BG Reads + Podcast | News You Need to Know (November 14, 2018)
[PODCAST]
BG Podcast - Episode 23: Policy Update - Austin's Chapter 380 Economic Incentive Agreements
Today's BG Podcast features a conversation with returning guest David A. Colligan, Acting Assistant Director Economic Development Department, City of Austin.
A follow-up to Episode 12, David and Bingham Group CEO discuss the Austin City Council’s passage of a framework for a restructuring the city’s economic incentives programs (on August 30, 2018) with the goal of increasing small business growth and improving job opportunities for lower-wage and middle-skill workers.
See also: BG Podcast - Episode 12: Policy Discussion RE Austin's Chapter 380 Economic Incentive Agreements
Links: Council approves plan to revamp incentives, with small businesses in mind (Austin Monitor)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Ellis picks up important endorsements (Austin Monitor)
Paige Ellis, the top vote-getter in the Nov. 6 race for City Council District 8, announced Tuesday that her two Democratic opponents in the race, Rich DePalma and Bobby Levinski, had endorsed her. Ellis will face Republican Frank Ward in the runoff on Dec. 11.
In a news release, Ellis said, “During the course of the campaign I got to know both Rich DePalma and Bobby Levinski quite well, and I am honored to have their support heading into the December 11th runoff election.
She added, “We agree that District 8 needs a voice that stands up for Southwest Austin, and not another roadblock to progress.”
Ellis won 30.5 percent of the District 8 vote in the first round of voting, compared with Ward’s 24.7 percent, with Levinski and DePalma each getting less than 24 percent.
In addition to the individual endorsements, Ellis has won endorsements from groups that previously supported DePalma and Levinski: LiUNA Local 1095-Laborers’ Union, Stonewall Democrats of Austin and the Circle C Area Democrats…
100-year plan water plan reaches Austin City Council for first time (Community Impact)
Weeks after destructive upstream flooding sent Austin under a historic citywide boil water notice, city staff presented Austin City Council with a 100-year water plan that aims to reshape how the city thinks about water storage and consumption.
City Council approval of the Water Forward Plan in two weeks would mark the end of a nearly four-year effort by city staff to produce what one Austin Water official called the “most important water plan that’s been produced in the United States.”….
Locals Sue To Stop Austin From Renaming Manchaca Road (KUT)
A group of property owners and businesses along what's (for now) Manchaca Road is challenging the city's move to change the South Austin road's name before it goes into effect Thursday.
The Austin City Council passed an ordinance Oct. 4 to change the spelling to Menchaca Road to honor Tejano revolutionary José Antonio Menchaca, who fought in a decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.
The case starts back in January 2016, when the nonprofit Justice for Menchaca handed over a $24,000 cashier's check to have the road signs changed. To change the name, the city either needed approval from more than half of property owners along the road or sponsorship from a member of the Austin City Council…
[TEXAS]
Why You Should Care About The Next Texas Speaker Of The House (KUT)
The top three elected officials in Texas are the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. But you didn't find that last official on the Nov. 6 ballot, because we, the voters of Texas, don't get to vote for speaker…
Nine Texas freshmen head to orientation at transformed U.S. House (Dallas Morning News)
Texas is sending nine freshman to a U.S. House transformed by the midterm elections, putting Democrats in charge and in position to provide a check on the Trump administration — and to exercise oversight that could entail fierce clashes in the coming two years.
At least 85 new members arrive Tuesday for three days of orientation. They'll get ethics training and tours of the Capitol's mazelike corridors. If the weather holds, they'll pose for a class photo on the steps of the House. Four Democrats and five Republicans are in the Texas freshman class. With 36 seats in the House, that means 1 in 4 from Texas is held by a newbie. Starting in January, when they're sworn in, the party split from Texas will be 23 Republicans and 13 Democrats, a shift from the current 25-11 ratio…
Texas education board moves to reinsert Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller into curriculum (Texas Tribune)
The Texas State Board of Education backed a motion Tuesday evening to reinsert Hillary Clinton into the state's 11th-grade U.S. History standards, two months after voting to remove the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee from the state's curriculum. In a separate action Tuesday, the board backed restoring disability rights advocate Helen Keller to the state's third-grade social studies curriculum standards.
Clinton's deletion from the high school U.S. history curriculum appeared likely to stand Tuesday, as she was not mentioned during the public hearing of the board's Tuesday meeting. But after a lengthy discussion, the board voted 12-2 to back a motion to reinsert Clinton into the curriculum. A final vote on the issue will come Friday…
[NATION]
U.S. Officials 'Harden' Border With Mexico To Prepare For Migrant Caravan (KUT)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that effective Tuesday morning it will close four vehicle lanes at the Southern border with Mexico at Tijuana to prepare for the migrants working their way north to the United States.
The travelers have said they plan to ask for asylum.
Three northbound lanes will be closed at San Ysidro and another lane at Otay Mesa will also be closed to install "port hardening infrastructure equipment," the agency said in a statement…