Highlights from Texas Tribune’s “Austin’s Future: Priorities from Mayor Kirk Watson)
On Thursday, January 29th, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson discussed his priorities for the city’s future with the The Texas Tribune.
Highlights are below, and you can review the full discussion here.
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Approach to Governance
Mayor Watson discussed his philosophy of "practical idealism" in local government, saying: "Let us, as Austinites, be idealistic. Let us talk about our values. Let us set those values, and let us be be very visionary when it comes to what we want to achieve, but let us also recognize that it's not going to be perfect."
He acknowledged the challenges of governing in a "chaotic" environment, emphasizing the need to "not create unnecessary enemies" when working with state lawmakers.
Partnerships with the State
Watson identified areas for potential partnerships with the state legislature, such as water initiatives, affordable housing, and homelessness, stating: "I look forward to that. That ought to be one of the areas we partner on."
He emphasized the importance of building relationships, even with those he may disagree with on certain issues, saying: "I've got a lot of friends in the Capitol and and we may disagree really, and do disagree really, really strongly on some specific policy issues, even from time to Time, on ways things get approached. But ultimately, those relationships matter."
Federal Grant Freeze Impacts
Mayor Watson outlined the significant potential impacts of a federal grant freeze, citing concerns about the city's airport, infrastructure projects, and public health programs. He stated: "If it stays the way OMB memo was written, it could have a huge impact."
Watson committed to thoroughly analyzing the situation, saying: "We're digging through all of that, but those are just, I mean, I could, I could sit here for a while and walk you through the potential devastation of those kinds of things."
Homelessness and Mental Health
On addressing homelessness, Mayor Watson discussed the need for a comprehensive approach, including mental health and "brain health" services. He highlighted the creation of a Homeless Strategy Office and the role of the Echo organization.
Watson left open the possibility of a tax increase election to support homelessness services, stating: "We will continue to move forward" on addressing this issue.
Housing Affordability
Mayor Watson celebrated the city's success in reducing rents, crediting changes like reducing minimum lot sizes: "The highest cost in building something is the dirt. And if you make me put something on 5750 square feet, I'm going to have to build something big. But if you let me do it on 1800 square feet, I can build things that are more affordable."
Watson emphasized the importance of partnerships with the state legislature to address affordability, including tools like insurance cost reductions.
Project Connect and Public Transportation
Mayor Watson expressed his strong commitment to delivering the Project Connect light rail system, stating: "If I have my way, he will, and I feel very strongly about this." He reflected on past efforts, saying: "To make me look old, I was the mayor the first time we put rail on the ballot in 2000 and he's right. We barely lost."
Childcare and Children's Initiatives
Mayor Watson identified childcare as a key priority, saying: "One of my priorities for the next four years is to begin the process to make Austin the best city in America to be a kid." He discussed expanding grant programs for home-based providers.
The mayor also mentioned his recent appointment as chair of a new U.S. Conference of Mayors childcare task force.
Global Connections and Austin's Role
The mayor discussed Austin's growing international profile, stating: "Today, like it or not, Austin is a big international city, and all you need for a little bit of the rest of the world looks at Austin through a prism and through eyes that Austin is on the cutting edge as a focal point in a worldwide Information and Technology economy."