BG Reads | News You Need to Know (December 1, 2022)
[AUSTIN METRO]
‘I’m going to defend the values of my city’: Kirk Watson on why he wants job of Austin mayor again (KUT)
Kirk Watson talked to the Texas Standard about why he thinks he’s the best choice for mayor… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
‘We can do better for the working families of Austin’: Why Celia Israel is running for mayor (KUT)
Israel joined the Texas Standard to talk about why she’s running and how she plans to tackle Austin’s biggest issues… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin mayoral candidates running on experience, but the dais is different now (KXAN)
Starting Thursday, Austin voters will have their chance to elect the city’s next mayor in a runoff race between Sen. Kirk Watson and Rep. Celia Israel.
While both have served several terms at the state level, neither is unfamiliar with Austin politics. Watson previously served as mayor from 1997-2001, while Israel’s previous city leadership roles included positions on Austin’s Environmental Board, Police Monitor Board, 2011 Bond Advisory Commission and the Robert Mueller Advisory Commission… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
What surge in office subleases means for Austin (Austin business Journal)
The amount of sublease space in Austin has exploded over the past few years.
That’s according to data from CoStar Group Inc., which found that among 39 markets, Austin has seen the sixth-highest increase in space up for sublease since the third quarter of 2019: 201% to reach 3.8 million square feet. For comparison, Phoenix ranked No. 1 in the CoStar analysis, with a 424% increase to 7.2 million square feet up for sublease… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Council working on rules for city-owned property (Austin monitor)
City Council Member Kathie Tovo has been working on resolutions intended to ensure that city staff follow certain policies when renting or selling city property. The policies relate to the requirements for construction projects, living wage, minority and women-owned business requirements, affordable housing and child care facilities.
After staff posed numerous questions and expressed concern about how to deal with those directives while conducting real estate transactions under the purview of City Manager Spencer Cronk, the resolution was postponed from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3 to today. Mayor Steve Adler has authored a motion asking the city manager to develop policies and recommendations to accomplish a number of goals while working with the staff of the Austin Economic Development Corporation… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin airport exec to head Leadership Austin (Austin business journal)
Leadership Austin, a nonprofit dedicated to the development of established and emerging leaders, has named Jill Goodman its next CEO.
The organization, which also aims to help its participants learn about regional issues and build relationships, announced the leadership change Nov. 29.
Goodman will become the fifth CEO in Leadership Austin’s 40-plus years of existence, replacing Christopher Kennedy. She will formally be appointed to the role in January after being selected from a pool of more than 120 applicants… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin's program to sell homes to people affected by gentrification off to slow start (KUT)
The City of Austin has not yet sold one of the two dozen homes it began marketing six months ago to low-income families affected by displacement and the influx of wealth into neighborhoods. This is the city’s first attempt at using its long-touted “preference policy,” approved by council members in 2018. Policies like these — also referred to as "right-to-return” policies — have been adopted in other cities, including Portland, Ore. Applicants need to prove they earn less than the typical household in Austin; that’s no more than $70,600 a year for a two-person household, according to numbers set by the federal government. Although the city is selling these 24 homes at a fraction of what they’d sell for on the traditional housing market, a program manager with the city’s Housing and Planning Department told KUT applicants have struggled to qualify for mortgages… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick prioritizes property tax relief, electric grid fixes and border security for 2023 legislative session (Texas tribune)
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday unveiled a list of 21 legislative priorities including property tax relief, improving the reliability of the electric grid and continuing to spend money on border security funding.
Patrick, who presides over the Senate and wields tremendous power over legislation, also said he will focus on issues like boosting border security, law enforcement, state investment in mental health facilities, restoration of the Alamo, education, school security and tightening the state’s election laws… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
John Whitmire formally launches Houston mayoral bid with backing of Tilman Fertitta, GOP mega-donors (Houston chronicle)
State Sen. John Whitmire formally launched his campaign for Houston mayor Tuesday evening with a fundraiser at the ritzy Post Oak Hotel, attended by dozens of the city’s political luminaries — including the hotel’s billionaire owner, Tilman Fertitta, and several other Republican mega-donors who are opening their checkbooks for Whitmire, a moderate Democrat. With almost a year to go until next year’s Nov. 7 election, Whitmire outlined his platform and kickstarted his campaign at Tuesday’s fundraiser. The host committee is filled with prominent lobbyists, business groups, labor unions, former elected officials and a mix of donors to both political parties. Whitmire said his campaign is motivated by his desire to solve a variety of problems that he has personally witnessed in Houston including homelessness, illegal dumping, rising crime and inefficient city services… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Dallas Morning News Editorial: Austin is weird, but this bill to dissolve it is a lot weirder (Dallas Morning News)
We thought the political silly season had ended with the midterm primaries. But alas, we forgot Texas’ biennial follies, the vast stack of bills filed in the days leading up to the next legislative session that range from significant to frivolous virtue signaling and political petulance. Once again, Austin is the center of weirdness, but not in the tongue-in-cheek way that celebrates the city’s quirkiness. Shortly before Thanksgiving Day, state Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, filed measures that would dissolve Austin’s city government and create a District of Austin. In a tweet, Patterson said “elected officials in Austin have failed their city.” He blamed “record high taxes and crime” for pushing folks out of the city, and “San Francisco wannabe policies [that] force the state to come over the top on legislation each session.” Austin’s city politics frequently have left us scratching our heads in disbelief. However, Patterson’s proposal, which also requires voter approval of a constitutional amendment, would make a mockery of the legislative process, local control and small government… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
San Francisco will allow police to deploy robots that kill (associated Press)
Supervisors in San Francisco voted Tuesday to give city police the ability to use potentially lethal, remote-controlled robots in emergency situations -- following an emotionally charged debate that reflected divisions on the politically liberal board over support for law enforcement.
The vote was 8-3, with the majority agreeing to grant police the option despite strong objections from civil liberties and other police oversight groups. Opponents said the authority would lead to the further militarization of a police force already too aggressive with poor and minority communities… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
New York City to Involuntarily Remove Mentally Ill People From Streets (New york times)
Acting to address “a crisis we see all around us” toward the end of a year that has seen a string of high-profile crimes involving homeless people, Mayor Eric Adams announced a major push on Tuesday to remove people with severe, untreated mental illness from the city’s streets and subways.
Mr. Adams, who has made clearing homeless encampments a priority since taking office in January, said the effort would require involuntarily hospitalizing people who were a danger to themselves, even if they posed no risk of harm to others, arguing the city had a “moral obligation” to help them… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[HEARINGS/MEETINGS]
YESTERDAY
City Council Candidate Runoff Forums (2h 25m)
TODAY
(10AM) - City Council Meeting Agenda
[BG PODCAST]
Bingham Group Week in Review (11.23.2022)
Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. recap the week (and the week ahead) in City of Austin Politics. (Episode 172)
Happy Thanksgiving!
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