CM Ryan Alter Budget Priorities

[Ryan Alter]

The proposed budget makes important strides in meeting the daily needs of Austinites. However, I believe there are more targeted investments that we can and should make to advance the priorities of our constituents, primarily concerning homelessness, public safety, and sustainability. Below are my proposed amendments to do just that:

Alter-1: Expansion of the Downtown Austin Community Court with Navigation Services – Recognizes the expansion of the DACC’s jurisdiction to the entire city, while also addressing the serious need throughout the city for navigation services, a key priority identified by the Homeless Strategy Office.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 180330.pdf

Alter-2: Citywide Land Acquisition Fund – The creation of a citywide land acquisition fund that allows for the City to meet its current land acquisition needs.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 180714.pdf
Related IFC: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 180831.pdf

Alter-3: Neighborwoods Community Tree Planting – formalization of a budget amendment from last year that adds to the Community Tree Planting Program.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 181107.pdf

Alter-4: Homeless Encampment Response Team – Four FTEs at ARR to clean up abandoned homeless encampments in our parks.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 181344.pdf

Alter-5: Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (EMCOT) 24/7 – Provides EMCOT responses 24/7 instead of just during the day, thereby significantly increasing appropriate responses to mental health calls.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 181640.pdf

Alter-6: Home Weatherization Program Expansion – Raises the eligibility for the Austin Energy Home Weatherization Program from 80% MFI to 100% MFI to increase participation.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 181759.pdf

Alter-7: Homelessness Prevention – Funds homelessness prevention for 500 households, which is the most effective and cheapest method to serve individuals in our homelessness response system.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 181910.pdf

Alter-8: Services for Families Experiencing Homelessness – Additional funding for family-based homelessness services for single-parent households in a supportive environment.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182029.pdf

Alter-9: Additional Security Cameras in the Parks – Authorizes the purchase of two additional security cameras utilizing asset forfeiture funds to be deployed in local parks.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182142.pdf

Alter-10: Additional Fire Department Cadet Class – Additional AFD cadet class to make the already agreed-to work-week reduction a success by providing firefighters time to recover mentally and physically.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182247.pdf

Alter-11: Airport Police FTEs – Incorporates the four additional police FTEs at the airport into the current police staffing levels.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182354.pdf

Alter-12: Office of Violence Prevention, Crisis Intervention Specialist – Funds one position that provides services to the unsheltered community and navigation service providers as a strategy for decreasing violence.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182516.pdf

I also want to voice strong support for CMs Ellis and Alison Alter’s efforts towards improving the maintenance of our parks. To even further these efforts, I plan to offer the following IFC that explores additional avenues to keeping our parks clean:
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182639.pdf

Lastly, I have two additional IFCs for consideration. The first dedicates the delinquent tax penalties to the HOPE Fund as part of our ongoing work to dedicate the necessary resources to homelessness response:
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182759.pdf

The second closes a loophole for social services contracts that currently exempts them from paying the city’s living wage:
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 182909.pdf

[Ryan Alter]

Colleagues,
Ahead of tomorrow’s discussion of our amendments and budget IFCs, I have a few updates to the amendments and budget IFCs I posted on Monday:

Alter-1 – We had originally reduced this item by $1.25 million that would have been used to implement expanded homeless navigation services beyond what is provided at the DACC, but have added this back in as one-time funding with the identification of $1.5 million in offsetting funding from a reallocation of capital rehabilitation funds (see CBQ 225).
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152910.pdf

Alter-3 – After consulting with staff this amendment can be achieved through a rider (see below), so it is being withdrawn.

Alter-7 – This amendment originally provided diversion services to 500 households, which was a scaled-down request of the identified need of 1,362 households. After identifying $3,867,000 in offsets by reallocating a GF transfer to the Communications and Technology Management Department (lifecycle replacement of radios and communications systems) and purchasing these systems with Public Property Finance Contractual Obligations (PPFCOs) (see CBQ 225), we are increasing the amendment to the fully identified need, which will be more than covered by these additional funds.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152756.pdf

IFC 2 – Removed the requirement for social service contracts to meet the city’s living wage in the FY 2025-26 budget, and instead ask the Manager to create a multi-year plan to implement this change to our social service contracting.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152705.pdf

IFC 5 – Replaces Alter-3 to utilize funds in the Urban Forest Replenishment Fund to increase the funding for the Neighborwoods Tree Distribution Program.I look forward to our discussion tomorrow.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 164919.pdf

Sincerely,
Ryan

[Alison Alter]

CM Ryan Alter,

For your item 24 related to a land acquisition fund, I'd like to confirm that my interpretation is correct: that land acquisition to further the Food Plan's goals is eligible under this current language. If so, I'd like to be included as a co-sponsor. Thank you for your work on this issue.

Regards,
Alison Alter

[Ryan Alter]

Thank you CM A. Alter for this question. The acquisitions under this fund will have to fall within the statutory scope of allowable uses for certificates of obligations. Ultimately, this question is one for the law department, however, I do believe there are elements within the food plan that could fit. Of particular note is Strategy 1.6 which focuses on using land for multiple purposes - Establish opportunities for community-led regenerative food production on areas of publicly owned land that are well-suited to agriculture, including parkland, public right-of-way, and floodplain buyout land, where appropriate. This type of cross-use is something we intend to be a key feature of our acquisitions, as land can provide multiple benefits at once. I appreciate your dedication to this issue and welcome your support.

[Paige Ellis]

CM Ryan Alter,

Thank you for bringing forward your IFC regarding the Urban Forest Replenishment Fund. I have sent this amendment adding to your resolution to the Agenda Office for posting. It is in line with my comments at one of the Work Sessions.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 102106.pdf

Thank you,
Paige Ellis