How advocates' calls for action were and weren't answered
By the morning of Aug. 16, the day City Council was set to approve a budget for fiscal year 2023-24, much of the $5.5 billion spending plan had been cemented.
Council members – and the advocacy organizations that lobby them – get to fight over a much smaller portion of available GF revenues. A week before the budget adoption meeting, Council's budget wish list, represented in the form of budget amendments, totaled around $18.7 million in ongoing expenditures. By the morning of the adoption meeting, the list shrank to around $10 million – slightly more than the $7.
But the final hours leading up to Council's adoption of the budget did produce a frenzy over three issues prioritized by a coalition of progressive advocates: a reduced allocation to the city's emergency reserve fund, more funding for rental assistance, and the cancellation of a personnel transfer that would move 37 civilian positions into the Austin Police Department.
The allocations would total $134.1 million and $91.4 million, respectively. Staff advised Council that the increase was necessary due to the increasing occurrence of extreme weather events, requiring expensive disaster response that takes a long time to reimburse and that maintaining a larger reserve could help Austin increase its credit rating, which was recently downgraded.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Austin’s Last Independent Reproductive Health Center Could CloseAustin Women’s Health Center provides vital pregnancy services
Read more »
Spurs Considered Three And Four-Year Offer Sheets For Austin ReavesSpurs Considered Three And Four-Year Offer Sheets For Austin Reaves - RealGM Wiretap
Read more »
New study ranks San Antonio behind Austin as a 'taco city'Cue the outrage: the Alamo City, where Tex-Mex was invented, ranked at No. 4 while Austin claimed the top spot.
Read more »
Luz verde final para la ampliación de la I-35 en el centro de AustinTxDOT ha superado un importante obstáculo burocrático, allanando el camino para que la histórica ampliación de la interestatal comience el próximo año.
Read more »
Texas Takes Attacks on Austin to New Level With “Death Star” LawThe goal of Death Star is simple.
Read more »
Austin ends streak of triple-digit temperatures with first rainfall in a monthRain bands from the remnants of Tropical Storm Harold are putting a cap on 45 straight days of triple-digit heat.
Read more »