BG Reads | News You Need to Know (January 15, 2020)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW -> Episode 70 - Jim O'Brien, Host of The Lobbying Podcast (LINK TO SHOW)
[AUSTIN METRO]
The 2019 Austin Housing Market Was Hot. Experts Expect 2020 To Be Even Hotter. (KUT)
Austin and its suburbs should expect a strong year of new home sales – barring a recession, maybe even the biggest year yet.
“It’s really hard to find anything negative about our economy and demand for housing as we look forward,” Eldon Rude, principal with 360 Real Estate Analytics, said Tuesday during the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin’s annual housing forecast. “So, I expect it to be a pretty darn good year.”
That “pretty darn good year” would build on a strong 2019 housing market. Cities in the greater Austin area permitted roughly 18,000 single-family homes, the highest number since 2006. According to a December report from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, that's up roughly 9% from 2018 and new housing permits are expected to increase another 10% in 2020… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin unveils multi-billion dollar transit plan with possible light rail expansion, downtown subway (KXAN)
After months of speculation and rumors, Austin is getting a glimpse Tuesday at a massive transportation plan which is aiming to fund a new generation of transit for a growing city.
At a joint work session of Austin City Council and Capital Metro Board of directors, Tuesday afternoon discussed an update to Project Connect, a plan to create high-capacity transit in the Austin area. For the first time publically, they explained which transit options are on the table and how they might pay for it.
The transit plans these groups are looking at range from $3.2-$10.2 billion dollars, depending on the features they opt for. CapMetro explained they believe they can pay for 40% of this amount through federal grants… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin ISD Facilities Master Plan update focuses on portable reduction, changes to facilities (Community Impact)
Austin ISD trustees will vote to approve an update to the facilities master plan, or FMP, at the Jan. 27 meeting. The plan details options AISD could look at to modernize and better use schools as well as facilities and offerings for athletics, fine arts, and career and technical education across the district… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Texas' Biggest Oil And Gas Industry Group Accepts Role In Climate Change (KUT)
The head of the Texas Oil and Gas Association said Tuesday his group agrees fossil fuels contribute to global warming and that the industry will find ways to reduce emissions.
“I think Texas is at risk if we don’t have a very real, factual-based conversation about our climate, about our environment, and about the progress that needs to be made,” Todd Staples, president of TXOGA, said in a media conference call. “I think Texas-based oil and natural gas companies are committed to making climate progress. They’re committed to a lower emissions future.”… (LINK TO STORY)
Southwest CEO teases South America expansion out of this Texas airport (Dallas Business Journal)
Houston will be one of three key cities where Southwest is focused on adding flights this decade, Chief Executive Gary Kelly said last week.
Domestic flights will continue to be the "primary" driver of growth for Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) at William P. Hobby Airport, Kelly told reporters last week as the company unveiled a new maintenance facility in Houston according to a video posted by KHOU 11.
Outside of America, Southwest will look at adding destinations in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean out of Houston, Kelly said. He also teased another destination.
"I think probably from Houston what would be most exciting ultimately is adding South America access," Kelly said. "I don't see that in the next year or so, but definitely down the road it's something that we would be interested to do. Nothing specific yet."
Right now, the southern-most destination Southwest serves is Costa Rica where it flies to both Liberia and San Jose in the Central American country, according to a network map posted on the Dallas-based carrier's website.
Southwest is famous for its all Boeing 737 fleet, which has a rough range of about 2,500 miles, Kelly said. That would open the door to Southwest serving the top of South America… (LINK TO STORY)
Michael Bloomberg announces plans to hire more than 100 Texas organizers by end of the month (Texas Tribune)
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has sharply ramped up his campaign in Texas, hiring 37 people with plans to have about 150 staffers by the end of the month.
On Tuesday, his campaign also named three deputy state directors, Terry Bermea, currently the organizing director for Battleground Texas, El Paso City Rep. Peter Svarzbein and former Texas Senate candidate Kendall Scudder.
The numbers give Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, by far the biggest formal operation in Texas ahead of the state’s delegate-rich primary on Super Tuesday, March 3. The campaign initially made its ambitious plans known late last month when it named its first four hires here, including a state director, and announced it intended to open 17 offices before the primary.
On Tuesday, the campaign said it would open offices in Dallas… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
Senate braces for Trump impeachment trial (The Hill)
The Senate is preparing to begin President Trump’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, a grueling process that senators expect will be highly partisan and likely drag on past the State of the Union address in early February.
Once Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sends the two articles of impeachment to the upper chamber, the Senate will summon Chief Justice John Roberts to swear senators in as jurors before the end of the week.
“We’ll be able to … in all likelihood go through some preliminary steps here this week, which could well include the chief justice coming over and swearing in members of the Senate and some other kind of housekeeping measures,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Tuesday afternoon… (LINK TO STORY)
4 takeaways from the 7th Democratic debate (AXIOS)
Six candidates squared off at Tuesday night's Democratic debate, which took place in Iowa but began with a global policy discussion on war and America's record in the Middle East.
The big picture: Recent tensions with Iran offered candidates the opportunity to draw sharp contrasts between their stances on foreign intervention. On more personal issues, like the rift between Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the candidates were more subdued, emphasizing the importance of solidarity against President Trump with just three weeks until the Iowa caucuses… (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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