Search found 231 matches

by Colleen Pate
Sat Aug 30, 2025 7:27 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Austin Firefighters Retirement Fund—continued good news
Replies: 0
Views: 151

Austin Firefighters Retirement Fund—continued good news

Council Members, I intended to send this to you yesterday, but the Message Board was down. So, here we go with a Saturday morning post The Pension Review Board (PRB) has officially determined the Austin Firefighters Retirement Fund’s 2025 Funding Soundness Restoration Plan (FSRP) is in full complian...
by Colleen Pate
Wed Aug 27, 2025 2:39 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Council Meeting Schedule 8.28.25
Replies: 0
Views: 1212

Council Meeting Schedule 8.28.25

Council: Here is my plan for the Council meeting tomorrow. We will begin promptly at 10am and then hear public comment on consent items. Speakers will have 2 minutes per item. Speakers will be able to donate time. Speakers wishing to donate time must coordinate with the City Clerk prior to being cal...
by Colleen Pate
Tue Aug 12, 2025 9:06 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Council Meeting Schedule 8/13/25
Replies: 0
Views: 1634

Council Meeting Schedule 8/13/25

This is to outline how I think we’ll proceed tomorrow. So let me start by saying that tomorrow will be complicated with lots of moving parts. I will do my best to keep things orderly and consistent with rules and procedure. I may ask for some flexibility in specific circumstances that we might not a...
by Colleen Pate
Tue Aug 12, 2025 8:25 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: 5 cent TRE proposal as base motion
Replies: 5
Views: 1963

Re: 5 cent TRE proposal as base motion

Council: I want to be clear about my last post. I indicated an openness to using that proposal as part of the primary motion tomorrow. However, there needs to be a true up from financial staff to assure the numbers work. The true up would need to be what we use, otherwise, we might start with someth...
by Colleen Pate
Tue Aug 12, 2025 7:39 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: 5 cent TRE proposal as base motion
Replies: 5
Views: 1963

Re: 5 cent TRE proposal as base motion

Council Member Vela: Thanks for this post. I’m open to using this as part of the primary motion for the budget tomorrow, even though there are aspects of it that don’t correspond with some of my thinking on the final budget. If this is what we use, it would only be as a starting point. It would not ...
by Colleen Pate
Tue Aug 12, 2025 11:51 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Updated thoughts on TRE
Replies: 0
Views: 2217

Updated thoughts on TRE

Council: Thanks to all of you for your detailed efforts on this difficult budget. I've said consistently that Austin needs additional revenue to meet the quality of life needs of our city. I've also said that we need to make our city's affordability the top priority of city government. Of course, I'...
by Colleen Pate
Mon Aug 04, 2025 5:06 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Tomorrow's meeting
Replies: 3
Views: 77731

Re: Tomorrow's meeting

I agree there is no need for a staff presentation. For clarity purposes, we will have public comment. And if Council Members have questions of staff, including department directors, there will be an opportunity for that.

Thanks, all. See you tomorrow.

Kirk

On behalf of Mayor Watson
by Colleen Pate
Mon Aug 04, 2025 4:59 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Proposed TRE Scenario
Replies: 2
Views: 144915

Re: Proposed TRE Scenario

Council: I am including an update of my proposed TRE scenario that I posted last Friday morning. The only difference is the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter line item has been reduced to $2,750,000. This is due to the $5,250,000 from the updated tax roll that is dedicated in the base budget to the...
by Colleen Pate
Mon Aug 04, 2025 1:41 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Tomorrow's meeting
Replies: 3
Views: 77731

Tomorrow's meeting

Council: Tomorrow, we have a work session. The original request was that the finance staff walk through each of the eight "alternative budget scenarios" from the 1 cent up to the 8 cent alternatives to the manager's proposed base budget. As everyone knows, the alternatives, together with t...
by Colleen Pate
Mon Aug 04, 2025 9:12 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Budget Amendments and IFCs
Replies: 0
Views: 73843

Budget Amendments and IFCs

Council: Please remember that our goal is to have all proposed budget amendments and IFCs in by 6:00 PM today. A budget amendment is something that changes numbers in the budget--adds to things we need to spend money for or takes out things that cost money. IFCs are policy guidance related to financ...
by Colleen Pate
Fri Aug 01, 2025 11:27 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Proposed TRE Scenario
Replies: 2
Views: 144915

Proposed TRE Scenario

Colleagues— I appreciate the thoughtful, methodical effort and dialogue we’ve had around the budget so far. We’ve heard from the community about the pressing needs that the city faces during this budget process. We’ve also heard during this process the continued concern in our city about affordabili...
by Colleen Pate
Sun Jul 27, 2025 1:52 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Budget Work Session – July 31, 2025
Replies: 0
Views: 102432

Budget Work Session – July 31, 2025

Council: This post is to provide clarity about the July 31st Budget Work Session, which includes a couple of agenda items including passage of a maximum tax rate and a public hearing on the budget. I’m posting this (and we will reiterate it) to avoid confusion. On July 31st, we will begin at 9am. We...
by Colleen Pate
Wed Jul 23, 2025 12:10 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Council Meeting Schedule 7/24/25
Replies: 0
Views: 73132

Council Meeting Schedule 7/24/25

Council: Here is my plan for the Council meeting tomorrow. We will begin promptly at 10am and then hear public comment on consent items. Speakers will have 2 minutes per item. Speakers will be able to donate time. Speakers wishing to donate time must coordinate with the City Clerk prior to being cal...
by Colleen Pate
Tue Jul 22, 2025 5:09 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Tax Rate Election Decision Tree
Replies: 0
Views: 71150

Tax Rate Election Decision Tree

Council: Per the conversation at today’s Special Called Audit and Finance Committee Meeting, I am posting the Tax Rate Election Decision Tree that was passed by the full City Council at the recommendation of the Audit and Finance Committee. http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincouncilforum/08-2025072...
by Colleen Pate
Fri Jul 18, 2025 11:15 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Special Session Update
Replies: 0
Views: 90751

Special Session Update

Council Members – As I’m sure you know, the First Called Special Session is set to convene this next Monday, July 21. I wanted to share with you a few thoughts as we are concurrently moving through our own budget process. Included in the Governor’s call are items that could directly impact the decis...
by Colleen Pate
Thu Jul 17, 2025 2:43 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Invitation to Join FEMA BRIC Reinstatement Letter
Replies: 2
Views: 176409

Re: Invitation to Join FEMA BRIC Reinstatement Letter

Council Members: I want to thank Council Member Qadri for his leadership in bringing forward this critical request to reinstate the City’s $50 million FEMA BRIC flood mitigation grant, canceled earlier this year. After touching base with Council Member Qadri and our Office of Government Relations re...
by Colleen Pate
Sat Jul 12, 2025 7:33 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: FY 26 Budget Process & Thoughts
Replies: 0
Views: 128304

FY 26 Budget Process & Thoughts

Colleagues— Before I get into budget stuff, I want to recognize that the past week has been difficult for our community and the surrounding areas in the Hill Country. It’s impossible to express fully the grief and sadness we are all experiencing. The destruction and pain seen across our region last ...
by Colleen Pate
Sun Jun 22, 2025 5:17 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Firefighter Pension Bill
Replies: 0
Views: 51652

Firefighter Pension Bill

Council Members: I wanted to let you know that the Governor signed the Firefighter Pension Bill. This is a big win for the City of Austin generally and our retired firefighters and those who will retire. It restores financial soundness, which was our main goal. Thanks go to Ed Van Eenoo for his good...
by Colleen Pate
Wed Jun 04, 2025 7:13 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Need for Other Zoning Options for Bonus Programs
Replies: 4
Views: 35599

Re: Need for Other Zoning Options for Bonus Programs

Thank you for your feedback, Mayor Pro Tem Fuentes.

I have included a version 2 incorporating your amendment, and will keep the item on the consent agenda.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 191225.pdf

Thanks

Kirk
On Behalf of Mayor Watson
by Colleen Pate
Wed Jun 04, 2025 12:39 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Council Meeting Schedule 6/5/2025
Replies: 0
Views: 36849

Council Meeting Schedule 6/5/2025

Here is my plan for the Council meeting tomorrow. We will begin promptly at 10am. We will start with drawing for assigned seating on the dais. We will then hear public comment on consent items. Speakers will have 2 minutes per item. Speakers will be able to donate time. Speakers wishing to donate ti...
by Colleen Pate
Mon Jun 02, 2025 12:11 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Council Work Session 6/3/25
Replies: 0
Views: 41635

Council Work Session 6/3/25

Council— Before tomorrow’s work session meeting, I wanted to share a schedule outlining the plan for conducting the meeting. Additionally, I am unavailable tomorrow, and Mayor Pro Tem Fuentes will preside over the meeting. In consultation with MPT Fuentes, we will begin the Work Session with public ...
by Colleen Pate
Fri May 30, 2025 12:12 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill
Replies: 0
Views: 44300

Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill

Council Members: I have been following the massive budget reconciliation bill and have been meaning to share my thoughts in a very general sense. As you likely know, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill by the slimmest of margins, 215-214. I called it “massive” and that may be the wrong w...
by Colleen Pate
Fri May 23, 2025 9:05 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Need for Other Zoning Options for Bonus Programs
Replies: 4
Views: 35599

Need for Other Zoning Options for Bonus Programs

Council Members: As I said yesterday, DB90 has been an unhappy experience. Even with Council’s well motivated goals for DB90, this density program, as currently created, is proving to be divisive, difficult to utilize, and ultimately too far from achieving the goal of Council to provide more housing...
by Colleen Pate
Wed May 21, 2025 7:32 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Council Meeting Schedule 5/22/25
Replies: 0
Views: 30836

Council Meeting Schedule 5/22/25

Council: Here is my plan for the Council meeting tomorrow. We will begin promptly at 10am and then hear public comment on consent items. Speakers will have 2 minutes per item. Speakers will be able to donate time. Speakers wishing to donate time must coordinate with the City Clerk prior to being cal...
by Colleen Pate
Mon May 19, 2025 7:10 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Amendment to TRE Policy #3 (Agenda #58)
Replies: 2
Views: 17593

Re: Amendment to TRE Policy #3 (Agenda #58)

Council Members: I think Council Member Siegel’s thoughts have merit and look forward to the discussion on Thursday. This is the sort of thing we should discuss as we look to creating a new policy like this. In fact, it creates a focus on what are “base cost drivers” (we don’t want something vague o...