City Council Budget Work Session Transcript – 8/5/2025 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 1 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 8/5/2025 6:00:00AM Original Air Date: 8/5/2025 Transcript Generated by SnapStream ================================== Please note that the following transcript is for reference purposes and does not constitute the official record of actions taken during the meeting. For the official record of actions of the meeting, please refer to the Approved Minutes. [9:00:05 AM] Council members good morning everybody. It's 9:00 in the morning on August 5th, 2025, and I will call to order the Austin city council [9:01:06 AM] order the Austin city council for this budget work session. We have convened with a quorum of the Austin city council. Present a quorum. That's an interesting word. Quorum is present. Nobody got that joke. So alright, we'll move on. Maybe it's just the morning we have a quorum present, and we are meeting in the city council chambers in Austin city hall at 301 west second street in Austin, Texas. The way we'll proceed, members and members of the public is we will have our public comment. We had originally indicated that we were going to have this work session, which was always a tentative work session, but we decided we were going to have a work session so that the financial staff could lay out the various alternatives. But the truth of the matter is, the process is working very well. And with those alternatives haven't been laid out with the various work sessions that we've had where people have been able to ask questions, and now we've kind of gone past the need to [9:02:08 AM] kind of gone past the need to have tell us what's in one, two, three, four, on up to eight because alternatives have been posted. And as of 6:00 yesterday, the budget, proposed budget amendments and proposed budget ifcs have also been posted and are available. So what we're going to do today is if hear from the public and then if anybody has many council members have questions related to different items that are in the budget. We have people that are available to do that and then we'll adjourn. We do have an audit and finance committee meeting scheduled for 130 today, but that's independent of this. So with that I will turn to the unless there's questions or objections, I'll turn to the city clerk and ask that you please guide us through the public comment. >> Thank you mayor. We'll start with the first screener, our first speaker. It's a remote speaker. It's Jennifer Robishaw. >> Good morning. This is Jen [9:03:12 AM] >> Good morning. This is Jen Robichaux. I've been speaking with Austin residents who have attended their town halls. We are very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the budget process this year. However, we are also very frustrated that our voices are not being heard and our questions go unanswered. Every week you all hear from people who come to city council with hands out asking for money. You don't hear from people who want you to be fiscally responsible and focus on essential services because they are working and taking care of their families. Some are just trying to get by, others are building their dreams, their service to their families, businesses and communities. Keep the city running and prevent them from coming here to speak. These are the people paying taxes and funding this government. They don't want money from you. They just want the city to provide essential services, public safety and the freedom to live out their lives in this beautiful city. They want safe and maintained neighborhoods, parks, streets and utilities. The optics of this budget are terrible. It looks like a manufactured crisis. Essential [9:04:14 AM] manufactured crisis. Essential services are conveniently left underfunded. When we ask about cutting spending, you reply that we'd have to cut back on trash, ems, fire and police. You all sit at the dais and act surprised by such gaping holes in this budget. But we must remember that the city manager serves at your request. You appointed him his office, executes your vision of governance. City council is not a victim of this bad proposal. You all have played a hand in recommending policy and you all have final say in the outcome. Austinites are tired of your irresponsible management and excuses for tax increases. We fully intend to vote against the tax rate election this November. So I leave you with this question. What is your plan when the tax rate election doesn't pass? Thank you for your time. >> Next we have kaiba white. >> Owner. >> Miss white. [9:05:16 AM] >> Miss white. >> Hello, this is kaiba white. Hello, this is kaiba white speaking for public citizens Texas office. Thank you for the opportunity. And thank you for your continued work on the budget. I want to start by thanking council member Siegel and alter for their work to prioritize climate in the budget amendments, and I have seized and want to urge you all to support a few items that I understand that they have submitted as amendments. And I have these first money for a revolving fund to pay for sustainability upgrades that will save money in city buildings. Second, an energy manager at the office of climate action and resilience to manage that fund. Third, a sustainable purchasing manager or similar position for the office of climate action and resilience to develop a comprehensive sustainable purchasing plan and implement that plan at the city. And fourth, to provide funding for either the Austin civilian conservation corps or similar [9:06:18 AM] conservation corps or similar programs that might be shifted to another department and also support, please, the ifc's to direct the city manager to develop a solar recycling program and associated fee, and direct the city manager to evaluate city lands for climate projects, including solar. Thank you for your continued work and I hope you will support all of these items. >> Thank. That concludes all the remote speakers. We'll move on to in-person speakers starting with a Orlowski Shaw Walter morrow, cocky young Nathan Fernandez, Scott Cobb, please make your way to the front and state your name for the record. >> Hello, my name is Orlowski Shaw, and I'm the president of the united workers of integral [9:07:18 AM] the united workers of integral care. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I'm here to advocate for council support for budget amendments that would first allocate at least $3 million a year in ongoing funding for 24 over seven Escott our mobile crisis clinicians are the alternative first responders that prevent tragedies, reduce ems and police call loads, and keep emergency rooms clear for medical emergencies. This amount was built to include wage increases and differentials because of 24 over seven. Mental health crisis system only works if we can recruit and retain skilled staff. Turnover is expensive, stability saves lives and money. Second, allocating 2.5 million for local housing vouchers for emergency hiring. Without a bridge, people who did everything right through no fault will be put into homelessness. It is far cheaper to keep someone housed than to rehouse them after they've lost everything. Again, this is a targeted, time sensitive investment that prevents a predictable wave of returns to the street. Lastly, putting a tax rate election level on the ballot that will allow needed investment into the homeless strategy office plan, especially [9:08:18 AM] strategy office plan, especially the rapid rehousing to permanent supportive housing pipeline, and broadly, the staffing levels and retention needed across the homelessness response system. Beds, vouchers and case management only work when we have qualified people to staff them. A sustainable revenue tool lets voters choose stable funding instead of crisis by crisis patches. Our union can promise support and campaigning to educate voters on the need for a higher tax rate. These amendments are not abstract numbers. They are commitments to keep Austin a place where people can survive a crisis, keep their housing and get the help they need when they need it. By supporting them. You're not just funding programs, you're preventing police and ems overload, avoiding the far greater cost of rehousing someone after eviction, and ensuring the city's own strategic plan on homelessness is achievable. You have the chance to show voters that the city is serious about solving homelessness, protecting mental health and valuing the workforce. That makes it possible. Thank you. >> Walter Monroe, the director of foundation communities. I think it was 23 years ago. Mayor, you helped us get zoning for garden terrace on William cannon. That was our first [9:09:20 AM] cannon. That was our first supportive housing community. It's been a great place to live and a great community for 23 years. At the time, I thought we knew we knew what we were doing and we did some things right. >> We're not getting ready to say, I didn't know what I was doing. Are you? No, no. Okay. All right. I just want to be. >> Well, we all learned. >> But make sure your testimony is clear. >> The. You know, we had 24 over seven front desk control. So we knew who was coming in and out of the building. We did that right. We hired one case manager for Ada departments. That was a mistake. We've since learned that it takes a robust social service team on site to really care for our residents. Now we have nine communities, about a thousand residents, most of whom were homeless. All of were at risk. It's a robust we have a $7 million budget, and we really depend on city funding for about 2.5 million of that. I'm here today on the budget to just say how excited we are to support the homeless office plan. I think I've participated in 15 [9:10:20 AM] think I've participated in 15 homeless plans in the last 30 years, and they what they all lack is concrete, grounded interventions with a price tag like this is what we're going to do. If we go to the voters for their support, they're going to want to know we've got a plan and we do. It includes everything from shelter to supportive housing to really make a difference in caring for our neighbors. I believe the voters want to see that progress and difference. We've learned a lot in 25 years, and this plan really reflects the things that we've learned. So thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Monroe. Thanks for all you do. Yes, ma'am. >> Hi. My name is Kathy young, and I'm representing foundation communities as well. I want to talk to you about the why behind this request for these important tier dollars. Charles lives at balconies terrace, our newest supportive housing community. He is a member of our supportive housing program, a permanent supportive housing program. In technical terms, that means that [9:11:21 AM] technical terms, that means that he has been chronically homeless and also has a co-occurring disability. However, what that really means is that he's been living on the streets for an incredibly long time and that he's endured immense trauma. And for him, that means a traumatic brain injury and seemingly insurmountable odds to gaining housing. When he learned that he had a housing opportunity, he was so excited. But then our navigator couldn't find him for a long time. We had to just put him on bolo and go on to the next referral. Weeks later, when he showed up at balconies he had been walking, we found out that he had been walking and rolling with his wheelchair from north Austin, from the Trinity center downtown to north Austin to get his new apartment. We were so excited to see him, but we had to tell him that the building wasn't ready yet. He camped nearby and waited, but then he had to go into a skilled nursing facility because of health concerns. Eventually, he was able to move into his new apartment. Now he has access to case management and mental health care and transportation to his medical appointments. We [9:12:22 AM] to his medical appointments. We were able to connect him with soar services and he got his SSI. He now has income for the first time in many, many years. All of this is available to him at balconies terrace. I hope that you will prioritize these TRE dollars and zo plan in its in its entirety to the voters of Austin this fall. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hey y'all. My name is Nathan Fernandez. I'm a resident of district two. I'm a lifelong resident of Austin. I grew up in the suburbs of district six, went to UT and district two nine, and I work in local government, and I'm glad to see a lot of my colleagues here. I'm also a proud member of afscme local 1624. And while today's comments don't necessarily reflect the views of my employer or those organizations, I do echo the plan, echo the calls for the zo plan to be fully invested in. But when I went to write down my testimony today, I realized I still had my testimony from last year when the community [9:13:24 AM] year when the community overwhelmingly urged this body not to approve the out of the blue APD contract, with no oversight for the rest of city and county employees. Despite overperforming every year with no with with limited staff and resources, no wage increases are ever guaranteed. That's why we're calling for a 4% across the board raise for all employees with a fixed rate. For those making under 53,000. Unfortunately, the TRE was going to be necessary that fateful evening when all but CM qadri voted for a police contract that we knew would set our budget back for years, and we're would require the voters of today and future generations to fork up more tax dollars to fund crucial services like the homelessness response system, which are in dire need of robust investments. These priorities were put on the back burner and negotiated to the lofts of a TRE that will require, at minimum, $0.07 to fund the cliff that we're currently falling off of. Please act accordingly. Mayor and [9:14:25 AM] act accordingly. Mayor and council. No one leaves a legacy in this city by being modest when their constituents need them most. Thank you. >> My name is Scott Cobb and I want to talk again about access to health and dental insurance. I looked at the old city council minutes and it was February 26th, 2015, where city council directed the city manager through a resolution to identify a plan and a cost to offer all city employees access to health insurance. All meant temporaries, no matter if they worked 30 plus or under 30 hours a week. It also meant part timers and 2022 city council again passed a resolution for the first time, offering dental insurance to temporary employees. It hadn't been offered a 2015. Right now that has been changed, and as of January 1st, there are going to be 50 people who will lose either their medical or dental [9:15:28 AM] either their medical or dental benefits because of the changes that hr implemented. June 15th, 25 of those people will lose their health insurance, ten will lose their dental insurance, 15 will lose just their dental insurance, ten will lose their medical. So a total of 5025 will lose both. Those are 20. Those are 50 people who have real teeth. They have real chronic problems and they are real employees for the city of Austin. And they should not be losing any of their health or dental benefits. I remember one day when I was working at deep eddy scrubbing the pool. I had a very painful toothache. At that time I did not have dental insurance, which is one reason why in 2022, I went to city council and told them that they should implement dental insurance for temporary [9:16:29 AM] insurance for temporary employees. So I ask you to not allow hrt to take away those 50 people's benefits that they already have. >> Okay, I'll call the next set of speakers. We have Candace Costa, Liz baker, adama meek, Aaron. Allen, Kahn, and Chris baker with time donated from Nate. Nate, are you here? >> He is. >> Thank you. And also Leanne. Time donated from Leanne. Perfect. Thank you. Please make your way up to the front and state your name for the record. >> Please feel free to begin. >> Hello, my name is Candace and I'm a lifelong austinite and member of united workers of integral care. >> Could you give your full name, please? >> Oh. I'm sorry, Candace stostad. >> Good deal. Thank you. Go ahead. >> And I'm a lifelong austinite and member of united workers of [9:17:30 AM] and member of united workers of integral care. I appreciate this time to share my personal and professional perspective. Every week in my role as a crisis counselor, I witness the same pattern people who lack stable housing and experience systemic neglect often cycle through emergency rooms, jails, shelters and treatment facilities, which reinforces trauma and instability rather than resolving it. This approach is not just inefficient, it's deeply costly, harmful and inhumane. It is a prime example of structural violence, which in turn makes our community more prone to countless other forms of violence. Permanent supportive housing reduces hospitalizations and incarceration rates. Mobile crisis teams like Escott are proven to reduce mortality and divert people from ers or law enforcement. Yet in our city, these services remain under threat. Arpa funds that expanded housing are expiring. Em cuts 24 over seven. Models still lack stable funding, and support staff such as case managers, peer specialists, support workers and crisis counselors like myself are often underpaid and overlooked. Despite playing [9:18:32 AM] and overlooked. Despite playing a central role in access and continuity of care. If we are serious about public safety, we must invest in the infrastructure that prevents crises before they escalate. Violence prevention starts with stability, a place to sleep, someone to call and someone trained to respond. That's why we're calling on the city to sustain 24 over seven Escott funding. Expand local tenant based housing vouchers. Invest in the pathway from rapid rehousing to permanent supportive housing, and fully fund supportive services for every housing subsidy. These are smart, evidence based investments. Let's build a city where people don't just survive, but truly have the opportunity to thrive. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good morning, council members. My name is Ottman meek. I'm the program manager for community engagement and peer support at the other ones foundation, and I'm also someone who has lived through homelessness, incarceration, and addiction. I'm a person in long [9:19:32 AM] addiction. I'm a person in long term recovery for many years now. I know what it means to survive outside, to carry your trauma in every cell of your body, and still fight each day to move forward. I also know what it means to find a moment of safety, to be seen by someone who doesn't treat you like a burden, and to take that first step toward rebuilding your life. At Esperanza community, I now work with people making that same journey off the streets into shelter and toward hope. Our shelter is full every night. We've added 100 beds and still we turn people away. We offer not just a place to sleep, but vocational training, life skills support, peer support, recovery and access to mental health and substance use care. But we need more resources to keep that path open. The budget, proposed by [9:20:33 AM] open. The budget, proposed by the homeless strategy office reflects what we know works. More shelter beds, more housing, more outreach and more peer led support. It meets people where they are and helps them get where they dream to be. Sustainable employment, sustainable housing, sustainable wellness. I'm standing here today because someone made that investment in me once upon a time. Please make it for the next person. We can't do this without the funding that the homeless strategy office is asking for. Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> Good morning. My name is Elizabeth baker. I'm the executive director of the other ones foundation. Thank you for the chance to speak to you again today. The plan from the homeless strategy office provides the critical funding needed to prevent the collapse of the homeless response system. Without full support of this plan, years of progress and [9:21:34 AM] plan, years of progress and basic services that thousands of our neighbors depend on are in jeopardy. In 2023, over 8000 people accessed the homeless response system, compared to 4000in 2019. The needs are growing and now is not the time to defund these services. They're essential, and without funding, lives will be at risk and enormous strain would be placed on the rest of our city's health and safety infrastructure. I understand that there are many valuable services that people want to see funded in this budget, but fully funding this essential service must be the single most important part of any package that goes to voters. Anything less falls short of the community's growing need and the council's own stated goals. So I ask that you please put forward a budget and tra package that fully operationalizes the zo plan and reflects the vital services that our community depends on. >> Thank you. >> Good morning. My name is doctor Aaron Alarcon, CEO of [9:22:35 AM] doctor Aaron Alarcon, CEO of Familia elder care, a nonprofit organization that for 33 years has been providing services to older adults and adults with disabilities that promote dignity and stability. Today, I would like to join my voice to the others that have extended their support to the homeless strategy office plan that addresses homelessness in our community. This plan addresses this problem from several angles, from to permanent supportive housing, ensuring that our homelessness response system is sustained. This council and this administration have said homelessness as one of the top priorities, if not the most important, for which I am grateful. These challenging times present an opportunity to demonstrate to our community that this commitment is real and that unlike other levels of government, our local government [9:23:36 AM] government, our local government will not turn its back on the most vulnerable. And speaking of the most vulnerable, I would like to emphasize to this council that here in Austin, just like in the rest of the country, older adults are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. This increase is concerning in many ways. First, because of the unique challenges and vulnerabilities that this population faces, and second, because unfortunately, it proves the harsh truth that the elderly have historically been forgotten and neglected by our society. And to close, I want to express my support to the budget amendments proposed by mayor pro tem Fuentes, but particularly address homelessness among older adults. Thank you. >> Yes. [9:24:44 AM] >> Yes. >> Six minutes. Okay. Got it. I'm sorry. I know that you guys, like, hate that when this happens, but I have, like several different hats to wear, so I'm. My name is Chris baker. I'm a resident of district five, and the first hat that I'm going to wear is my homeless service providers consortium hat. And the message is the same that we've been sending. But I'm just going to say that I've been in this work for a long time, and we I have never before seen such unity in our homeless response system. The all of the providers being in agreement with the homeless strategy office and with the continuum of care lead applicant, echo is never happened before. It's like insane that it's happening now, and it's because we have this blueprint. It's the plan that was painstakingly put together by the team over at zo. And we have to get that plan fully funded. If we don't, we are not only risking not being able to add new services that we desperately need, but also maintaining the critically [9:25:45 AM] maintaining the critically needed services that are services that our community has come to depend on. And so I know that a TRE is a big, complicated decision. I get that we that is the consortium have never and don't plan on taking a position on how many pennies we ask of voters. I only ask that we please make sure that whatever winds up in the TRE package is a critical community, a critical community. And just in case it's not clear already, the entire package is a critical community need that people's lives are depending on. An old friend. I'm taking my consortium hat off now, a very old friend of mine named David Gomez has been. I used to work for him. He's an old boss of mine. He kind of taught me about homelessness many, many years ago. And he wanted to come and talk today. He can't. He's in San Antonio, so I'm going to read his testimony and he says, greetings to all interested parties here [9:26:46 AM] to all interested parties here today. My name is David Gomez, and I've been involved in our community response to homelessness since the late 1980s. I have worked on many plans to end homelessness in Austin. The most robust was a product of the mayor's task force to end homelessness in the late 1990s. It was a very comprehensive plan, much like the zo plan, but it did not come to pass. Greed for land and buildings and Austin, along with nimbyism and a lack of political will to find funding, derailed that plan. The situation resulted in a system of care that did not present a true continuum of care for our community, and we have been playing catch up ever since. The zo budget is quite comprehensive and tries to address all we need, but again, our needs exceed our resources. This should not stop the budget from going forward. We it will invite and attract many resources to match the dollars from the city, because we'll be able to shine a light on the gaps where private donors and religious institutions may join this effort to address the real continuum of care of our community, we have another opportunity to implement a [9:27:46 AM] opportunity to implement a holistic approach with zo plan. Let's not turn away from a good new beginning, a good recipe to address the issue of homelessness in our community. All right, so that's David Gomez, some an elder statesman of homeless response. And so now I'm just going to talk to you guys from my own heart. And I just want to say that I deeply, deeply, deeply, deeply appreciate the work that every one of you is doing on this issue and trying to get this figured out. Your work hasn't gone unnoticed. I know that every person on the dais has a heart that's in the right place. Mayor, you helped broker a deal that gave us the opportunity to expand our shelter capacity by more than 500 beds. Huge. Every council member here has brought amendments in ifc's that help. I know it doesn't feel like we've deprioritized homelessness. And I don't want you to take the [9:28:48 AM] I don't want you to take the fact that we have deprioritized homelessness as an attack on anyone's character. You guys are all doing your best and I see you. I also understand how profoundly difficult it is to say no. All of us that work in homeless services, we've have to say no all the time, every time, for every one time we get to say yes, we have to say no to someone 70, 80 times. When the first round of arpa cliff came last year, lots of agencies had to go and tell big swaths of their staff, no, you cannot come to work tomorrow because we don't have the money to pay you. Every single one of my colleagues in this fight have at some point had to say no to someone, only to learn. That within a week or some short amount of time thereafter, that person died. This is real. Real and all this know it comes from [9:29:50 AM] and all this know it comes from deprioritizing homelessness for years. And again, I know it doesn't feel like we've deprioritized it. I believe in you guys to come to a compromise on this thing. We all know the state is watching this very closely. We know that there are a lot of people that don't want property taxes raised at all, and we have to keep the rails on this thing. We ask for too much, we may get nothing. But I also understand that if we ask for too little, we're scrambling again next year. I get it, it's tough. But just know like we have done in the trenches for years, you're going to have to say no to something. And that sucks. And I get it. But the zo plan and everything that's in it is the wrong thing to say no to. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next set of speakers are we. >> Did you everybody got to speak? You did not. Right. >> Yeah, I did not. Waiting for [9:30:50 AM] >> Yeah, I did not. Waiting for her. >> Was your name called? If your name wasn't called, then please wait. Your name's called? Yes. >> Thank you. Mayor. >> Thank you. Mayor. The next set of speakers are Joshua Houston, Joe bland, Pete Inman, Zenobia Joseph, and chase Wright. >> Please come forward if your name has been called. Please go ahead. >> Good morning. I'm Joshua Houston, government affairs at caritas of Austin. Caritas supports the homeless strategy office's plan. It is balanced and sets us on the right course. Since covid one time, federal funds have fueled significant growth in our system. But now we face a financial reality. Scale back those services to pre arpa levels or continue that momentum with local revenue. If it's funded, the zo plan continues that momentum. Therefore, we [9:31:51 AM] that momentum. Therefore, we support a tax rate election. However, the higher the rate, the higher the risk and the risks are beyond just the ballot box, there is the risk of state intervention. We are closely monitoring the special sessions of the Texas legislature. There is an item on the call that could affect a TRE. And on Friday, the senate local government committee held a hearing on senate bill nine. A good chunk of that hearing was about Austin's potential 24% rate increase. I want to commend your city staff. They did a tremendous job in putting this fire at least containing this fire. Mr. Vanunu and the ego row team deserve a lot of credit. We just want to make sure that you're aware of that. Additionally, the federal level continues to be an unpredictable situation. We faced funding freezes, changing regulations, executive orders, new contract terms, budget cuts and recessions. We desperately need and deeply appreciate a stable and predictable partner in our local government. Therefore, we urge you to find the goldilocks path, the path that is just [9:32:53 AM] path, the path that is just right. The path that is most likely to succeed. Given our precarious situation as a sector, we would rather have something than nothing. We thank you very much for your public service, and we look forward to continuing to work with you. >> Thank you, Mr. Bland. >> Thank you, mayor Watson. Members of council manager Broadnax. To begin with, I want to commend each and every one of you for your service to our community. It's a it's a ungrateful, ungrateful task that you serve in a in a city I learned many, many years ago from a very wise man that Austin will always have tax problems because of the square footage of state and federal lands within our city that are taken out of our tax base, and learn that from my dad. And once again, dad was right. So I understand you're in a you're in a bind. [9:33:53 AM] you're in a you're in a bind. And knowing that a tax increase is the right thing to do. Everybody knows prices have gone up, everything costs more. But in that statement you also need to be moderate. You need to be able to define what you're asking for. Things like community violence intervention, like funding atx, like funding for these homeless initiatives. Tell us the voters what it is you want us to support, and we will do it. And because we also have a great compassion for the for the for the homeless and the lost, I've been fortunate for the last two years to be involved in an initiative called dream together 2030, and it's basically a collaboration of all walks of life trying to make this city the beloved community that that we all aspire it to be. So thank you for your time and thank you for the work that [9:34:55 AM] and thank you for the work that you do here. >> Thank you, Mr. Bland. Mr. Eman. >> Mayor, councilman and councilwoman and city manager. Broadnax, I just want to echo the thanks that Mr. Bland just shared. It is a truly a thankless job. We're all not that smart, but even looking from from the sidelines, we can tell it's intense and complex. And so we're going to defer to your wisdom. We do generally, as somebody who grew up here, went to school here, started business here, done ministry here for a long time, believe that we're at risk. If we go for too much, we're not going to get it. If we go for too much, we're going to have a city that's less affordable and will continue to force our citizens out. So we know you're trying to thread that needle and navigate that. There's 2 or 3 things we wanted to underscore as dreamed together 2030. And we've got [9:35:56 AM] together 2030. And we've got some of our our colleagues behind us and our incoming president, Sherwin Patton, who I think had the opportunity to address y'all last week. But the first one is the work that atx piece does in community violence intervention. We've had a front row seat to see that, and it's probably the best investment in government I've ever seen. The second piece is just generally on public health. I don't know what the answers are, but obviously we've got to put some priority there. Given what's happening across the board. And so I just want wanted to take a few minutes of y'all's time to, number one, affirm you and thank you and just encourage you to be moderate as you go forward. So we don't make this city less affordable. We make it safer, and we increase the quality of life. Thank you all so much. God bless you. >> Yes, sir. Welcome. >> Good morning. I initially [9:36:58 AM] >> Good morning. I initially came up here and I was going to say, you know what? My name is chase Wright. I'm the founder and CEO of the hungry hill foundation, and I am partners with you guys. But I'm also a d1 constituent. And at that point, I was asked by several districts, most of your districts here, we've partnered with you guys in regards to the homeless response system and making our communities better, making sure we create an ecosystem for these unhoused and unsheltered individuals so that they're not on our streets experiencing some of the things that they go through, such as mental health crisis, lack of access to health care, all these different things. We've invested over $3.8 million specifically in this ecosystem to compliment. This is not city funding. This is not county funding. This specifically came from our community. So today I speak as a community member. I heard the first testimony here today, and the lady said, what happens when the tax rate election doesn't pass? I challenge. And I thought immediately I asked her, what if it doesn't pass? What if we do lose funding in our homeless response system? What if these [9:37:58 AM] response system? What if these individuals that have worked so hard to self-sustain and work our programs so that they do become productive citizens? We have over 20 individuals who have exited homelessness and now work for the city of Austin, and actually bringing value back to their community. What happened if we lose this outlet? And I tell them because we also hungry? Hill has also worked with our office of violence prevention here and created logistics to help our community based public safety. We've worked with great groups in Austin such as urban alchemy. We've worked with the downtown Austin alliance to make sure that we have safer streets. What happened if these unhoused individuals lose access to these programs? I tell you what happened. They go back to our schools, parks, they go back to our local parks. They go back to in front of their homes. They go back to trying to find means to provide for themselves outside of what's normal in society. So what happens is you raise other areas, you put strains on other systems in our community and in our cities. One of our greatest problems is community based public safety. Right now, if you allow unhoused individuals, unsheltered individuals, [9:38:58 AM] unsheltered individuals, individuals who have incarceration, they will land right back in front of your home. >> We appreciate you being here. Thank you very much. And what you do. Thank you all. >> The last set of speakers are dahlia Diaz, David Johnson, Jen Krieger, and Rachel Lehrer. Please make your way up to the front and state your name for the record. >> Please go ahead. >> Hello. Good morning. My name is Rachel Lehrer with safe alliance. I'm a lead community resource advocate. And if you're unfamiliar, we work with survivors of domestic violence. I work very closely on the grant, which is all city funded, and I'm just kind of here to provide a little bit of insight and a success story. So you know how this money is very helpful for our community. Most of my clients are young, single moms, already a very difficult hand to [9:39:59 AM] already a very difficult hand to have been dealt. And so through my last four years in this position, I have helped housed and maintain numerous clients and their families. I think that's also very key is a lot of these individuals that we are talking about are experiencing homelessness, also have children. So this funding assists in eliminating housing barriers, maintaining housing, providing a continuous continuum of care and a sense of safety and security. So just kind of in conclusion, the plan provides critically needed funding that will help prevent the collapse of our homeless response system. And if homelessness is a top priority of city leadership, then funding the plan in its entirety should be the top priority in any spending package the council presents to its voters. Thank you. >> Thank you. Let's just move away this direction. Thank you. >> Sounds good. Good morning. My name is Jen Krieger. I am a district for resident and I'm commenting on the proposed budget, which I'm currently against due to its insufficient investment in defending against [9:41:00 AM] investment in defending against the catastrophic effects of climate change. I recently conducted a community survey of residents in Austin and our five county region to better understand how our local populace is impacted by climate change and what they want the city of Austin and surrounding jurisdictions to do about it. Though I don't have time to share the survey results this morning, I do want to share that I cried while I was processing the survey data, because it brought to life for me just how much austinites and central Texans are already suffering under the weight of climate change, and as relevant to many of the public comments you've received this morning, it also highlighted for me how climate change makes being unhoused and addressing our unhoused community harder and more taxing on bodies and minds and financial systems. As the cost of climate change mount. This proposed budget shows Austin shrinking from its responsibilities as a climate [9:42:01 AM] responsibilities as a climate action leader. The office of climate action and resilience budget is effectively held flat, except for transfer of urban forestry positions and programs from one department to another. This is not the time to flatline our investment in climate responsibility, and it is not what this council asked for. Just a year ago, when you directed the city manager to create a comprehensive climate implementation program to fully realize our climate commitments, and the joint sustainability committee have created a roadmap for projects to fund this upcoming two year budget cycle via the climate investment plan. I'm asking you to follow the guidance outlined in the climate investment plan, starting with the following two priorities. Establish a revolving fund to pay for sustainability upgrades to city buildings. I'd like to see 2.5 million allocated to the fund this year, and another 2.5 million next year to capitalize the fund with $5 million investment that will pay back many fold. >> Thank you. We appreciate your comments. Thank you. >> Hello, my name is David Johnson. I'm a resident of [9:43:03 AM] Johnson. I'm a resident of district eight. I just dropped our daughter off at camp. And you know, I think as parents, we do. We raise our kids pretty well. And there's something about having little kids that continually remind you of what actually is possible because they don't know impossible until you tell them. And my wife has has this habit of saving dollar bills, just, you know, the way people say fives. But instead she saves the dollars and she tucks them in the side of the door of the car or of our cars. And when we see someone in need, give someone a dollar. And so our youngest gets one a dollar. And our youngest daughter at, you know, she's six, she doesn't fully understand that there is an endless pool of money to draw from. And when we run out of dollar bills, she'll say, well, dad, why can't you pull some out of your pocket? And sometimes it's because all we have are cards, and sometimes it's because, you know, bills. But what we had to explain to her [9:44:06 AM] what we had to explain to her was that we can't we aren't always in a position to do something, because we don't always have a way to do it. And she said, well, let me know when we don't have a way to do it. You know, I was recently I recently led a reentry related organization. And before that, a lot of you know me from my community work and working with grassroots leadership. But I'm here as a parent, district eight resident who has a daughter that wants to give every dollar possible to everyone in need. But she understands that that's not possible. And she's six, but she understands that there is something possible beyond what we're doing. So when I talk about this moment with you, I want you to know that I cannot tell her that this is one of those moments, because we do have a plan and we do have a way. So I just want the city to do everything it can to invest in the homeless strategy officers recommendations to the fullest. That's all. Thank you. [9:45:06 AM] fullest. That's all. Thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate you being here. >> Hello, I'm Delia Diaz. I work at family elder care. I oversee our rapid rehousing project, and I'm here today to support zo homeless response system. I would like to share a story with about those funds that provide direct case management services to our clients. A typical day for our case managers. One particular, our case manager, recently spent a day supporting her client on his birthday, helping him take important steps towards stability and well-being. Together, they visit the social security office to obtain his award letter, secured groceries from two local food banks, ensure he had enough food until his benefits returned. Resumed. Recognizing other needs, the case manager assisted her client in getting clean clothing, schedule a dps appointment to replace his Texas id, and updated his account [9:46:08 AM] id, and updated his account information. A kitchen table and chairs were delivered to improve his living conditions, and his medications were picked up. The day ended on a joyful, a joyful note with birthday ice cream celebrating not just another year of life, but meaningful progress toward Independence and stability. Rapid rehousing doesn't just provide housing, it unlocks people's ability to contribute, learn, and thrive. Stable housing creates the foundation for individuals to pursue education, find employment, and engage fully in community life. It builds human potential. Thank you. >> Thank you, miss Joseph. Your name was called previously, but if you would like to go ahead and come forward, you can wrap us up. Thank you all for being here. >> Thank you. Mayor, council. [9:47:09 AM] >> Thank you. Mayor, council. I'm Zenobia Joseph, I'm glad to wrap you up, mayor. I just want to say that the process has changed so that you're no longer taking our thumb drives. I just want you to recognize as viewpoint discrimination. Mayor, you have a standing item on your council agenda every week to discuss your publicly promulgated rules, regulations and procedures. And you have unilaterally changed this process without any discussion. My comments and the slides that I was going to show you is specifically about north Lamar. I sent you a memo, and I just wanted you to recognize right across from not your ordinary school is where there was a fatality on July 27th, 2025. And so specifically it was Imam Islam mussad, 50 years old. I've talked to you several times about the fatalities in this area. 12333 north Lamar, this is the same area where Donald Norton was killed in his wheelchair. 12300 north Lamar, [9:48:10 AM] wheelchair. 12300 north Lamar, what I want you to recognize, mayor, is that the voters approved $720 million bond the mobility bond on November 8th 2016. So to the city manager council and you I would say it is time respectfully to fire some people in the transportation and public works department. And you can start with Mendoza. The voters did not give the department a blank check. North Lamar is actually number one. I'm asking you specifically when you decide to put concrete barriers on sixth street to take that and put it in the area of not your ordinary school as a temporary solution. This was a preventable death and many are as it relates to the homeless strategy office. I disagree, you told us specifically it was for fire wildfire mitigation when you open the marshaling yard and it needs to close, I would ask you not to fund 12 more people to pick up the encampment litter, but instead to use that as a pilot so that you can [9:49:10 AM] pilot so that you can incentivize family members. >> Thank you, miss Joseph. >> You're welcome. Mayor. >> Mayor, I briefly respond. >> Sure. Councilmember Siegel. >> Thank you, mayor, and thank you, miss Joseph, for your testimony. You know, sheikh masad was killed on in district seven on north Lamar, and this is a tremendous loss to the community. I attended his memorial on Friday. He had there were four memorials. The one I attended had over 400 people at it. I mean, this person was so beloved, working in the community for decades and my office is currently working. I know this is an issue. Miss Joseph, you brought up a lot and care. Austin, the council on american-islamic relations, as well as the community center, have reached out to my office to ask for immediate action on this pedestrian and traffic safety issue. And I will say that acm Rogers and director Mendoza have agreed to meet with my office today to work on this, and we will definitely be prioritizing it. I also want to thank councilman vela and councilman qadri. The three of us are starting a sub quorum to take immediate action. So I just want to thank you for continuing to bring this up. [9:50:10 AM] bring this up. >> And thank you. Council member, I just wanted to look at the language that the voters approved the contract with voters, and I think you will be justified in putting immediate action there, because that is what they approved. And there was actually funding for fatality mitigation as well. But thank. >> You, Joseph. Councilmember Laine. >> Thank you. I also thank you for sharing that. I actually had a note I was about to pass to council member Siegel. And I also want to address specifically you, miss Joseph, that I have been hearing you since I took office on the needs around palmer, around this being close to a school in a city that professes to care deeply about safety of pedestrians and cyclists near schools. And I also was very struck, although it didn't make it to the memorial at the most recent fatality. And I want to tell everyone who can hear me right now that when I have spoken from the dais about the need for safer ways for people to get [9:51:11 AM] safer ways for people to get around on foot and bike across the entire northern suburbs of Austin, when I say palmer Laine from desert all the way to the end of the city of Austin, I mean it. And on a number of occasions I have sought out the slides that you have brought in the past, because I find them to provide important information in the areas that I have just mentioned, and also in the very real equity concerns that you raise and continue to keep on people's radar. So thank you, and I hope you'll invite me to join you in that meeting. But regardless of whether that particular step happens, I have independently been working on this issue through relationships with Williamson county, campo, the regional transportation board, and will be in further conversation with council member harper-madison office on this topic. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, council member Laine. >> And thank you, council member. Mayor, I just would say respectfully, I did try to go to [9:52:12 AM] respectfully, I did try to go to that memorial, but ended up just taking pictures and was going to show you the traffic because people were dodging in and out, but there was no pedestrian hybrid beacon, so you can't cross that area safely. But thank you. >> Thank you. All right, council members, that concludes all the people that have signed up to speak in terms of public comment for this work session, as indicated, we have our professional financial staff here, and we have some department directors and others. If there's questions that any of the council members have at this point in time, now would be a good time to do that. Councilmember vela. >> Good morning, miss Lang. Just a brief question about the timing of the TRE. And just in thinking about it, I know in audit and finance, we had talked [9:53:13 AM] audit and finance, we had talked about a four year cycle for planning around a TRE. Again, similar to what we've talked about with bonds, where bonds should be kind of on a on a six year cycle. In other words, we want to kind of make it into a, a regular and. The pattern basically of going back to the voters with these discussions. And I had kind of two thoughts that I wanted to throw out there. We for various reasons, we're moving forward in November of a year where there's not a presidential or congressional election. And, I mean, we've got to do what we've got to do, but that's problematic because not just this council, but prior councils have prioritized sticking to those, you know, 22, 24, 26, 28 kind of even numbered years where we have higher turnout and we get a better sense of a broader swath of the public. And I guess that's a [9:54:15 AM] public. And I guess that's a long way to set up. The question would be, since we're just starting off, this is going to be our first of this type of TRE. What if we did a three year cycle and kind of we're planning for, let's say, a 2028 TRE, another TRE in 2028 so that we could get it onto an even numbered year and better line up with a higher election turnout. How would that affect the finances? Because again, my, my sense would be that we're we're looking at a kind of a we want to make sure that we do a TRE that will carry us, that's sufficient to carry us to the next time that we do a TRE. So I've been in my mind thinking about a four year cycle, but to get it lined up with 28, what would how would that change the numbers? What what do you all think about that? >> And if I might just add [9:55:16 AM] >> And if I might just add something to that question, if that's okay with you, councilmember, the policy that we adopted expressly creates the potential for exceptions on the four year rule, and it's expressed to the four year rule if as we walk through the decision TRE, if the question is has it been less than four years is answered or has it been four years and we say no, then we have exceptions that aren't geared specifically to getting it into a sink. With a presidential or, you know, an even numbered year. Let's just say that. And so those exceptions would be allowed, we would be able to come back and ask questions about those exceptions. And they range everything from financial emergency because of a disaster to changes in federal and legislative approaches to finances. And those those also play a role, at least in the way [9:56:17 AM] play a role, at least in the way I think about where we might go, depending upon outcomes of trees in a year like today, this year. So, miss Lang, I just wanted to add that so that people would know that that we built into the policy some exception. >> Thank you. Mayor and council. >> Kerri Lang, director of budget organizational excellence. I think the initial thought would be that the of course, the available dollars do not change. And so we know that, you know, each penny is about 21.9 million. It would be the structure of the of the TRE scenarios to make sure that the dollars are spent through our are the growth is through three years versus four years. So it would change your increment on that first year. But it doesn't change the dollars that are available. >> On on related to that, how would it change? I guess I'm thinking that it would compress things so that there would be. [9:57:17 AM] things so that there would be. In other words, we're kind of switching to a three year planning cycle, and I guess my sense would be that it would be a smaller need. Again, I'm just trying to think through it. In other words, right now I would lean toward making sure that we have enough money to last us through the four years anticipating inflation, anticipating cost of living allowances, those kinds of things like that, and trying to kind of budget it out for the four years. If we were to compress it into three years, then how, I guess, could you put like some it doesn't have to be definitive examples, but, you know, just kind of where would we end up, you know, in terms of the, of the, the funding levels or, or the, the kind of the planning cycle? >> Hi. Good morning everyone. Eric Nelson deputy director of budget and organizational excellence I think from budget staff's perspective, the problem [9:58:18 AM] staff's perspective, the problem that we're trying to solve with the TRE is to. Get enough runway in the first year such that when we look over whatever forecast period, we are prepared to sort of absorb that general imbalance between expenditure and revenue growth. So to the extent that we shorten that window, we need less runway. So essentially looking at a three year versus a four year cycle, you could afford a little bit more ongoing spending in the first year. If you only need the runway to balance out for three years instead of four. >> Got it. Thank you. Thank you all very much. And again, I know I don't think I brought this up before, but just in thinking about the TRE and I just wanted to address it and appreciate the comments. >> Thank you. Council member. All right. If you want to be recognized I recognize the mayor pro tem, then I'll recognize council member Laine. But if you want to be [9:59:19 AM] But if you want to be recognized, let me know. Okay. Thank you, mayor pro tem. >> Thank you. This question is for David gray, our homelessness strategy officer. Colleagues, we've heard a lot of comments throughout the public hearings we've had regarding the homelessness response plan and a lot of commentary around the need for us to have it fully funded. And so I would like for our director, director gray, to speak to as part of the base budget proposal and the TRE, the city staff TRE scenarios, what elements of the homelessness response plan are yet unfunded at this point? >> Thank you, mayor pro tem, for the question. David gray, homeless strategy office the elements of the staff proposal that are currently unfunded are some of the upstream investments, which are prevention, diversion and landlord engagement. However, while those aren't reflected in the base budget or the TRE scenarios, we do have money in our current fiscal year budget that we plan to carry forward into fy 26 for those programs, but that is one time funding. So [10:00:20 AM] but that is one time funding. So once that funding runs out in fy 26, we won't be able to sustain those programs beyond whenever those dollars end. >> Thank you. And colleagues. Just want to draw your attention to the TRE proposal that I put forth alongside my colleagues. Council member Velasquez, councilmember alter, and councilmember vela, which ensures that these missing pieces are fully funded for those out years, that we have those sustained investments. And really just right in line with the commentary, the feedback we're hearing from our community. So just wanted to share that the proposal from our sub quorum and as chair of our public health committee, as well as councilmember Velasquez is our past vice chair. And members of our public health committee do have that up for your consideration. Thank you. >> Thank you. Mayor pro tem, councilmember Laine then councilmember alter. >> I don't have any questions, but thank you. >> I'm sorry. >> I don't have any questions. >> Oh, I thought I thought you were signaling. You did. Councilmember alter. >> Thank you so much. I was curious if budget staff had that updated chart with the senior [10:01:23 AM] updated chart with the senior impact of the bill that y'all could share with us today and email out if possible. I have a thumb drive. >> I yes, council member, we didn't prepare a formal presentation, but we have a few backup slides with some different impact data in case anyone wanted to reference it. >> I have a clicker. >> Can we get a clicker? >> So this was the original [10:02:24 AM] >> So this was the original table we created about our typical homeowner. And then this is a similar table reflecting our typical senior disabled homeowner. >> Okay. So if I'm looking at this, the voter approval rate, it's that decrease that you mentioned. And then the middle column is okay versus the base bill. And then all right, if you could just share the email this slide out to us. Absolutely helpful. >> Yeah I think just in some because the seniors as a result of your action to increase the senior and exemption, will be experiencing an $88 decrease at the voter approval rate level, they would not begin to feel any impact from a TRE year over year until you exceeded the four penny level. >> Got it. >> The other question I had that I think we have seen out there, whether it's at the voter [10:03:25 AM] whether it's at the voter approval rate or any of these particular scenarios, someone will say it's 25% higher than last year. And that's a comparison of last year's rate of 0.4776 to whatever the proposed rate is. And I was hoping you could talk about why that's actually an inaccurate comparison and how how we think about the no new revenue rate versus last year's rate when we're talking about what the actual percentage increase is. >> I'll try. There are a lot of percentages and pennies and rates and flying around. But generally speaking, the no new revenue, maintenance and operations rate is trying to be the rate that will get you the same amount of money for no from the same people taxed in both years. And then the state allows you to get an additional 3.5% above that. But that's 3.5% more [10:04:26 AM] above that. But that's 3.5% more revenue. So the rate will just adjust based on what happens with the values to get you that revenue. So it's not always a meaningful comparison to look at what's going on with the rate itself, or percentage increases in the rate itself, because that rate is adjusting in response to what happens to values and home values are changing as well as part of that. And that's why we try to distill with our typical homeowner number and so on this chart, you can see that we've compared the different level of pennies to the amount above that. No new revenue, maintenance and operations rate to try to have a consistent standard with the three and a half. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate that. And I know we a lot of the cents versus percents and all of it gets very challenging. But I just as we talk about it and of course read [10:05:27 AM] talk about it and of course read stories, I think having that accuracy of what we're actually proposing is important. That's it I appreciate it. >> Great. Thank you. Councilmember. Councilmember harper- madison, did your do you have your hand up? Yes. >> I did, thank you, Mr. Mayor. It's a two parter. One I wanted to say I appreciate your message board post where you let us know exactly what's expected during the course of the meeting. I think it makes it so efficient. And you might have noticed I appreciate efficiency, so thank you for that. Then I also had a question for director Lang and team about TRE discussion. >> They're ready. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm sorry I can't see that side. >> That's right I'm ready. >> Appreciate it. So my question essentially is over the course of the weekend, you can imagine everybody was anticipating the [10:06:27 AM] everybody was anticipating the deadline for submission of amendments. And I really appreciated how frequently the constituent interaction, most especially in my immediate neighborhood, had to do with folks who were asking what I really considered very much pragmatic questions. And it was something along the lines of when determining what what amendment you decide to submit, you know, how do you decide? And then you know it almost every single time. I mean, it was uncanny. The conversation went to, but how can you make any assumptions based on a TRE whose rate you haven't established, and a vote that hasn't transpired with no degree of certainty whatsoever? Don't you have to exclusively focus your potential amendments on what is tangible? And I really appreciated that our [10:07:28 AM] appreciated that our constituents kept going there. But I do find that I guess this is more advice than anything else on how to convey that. I share their concerns there about making decisions for, you know, systems that we hope exist in perpetuity based on real made up numbers. I guess the advice that I'm asking is, how do you convey to our constituents the need for us to focus our time and attention on the real proposed budget that's in front of us, as opposed to sort of getting out in front of ourselves and basing assumptions, need and the provision of support on made up TRE numbers. >> Thank you. Council member. I think from a staff perspective, you know, we presented the city manager's budget and there are things that each year the [10:08:28 AM] things that each year the council has the opportunity or option to make amendments to that proposed budget. And in this process in particular, I think part of the conversation has been if there are changes that the council member specifically wants to make to the city manager's proposed budget, that's that they have that opportunity. But as the discussions have happened over the last several months about the need to expand the services in several different areas across the general fund, the conversation about the potential TRE is how we got to that space and how we discuss what could be potential enhancements across the fund. Again, given the opportunity to go to the voters at above that voter approval rate. And so for me, it's just that conversation that that the council is having and determining what the next steps, as we, as you all consider a potential vote by the by the community. >> I appreciate it. I don't know [10:09:30 AM] >> I appreciate it. I don't know that it completely answers the question for advice, but I also think that might be sort of an impossible ask. So I just do, I guess, for the record, want to acknowledge folks are asking and they're asking for our guidance on how to redirect their focus on attention in a situation that feels untenable. I mean, the limitations are real and the need is real. I guess I'll close my commentary by saying, I really do appreciate how much of the focus and attention today has been on following through on staff's recommendation around H funding, and appreciate mayor pro tem and that sub quorum for the verbally stated commitment to seeing through our obligation there. So thank you for your time I appreciate it. >> Thank you. Councilmember mayor pro tem. >> Thank you. Colleagues, I wanted to draw your attention to a question I submitted in our q&a portal on the budget. Question eight. I asked staff and if y'all can speak to it, our financial team. If staff could assess the impact of the state property tax relief, the legislation. There are three pieces of legislation that [10:10:32 AM] pieces of legislation that passed last cycle and its impact to Austin residents. So if our financial team can share with us that analysis on how much a typical homeowner in Austin ISD is expected to save as part of the state legislation. >> I'm not sure if that's posted off the top of my head. I think our government relations office analysis was $380 for the typical homeowner, based on the average home value, I would want to reconcile their home value with our typical home value to make it apples to apples. But I think we're going to be very close. So it's in that $380 annual savings range from the from the additional school exemption. >> And I ask aisd that question. And they had it the, the thing they sent me was 317. So within the neighborhood of the 380 that [10:11:32 AM] the neighborhood of the 380 that he's mentioning, but he as he points out, their typical and our typical while close to being the same may not be the same. >> So okay. >> So that's different for a senior, right? >> Yes. >> And so. For senior seniors it was a different number. >> I do see that it is posted on the Q and a. And for seniors and disabled homeowners in the Austin ISD school district, they can expect to save approximately $833 annually. So just wanted to draw everyone's attention to that because it does have an impact on the context in which we are considering our tax rate proposal. >> Thank you, mayor pro tem. Anything else? Members? Okay. As I try to do at the end of each of these meetings, I'll mention the upcoming schedule. Today at 130, there will be an audit and finance committee meeting, which will be a committee, a meeting of the committee to look at the policy and make any recommendations with regard to [10:12:34 AM] recommendations with regard to going forward with a TRE. It will the discussion will be related to whether to have a TRE. It will not be a recommendation from the committee as to an amount of the TRE. That will be for the full council to decide as we go through our budgeting, that the continuing part of the budgeting process along those lines, Thursday, sort of say Wednesday, but I'm not sure why. Thursday we have another scheduled work session at 9:00. That is the work session that we have set aside from the very beginning of this process, so that each council member will be in a position to lay out proposed amendments, and we can have discussions about that and proposed ifc that will be on Thursday. Then we are scheduled and have on the books August 13th, 14th and 15th if needed for us to consider and pass a budget. I anticipate that we [10:13:37 AM] budget. I anticipate that we will take up. A having at least one executive session related to items on Thursday. So members, what I would anticipate we would do on Thursday is hear from the public, then take a have an executive session at that point and then come back and lay out all the amendments, just just for people to kind of plan their day. Yes. Council member Ellis. >> Thank you for laying that out. Mayor, I had a quick question about the amendments in ifcs. I know yesterday at 6 P.M. Was our deadline to be able to send those to staff? Should we post those to the message board? Will staff post them to the website? How should we all share what has. >> Well, that's really good. My understanding was that staff was going to post those to a website, but let's let's. I'm glad you asked that question out loud. >> We are working on compiling the list right now, and so we will be able to post it on the with the for the meeting on [10:14:39 AM] with the for the meeting on Thursday. >> Okay. >> If you wanted I guess put out beforehand. >> Then just go to the message board. I mean we I think we're doing a good job and an appropriate job of utilizing the message board to communicate with each other appropriately. So if you want it out there early, get it out there early, and then we will have it so that the in the public public can access that message board as well. I want to be clear about that public. Feel free to use that message board as well. But then we will have a single place, not in different message board posts. When they complete that for before Thursday. That's a good a really good question. Thank you. Other thoughts or comments members. There being no further business to come before the office of city council at this budget work session on August 5th, 2025. Without objection, we are adjourned at 10:15 A.M. Thank you. Thanks, everybody. Thank you to our staff. Appreciate you all being here.