BG Reads | News You Need to Know (October 22, 2019)
[BG PODCAST]
NEW -> Episode 58: The Future of Austin politics with Good Politics' Liz Coufal and Nathan Ryan (LINK TO SHOW)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Planning Commission offers solutions to missing-middle housing problem (Austin Monitor)
Transition zones continue to divide the city’s elected and appointed officials in discussions over the Land Development Code.
Several City Council members have already taken issue with the way the zones – meant to promote missing-middle housing types in Imagine Austin activity centers and along major transportation corridors – were mapped in the draft release early this month.
Citing some of the same concerns, the Planning Commission held a lively debate over the draft code last week, displaying a similar ambivalence over the best way to map missing-middle and get the transit-supportive densities needed to meet the goals of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan and the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint… (LINK TO STORY)
25,000 gallons of sewage spills into Bull Creek due to clogged line (KXAN)
The water utility updated KXAN that crews should be working on removing excess sewer water from the creek until Monday afternoon. Austin Water explained to KXAN that this sewage spill was not the result of any illegal activity, but rather the gradual buildup of things which are not supposed to go down sinks and toilets (grease, rags, wipes, etc.) which clogged the sewer line and sent water into the creek.
Drinking water was not affected, the water utility said. People who live nearby were also notified to stay out of the creek while the spill happened.
Austin Water staff estimate that 165 fish were killed because of the spill. Crews were able to pump sewage from the creek and clean up solid material that flowed in.... (LINK TO STORY)
Blythe starts PAC to unseat City Council (Austin Monitor)
Sharon Blythe, best known around City Hall for her activism related to cemeteries, is hoping to unseat every member of City Council not currently slated to be on the ballot in November 2020.
Blythe filed a document appointing herself treasurer of a specific purpose committee called Our Town Austin, which seeks to recall Mayor Steve Adler and Council members Natasha Harper-Madison, Pio Renteria, Ann Kitchen, Page Ellis and Kathie Tovo.
The document does not explain why she chose these specific Council members, but other members of Council will be on the ballot next fall if they choose to run for reelection. They are Greg Casar, Jimmy Flannigan, Leslie Pool, and Alison Alter, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza. Garza seems likely to run for Travis County Attorney in the Democratic primary in March. If she wins the primary, obviously she will not run for reelection… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Top Texas House Republicans say they can no longer support Speaker Dennis Bonnen (Texas Tribune)
Some of the most powerful Texas House Republicans said Monday they no longer support GOP Speaker Dennis Bonnen, marking the biggest blow yet to his political future amid the fallout from a secret recording released last week by a hardline conservative activist.
Five Republicans considered senior members of the lower chamber issued a statement withdrawing support for him: State Reps. Four Price of Amarillo, Dan Huberty of Houston, Lyle Larson of San Antonio, Chris Paddie of Marshall and John Frullo of Lubbock.
“As long-serving members of the Texas House, we informed Speaker Bonnen earlier today that we no longer support him as our Speaker,” they said in a joint statement released Monday night. “It is clear that trust and confidence in the Speaker has significantly eroded among our membership, and the matter has both damaged the reputation of the House and relationships among individual members.”… (LINK TO STORY)
Julián Castro threatens to drop out if he doesn't raise $800,000 by end of month (Texas Tribune)
Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro is threatening to end his campaign if he does not raise $800,000 by the end of the month, saying he is in "dire need of financial resources to keep going."
Castro, the former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor, is following in the footsteps of rival Cory Booker as he struggles to make the November debate stage, which Castro previously described as a do-or-die target for his bid. Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, implied last month he would drop out of the race if he did not raise $1.7 million in 10 days — a goal he ended up hitting.
Castro announced the $800,000 push in an email to supporters Monday morning, insisting it was not "a fundraising gimmick — it’s the transparency and honesty I have promised you since I entered this race."… (LINK TO STORY)
Gov. Abbott issues disaster declaration for storms across Texas (KXAN)
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Monday following severe weather across the state Sunday night, including a tornado that touched down in Dallas.
Sixteen Texas counties fall under the declaration: Cass, Cameron, Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Erath, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Panola, Rains, Rockwall, Rusk, Tarrant, Van Zandt and Wood.
Declaring a disaster allows these counties to access state resources and waive certain regulations that lets utility companies bring in outside resources to help restore power… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
Affordable housing among striking Chicago teachers' demands (Associated Press)
Striking Chicago teachers who are seeking smaller class sizes and higher pay also are demanding that the nation's third-largest city do more to lower housing costs and put more resources into helping homeless students. The demand for affordable housing citywide — for students and their financially-strapped families as well as for school employees — stands as a dramatic example of organized labor's effort to expand bargaining beyond bread-and-butter issues.
The pursuit is part of the union's "social justice" agenda and is a unique departure from standard negotiating tactics. Despite early rejection by city officials, teachers argue that the issue belongs on the bargaining table. After months of negotiating , the Chicago Teachers Union's 25,000 members began striking Thursday along with thousands of support staff. Talks that continued through the weekend and into Monday made some progress but didn't resolve key disagreements, including teachers' demands for stricter class size limits and more support staff in schools, and classes remained canceled for more than 300,000 students… (LINK TO STORY)
Last-minute opioid deal could open door to bigger settlement (Wall Street Journal)
A $260 million late-night settlement between four drug companies and two Ohio counties averted a trial here over who is to blame for the opioid crisis, clearing the way for broader talks aimed at resolving thousands of opioid-addiction cases nationwide. Lawyers for the plaintiffs and companies said the settlement could be an important step toward a multibillion-dollar deal that brings closure to 2,500 lawsuits and sends needed money to communities hard-hit by opioid addiction.
Municipalities have balked at a comprehensive settlement negotiated by state attorneys general that includes $22 billion in cash and up to $26 billion in donated addiction-treatment drugs and services, saying that it isn’t enough money and that they want some control over how it is spent. For now, Monday’s deal will direct $215 million to Ohio’s Cuyahoga and Summit counties from the country’s top drug distributors: McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Corp. The counties—which encompass the Cleveland and Akron metro areas—will also receive $20 million in cash and the donation of $25 million in addiction-treatment drugs from Israel-based drug manufacturer Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd… (LINK TO STORY)