BG Reads | News You Need to Know (September 30, 2022)
[HEARINGS AND MEETINGS]
[AUSTIN METRO]
Austin, San Antonio metros growing together quickly (Austin Business Journal)
As you can see in the image above, the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metroplexes have coalesced, and Austin and San Antonio are being held together with a thin string of lights. But in the past year or so, the Austin metro has started fleshing out its east end, largely led by Elon Musk and Tesla's gigafactory. That has Austin's southeast side bulging, and bringing the southern suburbs with it, too. And suburbs north of San Antonio are also in overdrive, allowing the ASA Metroplex to fill out in earnest over the coming decades… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
City, police union seek a new contract before May election, when oversight is on the ballot (Austin Monitor)
With Austin voters set to vote on whether to expand civilian oversight of the police department in May, the city of Austin and the Austin Police Association reaffirmed their commitment to finalizing a new labor contract before the spring election, despite persistent disagreements about what oversight should look like.
“We are here to negotiate,” Rebecca Hayward, outside counsel for the city, told the police union’s bargaining team Monday. “We’re not waiting for the May election. We’d like to have a contract prior to that.”
APA President Thomas Villarreal agreed.
“I don’t want us to fall out of contract,” he said, adding that operating outside of a contract is bad for the city, the public, the union and officers.
The current labor contract expires Friday but will be extended through March, giving the two teams six more months to reach an agreement that balances increased transparency with higher wages. Any agreement must be approved by City Council and ratified by APA member officers… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin groups to receive $20M to fight displacement amid Project Connect's rollout (Community Impact)
As Project Connect continues its development in Austin, planners are also working to limit the system's potential to push residents away from their homes.
City voters' approval of the multibillion-dollar transit plan in 2020 included a $300 million investment in antidisplacement strategies. That funding is set aside to ensure those living in areas vulnerable to displacement along new light rail and bus routes are not priced out as new infrastructure and related development arrives in their neighborhoods.
Austin has been working to spend $65 million of that overall allotment over the past two years, with the remainder to be used over the next decade. On Sept. 29, City Council approved a plan to distribute just under one-third of those initial funds to more than a dozen organizations to take on displacement in communities located within 1 mile of transit stations… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
A 'renaissance' is already well underway in small town of Lockhart — what would a multibillion-dollar factory add? (Austin Business Journal)
What's historically been the most overlooked part of the five-county Austin metro from an economic development standpoint is now being circled by technology giants. The big one is Micron Technology Inc., one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers. While nothing has been finalized, the company is eyeing an eight-phased facility at what's known as the region's megasite, an 1,800-acre space north of Lockhart that is primed for development. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said Sept. 15 the winner of the company's competitive site selection process is "going to be announced in the coming weeks."… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Lackluster employment numbers signal economic slowdown for Texas, Dallas Fed says (Texas Tribune)
A lack of employment growth and a slight increase in unemployment from July to August, along with fewer employers raising wages, are signs that Texas’ economy is slowing, economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said in a report released Thursday.
The report, written by Pia Orrenius, the Dallas Fed vice president and senior economist, and Research Analyst Ana Pranger, said the number of employed Texans held steady at around 13.5 million last month, while the state’s unemployment rate increased from 4% in July to 4.1% in August.
In a video accompanying the report, Orrenius suggested the slowed economic activity may help slow inflation in Texas… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Texas schools receiving $94M to keep students safe (Dallas Morning News)
Texas is getting nearly $94 million in grants to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments, federal officials announced Wednesday. Schools can use the money to support community partnerships that seek solutions that address bullying, violence and hate; that boost the mental health and wellness of students and staff; and that address the needs of underserved students. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said improving such efforts is “sorely needed in our schools.” Families “trust that school will be a place where their children’s dreams are valued, where their potential is fulfilled and where every student feels safe and seen,” Cardona said. “We must make good on that promise.”
The U.S. Department of Education awarded a total of nearly $1 billion to 56 states and territories through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Texas received the second largest award in the Western region following California, which received more than $119 million. The money comes four months after the deadly elementary school shooting in Uvalde, where 19 children and two teachers were killed. Texas schools and state leaders have said improving campus safety is a priority. Texas school districts have bolstered security by auditing entrances to buildings, investing in new camera and monitoring equipment and increasing police presence, among other measures. The money will flow through the Texas Education Agency, which is responsible for awarding the funds competitively to high-need districts across the state. The department highlighted work underway at Santa Fe Public Schools in New Mexico. That district is using federal funds to expand its existing restorative justice program, hire additional school psychologists and expand school counseling programming… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Dallas City Council OKs $4.75 billion budget with modest tax decrease but higher fees (Dallas Morning News)
The Dallas City Council unanimously approved a $4.75 billion budget Wednesday, a near-record spending plan that lowers the property tax rate, raises residential trash and water service fees, and adds more funding for the police and fire departments. It’s the first time since 2019 that all 15 council members voted in favor of the budget, which will take effect Oct. 1. Mayor Eric Johnson credited the broad support to, among other things, the tax rate decrease and plans to put more money into initiatives aimed at public safety, homelessness, and sidewalk and other infrastructure improvements. Several initiatives that Johnson personally asked for were included in the budget. “Mr. Manager, this is the best budget I have seen since I’ve been mayor of the city,” Johnson said to City Manager T.C. Broadnax. “That’s not to say that the budget is perfect. There is no perfect budget.”
The budget is $400 million larger than the one approved last fall, buoyed in part by higher revenue from sales and property taxes. The new budget previously was expected to come in at $4.51 billion, but Janette Weedon, budget and management services director, told The Dallas Morning News an “accounting issue” didn’t factor in the inclusion of an extra roughly $6 million in employee’s retirement fund money and $241 million more for internal service and other funds. The council approved several amendments to the initial budget recommended by Broadnax in August, much of involving the shifting of money that officials had planned to set aside for future pension-related expenses. The amendments included paying for plans to repair and renovate Dallas Fire-Rescue buildings and buy new equipment, hire more community prosecutors, and boost the new Inspector General division from 10 workers to 16… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[BG PODCAST]
Episode 167: Discussing the Austin Monitor with CEO Joel Gross
Today's episode (167)is an introduction to the Austin Monitor.
The Austin Monitor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization covering important issues and key decisions at the intersection between the local government and the community.
Joel and Bingham Group CEO A.J. discuss its history, present, and future.
NOTE: A.J. serves on the Austin Monitor board as Vice-Chair.
-> EPISODE LINK <-
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