amendment was made Vice Chair Randall and seconded by Commissioner Nahas. 1 The amendment was to amend the sentence in the sixth WHEREAS to read: “WHEREAS, organizations such as Communities In Schools of Central Texas and other qualified nonprofit, school-based, and community-based partners CIS of Central Texas consistently achieves proven outcomes, affecting 20,000+ students across 50+ schools in the City of Austin, including a 99% school retention rate and a 99.3% graduation rate among case-managed seniors…” The amendment was approved on a 8-0 vote. Commissioners Rashed and Tomaszewski were absent. The following amendment was made Vice Chair Randall and seconded by Commissioner Nahas. The amendment was to strike the eighth WHEREAS, written as: “WHEREAS, without a multi-year funding mechanism, and a potential state takeover of Austin area schools, vital programs such as these may be eliminated entirely.” The amendment was approved on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Rashed and Tomaszewski were absent. The following amendment was made Vice Chair Randall and seconded by Commissioner Nahas. The amendment was to amend a sentence in the sixth WHEREAS and additionally a sentence in SECTION 2 of the BE IT RESOLVED. The first sentence to read as follows: “WHEREAS, organizations such as Communities In Schools of Central Texas and other qualified nonprofit, school-based, and community-based partners CIS of Central Texas consistently achieves proven outcomes, affecting 20,000+ students across 50+ schools in the City …
. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Economic Prosperity Commission Recommendation Number 20260715- 004: FY 2026 Bond for Parks WHEREAS, bond programs are a primary source of capital funding for Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) projects, including pool replacements, land acquisition, new park development, recreation and senior centers, and other capital improvements; and WHEREAS, the Economic Prosperity Commission is mandated to make recommendations to Council on issues related to jobs and construction; and WHEREAS, the most recent parks-focused bond proposition was Proposition C in 2018, which provided $149 million for parks, and the anticipated 2024 bond cycle was not issued; APR has substantially obligated and exhausted its 2018 bond funding, while maintaining only modest contingency funds for urgent failures that may arise before new bond funds could be received if a 2026 bond is approved by voters; and WHEREAS, the Economic Prosperity Commission, the Joint Sustainability Commission, and the Bond Election Task Force have each passed recommendations supporting a parks bond proposal to be approved by Council and placed before voters in November 2026; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin's population has increased by an estimated 92,000 people according to the Texas Demographic Center, while the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan area has increased by 380,000, thereby increasing city and regional demand on the park system; and WHEREAS, local parks, pools, and recreational facilities are a sound community investment and a source of positive economic benefit; organizations such as the American Planning Association have found that parks enhance property values, increase municipal revenue, attract homebuyers and workers, and attract retirees; and WHEREAS, APR staff conducted a department-wide capital needs assessment that identified approximately $1.4 billion in capital improvement needs, and subsequently developed a supportable proposal of approximately $410 million based on departmental capacity, urgency, and market conditions; and WHEREAS, current citywide bond discussions contemplate a parks and transportation bond package substantially below that amount, requiring that APR's needs be scaled accordingly; and WHEREAS, APR staff have outlined multiple funding scenarios ranging from $140 million to $250 million, where lower-dollar scenarios would largely fund emergency repairs, critical system failures, and a limited number of high-priority projects rather than meaningful expansion of park and recreation assets; and . WHEREAS, the City's aquatics system includes multiple pools that have reached or exceeded their expected useful life, at least two of which were already identified as critical failures in the 2018 aquatics assessment; under lower-funded bond scenarios the …
A workforce that looks like our community. Language learning access, jobsite safety, and economic opportunity through English upskilling for Austin & Travis County Elizabeth Mack | TAPP Member • Founder, Freestyle Languages Presented to the City of Austin Economic Prosperity Commission Agenda 01 02 03 04 Quick Intros TAPP / Freestyle Languages Background Our work with Tesla Gigafactory Grant-Funded Outcomes TxMutual & WFS Capital Area — the safety case Current Community Engagement & Data What Austin residents are telling us 05 06 07 Economic Benefits For Spanish speakers, the community & COA Austin Infrastructure Academy The workforce shortage case Q&A + Resources 01 Quick Intros: TAPP & Freestyle Languages About Freestyle: Our objective today: HUB / MWBE certifications Demonstrate how COA, Travis County, and our residents all benefit from a workforce that looks like our community — including its linguistic diversity, and how English upskilling will be key to our future workforce. Approved Pipeline Organization for the City of Austin's Construction Training Program (CTP) A proven model offering language training as workforce development - 100% online and accessible, nationwide Elizabeth Mack TAPP Member • Founder, Freestyle Languages 02 Background: Our Work with Tesla Gigafactory, 2021 Tesla's hiring requirement: “Written and Spoken Command of English” People had been excited about job opportunities — and this left out huge swaths of the community. Here's the story DATA tells us: Main Languages Spoken — City of Austin, District 2 (example) 2% 46% 52% Spanish English Other % is not the total number of Spanish speakers, but of those who reported speaking “English less than very well.” 03 TxMutual & WFS Capital Area Grant-Funded Program The problem, from a safety perspective 25% of jobsite accidents relate to the language barrier — OSHA. Local Director Monica Camacho believes the real number is higher. 42% higher fatality rate for Hispanic construction workers vs. non- Hispanic — largely attributed to the language barrier 78% of workforce growth through 2030 will be Hispanic — 30–60% Spanish-only speakers PROGRAM OUTCOMES: WHAT THIS SIGNALS FOR EMPLOYERS: English learners report universal improvement in job site communication in just 2 (12-week) sessions. . Spanish & English leaners report increased confidence addressing safety concerns Language training functions as a preventative safety intervention, not just nice-to-have benefit. Communication readiness supports schedule reliability, quality and risk mitigation. 04 Current Community Engagement & Data English is neither a soft skill nor a hard skill. It's a …
2026 Bond Program Austin Parks and Recreation | July 15, 2026 Liana Kallivoka, PhD, PE, LEED Fellow, Assistant Director Alyssa Tharrett, RA, NCARB, Project Management Supervisor Parks and Recreation: At a Glance MISSION: To inspire Austin to learn, play, protect, and connect by creating diverse programs and experiences in sustainable natural spaces and public places. 20,790 acres of green space 382 parks 287 miles of trails 200 playgrounds 23 nature play spaces 19 off-leash areas 6 golf courses 35 pools; 11 splash pads 2 Parks and Recreation: At a Glance MISSION: To inspire Austin to learn, play, protect, and connect by creating diverse programs and experiences in sustainable natural spaces and public places. 7 disc golf courses 53 multi-purpose courts 15 pickleball courts 25 soccer fields 86 tennis courts 42 basketball courts 47 volleyball courts 73 baseball/ softball fields 3 Parks and Recreation: At a Glance MISSION: To inspire Austin to learn, play, protect, and connect by creating diverse programs and experiences in sustainable natural spaces and public places. 68 multi-use fields 13 performing arts venues 25 recreation & senior centers 115 restrooms 5 cemeteries 11 maintenance buildings 12 office buildings Over 100 historic buildings 4 Past Bond Spending Bond Department Appropriation 1998 Bond (Prop 2) Parks and Recreation $75.90 M 2006 Bond (Prop 3) Parks and Recreation $84.70 M 2012 Bond (Prop 14) Parks and Recreation $77.68 M 2018 Bond (Prop C) Parks and Recreation $149.00 M 2018 BOND (Prop C) at 90% by November 2026 90% 6 Capital Improvement Funds Versus Operations & Maintenance Funds Bond Fund versus General Fund Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Funding Operations and Maintenance General Funding (GF) Bond Funds are the primary source of funding CIP General Funds are the primary source of funding O&M Used for large, long-term development projects like new or renovated parks, pools, and buildings Used for day-to-day operations like payroll, maintenance, operations, utilities, contracts, commodities, etc. CIP funding does not expire annually Funding expires annually and is allocated annually APR CIP Bond Funding for 2018 to 2026: $215.5M APR General Fund for FY26: $135M Funds can be used to supplement CIP development staff payroll through reimbursements Bond Funds CANNOT be used for operations and maintenance or general staff payroll Funds may have site and use restrictions (AISD, sites using conflicting debt funding, etc.) Less restrictions associated to use of funds 7 CIP Funding sources On average, every $1.00 in …
Austin EPC | AI Policy Recommendation | DRAFT Austin Economic Prosperity Commission DRAFT ANALYTICAL REPORT Exploratory Phase Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Austin Residents: Labor Market Baseline, AI Impact Assessment, and Policy Recommendations July 2026 Commissioner Jake Randall (Policy Champion) Prepared for internal commissioner discussion consistent with EPC bylaws. Draft for Commissioner Review Page 1 Austin EPC | AI Policy Recommendation | DRAFT Table of Contents: 1. Executive Summary: ............................................................................................................... 3 2. Labor Market Baseline: ........................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Labor Market Conditions (MSA): ................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Industry Employment (MSA): ........................................................................................................ 4 2.3 Occupational Mix (MSA): .............................................................................................................. 5 2.4 City of Austin Resident Indicators: ................................................................................................ 7 2.5 Austin's Exposure Profile: ............................................................................................................. 7 3. AI Impact Assessment: ........................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Summary Assessment Table: ....................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Key Findings: ............................................................................................................................... 9 4. Policy Recommendations: .................................................................................................... 10 4.7 Sequencing: .............................................................................................................................. 12 Appendix A: Data Sources, Vintages, and Methods: ................................................................. 13 A.1 Sources and Vintages: ............................................................................................................... 13 A.2 Derivations: .............................................................................................................................. 13 A.3 Wage and Income Reconciliation: .............................................................................................. 13 A.4 Limitations and Open Questions: ............................................................................................... 13 Appendix B: Assessment Frameworks and Detailed Ratings: .................................................. 15 B.1 Frameworks: ............................................................................................................................. 15 B.2 Detailed Ratings: ....................................................................................................................... 15 References: .............................................................................................................................. 18 Draft for Commissioner Review Page 2 Austin EPC | AI Policy Recommendation | DRAFT 1. Executive Summary: This report delivers the labor market baseline, AI impact assessment, and policy recommendations directed by the March 2026 brief. Figures trace to named, dated public sources (Appendix A); City of Austin and Austin MSA data are labeled throughout; the occupational analysis covers major groups above 3% of MSA employment. Baseline: • ~1.41M nonfarm jobs (Apr 2026), +0.6% over the year; unemployment 3.4%. • Uneven growth: mining, logging, and construction +5.0%; information -2.6%; leisure and hospitality -2.1%; manufacturing -1.3%. • A large clerical base (office and administrative support, 12.4% of employment) sits alongside an outsized technical base (computer and mathematical, 6.3% vs 3.4% nationally; 28.2K software developers). • City residents: 60.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher; median household income $90.4K; poverty 11.8%; 13.6% of under-65 residents uninsured. Highest-Priority Findings: 1. Office and administrative support: Austin's largest group, highly exposed in every framework, lowest tier of adaptive capacity. The MSA's largest downside concentration. 2. Computer and mathematical: split outcome. Augmentation and demand for experienced workers, but a ~20% national employment decline for software developers aged 22-25 since late 2022 (Stanford payroll data). 3. Business and financial operations (8.0% of employment): high exposure with high …
. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Economic Prosperity Commission Recommendation Number: [YYYYMMDD-XXX]: Preparing Austin's Workforce for Artificial Intelligence WHEREAS, the Austin metropolitan area entered 2026 with ~1.41M nonfarm jobs and 3.4% unemployment, and its occupational mix pairs the region's largest group, office and administrative support (12.4% of employment), with a computer and mathematical workforce at nearly twice the national concentration; and WHEREAS, published AI exposure research and 2025-26 payroll evidence show AI changing tasks and hiring first in clerical, customer support, business and financial, and early-career technical occupations, including a ~20% national employment decline for software developers aged 22 to 25 since late 2022, while broad job loss is not visible in top-line labor data; and WHEREAS, office and administrative support workers combine the region's highest AI exposure with the lowest measured adaptive capacity, and median rent absorbs ~41% of that group's annual mean wage, so even moderate reductions in hours or hiring pose economic-security risk for lower- buffer households; and WHEREAS, data center and electrical infrastructure buildout is creating demand for electricians, HVAC and cooling, controls, and network trades, the construction supersector grew 5.0% over the year to April 2026, and these trades offer durable non-degree pathways with annual mean wages of $55.6K to $59.4K; and WHEREAS, the City Council's resolution of April 24, 2025 (agenda item 55) directed attention to AI oversight, workforce considerations, and digital equity, and the Commission's analytical report, Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Austin Residents (July 2026), attached as backup, provides the supporting baseline, assessment, and detailed recommendations. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Economic Prosperity Commission recommends that the Austin City Council direct the City Manager to: 1. Establish a quarterly Austin AI Labor Market Dashboard with an early-career hiring module tracking workers under 30 in the most exposed occupations; 2. Launch an administrative and customer support transition compact with Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Austin Community College, public libraries, and major employers, with placements benchmarked to workers' prior wages; 3. Build a data center and electrical infrastructure skilled-trades pipeline through registered apprenticeships, reserving pre-apprenticeship slots for workers transitioning from exposed occupations; . 4. Create paid early-career cohorts within City departments and an employer compact on entry-level hiring in software, data, and financial operations; 5. Adopt a workforce review for significant City artificial intelligence procurements with redeployment-first standards and annual public reporting, consistent with the April 2025 resolution; and 6. Embed applied AI-tool fluency within …
