What are the latest budget requests from the Austin City Council?

The City Council is set to review various budget amendments this week, despite indications from city staff that growth has not been strong enough to support many costly changes. Nonetheless, the Council is determined to pursue what they deem essential additions during their meeting on Wednesday. The Austin Monitor previously reported last week on a range of proposed amendments from 10 of the 11 Council members. Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who was absent due to illness last week, suggested cuts to prevent tax increases.

Council Member Ryan Alter has proposed several amendments, many of which were highlighted in last week’s reports.

One significant proposal is to expand eligibility for Austin Energy’s free weatherization program for low-income households. Currently, the program is available for families earning up to 80 percent of the median family income. Alter suggests increasing this threshold to 100 percent. Austin Energy estimates that this amendment would cost approximately $1.5 million, in addition to already planned increases. The proposed weatherization budget for the upcoming year is $8.5 million, reflecting a $3 million increase from the current year.

As of June 2024, the median family income for a family of four in the Austin-Round Rock area is $126,000, marking a 3 percent increase from the previous year.

Austin Energy, which funds the low-income weatherization program through a surcharge on customer bills, has expressed reservations about moving to 100 percent MFI eligibility. They argue that this change would not only increase costs for customers but also necessitate hiring two full-time employees not accounted for in the proposed budget. According to Austin Energy, “For every $1 million increase in energy efficiency services, this requires a 2.5 percent increase” in customer charges.

Alter’s office stated, “Council Member Alter believes the benefits outweigh the costs – expanding the program to 100 percent MFI will increase participation, lower energy consumption for many more households, and decrease total energy usage.” Supporting this amendment are Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Zo Qadri, Chito Vela, and José Velásquez.

District 9’s Qadri is advocating for an additional $300,000 in the city budget for a Mental Health Diversion pilot program. This initiative is a collaboration between Travis County, Central Health, Integral Care, and the Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC). Qadri’s statement on the City Council Message Board outlines that the pilot aims to leverage existing programs and facilities to enhance community services, addressing unmet needs for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.

Qadri is also seeking funding for community health navigation services for linguistically isolated Asian Americans. His posting emphasizes that these services should promote self-management of health and wellness through culturally relevant care.

Additionally, Qadri is requesting approximately $276,000 for CASTMED, the Counter Assault Strike Team Paramedics. This program, which began in 2018, pairs tactically trained medics with police officers to respond to emergencies more swiftly.

Moreover, Council Member Alison Alter is sponsoring an amendment to allocate $200,000 for the Communication and Public Information Office (CPIO) to continue outreach and education supporting the City’s anti-hate response efforts. The We All Belong Campaign, launched in 2023, aims to empower the community to take action against hate crimes.

This overview highlights just a fraction of the proposals under consideration. The Council will address numerous others during their meeting on Wednesday, which begins at 10 a.m. Although no meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Mayor Kirk Watson has the option to call an overnight recess if needed. Another budget meeting is planned for Friday, if necessary.

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