Kitchen Budget Topics

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Ann Kitchen
Posts: 294
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:04 pm

Kitchen Budget Topics

Post by Ann Kitchen »

Colleagues

I wanted to let everyone know the budget topics I may be pursuing amendments on, to provide time for consideration.

Please know these are not the only items that I will be supporting, as I continue to listen to the public about their priorities and will be meeting with D5 constituents as part of our Budget Town Hall on Saturday. Some examples - I am a cosponsor on the Housing Bond, will continue to support liveable wage, and am reviewing options to more fully fund the Community Investment Budget.

1) 911 Call Takers: Follow-up on resolution the Council passed to address the vacancy rate and compensation levels

2) LDC Small Area (District Level) Planning Process: Reviewing budget to ensure that Housing and Planning Department has sufficient funding to staff this function, in follow-up to the Council resolution passed.

3) HEAL Initiative (and related bridge shelter): Ensuring that the Initiative is fully funded for this next year, with a path for acceleration of the number of unhoused people this successful program can serve.

4) Senior Tax Exemption: Reviewing feasibility of raising the exemption level for seniors, who are often on fixed incomes

5) AustinCARES: Ensuring that the program is fully funded with necessary staffing for continued implementation of the full program. AustinCAREs provides for mental health clinicians in the 911 call center, as well as follow up services for people experiencing mental health crises.

6) Personal Care Attendants: Exploring with Public Health how the city can support these workers, given their untenably low wages.

I will be providing details as our work continues on these and other issues

Ann Kitchen
City Council D5
Ann Kitchen
Council Member District 5