City of Austin Council Message Board

Thanks for the good discussions we've had at the Council work session and the Audit & Finance Committee regarding the proposed Citywide Efficiency Assessment Ordinance. As we look at our operations and budget, I believe everyone shares my determination to safeguard public confidence, assure operational efficiency with continuous improvement, and deliver the best value for the city services we provide. And we agree that to achieve our goals, we need independent, systemic, ongoing evaluation of our work resulting in operational innovation and improvements that are real, implementable, and sustained.

As I promised at the last Council work session, I've continued to reach out and take advice on how to improve the draft we had then. I'm pleased to say we've added language that addresses concerns some had. I'm pleased to present a version of the proposed ordinance that is supported by AFSCME.

This version is posted for the February 26, 2026 meeting:
https://austintexas.legistar.com/View.a ... 501EDD9D63

Again, thank you for the input and discussion. And thanks to our auditor, manager, and other professional staff that have helped with this important effort.

Kirk

On behalf of Mayor Watson

Colleagues,

I would like to reiterate Mayor Watson’s thanks to our auditor, City Manager, and other professional staff for their work in support of this initiative.

In these constrained fiscal conditions, the City must take a more systematic approach to evaluating how services are delivered and how resources are used. Our constituents expect strong services and responsible stewardship of their tax dollars, which requires ongoing accountability across the entire organization. At the same time, we have a duty to work closely with our unions and City employees, who are essential partners in identifying efficiencies and improving operations.

The revised ordinance prioritizes employee input, favors improvements that avoid layoffs or outsourcing, and ensures transparency when recommendations could significantly impact departments or the workforce.

I look forward to working with all of you to move this forward and ensure our City operates effectively while supporting the employees delivering its services.

In service,

Krista

Colleagues,
I believe Item 50, establishing the efficiency assessment program, is vitally important and I look forward to supporting it. This ordinance is responsive to the critical needs of our current financial situation and creates an ongoing process to improve service delivery and identify potential cost savings.

I appreciate the inclusion of the amendment I proposed at our last meeting in this updated proposal. Our city employees bring valuable operational insight, and this change ensures their expertise is meaningfully included in the process.

Ryan