BG Reads | News You Need to Know (August 9, 2021)
6th Street in Austin, Texas, 1993 (Photo by Jmabel)
[MEETING/HEARINGS]
[AUSTIN METRO NEWS]
Music, arts proponents renew push in land use code for creative spaces (Austin Monitor)
Music and creative proponents are renewing a push to change the city land use code to make it easier for live music venues and other creative spaces to open throughout the city.
The Music Commission voted unanimously last Monday in support of a draft letter from a working group made up of members of the arts and music commissions, asking City Council and the mayor to push city staff to include considerations for those spaces in an update to the code that is expected this fall.
The letter writers want the new Land Development Code to designate music venues and creative spaces as separate uses from bars and nightclubs, which require special planning and zoning approvals to open in spaces outside of downtown. The letter also asks that a section of the code be dedicated to “diversify, sustain and cultivate art, music and culture,” creating a placeholder for more detailed language that could be finalized at a later date.
Distinguishing live music venues and performance spaces such as theaters from bars and nightclubs is an important consideration for giving those businesses more opportunities to operate around the city while still observing the city’s noise ordinance and other quality-of-life regulations.
The Imagine Austin comprehensive plan for future land use specifies entertainment districts located in neighborhoods throughout the city as a priority. Stakeholders for those businesses argue that the combination of rising rents for commercial properties downtown and the extensive planning and zoning requirements for bars and nightclubs make the proposed changes to the land use code necessary to open arts venues elsewhere.
“This separates music venues from nightclubs and bars … to make it easier in theory to have a live music venue when you have districts that may make it not OK to have bars located there, open up at a lower cost and offer more diversified ownership opportunities spread around the city,” Commissioner Graham Reynolds said. “Right now more bars and these creative spaces are concentrated downtown in very specific places and we’re trying, without imposing on the peace and quiet of neighborhoods, to make venues more accessible to a geographically wider segment of the city.”
The latest push to reduce the approvals and regulations on music- and arts-focused venues began as part of the CodeNEXT process that kicked off in early 2017, but was eventually abandoned by City Council in 2018 due to conflicting priorities and unhappiness with the draft document.
Mayor Steve Adler and Council members have since moved to update the Land Development Code in pieces and sections rather than as one comprehensive document. The working group’s letter is an attempt to ensure that creative spaces are not left out of the piecemeal approach… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin officials looking into county prosecutor allegations of APD officer 'misinformation' on criminal investigations (Community Impact)
Austin officials say they are reviewing allegations that some city police officers have refused to investigate potential crimes due to county-level legal policies, according to accusations shared with Austin leadership by Travis County attorneys in a pair of Aug. 3 letters.
County Attorney Delia Garza and District Attorney José Garza's letters, addressed to Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk, said constituents have reported a lack of response among some Austin Police Department officers in the wake of policy shifts at the attorneys' offices related to preliminary case reviews for those accused of crimes. Those changes, implemented at the county level this spring, are intended to free up resources by allowing prosecutors to identify earlier whether cases should be dismissed, or if they have enough evidence to proceed.
"Early case review saves time, needless days in jail for a wrongfully-accused [person], and ensures the office has the evidence needed to pursue justice on behalf of victims," a statement from José Garza's office said.
Since the updated policy's launch, Delia Garza and José Garza both said they have encountered "increasing" and "disturbing" instances of APD officers declining to follow up on criminal investigations including reports of vandalism, drug use and violation of camping ordinances, and asserting that the prosecutors' actions are to blame—an account the attorneys said could hinder local criminal investigations.
"Multiple reports of APD officers declining to investigate suspected criminal activity is particularly troubling because of the moment we are in. All across this country, and in our community, homicides are on the rise. If the public lacks trust that APD will investigate crime, it could chill the cooperation we need from the public to prosecute violent crime," José Garza said… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
AISD to host special called board meeting Monday with COVID-19 safety on agenda (KXAN)
The Austin Independent Board of Trustees is hosting a special called board meeting Monday with COVID-19 health and safety measures on the agenda.
The agenda lists an executive session, a COVID-19 Health and Data update and COVID-19 Safety Protocols as items, but details are limited.
Robocalls and emails went out to parents Sunday noting that families will get weekly updates on back-to-school plans, with Austin-Travis County moving into Stage 5 risk guidelines due to COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise in the area… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin still struggling to find places for people experiencing homelessness as it begins enforcing public camping ban (Texas Tribune)
After weeks of working to educate people experiencing homelessness about the ordinance and handing out warnings, city officials say police will begin ticketing anyone camping on public land — and arresting those who still refuse to leave their camps. Violating the ban is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.
The Austin Police Department said in an emailed statement that arrests “will be made only as a last resort with an emphasis on connecting resources and services to the individual.”
City spokesperson Yasmeen Hassan said many people have already abandoned their camps on public property. But she declined to say how — or when — the city will actually remove the homeless camps if people refuse to voluntarily leave.
Meanwhile, the city has struggled to find alternatives for people now packing shelters and camped in public spaces. It’s bought or leased at least three former hotels to supplement a network of city shelters, but doesn’t have nearly enough space for the more than 3,000 people estimated to be without housing in the city.
The city also lacks enough case managers to help assist people with housing and other services like obtaining identification documents, applying for public benefits and seeking employment.
“There is no good way to implement this proposition because there isn’t enough housing or safe places for people to go to,” said Austin City Council member Greg Casar. “That’s the core reason why we’ve tried to reduce arrests and citations in the last couple of years, was to establish hundreds more places for folks to safely go.”
The city’s enforcement push comes less than a month before a statewide ban on public encampments goes into effect on Sept. 1 — a law that followed Gov. Greg Abbott’s repeated criticism of Austin’s decision to repeal the city’s camping ban in 2019. The new state law criminalizes public camping and bans cities from adopting policies that prohibit or discourage enforcing any public camping ban. Cities that adopt such ordinances could risk legal action from the state attorney general and potentially lose state grant money… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS NEWS]
Another special session to pass a GOP voting bill started without a quorum. This time it’s unclear if Democrats will stay away. (Texas Tribune)
Texas Democrats on Saturday blocked a quorum in the House for the third time this year as the Legislature kicked off its second special legislative session called to pass the GOP elections bill, among other legislation — though it's unclear this time whether those members intend to remain absent for the entire overtime round.
Both the House and Senate convened at noon, a day after gaveling out from the first 30-day special session, which began in July and ended in an impasse when over 50 Democrats in the lower chamber left the state for Washington D.C. to prevent the passage of a elections bill. That departure meant the House could not have a quorum to conduct official business. Democrats broke quorum for the first time in May when they walked out of the chamber in the final hours of the regular session to prevent passage of a similar version of the bill.
The elections legislation at hand would outlaw local voting options intended to expand voting access, further tighten the voting-by-mail process and bolster access for partisan poll watchers, among several other changes to state elections. Republicans have championed the proposal as “election integrity” that would bring what they argue are much-needed reforms to the state’s voting system, while Democrats and voting rights groups have criticized the proposal as a vehicle that would harm marginalized voters in the state… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Lina Hidalgo urges mask mandates in HISD schools: 'It's a moment of necessary civil disobedience' (Houston Chronicle)
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo came out in support of Houston ISD's proposed mask requirements, calling it “necessary civil disobedience.” Houston ISD Superintendent Millard House II said he plans to bring a mask mandate for approval to the district’s board meeting on Thursday, even though Gov. Greg Abbott put forth an executive order banning such mandates.
The Harris County judge said going against the governor is the right move, considering that the rapid spread of the delta variant has forced the county back into the highest alert level and is causing overcrowding in area hospitals. “I fully support the action Houston ISD Superintendent House is taking to require masks in schools,” Hidalgo tweeted. “I hope that more will do the same, despite the state of Texas edict against masks in schools. It’s a moment of necessary civil disobedience. Children's lives are literally at risk.” The mandate would require all students and employees to wear masks in facilities and buses, House said during a board meeting last week. If approved, the mandate would be among the first of its kind issued by a public school district in the Houston area. Some board members have already signaled their support. "I will vote for any and all measures to keep our kids and communities safe. Their safety is MY top priority," trustee Elizabeth Santos tweeted earlier this week. Many parents have expressed concerns about bringing their children back to school in the midst of a fourth wave, and some have even signed petitions demanding virtual learning options. School resumes in Houston ISD on Aug. 23… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Petitioners, council member say Turner 'playing games' to stall charter amendments (Houston Chronicle)
Mayor Sylvester Turner is asking City Council to set a referendum on a charter amendment for 2023, prompting accusations that he is trying to delay the measure intended to give council members more power. Turner previously had promised to let Council decide when to set the election date, but the agenda item posted Friday includes only the November 2023 option. At least one member said he will offer an amendment to change the election date to this November when Council takes up the measure at its Wednesday meeting. The organizers of the charter amendment decried the agenda item as “gamesmanship” meant to delay the election, and said the city is ignoring its responsibility to act promptly on the matter.
Charles Blain, president of the conservative advocacy group Urban Reform, which helped collect petition signatures to get the proposal on the ballot, said the mayor was “flat-out dishonest” when he said he would leave the matter to council. He pointed out the mayor placed the item on the last possible council agenda before the Aug. 16 deadline to order an election for this year, meaning council cannot delay a vote if the 2021 date is not included in Wednesday’s language. “I just think it’s frustrating. It’s pure gamesmanship,” Blain said. “It’s clear what he wants. It’s clear this was entirely a game.” Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 341, which also helped organize the petition, likened the move to voter suppression. More than 20,000 people signed the petition to indicate they want to vote in an election promptly, he said… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Schools reopen to mask confusion (Wall Street Journal)
When students in California and Illinois head back to school in a few weeks, they will have to wear masks. Florida and Arizona, meanwhile, banned mask requirements in schools. Some, but not all, districts there are insisting on them anyway. Local school leaders in Georgia can make their own choices about masking, and policies differ from one district to the next. School officials in Gwinnett County, outside Atlanta, imposed a mask mandate eight days before the new school year started last month—a sudden reversal that caught some parents off-guard. “It has created quite a bit of chaos within a lot of families,” said Gwinnett County parent Michael Rudnick, who formed a group fighting the mandate. Schools are reopening just as the rise of the more contagious Delta variant shifts the fight against Covid-19. Masks are back on top of the policy agenda. And confusion reigns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance in July recommending that students and faculty wear masks in school buildings. But the federal government doesn’t require it, leaving the ultimate decisions to states, cities and individual school districts.
Many places are re-evaluating their Covid-19 policies after the CDC’s new guidance. In Arkansas, Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he regretted a mask ban he signed into law and called for a special legislative session to reverse it before school starts. The CDC recommends the use of masks indoors for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. It also recommends that children receive full-time, in-person learning this fall with prevention strategies in place, including social distancing. Some 56 million students are coming back after last year’s disruptions hurt their academic performance, mental health and social development. Some districts are still raw from battles with parents and teachers’ unions. Many are craving normality, yet without risking outbreaks, shutdowns and quarantines. “I need for the schools to be open five days a week,” Trent North, superintendent of a 26,000-student district west of Atlanta, said at a recent school board meeting. “I don’t want to have to close a school. But more importantly, I don’t want to lose a student under my watch.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Senate votes to end debate on $1T infrastructure bill (The Hill)
The Senate on Sunday night voted to end debate on a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, putting it on a glide path, albeit a lengthy one, to passing this week.
Senators voted 68-29 to end debate on the bill, which required 60 votes. Eighteen GOP senators joined with all Democrats to help advance the legislation.
Even though the legislation — crafted by a bipartisan group of senators and the White House — is all but guaranteed to pass the Senate and head to the House, opponents could still use the chamber's rules to run the clock for an additional 30 hours before the Senate can take a final vote. That would delay passage of the bill, absent an agreement, until early Tuesday morning… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Biden’s electric-car ambitions face real-world roadblocks (Wall Street Journal)
President Biden wants to convert American motorists to electric cars as a linchpin of his plan to address climate change. Success heavily depends on factors outside his control. The executive order that Mr. Biden signed Thursday—calling on sales of electric, fuel-cell and plug-in hybrids to account for 50% of car and light truck sales by 2030—has no binding authority. Auto makers say they could meet a target of somewhere between 40% and 50% of sales, but only if Congress spends billions of dollars to build out a network of EV charging stations and provides tax incentives to consumers, among other measures. Beyond that, consumers must buy in. EVs currently account for about 3% of sales, reflecting in part generally higher upfront costs and limits on their range. “Possibly the biggest hurdle ahead is consumer acceptance,” said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst at auto-data firm Edmunds. “What will it take for Americans to be willing to change their car ownership habits to go electric?”
Supporters of Mr. Biden’s plan acknowledge the magnitude of the task ahead but insist the goal is achievable. Tax incentives can help bridge the price difference between gasoline and electric vehicles at the dealership, these people say. Once purchased, electric vehicles offer continued savings in fuel and maintenance costs compared with gas vehicles, and often a better ride. A bigger national network of charging stations is also seen as key to alleviating fears of range anxiety, or running out of charge on the highway. Providing those solutions will require balancing a long list of interests, from industry, political parties, unions, environmentalists, regulators and local governments, among others. “That’s a Rubik’s cube of complexity,” said Larry Burns, a former GM executive and adviser to Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving affiliate Waymo. “And this scale is massive. So we have to have collective will to make this happen.” But Mr. Burns and others say the industry is ready to make the transition, spurred by government and international competition. Mr. Biden has made transportation a central part of his agenda on climate change. The sector is the country’s top source of greenhouse-gas emissions, contributing more than a quarter of the country’s planet-warming gases. And China has become a world leader in batteries and electric vehicles, a long-term threat to U.S. manufacturing… (LINK TO FULL STORY)