BG Reads | News You Need to Know (June 20, 2022)
[HEARINGS]
TODAY
Action taken by the City Council during the meeting of: Thursday, June 16, 2022
Note: The Austin Council is now on recess from regular meetings through July 25.
[AUSTIN METRO]
Austin's hot job market still keeping workers in the driver's seat (Austin American-Statesman)
With Austin's unemployment rate reaching lows since the pandemic, the scramble to fill jobs at all levels is reaching new highs.
The region's unemployment rate currently stands at 2.7%, putting workers in the driver's seat and pressuring those hiring to offer a number of perks and enticements, according to workplace experts and economists.
“As employers know all too well, there continues to be a shortage of qualified talent in practically every employment sector. But there’s no shortage of available jobs,” said Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area.
Atkinson said to attract and keep workers, employers need to consider flexible work arrangements, sign-on bonuses, attractive benefits, opportunities for advancement and other ways to demonstrate a long-term commitment to their workforce.
But that's challenging for small Austin independent businesses that are dealing with sky-rocketing rent increases, inflation, supply chain issues and rising payrolls… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Williamson County files suit against city of Austin over plans to convert hotel to shelter (Community Impact)
In the latest volley in an ongoing dispute, Williamson County has filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the city of Austin from using a former hotel as a housing facility for people experiencing homelessness.
A June 17 news release from Williamson County states the suit seeks a temporary restraining order and a temporary and permanent injunction against a nonprofit created by the city—AHFC Pecan Park PSH.
Williamson County officials have authorized funding for a special prosecutor to assist the county attorney’s office with the lawsuit, according to the release.
If successful, the suit would stop the nonprofit from creating homeless housing at the former Candlewood Suites location in Williamson County in violation of restrictions for the intended use of that property, the release states… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Texas Republicans embrace ‘The Big Lie’ at their state convention in Houston (Houston Public Radio)
Texas Republicans say the party is ready to focus on reelecting Gov. Greg Abbott, solidifying their majority in the state and helping win back Congress. But at their biennial convention in Houston, many were also fixated on false and debunked claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. On Thursday, the Republican Party of Texas Permanent Platform Committee advanced a resolution claiming the 2020 election "violated" the Constitution. "We reject the certified results of the 2020 Presidential election, and we hold that acting President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was not legitimately elected by the people of the United States," part of the resolution says.
Delegates are scheduled to vote on the party's platform – and the resolution – on Saturday, the last day of the convention. President Joe Biden received 81,284,666 votes in the 2020 election — about 7 million more than Trump. Biden also won 306 Electoral College votes, while Trump only secured 232. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Multiple independent audits have confirmed Biden's victory, including one in Texas, which was launched after Trump publicly called on the state to do so. But for many Republicans, that's not enough. "There’s no way in hell Biden got 81 million votes," said Mary Jo Bloomquist, a resident of Granbury. "Are you kidding me?" Jessica Steels, a delegate from College Station, also said she's certain Trump won. She claims she saw "numbers change" and that now she doesn't "trust the voting system." "I became a precinct chair two years ago when Donald Trump was running in 2020, which we all know he won," Steels said… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Gov. Greg Abbott unveils new campaign attack aimed at Beto O’Rourke (Houston Chronicle)
With the first ballots for the November elections going out in just 100 days, Gov. Greg Abbott this weekend unveiled a new campaign attack aimed at countering Democrat Beto O’Rourke at his rallies. Abbott showed off an old ambulance to supporters in Houston on Thursday that is plastered with pictures of O’Rourke and declarations that he supports a host of policies O’Rourke has said he doesn’t. The Republican governor, who is seeking a third term, has called the ambulance the “Beto Truth Response Unit.” It includes claims that O’Rourke supports open borders and defunding the police, among other policies. “It is Beto who wants open borders. It is Beto who wants to defund the police,” Abbott said just before posing for pictures with the ambulance and supporters. Abbott said the vehicle will be dispatched to O’Rourke’s rallies to show Texans the truth.
O’Rourke opposed former President Donald Trump’s attempts to build a wall along the border and has called for tearing down existing barriers. He has also pushed for reforms to improve ports of entry and fix the legal immigration system. The former El Paso congressman has said he never advocated for defunding the police. He has said in interviews that he supported a movement in Minneapolis that called for defunding the city’s police force after the killing of George Floyd two years ago. While city council members called for defunding the police, it never actually happened. In one interview O’Rouke said he supported reducing funding to “over-militarize” police departments and said Minneapolis was doing the right thing by rebuilding its police department amid the calls for defunding the police. It’s hardly the first time Abbott has dispatched campaign staff to counter O’Rourke’s rallies. In Austin earlier this year, he had a red truck with a video billboard parked across the street from an O’Rourke event that had the message: "Beto Biden Open Border Crisis." Abbott unveiled the ambulance at an event across the street from the Republican Party of Texas Convention being held at the George R. Brown Convention Center… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Where does Ken Paxton stand in effort to toss lawsuit accusing him of misconduct? (Austin American-Statesman)
The appeals process has grown a bit longer in state Attorney General Ken Paxton's effort to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit by four top agency officials who claim they were improperly fired in 2020 after accusing him of accepting bribes and other misconduct. Paxton turned to the Texas Supreme Court 7½ months ago after two lower courts rejected his bids to toss out the lawsuit. Last month, the Supreme Court told Paxton and the whistleblowers to provide justices with a deeper dive into the legal issues involved, kicking off a second round of legal briefing that was recently extended when the court granted Paxton's request for an extra month to file his expanded brief.
Paxton's brief is now due July 27, and although the court told Paxton that additional extensions aren't likely to be granted, the move means the final brief isn't due until Aug. 31 at the earliest. That moves the case into election season as Paxton seeks a third four-year term against a Democrat, Rochelle Garza, who has made questioning Paxton's ethics a campaign centerpiece. Three opponents tried the same tactic against Paxton in this year's GOP primaries without success. The timing also puts the case close to the two-year anniversary of when eight top officials of the attorney general's office met with FBI agents and other investigators to relate their suspicions that Paxton had misused the powers of his office to help a friend and political donor, Austin real estate investor Nate Paul. Three of those officials resigned. Five were fired, and four responded by filing suit, arguing that Paxton and the attorney general's office violated the Texas Whistleblower Act, which protects government workers from retaliation for reporting illegal conduct to law enforcement. That lawsuit was still in its earliest stages when Paxton moved for dismissal, so none of its claims have been heard in court. Instead, the fight thus far has focused on Paxton's claim that the former agency officials have no legal right to sue him… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Texas DMV launches digital license plates (KXAN)
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is bringing vehicle licenses into the digital age with the launch of new license plates. Beginning June 1, the Texas DMV is offering digital license plates to eligible commercial fleet drivers.
Currently, both government and commercial fleet vehicles can purchase digital plates, with multiple models available. Vehicles must already be registered in Texas to qualify for the specialty plates, per a June 14 Texas DMV news release… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[BG PODCAST]
Episode 159: Talking Austin Real Estate Development and Entrepreneurship w/ Ari Rastegar
Today’s episode (159) features Ari Rastegar, Founder and CEO of Austin-based Rastegar Property Company. He and Bingham Group CEO A.J. discuss real estate development in Austin, as well as Ari's entrepreneurial path.
Rastegar Property has a portfolio spanning more 13 states and over 3.5 million square feet. It recently announced its 809 Skyline office development project in Austin, as well as a 318-acre planned community in Kyle, TX. -> EPISODE LINK
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