Dear Neighbors,
Last week my colleagues and I adopted the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget. I am proud to support a budget that invests in our workforce and community resilience while lowering the City tax rate. During this year’s budget, I championed amendments that strengthen Austin’s preparedness for disease outbreaks, implement lifesaving EMS programs, and fund green jobs and employee retention.
Thank you to everyone who engaged with me throughout the FY23 budget. I believe that the budget reflects the concerns and priorities I have heard from you.
In this letter, you will find details on my budget amendments and other important budget highlights.
Reducing the Taxpayer Burden
Last summer, I worked to increase the homestead exemption to the legal maximum of 20% and the senior homestead exemption by $25,000. This year, the average Austin homeowner will see an annual $50.64 decrease in the city portion of their tax bill.
As shared in my July newsletter, some of the City’s rates and fees, including for trash service and the transportation user fee, will rise for typical rate payers in response to escalating operations costs, as well as increasing service demands from a growing population. Austin Energy is currently engaged in a rate review process and the increased electricity rates summarized in the taxpayer impact statement have not been adopted by council.
I am pleased to share budget initiatives I championed that strengthen Austin’s public health capacity, economic opportunity, and emergency preparedness.
Preparing for Disease Outbreak: This amendment expands the City’s ability to monitor and respond to infectious diseases by hiring 4 epidemiologists and dedicating funding for critical needs in response to Monkeypox.
EMS Simulation Training and Whole Blood Programs: Together with Council Member Kelly I offered an amendment to provide life-saving, in-the-field whole blood administration for traumatic injuries. This amendment also funds EMS simulation training equipment, which will expedite medic hiring, training, and promotion.
Streamlined Billing and Retention Incentives for EMS: To fill EMS vacancies, minimize costly ER visits, and address the current EMS billing backlog, I authored 2 budget riders that:
Strengthening Austin’s Sexual Assault Response System: Building on my work with advocates, survivors and the preliminary Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) report recommendations, this amendment supported:
A dedicated crime analyst for APD’s Sex Crimes Unit,
An annual review of sexual assault cases, support to guide implementation of the PERF recommendations, investments to facilitate detective training, and an increase to the Victim Emergency Assistance Fund,
Additional vehicles and equipment for the Sex Crimes Unit, the Victim Services Division, and Investigative Services Counselors, and
3 previously grant-funded Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) positions to support survivors.
Investing in our Workforce: I authored an amendment to place Austinites in high-demand fields that pay liveable wages by providing long-term job training. These funds will complement American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) contracts anticipated this September.
Growing the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps: I created the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps (ACCC) in 2020 to provide job training while meeting City sustainability and conservation goals. As our need for a green workforce grows, this initiative supports two full time employees to manage the ACCC program and expand pathways to green jobs.
Improving our Response to Hate: Given the rise in activity from hate groups in Austin this past year, I authored an amendment supporting investments in a public education campaign and improvements to the reporting system for hate crimes and hate incidents.
Increasing Accessibility at our Parks: This amendment funded additional staffing, infrastructure, and signage improvements in City parks and trails. Note we also anticipate a new playground at Tarrytown Park and a restroom at Bull Creek Park as part of PARD’s FY23 capital budget.
Grants for Innovation: This amendment builds the City’s capacity to seek grant funding by adding 1 full time, grant-focused employee to the Innovation Office.
I also collaborated with my colleagues on several other important budget amendments and riders and would like to share a few of those:
FY23 Budget Highlights
The base budget reflects work I have championed year-round, including investments in emergency preparedness, safety, and long-term health. Below I have highlighted items that may be of most interest to District 10. I invite you to review a fuller budget overview here and/or access other budget documents and more detail here.
Recruitment and Retention of City Employees: Increased the City’s living wage - the minimum payable to any employee - by 33%, from $15 to $20 per hour and provided an across the board 4% cost-of-living increase for non-sworn City employees.
Public Safety:
Funded three Austin Police cadet classes to improve response times,
Dedicated staffing for the Loop 360/Davenport Fire/EMS station in District 10, opening in 2023,
Increased compensation to address vacancies in our 911 call center and within Victim Services,
Added staff, consultants, and training for APD’s Sex Crimes Unit and Victim Services unit,
Relocated Forensics to a civilian department with additional staff,
Expanded parental leave to all public safety employees,
Invested in the police pension system, and
Provided seed funding for a Trauma Recovery Center.
Emergency Preparedness: Dedicated $3.4 million and 17 new jobs to improve disaster response and community preparedness, continued investments in net-zero goals.
Wildfire Readiness: Earmarked $3.6 million for wildfire prevention and education and enhanced vegetation management efforts by Austin Energy.
Parks and Pools: Added full-time lifeguards, invested in nature-based play areas, and improved parks infrastructure and security.
Aviation: Added 55 staff to accommodate increased airport traffic and improve customer service and safety.
Mobility: Invested in Safe Routes to School and sidewalk construction/repair, continued bond funded design and improvements along 360, on Spicewood Springs, and Redbud Trail Bridge.
Animal Services: Funded a Pet Resource Center and positions focused on lost pet recovery.
Reproductive Health: Invested in education and services supporting sexual wellness and contraception.
Government that Works:
Added Fire Marshal staff for plan review, inspection, and code compliance,
Dedicated new Austin Code positions to increase capacity to connect residents with code inspectors,
Created a team to streamline the development review process for City capital projects,
Increased investments in language access services, and
Funded a pilot household hazardous waste pickup program.
My Thoughts on the Council Pay Raise
I also want to share my reasons for supporting Mayor Adler’s amendment to address Council compensation. As evidenced in this market study initiated in the last budget cycle, Austin City Council staff were making significantly less than their peers in similarly-sized cities and needed a wage adjustment. Additionally, council members were (and still are) making less than our counterparts at Travis County and council members cannot participate in the City’s standard retirement benefit system. In my view, the council raises ensure we can appropriately pay our hard-working council staff in an extremely competitive job market, keep us within standard best practice for supervisor salaries (10% above), and also align us more closely with Travis County elected officials’ salaries. Being a council member is more than a full time job. If we want the most qualified people to run for this office, including those who are not independently wealthy, we must offer a fair wage. The Council will re-address salary in five years, so future adjustments will be smaller and more regular.
I am grateful to City staff and my team for their hard work, and to each constituent who shared their views and ideas. I believe Austin’s best years are ahead of us, and I look forward to creating a greener, healthier, more resilient city with these investments.
I would like to conclude by welcoming my new District 10 constituents. Austin City Council districts have been redrawn as a result of the 2020 census, and the new district lines went into effect last month. You can review a map of the new districts here, or search for a specific address here.
In the remainder of this letter, you will find updates on safer routes to school in the district, back-to-school job opportunities, and more. As an AISD parent, I know this is a crazy time of year and I want to wish you and your families a wonderful school year.
Regards,
