Dear Neighbors,
On October 13, 2022, Council voted on the first of two potential changes to our Austin Energy rates, and I want to provide you with an update.
The rate adjustment approved by the Council impacts the Power Supply Adjustment and Regulatory Charge portions of the pass-through charges that you see on your monthly utility bill. Pass-through charges include: the Power Supply Adjustment, the Regulatory Charge, and the Community Benefit Charge. These rates are set to collect only what the utility pays for certain expenses, and they are reviewed and reset every year in the fall.
The Power Supply Adjustment (PSA) reflects the costs of fuel and electricity set by the energy market and two state agencies: ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission. The Regulatory Charge recovers Austin Energy’s share of costs to participate in and maintain the ERCOT transmission system within the ERCOT market, along with other state and federally mandated charges. The Community Benefit Charge recovers costs for the Customer Assistance Program, energy efficiency services, and street lighting.
Due to rising costs, Austin Energy requested an increase to the Power Supply Adjustment and Regulatory Charge with the bulk of the increase being derived from the Power Supply Adjustment (PSA). The Community Benefit Charge on your bill will remain unchanged. These slides from a September 27th work session provide more information about the factors that contributed to the proposed increase, as well as the methodology for calculating the 2023 Power Supply Adjustment rate. With Austin Energy’s initial proposal, the PSA portion of a typical residential customer bill of 860 kWh per month would have increased by $17.55 per month, or 21%. This rate was designed to adjust for increased power charges in the future and to also account within one year for the under recovery over the last few months when the PSA rate was lower than actual costs incurred for power. |
I voted along with my colleagues to reduce Austin Energy’s initial proposal, and in turn, to reduce the estimated impact to typical residential customers by $5 by spreading the under recovery charges out over three years. With these changes, a typical ratepayer will see an increase of $12.85 when the full increase takes effect for the Power Supply Adjustment portion of their bill. In addition, the Regulatory Charge will increase on average by $2.45, resulting in an average total increase of $15.30 to your monthly bill.
This was not an easy decision for me. I remain open to decreasing the adjustments if new funds are identified, and I have recommended that future discussions regarding updates to our Power Supply Adjustment take place more regularly so families don’t experience unexpected bill increases. I want to emphasize that Austin’s utility is publicly-owned, which grants us the ability to provide oversight and accountability, and to explore creative mechanisms to ease energy costs for Austinites. Austin Energy is not profiting from this increase. For more information on the factors that have driven up energy costs, I recommend this recent article from the Statesman.
With both the adjustment to the pass-through charges and the upcoming Austin Energy base rate decision, I aim to balance the fiscal health of our utility with the economic burdens many Austin families are grappling with. As detailed in my last newsletter, I am carefully scrutinizing the base rate proposals, and I am committed to finding the best long-term outcome for both ratepayers and our publicly owned utility. For a more detailed overview of the upcoming base rate case, I invite you to review my April newsletter and to refer to a presentation by Austin Energy during today’s work session.
In the remainder of this letter, you will find opportunities to share your voice on several City projects, information on childcare scholarships, tools to help your household meet the City’s zero waste goals, and more.
Regards, |
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Alison Alter Mayor Pro Tem Council Member, District 10 |
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Council Recap
Service and Public Input Opportunities
Vote Early This Election Season Share Feedback and Get Tools for Emergency Preparedness Austin-Travis County Seeking Qualified Volunteers for Public Health Commission Help Create Austin’s First Food Plan Public Meetings for Austin’s Animal Services Audit
Mayor Pro Tem Alter in the Community
District 10 Commissioners Breakfast Scout Visit with Bryker Woods Elementary Speaking at Historic Wooldridge Square Rosedale Neighborhood Association Meeting Coffee with Austin Board of Realtors Meeting with Infectious Disease Experts Roots and Wings Fest Tapping the Keg at Oktoberfest Texas Gun Sense Annual Event Tax Office Opening Speaking at Austin Newcomers Club Speaking at the LBJ School’s Inside the City Event
Announcements Recycle Your Halloween Pumpkins Reminder: Household Hazardous Waste Pickup Pilot Apply for a Childcare Scholarship Annual Event for Capital City Village Dog Leashing in Shared Spaces Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Austin Thrive Grant Open for Austin Arts Organizations
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911 Call Center Staffing Update
You may have read about recent staffing shortages in our 911 call center. Since the summer of 2021, I have been sounding the alarm about staffing vacancies and emergency response times through budget amendments, resolutions, and meetings with Austin Police Department, Human Resources, the City Manager, and Emergency Communications leadership. My efforts have focused on increasing compensation, addressing salary compression, and improving recruitment and retention investments. I also have championed changes to improve the work environment and culture.
A core government service is responding to emergency calls, and in my view it’s long past time that this situation is treated with the urgency it deserves. At Council’s request, at an October 25th work session briefing, Chief Chacon and Human Resources Director Joya Hayes updated us on the steps being taken to address staff shortages and wait times. We anticipate a further progress report before the end of this month.
Anyone interested in applying for a job as a 911 Call Taker or Police Dispatcher can do so here. |
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Vote Early This Election Season
Early voting runs through Friday, Nov. 4th. Find a polling place and make a plan at VoteTravis.com. |
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Share Feedback and Get Tools for Emergency Preparedness
Austin’s new Resilience Office has launched a survey to connect individuals who are interested in setting up community emergency hubs in private facilities. The Resilience Office is also sharing a Neighborhood Preparedness Guide with emergency preparedness information. |
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Austin-Travis County Seeking Qualified Volunteers for Public Health Commission
Austin’s City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court are seeking qualified applicants to serve on the Austin-Travis County Public Health Commission. Commission activities include:
Exploring public health practices and providing recommendations. Working to inform strategies that address health disparities for underserved patients and populations. Providing an annual report with observations and findings to support investment in the improvement of overall public health programs, projects, regulations, and services within the governing entities in the City and the County.
The deadline for applications is Friday, November 14th.
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Help Create Austin’s First Food Plan
The City is forming a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to support the Office of Sustainability in developing the city’s first Food Plan. Any community member that feels impacted by the current food system is encouraged to apply, especially front-line workers, recipients of food assistance, and those who have experienced food insecurity. Applications close November 4th.
🍅 Learn more: austintexas.gov/food |
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The Office of the City Auditor will conduct an audit of the Animal Services office, directed by a resolution I co-sponsored in July. The Auditor’s Office will host several community meetings to get public input for the audit:
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6:30-8 p.m., Virtual Meeting via WebEx- join here Thursday, Nov. 10, 6:30-8 p.m., City Hall Boards & Commissions Room, 301 W. 2nd St.
You can also share your feedback through this survey.
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District 10 Commissioners Breakfast
My appointees volunteer their time and expertise to serve on City boards and commissions. Every year, I host a meal to thank them and exchange updates on our work. This was the first time we’ve been able to gather in person since the pandemic started, and I was glad to see this group together at City Hall again! |
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Scout Visit with Bryker Woods Elementary
As a Council Member, I love speaking with students at City Hall. I had a great visit with Scout Pack 9 from Bryker Woods! |
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Speaking at Historic Wooldridge Square
Last Friday I spoke at Wooldridge Square in downtown Austin, to celebrate its historical designation as part of the National Votes for Women Trail and as a Lone Star Legacy Park. Wooldridge Square has an important place in Austin’s history and in the women’s suffrage movement. Let us honor this history by exercising our right to vote! |
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Rosedale Neighborhood Association Meeting
It’s extra fun to attend community meetings when they’re in my own neighborhood! Thank you to the Rosedale Neighborhood Association steering committee for having me. We spoke about developments around the community and my policy priorities. I look forward to meeting with Bryker Woods and West Austin Neighborhood Group this coming weekend. |
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Coffee with Austin Board of Realtors
Thank you to Austin Board of Realtors for hosting me at their Coffee with a Council Member event! We had a great conversation about public safety, housing, and affordability. |
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Meeting with Infectious Disease Experts
I convened Austin-area healthcare providers and Austin Public Health to discuss our City’s response to Monkey Pox and how we can prepare for the next infectious disease outbreak. I’m so grateful to these community partners who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to provide high quality, accessible healthcare, and I appreciate the insights they had to share. |
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Roots and Wings Fest
Last month I presented a proclamation recognizing Arbor Day, Monarch Appreciation Day and Austin’s 5th annual Roots and Wings festival! This two week celebration of local pollinators and trees runs through November 5th. My team and I attended some of the plantings and educational events in District 10. Check out the festival schedule at rootsandwingsfest.com. |
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Tapping the Keg at Oktoberfest
It was an honor to tap the keg at Austin Oktoberfest hosted by the German-Texan Heritage Society! My family and I enjoyed some delicious food and great music. |
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Texas Gun Sense Annual Event
I'm feeling hopeful after attending the annual Texas Gun Sense event. We heard from survivors, advocates, and elected officials on the many ways that gun violence has impacted Texas communities. Together, we can create a future where no parent feels afraid to send their children to school. Learn more and get involved at txgunsense.org. |
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Tax Office Opening
It was an honor to attend the opening of the new Travis County Tax Office in my district! The Nelda Wells Spears building, named after the first African-American tax assessor-collector in the state, will offer more accessible customer service and better parking. |
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Speaking at Austin Newcomers Club
Thank you to the Austin Newcomers Club for hosting me at their monthly luncheon and asking such thoughtful questions. This group is open to newcomers and longtime Austinites alike, and they’re seeking new members! Learn more at austinnewcomers.com. |
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Speaking at the LBJ School’s Inside the City Event
It was an honor to speak to LBJ School students, alumni, and faculty at their Inside the City event! I hope to see some of the attendees return to City Hall as they launch their careers in public service. |
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Recycle Your Halloween Pumpkins
Help the City meet our zero waste goals, and compost or recycle your Halloween pumpkin! Make sure to remove candles, wax, and other decorations.
If you use Austin Resource Recovery’s curbside composting program, simply place your pumpkin in your composting cart. If you live in the ARR service zone and want to opt into this program, call 3-1-1 to request your cart. Donate your pumpkin to Central Texas Pig Rescue– pigs love eating pumpkins! Find dropoff times and locations here. Cut the pumpkin into pieces and leave them out for birds and squirrels. Bury the pumpkin in your garden–as it decomposes, its nutrients will enrich your soil.
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Reminder: Household Hazardous Waste Pickup Pilot
If you live in the Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) service zone in District 10, you can safely dispose of paint cans, oils, lightbulbs, batteries, and more by scheduling a home pickup through ARR’s household hazardous waste pickup pilot. See the full list of items and schedule your pickup here. To learn more about the pilot and my work to help us meet our zero waste goals, check out this recent newsletter. |
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Apply for a Childcare Scholarship
Do you or someone you know need financial assistance for childcare? Workforce Solutions Capital Area is offering childcare scholarships. I’ve long championed access to childcare as a critical component of workforce development, and I’m excited about the impact this program will have on Austin families. Learn more and apply here. |
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Annual Event for Capital City Village
Capital City Village, a non-profit based in my district that empowers seniors to age in their homes, is hosting their annual fundraising event at 11:30 on Thursday, November 10th. I hope you’ll stop by and learn more about the services CCV provides Austin seniors! |
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Dog Leashing in Shared Spaces
The District 10 Team dogs, Mia, Emory, Jaxson, and Mara, want to remind folks to keep your dogs leashed when out and about in Austin. Unless an area is posted as “off-leash” it’s always safest for your pooch to be on a leash. Check out these PSAs with Austin’s Shiny Ribs and Andrea Magee! |
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Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Austin
Bring your family to a Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, event in Austin this month:
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Thrive Grant Open for Austin Arts Organizations
The Thrive grant for Austin arts organizations will award grants ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 to sustain and grow around 30 organizations that are deeply rooted in and reflective of Austin’s diverse cultures. Applications close November 21st. Learn more at austintexas.gov/thrive. |
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