Dear Neighbors,
This year the Austin Independent School District (AISD) will send over $761 million of your tax dollars to the state as part of the Texas recapture system. This means we are paying more money to the state in recapture than we do to fund AISD itself and our recapture dollars could fund an entire other school district at the same level or more than AISD. $761 million also adds up to more money than the City takes in from property taxes to fund the City’s operation and maintenance budget. Absent substantive legislative change this next session (2023), by 2026 our community is projected to contribute over $1 billion to recapture. And that is just from AISD related taxes, Eanes ISD and Round Rock ISD also contribute significantly to recapture, with Del Valle and Leander on the verge.
These numbers underscore why reforming the state’s school funding system is one of the most important things we could do to improve affordability and equity in Austin. But they are not the whole story.
Increasing per student funding statewide also is key to the future of Texas. Currently, Texas ranks squarely in the bottom quartile for school funding per student, spending more than $3000 less per student per year as compared to the national average. With more than 10% of the nation’s public school students residing in Texas, this underinvestment has big implications for the future well-being of our state and our nation. Recapture reform alone will not fix this, increased state funding per student can help.
| | | | At a recent meeting I chaired of the Joint Subcommittee for the City of Austin, Travis County, and AISD, we discussed the challenges of the existing school funding system and how recapture interacts with school funding formulas to the detriment of students across the state – whether or not they reside in a recapture district like AISD.
Christy Rome from the Texas School Coalition shared an analogy to aid in understanding these interactions.
Think of a glass of water.
The state determines how large a glass of water your district gets via the formulas it uses for school funding, which consider the basic allotment (per student), district and student characteristics, other funding not on a per student basis (such as transportation, teacher incentives), and district tax effort. The water that fills the glass comes first from local property taxes and then the state fills in any space that is left. Local Revenue in Excess of Entitlement is recaptured. To reduce recapture, you must either increase the size of your glass (entitlement) or reduce the amount of water flowing in (taxable values). The following video from Recapture Texas – illustrates this well. See also Ms. Rome’s slide presentation here. | | | | Recapture is touted as a method of equalizing varying degrees of property wealth among Texas school districts. And clearly, some recapture is desirable and necessary because every child in our state deserves a great education. However, the complex interactions between the state formulas, recapture, and how little funding the state itself contributes means that recapture takes from the rich, but does not necessarily give to the poor. In fact, many of our school taxes contributed to the state via recapture are not going to fund the educations of children elsewhere in the state, instead they are being used to replace other state funds that should have gone to our schools. Meanwhile, the combination of recapture and the state’s low per student funding mean that we are not in the best position to meet the needs of the public school students in our own community, 52% of whom are defined as economically disadvantaged.
I know this discussion can easily make one’s head spin, but it is nonetheless very important. I invite you to dive deeper into recapture and into per-student funding by visiting RecaptureTexas.org and JustFundItTX.org respectively. You can watch the presentations from our Joint Subcommittee meeting and/or review the slides. I also would recommend Monday’s Statesman article and this recent feature in the Austin Monitor.
In 2018 I along with several other AISD parents (now AISD Trustee Lynn Boswell, Laura Yeager, and Janis Bookout) founded a state-wide parent and student advocacy group called JustFundItTX to push for more school funding at the state level. Our efforts contributed to the passage in 2019 of HB3 which briefly ameliorated the challenges of recapture and moved the needle in some other important ways. As we approach the next session, JustFundItTX, Raise Your Hand Texas, the Texas School Coalition and other groups are working to develop creative statewide solutions to increase per student funding in Texas that are less reliant on local property taxes and recapture payments. The Texas School Coalition has identified a few starting points:
1. Update the cost of education adjustment
2. Make sure that money for education stays in education
3. Increase transparency for consumers
Over the coming months these advocacy groups will refine their priorities and offer many ways to get involved. In the meantime, please educate yourself on the issues and invite your friends and relatives across Texas to be informed and join in advocating for smart school funding finance in Texas. Tune in to AISD’s advocacy efforts as they take shape and amplify the work of public education advocacy groups like Just Fund it Texas, Raise Your Hand Texas, and Texas School Coalition. If you want to get more involved now, please email JustFundItTX@gmail.com or connect with the AISD advocacy committee here.
In this newsletter you will also find information on summer jobs and programs, new hours and closures at City facilities, an opportunity to serve on the CAPMetro board, a Council recap and more.
I also want to invite you to join us April 18 at 6 PM for a panel of elected women representing Northwest Austin, where I will speak alongside Representative Goodwin, County Commissioner Shea, Judge Martinez Jones, and Leander ISD Trustee Gonzales Dholakia. You’ll find event details below.
There are many holidays this month, and I wish you and your family a peaceful Easter, Passover, and Ramadan.
Alison Alter Mayor Pro Tem Council Member, District 10
Subscribe to future newsletters at bit.ly/d10newsletters! | | Council Recap
Mayor Pro Tem Alter in the Community Austin Civilian Conservation Corps Article/Award Meeting APD’s 145th Cadet Class Celebrating Westminster’s 55th Anniversary Interview on Wildfire Preparedness Painting Positivity at Doss Elementary Chabad Opening–Aleph Bet Preschool, Tamim Academy Join us April 18 at a town hall with Travis County women leaders!
City Business Upcoming Austin Energy Base Rate Case Paid Parental Leave for All Public Safety Employees Austin is a Bee City! City of Austin Launches Community Navigator Program
Accessing City Services Pool Closure, Swim Registration, and Bonuses for New Lifeguards Walsh Bathroom Closure Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funding Available FREE Animal Adoption and Dancing! Expanded Public Library Hours
Safety Tips and Updates
Service and Public Input Opportunities Thank you, for your service Terry Mitchell! CapMetro Board Opening– Finance and Accounting Experience Required Austin Code–Rental Feedback
| | | | Here are highlights from our most recent City Council meetings (March 24th and April 7th) and our March Austin Water Utility Oversight Committee meeting. Parkland Dedication: As a longtime parks advocate, I believe that development should be required to help us provide the quality park service our community deserves as we grow. At this past week’s council meeting, I was proud to author a resolution directing the City Manager to develop a parkland dedication fee for commercial developments. Currently, residential and hotel developments in the City pay fees to fund the acquisition of additional parkland for Austinites. But, unlike other Texas cities, Austin has not assessed a fee for commercial developments. This has put too much of the burden on residential developments. Our staff will now begin to work with stakeholders to calibrate a commercial parkland dedication fee and account for how the proposed fee may interact with our existing residential program. Fee adoption is anticipated to occur during our next annual budget. Thank you to Council Members Ellis, Fuentes, Pool, Tovo, Kitchen and Mayor Adler for co-sponsoring this resolution.
Youth Service Contract: Council approved funding for 17 social service contracts with nonprofits serving youth including the SAFE Alliance (Safe Place), Boys & Girls Club, Communities in Schools, and AISD. In approving the item, I authored an amendment asking the City Manager to identify additional funding to prevent cuts at AISD afterschool programs at Title 1 schools so we can serve an additional 1500 children.
Statesman Planned Unit Development (PUD): Many constituents have written to me about this development case located in District 9 at the site of the former Austin-American Statesman headquarters. Planned Unit Development projects are often complicated and require a different assessment of “superiority” than our standard zoning cases. Because a number of amendments were approved, which have the potential to significantly improve the project and deliver a benefit to taxpayers, I voted yes on this case in the first of three procedural votes. This case will continue to be debated and amended and I will continue to work with my colleagues to improve the project. My ultimate vote on this case will be determined by final adoption of various amendments which may deliver a project that benefits the public without subsidy. I will only support this case on final passage if it delivers a net benefit to taxpayers.
Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance: In late March, Council passed several items which represent over a year of hard work by the Austin LGBT Chamber, the Greater Austin Asian Chamber, Greater Austin Black Chamber, and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, together with me and my office, and City staff. Our goal was to envision a more meaningful way for the City to partner with these organizations and for the chambers to partner with each other.
We underwent a review process of the previous system to move away from the silo-ed nature of those contracts, and in recognition that the City should partner with the four chambers that comprise the new Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance (DECA) in a way that leverages their comparative advantage of reducing barriers, building community, and supporting the long-term success of the businesses they serve. I view this as strategic capacity building, and I am proud to have championed this new approach, working together with the chambers and city staff to make space for this work.
Austin Water Oversight: Austin Water recently released the results of their internal investigation of February’s water quality failure. Austin Water’s investigations of staff actions found that personnel did not appropriately respond to rising turbidity levels and failed to communicate with supervisors or seek assistance. The full memo and report can be read here and you can view our discussion of the report during the Austin Water Utility Oversight Committee meeting. The internal investigation is not a substitute for the external audit which I sponsored. That audit, which will provide us with transparent and independent recommendations on improvements we can make, continues to proceed. I’ve also required our water utility to report back with a timeline for next steps on responding to the findings of their internal investigations.
Additionally, the City Manager recently announced that Robert Goode will be serving as Interim Director for Austin Water beginning April 11, 2022. Mr. Goode has over 37 years of city, county, and private sector experience at entities such as the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), City of Austin, City of Fort Worth, Travis County and the City of Olympia, Washington.
| | | | | Austin Civilian Conservation Corps Article/Award
Check out the Austin Chronicle piece on the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps (ACCC), which I launched in 2020! Reporter Hannah Uebele discusses the program’s recent Corps of the Year award that American Youth Works received and shadows one of the crews. The ACCC helps Austinites who have been economically impacted by COVID-19 with skill-building jobs that serve our community. Many of the jobs have a sustainability focus.
More on the award here. Learn more about the ACCC (and see hiring info). | | Meeting APD’s 145th Cadet Class
I enjoyed getting to know many members of Austin Police Department's 145th cadet class at their community meet and greet last week! These 84 cadets started their training in March, and they make up Austin's most diverse class in history. I'm excited for our newest public servants as they begin their careers. | | Celebrating Westminster’s 55th Anniversary
Congratulations to the Westminster residents and staff on celebrating 55 years in the community! I was honored to speak and present a proclamation last week in celebration of the anniversary and the opening of phase one of their beautiful expansion project. Westminster was Austin’s very first continuing care retirement community. | | | | Painting Positivity at Doss Elementary We need more kindness and love in our world. After a challenging week in late March, Doss Elementary hosted a Painting Positivity event, where the young and young at heart painted colors and inspirational quotes on picnic tables to help our community move forward. Thank you to Doss PTA President Amy Hart, Principal Steenport, Lauren Ward, our teachers, and the many volunteers who enhance and enrich our schools. | | Chabad Opening–Aleph Bet Preschool & Tamim Academy
I joined Chabad Austin for a ribbon cutting at Aleph Bet Preschool & Tamim Academy on Sunday. The community came together to make this new campus opening a reality. | | Join us at a town hall with Travis County women leaders!
I will be speaking on a panel of elected women representing Northwest Austin! The panel will be hosted and moderated by Texas House Representative Vikki Goodwin, and panelists include myself, County Commissioner Brigid Shea, Judge Aurora Martinez Jones, and Leander ISD Trustee Gloria Gonzales Dholakia. Join us on April 18th from 6-8 pm at the Austin Central Library. More event info here. | | | | | Upcoming Austin Energy Base Rate Case
Austin Energy policy requires a regular review of the utility’s costs and revenues so that customer charges accurately recover costs and reflect the community’s priorities. The utility completed a cost-of-service study that looked at Fiscal Year 2021 financial data on the costs of providing electric service to the community. This study found a growing gap between revenue and costs. Austin Energy’s current base rates and rates structures are not meeting the costs of serving the community.
To fix this gap, Austin Energy will propose base rate changes and launch a public and transparent base rate review process. Key base rate review drivers include:
An outdated residential base rate structure, which does not accurately reflect customer costs. Higher operation and maintenance costs. Continued customer growth, which requires infrastructure additions and improvements. Lagging energy sales, compared to customer growth. Grid reliability.
The base rate review process is open to all Austin Energy customers. Register to attend an online or in-person community meeting where you can fill out a feedback form. Visit austinenergy.com/go/rates to learn more.
To learn more about this effort, check out this video overview of the base rate review process.
| | Paid Parental Leave for All Public Safety Employees
The City of Austin is introducing paid parental leave for sworn Police, Fire and EMS employees. Non-sworn employees, who make up the majority of City staff, have enjoyed the benefit since 2013, when Austin became the first city in Texas to adopt the policy.
Following council direction in December, the City’s Human Resources department announced late March that:
Sworn employees will continue to receive current benefits, such as shared leave, short or long term disability, and the ADA accommodation process to accommodate anyone with a medical necessity for time beyond the 12-week Family and Medical Leave Act period.
| | | Austin is a Bee City!
Austin has officially met the standards to certify as a Bee City USA affiliate. Last month, I co-sponsored a Council resolution led by Council Members Pool and Fuentes that supported Austin’s certification effort and improved our landscape to provide more habitat for these keystone pollinators. | | City of Austin Launches Community Navigator Program
The City of Austin Economic Development Department announces the launch of the Community Navigator Program to support local businesses, non-profit organizations, and creative professionals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this initiative, local entities can register for critical assistance like one-on-one coaching, business classes, technical support, and application assistance for grants and resources.
Local entities can visit the Community Navigator Program webpage to register for no-cost assistance to help plan, recover, and educate owners and employees. Registration is available in English, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), French, Hindi, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. To be eligible for the program, registrants must be a local business, non-profit organization, or creative professional in the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes Travis, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, and Williamson Counties.
Community Navigator services will remain available until all funding is exhausted. For more information on the Community Navigator Program, visit www.austintexas.gov/community-navigator-program.
| | | | | Pool Closure, Swim Registration, and Bonuses for New Lifeguards
Deep Eddy Pool is closed for annual cleaning through Sunday, April 24th. The pool will reopen with normal hours of operation on Monday, April 25th.
Register for summer swim lessons and swim teams at AustinTexas.gov/ParksOnline. Lessons are available for students six months old to adults.
Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department is hiring and training lifeguards! Additionally, the department is offering $500 summer completion bonuses for all temporary lifeguards and camp counselors who meet the criteria. Find bonus details and apply at LifeguardAustin.com.
| | Walsh Bathroom Closure
Austin Parks and Recreation is remodeling the restrooms at Walsh Boat Landing to achieve ADA compliance. The restrooms are closed through June. Access to the park road and boat ramp will not be impacted, and portable toilets will be on site. Learn more on the project web page. | | Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funding Available
$20 million of Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funding is now available to support residents living within one mile of Project Connect lines/stations in areas facing risk of displacement. Nonprofit organizations and partnerships are invited to propose applications for a range of investments that stabilize tenants and homeowners and build economic mobility. For more info on funding priorities and the application process, visit austintexas.gov/CommunityInnovation. | | FREE Animal Adoption and Dancing!
Austin Animal Center has waived all adoption fees due to a high volume of pets in need of foster or forever homes. If you or someone you know has been thinking of fostering or adopting a pet, there’s never been a better time! Additionally, Forklift Danceworks and Austin Animal Center will present Dances for Dogs and People Who Walk Them, a performance and free community event on Saturday, April 23. The day-long event will include waived adoption fees, shelter tours throughout the day, and activity booths with local pet vendors and community partners. More event info here. | | Expanded Public Library Hours
Austin Public Library has expanded hours for all library locations! See the new hours here.
| | | | | High Fire Risk
Austin is currently in the “very high” risk category for wildfire due to dry air and wind conditions. We are now under a burn ban. Austin Fire Department is asking all of us to postpone grilling and lawn mowing, avoid parking on dry grass, ensure chains on vehicles are not dragging, and properly dispose of cigarette butts. | | | | | Thank you for your service, Terry Mitchell!
We are fortunate that many Austinites regularly volunteer their time and talent to support our planning efforts and provide oversight. I would like to thank my friend and District 10 resident Terry Mitchell for his work serving on the board of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro) and on the board of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). Terry has given of his time and talents over the last eight years to help the Central Texas region develop and implement transformative transportation changes. Terry’s knowledge of regional growth and finance will be missed. His board retirement creates an opportunity for someone new to step up and help us improve our transportation system (see below).
| | | | CapMetro Board Opening– Finance and Accounting Experience Required
The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) seeks applicants to serve as its representative on the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro) board. Per state statute, applicants should have at least 10 years of experience as a financial or accounting professional. Full details on qualifications and how to apply will be available on the front page of the CAMPO website on April 13th, with an application deadline of April 27. Anyone needing additional information is asked to contact Executive Director Johnson via e-mail at ashby.johnson@campotexas.org.
| | Austin Code-Rental Feedback
The Austin Code Department has launched a survey seeking feedback on the current rental registry, the Repeat Offender Program (ROP). You’re invited to voice opinions on the current program and their ideas for improvements.
The ROP was created to ensure that all Austin rental properties meet minimum health and safety conditions. The program has required rental properties with a history of code violations to register with the Department. The survey is available until June 30th, and can be found at www.publicinput.com/rentalregistration. This survey is also available in Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic. | |
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