CM Pool - FY22 Budget Riders.

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Leslie Pool
Posts: 231
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:22 pm

CM Pool - FY22 Budget Riders.

Post by Leslie Pool »

Colleagues:

My thanks to everyone who has posted their priorities here. I’d like to add my own.

I want to express my gratitude to our Budget staff for their success in bringing us a balanced budget proposal that meets the council’s priority on increasing the City’s reserves to 14% and with only a 3.5% revenue increase despite significant cost drivers. I support holding the reserves firm at that level and keeping costs down for our residents.

That being said, we have challenges that require our attention in many areas, including for families seeking affordable child care, and for our homeless population. I’d like to add two budget amendments and one place-holder for my colleagues’ consideration. The riders represent two specific critical needs in our community: quality after-school and summertime child care, and increased funding for the Workforce First program that provides employment and social services assistance for those experiencing homelessness. I have links provided below to the information sheets on both items.

> Essential Child Care at City Recreation Centers: $1.2 million, as supported by Austin Parks Foundation, for increasing child care capacity at City recreation centers. This amount includes $300,000, paid through certificates of obligation, for 6 additional vans to transport children from school to the rec centers. The remaining $900,000 is ongoing funds, but the amount can be scaled to prioritize by the rec centers with the greatest need and the longest wait list of families: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 085150.pdf

> Increased Capacity for Workforce First Program: $250,000 would expand the Workforce First program managed by The Other Ones Foundation to allow an additional crew. This program provides essential employment and social services for folks experiencing homelessness, plus additional encampment cleanup for our open spaces and parks: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 085524.pdf

I am exploring ways to fund this $250,000 through Austin Resource Recovery, which has maintained the same level of funding for the past two budget cycles. Considering our increasing need for social services, housing readiness, and employment for Austin’s homeless community, and with greater encampment cleanups required, this program meets multiple needs with demonstrated success. I would also like to explore the possibility of using ARPA funds through Austin Public Health to cover some of this cost as it relates directly to services for our homeless community.

There is a third, critical need that I know many of my colleagues also support, and that is staffing for the aerial ladder at the Moore’s Crossing EMS/Fire Station. I have included my information sheet here with the details on this request supported by our friends at the Austin Firefighters Association: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 084751.pdf

I understand, as does AFA, that this is request is unlikely to be funded this year, but I include it here for discussion and as a placeholder for future budget year considerations.

I look forward to our continuing discussions.

Leslie
Leslie Pool
Mayor Pro Tem
Council Member, District 7
Louisa Brinsmade
Posts: 76
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:27 pm

Re: CM Pool - FY22 Budget Riders.

Post by Louisa Brinsmade »

On behalf of CM Pool, I am posting the updated Workforce First information sheet she referenced on the dais, with the additional amount to be funded through the Watershed Protection Department and the Drainage Utility Fee. The total new amount for FY22 from WPD towards this program is proposed to be $679,412, which adds $316,167 this coming year for an additional crew to employ those experiencing homelessness for encampment and vegetative cleanup in our creeks and open spaces. The program additionally offers social services to assist with job and housing readiness.

Here is the new information sheet: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 115843.pdf

Louisa Brinsmade
Chief of Staff
Office of Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool, District 7
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