BG Reads | News You Need to Know (May 8, 2023)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Voters overwhelmingly support civilian oversight of Austin policE (KUT)
Austin voters have decided the future of police oversight of the Austin Police Department.
Proposition A, which would expand oversight, cruised to victory Saturday: 79% of voters supported the measure, according to unofficial voting numbers.
Proposition B, which would curtail citizen oversight, was voted down by 80% of voters… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin city staff vacancy levels decrease to 2,400 openings in April (KXAN)
The City of Austin said it was making progress in its staffing shortages, which have been higher than normal since the start of the pandemic.
On Friday, the city said its vacancy rate is 15.3%—the lowest it has been since February 2022. Vacancies have dropped from 2,537 in January to 2,401 openings in April.
The city said this decrease is thanks to a new hiring campaign for hard-to-fill roles and to address shortages. In addition, 29 sworn personnel graduated and joined the Austin-Travis County EMS department.
The campaign highlighted 911 call takers and police dispatchers. The city said there was an application uptick in February and March… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
City to calculate housing gains possible with new building height compatibility rules (Austin monitor)
City staff members are moving ahead with analyzing how a change to area building height compatibility requirements could disrupt the local housing market. The analysis, which was called for as part of a December resolution by City Council that was intended to lessen restrictions on taller developments near single-family homes, could be disrupted by state lawmakers who appear determined to wipe away many such height restrictions in major cities across the state.
A memo released Friday outlines plans for city staff to use geographic information systems data to measure the footprints of commercial and high-density parcels located within 540 feet of single-family homes. That footprint will help to determine the number of housing units currently being lost, or undeveloped, due to existing height limits… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Council aims to make subdividing property easier (Austin monitor)
In a move aimed at increasing housing supply, City Council on Thursday passed a resolution to make it easier and cheaper to subdivide properties.
Council Member Ryan Alter, the sponsor of the resolution, said that splitting land into multiple lots means more homes at cheaper prices.
“If you take a lot, you divide it into multiple pieces, that divides that cost to two or three homes. And that has a real meaningful impact,” he said. “But currently, if you want to subdivide a lot, you must go through a lengthy and expensive process that can add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of land.” … (LINK TO FULL STORY)
How Micron loss, economic pressures are tweaking developers' plans for thousands of homes in Caldwell Co. (Austin Business Journal)
Thousands of new homes slated for Caldwell County are entwined with the area's continued growth as a commercial and industrial hub.
It was a rare misfire for Texas. After months of agonizing back-and-forth with Boise, Idaho-based Micron Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), the semiconductor manufacturer last year opted to set down roots for its new facility in upstate New York.
"It wasn't good that [Micron] went to New York, because it would have helped the pace of our deal," said Shannon Livingston, president of RREAF Communities, the master-planned community development arm of Dallas-based RREAF Holdings. In 2022, RREAF announced it had acquired a 3,000-acre swath of Caldwell County for a new community with possibly 4,000 to 6,000 homes… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio mayors easily win reelection (Texas tribune)
The mayors of three of Texas largest’ cities easily won reelection Saturday night after facing little opposition.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, the only Republican who heads a major Texas city, cruised to a second two-year term as the political leader of the state’s fifth-largest city. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who has held that seat since 2017, easily secured a fourth and final term.
And facing only a write-in candidate, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson made a second four-year term official Saturday night… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Keith Self criticized for prayers comment after mall shooting (Washington Post)
The U.S. congressman who represents Allen is facing criticism after denouncing people who say more than prayer is needed to combat gun violence.
In an interview Saturday with CNN, Rep. Keith Self responded to a question about people who say prayer has not prevented mass shootings.
“Those are people that don’t believe in an almighty God who is absolutely in control of our lives,” the Republican lawmaker told CNN’s Paula Reid. “I’m a Christian. I believe that he is.”
Self’s comments came roughly three hours after a gunman opened fire Saturday at a crowded outlet mall in Allen, killing eight people, including children, and wounding seven… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Amended bill would keep tenure at Texas public universitieS (Texas Tribune)
Texas public universities would still be able to grant tenure to faculty under a revised version of a Senate bill that set out to eliminate the practice.
Instead of prohibiting tenure for all new faculty hires, an amended version of Senate Bill 18 that was obtained by The Texas Tribune codifies tenure in state law and requires university governing boards to ensure they have clear guidelines to grant tenure and conduct regular performance reviews for those who earn it, something that Texas university systems already have in place… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Texas House committee recommends expelling Rep. Bryan Slaton (Texas Tribune)
A House committee has recommended the expulsion of Republican state Rep. Bryan Slaton after finding he had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with an aide, then acted to thwart an investigation into the matter.
A scathing report by the House General Investigating Committee, distributed to House shortly after noon Saturday, found Slaton did not dispute allegations that he had sex with the 19-year-old woman and provided alcohol to her, nor did he express regret or remorse for his conduct. Instead, the report said, Slaton’s lawyer argued the complaints should be dismissed because the behavior occurred in Slaton’s Austin residence, not the workplace… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
Congress eyes new rules for tech: What’s under consideration (Associated Press)
Tech regulation has been gathering momentum on Capitol Hill amid concerns about China’s ownership of TikTok and as parents are growing increasingly worried about the effects of social media on a post-pandemic mental health crisis. Noting that many young people are struggling, President Joe Biden said in his February State of the Union speech that “it’s time” to pass bipartisan legislation to impose stricter limits on the collection of personal data and ban targeted advertising to children… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Wall Street primary wide open as DeSantis stumbles (Politico)
Wall Street is firmly in the Never Trump camp. Finding a Republican who can make “never” happen is another question.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had been seen as the top pick to lock down the support of financial titans who have already pumped millions into his state campaigns.
But as he stumbles through gaffes over everything from his personal demeanor and stance on Ukraine to his snacking habits, Wall Street donors are keeping the door open to his competitors, according to more than a dozen bankers, attorneys and political consultants interviewed for this story… (LINK TO FULL STORY)