BG Reads | News You Need to Know (December 11, 2020)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW BG PODCAST - EP. 116: Discussing the 87th Texas Legislative Session with Lobbyist Lorena Campos
City Hall Jobs
Councilwoman-elect Vanessa Fuentes (District 2) has posted the following jobs for her office:
Director of Policy: https://www.austincityjobs.org/postings/86163
Director of Communications: https://www.austincityjobs.org/postings/86164
Pre-filed bills for the 87th Texas Legislature:
[AUSTIN METRO]
Austin opening up relief program for live music venues affected by Covid-19 (KUT)
Austin's ailing live music venues have been thrown a lifeline ahead of the year's end.
The City of Austin will begin accepting applications Friday for short- and longterm grants through the Live Music Preservation Fund. The money, which the city says it hopes to dole out by the end of the year, will be distributed by the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
Getting to this point took some time. Absent federal relief, the Austin City Council set aside city money in October to provide $5 million through its Save Austin's Vital Economic Sectors (SAVES) program, which also aims to assist child care providers and longtime restaurants and bars.
The wait has been frustrating for struggling businesses, staffers and musicians who depend on the live music scene, which likely won't come back in full force for another year. Members of the community pointed to the quick turnaround on similar programs in cities like Nashville and Houston, while the city argued it wanted to provide longterm relief to ensure businesses survive after the pandemic, not just a quick check.
The grant program's opening comes a week after City Council approved guidelines for it and well ahead of the Economic Development Department's tentative timeline to provide relief. The department initially expected to open up applications and distribute money by February.
Venues can apply starting Friday at 10 a.m. To qualify, they must be within city limits and show they've lost income as a result of COVID-19.
Venues can apply for emergency relief of $20,000 or longterm relief of up to $140,000 (with monthly installments). Businesses receiving longterm help must go through so-called technical assistance, which includes a financial evaluation and legal guidance. They'll also be required to commit to the Austin's equity plan, which the city hopes will increase opportunities for people of color working in the live music community.
To apply, go to the Long Center's application site. The deadline is Jan. 11. The city says it hopes to begin distributing money by the end of December.
The city has yet to finalize a third-party to distribute grants for a separate fund for so-called legacy businesses, which could include bars, restaurants and arts venues that have been operating in Austin for at least 20 years… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin’s top doctor: Stage 5 restrictions could trigger curfew (KXAN)
Austin’s top doctor said Thursday a curfew is among the possibilities if rising COVID-19 hospitalization numbers trigger stricter local guidelines.Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott told Travis County commissioners right now, most modeling projections have our area moving from Stage 4 to Stage 5 guidelines by the end of the month. He added that depending on the rate of new hospital admissions, moving to Stage 5 could even be considered sometime next week.
Projections can change with the community’s behavior, Escott said. He asked the community again to commit to social distancing, wear masks and avoid holiday travel.
“We simply can’t take the risk of having a substantial catastrophic surge,” he said.
Austin Public Health reports 54 new patients were admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 on Thursday.
That increases the seven-day average to 40 per day, the highest it has been since July.Under current guidelines, health officials would not move our area to Stage 5 until that seven-day average moves to 50 new hospital admissions per day.
Our area has never been under Stage 5, but context is important. Last month, the city lowered the Stage 4 and 5 thresholds over concerns of not having enough hospital staff. In July, the seven-day average for new COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 75.
Along with a curfew, Escott said Stage 5 recommendations could include eliminating afterschool activities or discouraging dining in at restaurants.
As far as restrictions go, the city and county have limited authority. For example, business openings and closures are determined at the state level.
In October, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said capacity limits on businesses would only change if 15% of hospital patients had COVID-19.
The Austin-Travis County area has not hit that threshold, but cities like El Paso, Amarillo, Abilene, Laredo, Midland, Lubbock, Dallas-Fort Worth and Waco have… (LINK TO STORY)
UT-Austin's final football game canceled after 9 players, 13 staff members test positive for coronavirus (Texas Tribune)
The University of Texas at Austin’s final football game of the regular season, against the University of Kansas, has been canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak infecting nine players and 13 staff members.
“We are pausing all football team activities and shutting down football training facilities to get a COVID-19 spread among our football program under control,” Chris Del Conte, UT-Austin athletic director, said in a statement.
In addition to those who are sick, there are 14 other players and 15 staffers in quarantine due to contact tracing. UT Athletics did not respond to requests for additional information about the recent outbreak among the football team.
“We will continue daily testing, monitor the situation and adhere to all of the medical team's health and safety protocols as we move forward with an abundance of caution in this situation,” Del Conte said.
This fall, college football schedules across the state and country were repeatedly disrupted as programs struggled to keep students and staff members safe from the virus during the contact sport. In June, 13 UT-Austin athletes tested positive for COVID-19. Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University postponed a game in early September. Baylor University has had to postpone a game and briefly paused football-related activities to stop the spread of the virus… (LINK TO STORY)
Cronk proud of city’s accomplishments in 2020 (Austin Monitor)
By many metrics, this year has been a difficult one for the city of Austin. The pandemic has played a role in the local unemployment spike, led to a number of permanent business closures and strained the city’s medical staff.
But despite the numerous headwinds, City Manager Spencer Cronk is proud of the city’s accomplishments and optimistic for the future. In his annual year in review, Cronk declared that he is “continually inspired by the unwavering resilience of this community and our city of Austin employees.”
Cronk’s letter focuses primarily on the city’s response to the coronavirus, its efforts at addressing homelessness and Council’s commitment to the process known as reimagining public safety. Cronk also highlighted “the full range of high-quality” city services and Project Connect, the multibillion-dollar transit initiative voters approved in November.
In recognizing the city’s pandemic response, Cronk singled out a number of programs he felt have been successful, including the Eating Apart Together Initiative, Austin’s economic recovery efforts and the Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants assistance program.
The EAT Initiative, which was launched in April, was created to help fight food insecurity among the city’s homeless population during the pandemic. According to Cronk, the effort has helped serve over 500,000 meals to residents since it was launched in the spring.
In spotlighting the city’s economic recovery efforts, Cronk writes, “Thanks to the Austin City Council’s leadership, we identified, secured and earmarked $449.9 million towards local recovery efforts.”
To date, the city’s RENT program has assisted more than 3,100 households that have been financially impacted by the pandemic. In addition, Austin has managed to move more than 1,300 people out of homelessness and into housing this year.
Cronk went on to write that the city’s move to reimagine public safety finds Austin “at a pivotal moment in our history.” Citing the police killings of Mike Ramos and George Floyd, he recognized public officials for engaging with “the amplified calls to end disparities in how communities of color are treated when they interact with officers.”
Another point of praise: the quality of city services.
In Cronk’s opinion, the city has “continued to provide the full range of high-quality services our growing community has come to expect, picking up compost alongside trash and recycling, improving and expanding our green spaces.”
He also applauded the city’s ability to maintain the time-honored Zilker Tree lighting, which was broadcast online. The 54th annual tree lighting featured performances by the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble and the Barton Hills Choir. Cronk made an appearance during the ceremony and said he’s been “awe-struck by the strength and ability” of Austin’s community this year.
Finally, Cronk highlights the city’s recent approval of Project Connect, a transit initiative that will fund a light rail system, a downtown transit tunnel and more robust bus system throughout the city.
Cronk predicts that over the next several years, Project Connect will “profoundly change the way people get around Austin, giving our residents and visitors alternatives to avoid traffic congestion and improve their commutes.”… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Managing COVID-19 risk during the Legislative Session: So far, there isn’t a plan (Texas Standard)
With the Texas Legislature set to open its 2021 session in January at the Capitol, questions remain about how the body will address COVID-19. Legislators, staffers, citizens, the press and advocates all descend on the building every two years, making social distancing and other pandemic precautions a matter of concern.
Scott Braddock is editor of Quorum Report. He told Texas Standard that when people who run the House and Senate’s day-to-day operations are asked about plans for the session, “the answer includes a lot of ‘I don’t knows’ about key things.”
Questions remain about whether lawmakers should be able to work from home, and even cast votes from somewhere other than the House or Senate floor.
“That’s very contentious for lots of reasons,” Braddock said.
Access to legislators for the media and the public are also among the issue that leaders must address.
Braddock says Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants people visiting the Capitol to be tested for COVID-19 24 hours prior to their visit, and to sign up to give testimony three days in advance.
“There are some folks who think that the lieutenant governor is, quite frankly, hypocritical about this,” Braddock said.
Patrick recently attended a Dallas fundraiser that included no such restrictions.
Braddock points out that crafting and passing legislation is “an intimate process” in which persuasion and agreement typically depend on close contact, and that communicating in person is different than an online gathering.
“I would liken it to the way people can use very coarse language and very hateful language on social media – things they would never say in person,” Braddock said.
The governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House are charged with making rules about the session, and Braddock says he expects the three to make a joint statement before the beginning of the legislative session.
Braddock characterizes disputes over press and public access to the Capitol as conflicts over “proximity to power.”
The Texas Constitution requires the House and Senate to have “open sessions,” but Braddock says the exact meaning of that phrase is up for debate.
“We’re days, if not weeks, away from something concrete,” he said… (LINK TO STORY)
With election lawsuit, Ken Paxton — like Donald Trump — makes a Hail Mary play (Texas Tribune)
If Texas’ audacious new lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results looks like a Hail Mary play for President Donald Trump, it might prove just as do-or-die for the attorney general who filed it.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had fallen into political peril this fall, facing another set of criminal allegations after eight of his top aides said they believed he broke the law by using the agency’s resources to do favors for a political donor. The allegations have reportedly sparked an FBI investigation that escalated this week when FBI agents served at least one subpoena at the attorney general’s office. Texas Republicans have called the allegations concerning and begun to distance themselves from Paxton.
But even as the investigation deepens, Paxton’s political star looks to be rising, at least on the right. In contesting the results of the election in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, he has catapulted himself into the country’s biggest political news story — a settled election that the president continues to contest, now relying heavily on an unprecedented lawsuit that has drawn the involvement of nearly every state. On Wednesday, Paxton joined Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck to talk about the case, which conservatives have cheered; on Thursday, he joined Trump for lunch at the White House… (LINK TO STORY)
Ted Cruz blasted for agreeing to argue Texas lawsuit to overturn the presidential election (Dallas Morning News)
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz came under political fire Thursday for agreeing to represent President Donald Trump in the Texas-led effort to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, should the Supreme Court hear it. The suit, filed at the Supreme Court by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, seeks to nullify votes in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin because they “exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to justify unlawfully enacting last-minute changes” that skewed the votes of the presidential election, according to Paxton’s office. Biden won the election with 7 million more votes than Trump and an electoral margin of 306-232, which mirrors the electoral count Trump won in the 2016 vote.
Trump personally asked Cruz, who has argued nine cases before the Supreme Court (most of them as Texas’ solicitor general), to represent him in the election lawsuit, according to The New York Times. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, called the Texas Republican a “sad sack” for agreeing to argue the case in an interview on CNN. “He has proven himself to be neither a genius in the law or a genius, frankly in terms of an EQ,” Shapiro said. “... If you continue to hold yourself out as a legal expert yet demonstrate day in and day out with the support of this president and his claims that you don’t know anything about the law, either the process or the facts that go into a winning lawsuit.” Cruz has had a historically tempestuous relationship with Trump, who Cruz called a “pathological liar” and “utterly amoral” in 2016. Trump called Cruz “Lyin’ Ted,” insulted his wife and said his father was involved in the conspiracy to assassinate John F. Kennedy… (LINK TO STORY)
Texas cancels A-F accountability grades for schools, keeps STAAR for students (Dallas Morning News)
Texas students will still take STAAR tests this school year, but their campuses and districts won’t be graded by the state. The Texas Education Agency announced the decision Thursday afternoon, saying that testing data is necessary to show the impact of the pandemic on student learning. The pandemic “has disrupted school operations in fundamental ways that have often been outside the control of our school leaders, making it far more difficult to use these ratings as a tool to support student academic growth,” education commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement.
School systems must make the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, exams available to every eligible student. The tests will be administered on school campuses or at secure alternative testing sites, according to a TEA press release. Remote learners won’t be required to take the test. STAAR results are important so the state, school boards and superintendents can target resources to students in the greatest need of support, Morath said on a phone call with superintendents Thursday afternoon.
“We are, I think, collectively going to have to make many adjustments over the coming years to support students given what is likely to be some significant negative impacts on student learning,” he said on the call. In July, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that STAAR would not have an impact on whether students in fifth and eighth grade advance to the next grade level. Typically, fifth and eighth graders have to retake STAAR exams if they don’t pass them. Without the A-F grades, schools and districts will skip another year in the state’s accountability system. The system rewards schools that perform well on the STAAR exams and enforces consequences for those that repeatedly receive low scores… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
US panel endorses widespread use of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (Associated Press)
A U.S. government advisory panel endorsed widespread use of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine Thursday, putting the country just one step away from launching an epic vaccination campaign against the outbreak that has killed close to 300,000 Americans.
Shots could begin within days, depending on how quickly the Food and Drug Administration signs off, as expected, on the expert committee’s recommendation.
“This is a light at the end of the long tunnel of this pandemic,” declared Dr. Sally Goza, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
In a 17-4 vote with one abstention, the government advisers concluded that the vaccine from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech appears safe and effective for emergency use in adults and teenagers 16 and over… (LINK TO STORY)
Biden's Cabinet picks give Kamala an edge in 2024 (Politico)
Joe Biden hasn’t picked any of the nearly two dozen Democrats who ran against him to serve in his administration — and that bodes quite well for the former rival he did elevate as his No. 2, Kamala Harris.
Biden’s decision to forgo a Cabinet of ambitious pols in favor of a group heavy on seasoned loyalists and technocrats contrasts with Donald Trump and Barack Obama's appointment of next-generation officials to top posts. And it could deny a springboard to potential Harris competitors in 2024 if Biden decides to retire after one term rather than running for reelection in his 80s.
While several people around Biden and Harris were reluctant to speak publicly about a topic they view as taboo, they acknowledged Biden’s choices for top positions reinforce Harris’s status as president-in-waiting.
Biden has built an administration free of political threats to Harris.
“He’s not putting together a team of rivals, he’s putting together a team. That sets him apart from everybody,” said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic strategist from Massachusetts who served in senior roles for John Kerry, Biden’s incoming special envoy on climate change. “Obama had a team of rivals, other presidents have had a team of rivals. He’s not interested in conflict as much as he wants to have people who have done the job before and they can all work together to get all the work done.
“That,” Marsh added, “benefits Kamala Harris.”… (LINK TO STORY)
Minneapolis Shifts $8 Million in police funding, but keeps force at current level (NPR)
The Minneapolis City Council has voted to shift almost $8 million in police funding to expand other services, including violence prevention and mental health crisis response teams. But, in the face of a veto threat from the mayor, the council also voted to keep its police staffed at current levels, reversing earlier plans to cut officers from the force.
The vote on Thursday emerged from the national debate over police funding that was sparked in May by the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis officers as well as numerous similar incidents around the country. The incidents were followed by massive protests about racial injustice.
Lisa Bender, City Council president, said she's proud the council unified around a shared goal, Minnesota Public Radio reported. "It's clear to me and I think to all of us that we need to transform our system of public safety. That we cannot vacillate between police violence and community violence," Bender said… (LINK TO STORY)