ATX PULSE 8/13/24: DA Garza Secures $115k from Taxpayers for Personal Security // Chody Jury Selected // Watson Encourages Conservation // Travis County Commissioners Consider 2.5-cent Tax Hike for Child Care

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Today’s Weather: H: 99° / L: 77°. Another scorcher. Latest forecast from Fox 7 Austin’s Zack Shields here.

TOP NEWS

SECURITY FOR ME BUT NOT FOR THEE: “Travis County quietly approves security funding for DA Garza,” KVUE’s Tony Plohetski — “It happened behind closed doors.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza made an unusual request to county commissioners earlier this year.

“We have never run into such a situation,” Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gomez remembers thinking during a closed session briefing while Garza addressed the court. “It was all about needing to be safe."

Commissioner Ann Howard said the five-member commissioners court reviewed evidence showing someone posted Garza’s home address on social media.

On March 19, a nondescript item appeared on the commissioner’s agenda for executive session, stating commissioners would “receive a briefing and take appropriate action regarding Travis County security.”

After commissioners discussed Garza’s security in secret, they voted in public.

“I’d like to move to direct PBO to process a budget adjustment totaling $115,000 from the general fund allocation reserve – allocated reserve – as an automatic budget adjustment as discussed in executive session,” Howard motioned.

With no public discussion, Judge Andy Brown announced that the measure passed unanimously.

County records show $115,000 then moved to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.

In multiple phone interviews, Howard acknowledged some of the money was earmarked for Garza’s home security. She said, “We talked a lot about it, and we are making sure what we are doing is warranted and prudent.”

Howard would not reveal what home security enhancements the county agreed to fund.

There are more questions than answers about the transaction that officials are hiding.

One reason: Paying for security measures at a district attorney’s home is an unusual benefit – one that, despite threats they receive, is not standard for state lawmakers, local or state judges, or federal prosecutors.

For weeks, the KVUE Defenders have tried to get answers about the $115,000 and what threats made it necessary.

“We are all about transparency. We say that all the time,” Commissioner Gomez said.

But Garza wouldn’t disclose that information in four phone conversations and said he would not comment on the KVUE Defenders' story.

County Judge Andy Brown, who presides over commissioners court and employs Garza’s wife as his chief of staff, cited his policy of not discussing security.

Commissioner Jeff Travillion told the Defenders he needed to refresh his memory and get back to us, but he never returned subsequent calls or texts.

Commissioner Brigid Shea said she “would not confirm or deny that the county allocated money for Garza’s home security.”

The KVUE Defenders submitted official public information requests to Travis County and the DA’s Office for records showing the specific threats to José Garza and what security expenses were necessary for him and his home. But the county refused to release those records and asked the Texas Attorney General for a ruling on whether or not the records should be released.

The lack of transparency has drawn criticism from open government advocates.

“I think they are concerned about some of their methods of security being released to the public, but that, I think, overshadows the public interest at stake. And often the government forgets about the public and what they should know and are concerned about their own interests,” said Michael Lambert, a First Amendment attorney who specializes in government transparency.

He added, “You do have taxpayer money being spent. You also have someone like the district attorney who is very public facing, so constituents should know what that person is doing and what public money is being spent for that person."“ KVUE

~ “Jury selected in evidence tampering trial of former WilCo Sheriff,” CBS Austin’s Andrew Freeman – “Jury selection has wrapped up in the felony trial of a former Williamson County Sheriff and county attorney accused of destroying video evidence related to the 2019 in-custody death of Javier Ambler.

Former prosecutor and current defense attorney Ty Cardenas-Wittenstein says jury selection can be the most crucial part of any trial where attorneys whittle down a pool of about 100 potential jurors to 12.

“A case can be won or lost in jury selection,” Cardenas-Wittenstein said. “At the end of the day, all 12 jurors have to agree on guilty or not guilty. If one of them is in disagreement with the others, it’s a hung jury.”

Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and county attorney Jason Nassour have been charged with tampering with evidence and conspiracy to tamper with evidence.” CBS Austin

~ “Texas power grid: Austin mayor encourages residents to conserve energy,” Fox 7 Austin’s Meredith Aldis – “Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is encouraging residents to conserve energy as temperatures rise this month. The grid conditions are reportedly normal right now, but that could change quickly.

"This summer is not over," Mayor Watson said.

ERCOT is expecting a higher risk for tight grid conditions this month. The days have started getting shorter, which means less solar-generated power, and more people at home are turning down the thermostats.

"As our air conditioners work harder and harder, ERCOT grid conditions can turn on a dime," Watson said.

ERCOT is looking at the chances of rolling blackouts in Texas over the next couple of months.

Models indicate normal conditions now, but conservation is encouraged.

"Leave the lights off when you don't need them on, put the air conditioning up a degree or two in the house," Watson said.

"Some days it's a little nerve wracking to know, are you going to get that demand response on a particular day? Because if you get it, we've got enough. On other days, maybe we don't," ERCOT President and CEO Pablo Vegas said.

If consumption is too high, an Energy Emergency Alert will be issued and ERCOT will mandate controlled outages.

"If ERCOT says that we need to implement a certain number of outages, that computer program will look for the most effective way to rotate that level of outage across the system, so it's not based on any one geographic area, it's really based on system-wide conditions at that time," Austin Energy Deputy General Manager Stuart Reilly said.” Fox 7 Austin

THE BLOTTER

~ “Apartment fire in West Campus; 8 people displaced,” Fox 7 Austin’s Jessica Rivera – “The Austin Fire Department says eight people were displaced after an apartment fire in the 700 block of West 21st Street.

Firefighters responded to the fire at the three-story, 18 unit apartment complex at around 1:44 a.m. 

Officials say additional help had to be called due to the elevated humidity and temperature.

12 of the 18 units in the complex suffered smoke and water damage.

There were no reported injuries.

AFD says the cause of the fire was accidental and that it was plumber sweating pipes.” Fox 7 Austin

CITY HALL

~ “City of Austin takes a look at long-term transportation plan,” via Fox 7 Austin – “The City of Austin is taking a look at its long-term transportation plan.

The city is expected to give a list of high priority projects to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) this week. 

CAMPO is responsible for developing and maintaining the long-range transportation plan for a six-county region. That includes Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties.

Austin is focused on developing sidewalks, bicycle systems, and urban trails along existing major corridors.

The city is also coordinating with CapMetro on projects being submitted for Project Connect, the mass transit plan projected to bring a network of bus and rail lines to the Austin area.” Fox 7 Austin

~ “Are Austin-area residents any closer to having a light-rail system?” Community Impact’s Haley McLeod – “The Austin Transit Partnership—the nonprofit organization tasked with constructing the metro’s light-rail—has proposed a $193 million budget of predominantly taxpayer dollars for fiscal year 2024-25, outlining future steps for making the long-awaiting rail system a reality for Austin-area commuters.

The gist

ATP staff presented the proposed budget to board members July 17, with a work session following on Aug. 7.

The document outlines the upcoming year’s priorities as well as casts predictions for future years' capital investment needs to cover construction costs. The first phase of the Austin light-rail is slated to break ground in 2027.

The prospective budget plans will be taken to board members for a final vote Sept. 18.

By the numbers

The organization is expected to receive $172 million from taxpayers for FY 2024-25, a result of a 2020 voter-approved hike in property taxes. An additional $21 million is anticipated from the organization’s investments.

For the next fiscal year, ATP has a total of $116 million in spending planned for the light-rail project and $8 million for Capital Metro connection projects.

“The budget is really reflecting where we are in the overall advancement and momentum that we have for the Austin light-rail,” ATP Executive Director Greg Canally said.

Funds are also allocated annually toward antidisplacement—which was included on the ballot item—to mitigate the effects of transportation-related construction on individuals in vulnerable communities. The FY 2024-25 budget includes $60 million allotted to antidisplacement funding.

Additionally, the budget details plans for hiring 12 new full-time employees—including engineering and financial services personnel—and providing a 3.5% increase in pay for those eligible. The increase will help to recruit and retain a high level of expertise, according to ATP documents.

What’s planned?

Over the next year, ATP will focus on finalizing preliminary design plans for all stations included in Phase 1, with 15 stations planned in total. The $116 million allocated for the light-rail this fiscal year will be dedicated to design efforts, covering both administrative costs and professional services.

“We are designing Austin light-rail in a way that’s right for Austin,” said Lindsay Wood, an engineering project manager for ATP. “Looking ahead to next year, we would probably focus on two primary objectives—one being completing the requirements for project development, as we are now formally into that process, ... and the other being to prepare for the next phase of work.”

Other priorities include progressing through the federal environmental impact review process—which began back in March—as well as advancing through the federal grant funding program, which is vital to securing the remaining funding for the full build-out of Project Connect, ATP officials said.

Jointly funded with CapMetro, the ATP budget has allocated $8.1 million to new MetroRapid lines, specifically the Rapid Expo Center and Rapid Pleasant Valley, which serve some of the highest ridership corridors in the CapMetro system, according to ATP.

These two projects are under construction and anticipated to be open in 2025.

The Rapid Expo Center line includes a 12-mile route along Trinity Street, San Jacinto Boulevard, Manor Road and Loyola Lane. CapMetro has contributed a local funding match of $17.7 million toward this project.

The Rapid Pleasant Valley line includes a 15-mile route along East William Cannon Drive, Pleasant Valley Road and the Airport Boulevard corridor. CapMetro has contributed a local funding match of $18 million toward this project.

CapMetro does not collect tax dollar funding but rather pays for most operational and project expenses from city of Austin sales tax revenue.

Looking ahead

The agency expects to finalize the environment review process by 2026 and also receive needed federal funding by 2027.

However, staff have indicated a steep increase in budget funding needs for when crews begin clearing the way for the nearly 10 miles of track to be laid for Project Connect. An estimated $1.2 billion is forecast for the FY 2026-27 budget.

The full build-out of Project Connect is estimated to cost $7.1 billion:

• $3.19 billion for construction and engineering

• $1.86 billion for professional services

• $1.11 billion for trains and ATP’s maintenance facility planned for the Montopolis neighborhood

• $937 million for real estate acquisition

Trains could be up and running throughout Central Austin by 2033, according to ATP officials; however, the group will face challenges ahead, including securing federal dollars and resolving a lawsuit aiming to stymie the plan.” Community Impact

» RELATED: Project Connect is facing MAJOR litigation over deception in what was presented to voters and is now before the 3rd Court of Appeals. More here.

2024

~ “Travis County could vote Tuesday to put affordable child care tax bump on your ballot,” KXAN’s Grace Reader – “Tuesday, Travis County Commissioners are expected to vote on whether or not they’ll send a property tax rate hike to your ballot this November. The proposed 2.5-cent property tax rate increase would go toward creating new affordable child care.

According to county staff, the tax rate increase would generate roughly $75 million in the first year. It would cost the average homeowner roughly $125 in the same time period.

In return, Travis County thinks it can stimulate an industry that was hit hard by the pandemic and that keeps some Austinites from the workforce.

“Really what this will do is help people who are trying to work, trying to get job training through Workforce Solutions maybe, trying to go work for Samsung or one of these other great companies that we have here in the Austin area,” Travis County Judge Andy Brown said.

If passed, the money would go toward the following:

• Create roughly 1,900 child care slots for babies and toddlers of low-income households

• Create nearly 3,900 after school and summer school slots for elementary-age students

• Work through incentives for businesses to create or grow their child care options for employees” KXAN

OTHER NEWS

~ “Team in place for redevelopment of East 11th Street,” Austin Business Journal’s Cody Baird – “Redevelopment of two key blocks of East 11th Street in East Austin is moving ahead now that a team to spearhead the work is set.

A group called the Pleasant Hill Collaborative has been selected for the mixed-use project on blocks 16 and 18 of East 11th Street, and the Austin City Council in July authorized the Urban Renewal Agency to negotiate an exclusive agreement with it.

The Pleasant Hill Collaborative consists of the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corp., Servitas and TOPO, as well as project partners Creative CultureWorks, Carter Design Associates, Moody-Nolan and Forgecraft Architecture. Potential capital partners include JP Morgan Chase, Berkadia, WNC, Greystone and Regions, according to an announcement.

Rally Austin, the new name of the Austin Economic Development Corp., issued a request for proposals for the redevelopment. The Pleasant Hill Collaborative was one of two finalist groups, with the other group’s principals being the Austin Revitalization Authority and Legacy Real Estate Development.

The redevelopment — encompassing roughly two blocks east of I-35 and one block from Franklin Barbecue, which is located at 900 E. 11th St. — aims to preserve the area’s culture by promoting neighborhood retention and reducing exposure to market-rate rent increases. Pleasant Hill’s plans stood out due to its comprehensive approach to residential, commercial and public spaces, according to the announcement.

Today, Block 16 is a dirt lot used as parking for nearby businesses and construction sites. Pleasant Hill’s plans call for the lot to be developed into affordable multifamily housing, retail spaces and a parking garage that will also serve block 18.” ABJ ($)

SPORTS

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “What Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian saw in ‘highly competitive’ weekend scrimmage,” Austin American-Statesman’s Danny Davis — “The first game of the Texas Longhorns' football season won't take place until Aug. 31, but the sport was still played on the UT campus this past weekend.

Ranked fourth in the US LBM Top 25 Coaches Poll and in the Associated Press' preseason poll, Texas participated Saturday in a closed intrasquad scrimmage at Royal-Memorial Stadium. Two days later, UT coach Steve Sarkisian met with local reporters over Zoom to discuss the scrimmage and other football-related items.

In his opening statement, Sarkisian described the scrimmage as "highly competitive." There was some sloppiness and pre-snap penalties were committed, "but those things are fixable, and we'll get those fixed." Sarkisian noted that the UT coaches got a good feel for the team's receivers and defensive linemen out of Saturday's scrimmage.

Here are three things that stood out about Monday's media availability:

What is going on at running back?

Following last week's news that CJ Baxter would miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, Saturday's scrimmage gave Texas its first chance to examine what its rushing attack will look like without its presumed starting running back. A few days later, Sarkisian was pleased with how junior Jaydon Blue and sophomore Quintrevion Wisner looked in the scrimmage. Freshmen Christian Clark and Jerrick Gibson, however, went through some growing pains Saturday.

"I thought Jaydon played well. I thought Tre played well. Both those guys did a nice job," Sarkisian said. "I thought Christian and Jerrick got their introduction to college football a little bit. Both guys put the ball on the ground once, and that's part of it. Jaydon had to go up and remind them of his first scrimmage, and (CJ) had to remind him of his first scrimmage and what that's like. But they also did some really good things, too, and so they're definitely further down the road than maybe some would think."

Sarkisian said last week he wanted to get through the scrimmage before he thought about making a player switch positions in an effort to replenish the depth at running back. When Sarkisian was asked again about that topic Monday, the coach said, "we're looking at some different options, and I think we're looking at it creatively."

What does that mean? Multiple outlets reported over the weekend that second-year linebacker Derion Gullette got some reps at running back in the scrimmage, and while Sarkisian didn't mention Gullette on Monday, he did say there was a "potential player on the defensive side of the ball or two" that could move to the backfield. Sarkisian said Texas could also find a converted running back among a "couple of guys on the offensive side of the ball."

"We're kind of taking it day-by-day. We've got plenty of time," Sarkisian said. "We're just trying to get a sense and a feel of how not only will they play on offense at runner, but how does that impact us at other positions if we take a player."

On Monday evening, OnTexasFootball and Orangebloods both reported that Clark was injured during Monday's practice. Sarkisian did not mention any injury when speaking about Clark during his media availability.” AAS ($)

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ DRINKS: Christmas-themed bar Lala’s opens south location, Lala’s South Pole. Austin Eater

~ DINING: ”The Best Things Eater Austin Editors Ate Last Week: ‘Brat’ Cocktails and South Texas Tacos With Perfect Tortillas” Austin Eater

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ FILM: The Matrix. (Paramount Theater, downtown). Doors at 6:30pm, film starts at 7:30pm. Tix for $12 here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: Lonnie McFadden (Parker Jazz Club, downtown). Show at 7:30pm. Limited tix remain for $30 here.

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Managing Director: Big Medium (Austin, TX). Salary: $85k-$90k. Info / apply here.