BG Reads | News You Need to Know (December 6, 2019)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW -> Episode 64: United States-Mexico policy and investment talk with Sergio Chavez, Intermestic Partners (LINK TO SHOW)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Austin orders sweeping probe of alleged racism, bigotry among police, including social media audit (Austin Monitor)
The city of Austin will conduct a department-wide investigation of discrimination in the Austin Police Department, following accusations of racism and homophobia among the highest ranks.
“There comes a time in everybody’s existence to have to do something really hard because it’s worth it,” Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison said before Council voted on the measure Thursday night. “I think it’s time for the Austin Police Department to do something really hard because it’s worth it.”
In a unanimous vote following at least two hours of public testimony, Council members approved a far-reaching investigation, including an audit of police officers’ social media accounts, materials used in cadet training courses and the department’s recruitment efforts. Council has asked that the results of the investigation, plus recommended changes in the department, be made public by December 2021.
Separately, the city manager will revise training materials for new officers, with those changes to be made no later than June 2020… (LINK TO STORY)
Longtime Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty will not seek re-election following end of current term (Community Impact)
Precinct 3 Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty announced via press release Dec. 5 he will not seek re-election following the end of his term in 2020.
Daugherty has served western Travis County for the last 14 years, with terms from 2002-08 and 2013 to the present. He is also the chairman of the Capital Area Council of Governments, the regional planning organization that includes 10 Central Texas counties, according to the release.
“It has been a privilege and honor to serve my neighbors as their commissioner,” Daugherty said in the release. “I’ve done my very best to deliver on the promises that I’ve made over time. I’ve fought for honest, cost-effective transportation solutions, for a comprehensive road system, and for a fiscally conservative county government. While no one in public office ever achieves all of their objectives, I’ve always thought that serving my constituents was my primary job, and I’m proud of the things we have been able to achieve together.”… (LINK TO STORY)
Economic analyst: Austin economy still strong, but growth has tapered off heading into 2020 (Community Impact)
Austin’s population is booming and its economy is growing, and the city’s unemployment rate is sitting near historic lows at 2.7%, according to the most recent data from the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Austin's population has experienced historic growth in recent years and according to data from the city demographer is poised to surpass 1 million residents in 2020.
At the chamber’s annual economic outlook event held Dec. 5, Sara House, a senior economist and director for Wells Fargo Securities, said while that economic growth is continuing to expand at a solid rate, it is slowing down heading into 2020.
According to data House cited from the U.S. Department of Labor and Wells Fargo Securities, Austin’s year-over-year employment growth sat around 2.5%, just above the Texas average and behind cities such as San Antonio, McAllen, Dallas and Houston… (LINK TO STORY)
Just In Time For Your Awkward Holiday Parties, Texas Will Soon Allow App-Based Booze Deliveries. (KUT)
If you're lazy, drunk – or both – you're in luck. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced Thursday it's going to allow third-party delivery of alcohol from restaurants, liquor stores and grocery stores.
TABC says it is taking applications for its new consumer delivery permit, and that it expects to clear apps like Favor and Instacart for deliveries by the third week of December.
The new permit also allows restaurants with proper permitting to include alcohol in deliveries. Containers must be sealed and delivered to places where consumption of alcohol is allowed. Drivers must confirm the recipient of a delivery is over 21 years old and cannot deliver to someone who is intoxicated.
Drivers are required to undergo a TABC training course before they can deliver alcohol, and TABC can suspend permits for violations… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Beto O'Rourke repeats he's not running for Senate despite continued speculation (Texas Tribune)
Beto O’Rourke is reiterating that he is not running for U.S. Senate next year as speculation swirls ahead of the Monday filing deadline.
The former El Paso congressman has long said he would not challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, but since he dropped out of the presidential race last month, some supporters have held out hope for a reversal and buzzed that he may be giving it new consideration.
“Nothings changed on my end,” O’Rourke told The Texas Tribune in a text message on Thursday night. “Not running for senate.”
O’Rourke’s statement comes three days after the release of a poll showing he would fare much better against Cornyn than other Democrats currently running. The survey, commissioned by a group led by an O’Rourke booster, breathed new life into the speculation simmering since early November that O’Rourke could be convinced to make a late entry into the race… (LINK TO STORY)
Donald Trump's new controversial homelessness czar got his start with San Antonio shelter (Texas Tribune)
A Texas consultant who devised a controversial approach to addressing homelessness in San Antonio a decade ago was tapped by President Donald Trump this month to bring his strategy to the rest of the country.
Robert Marbut Jr., the founding president of San Antonio’s homeless shelter Haven for Hope, will lead the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which coordinates with 19 federal departments and agencies to address homelessness.
But aspects of Marbut's approach to addressing homelessness have garnered blowback from housing advocates. He calls feeding homeless people “enabling” them, and once while working in Florida, he went undercover as a homeless person to study them… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
Pelosi says House will move to impeach President Trump (The Hill)
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Thursday that the House will move forward with impeaching President Trump, saying his actions — as revealed by their weeks-long investigation — left them “no choice” but to pursue his removal from office.
The move erases any lingering doubt that Democrats view Trump’s dealings with Ukraine as a severe violation of the Constitution — and any question of whether they will take the next step of making him just the third president in the nation’s history to be impeached.
"The president's actions have seriously violated the Constitution," Pelosi said in a televised address against a backdrop of American flags. "Our democracy is at stake. The president leaves us no choice but to act."… (LINK TO STORY)
The Bingham Group, LLC is an Austin-based full service lobbying firm representing and advising clients on municipal, legislative, and regulatory matters throughout Texas.
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