BG Reads 3.14.2025

🟪 BG Reads - March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

Bingham Group Reads

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March 14, 2025

✅ Today's BG Reads include:

🟪  As wildfire anxiety grows, Austin plans to designate half the city as at risk of fire damage (KUT)

🟪 Austin metro tops 2.5M residents (Austin Business Journal)

🟪 Austin police chief defends city's safety while outlining departmental reforms (KVUE)

🟪 Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick lays out second round of Texas Senate priorities. Here's the list. (Austin American-Statesman)

🟪 Democrats plan nationwide blitz of town halls in Republican districts (New York Times)

Read On!

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[CITY OF AUSTIN]

🏛️ City Memo: Kerri Lang, Director Office of Budget and Organizational Excellence (BOE) // City of Austin Federal Grant Receipts for Fiscal Years 2020-21 through 2024-25 (3.12.2025)

[AUSTIN METRO NEWS]

✅ As wildfire anxiety grows, Austin plans to designate half the city as at risk of fire damage (KUT)

Austin plans to greatly expand the amount of land, and therefore homes, considered at risk of wildfire damage. Council members are scheduled to discuss updating rules surrounding Austin’s WUI, or Wildland-Urban Interface, later this month.

This is the area where wilderness and development meet, and where there is a higher risk that a fire burning in a wooded area could jump to homes and businesses.

The move would put 71% of the city’s land parcels in a zone vulnerable to burning should a wildfire break out, according to a presentation in January by the Austin Fire Department. That amounts to about half of all city land, up from 38% a decade ago. The discussion comes as experts have grown increasingly convinced conditions are ripe for Austin to have a devastating wildfire.

Summers have grown hotter and droughts more extreme. Austin ranks fifth in the nation on a list of cities with the highest number of homes at risk of being damaged by wildfires.

The four cities that rank above Austin are all in California. “We’re sitting on the edge of a major catastrophic fire,” said Randy Denzer, a former battalion chief with the Austin Fire Department. “This isn’t too far-fetched.”… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅  Austin metro tops 2.5M residents (Austin Business Journal)

The Austin metro gained an average of about 159 people a day from 2023 to 2024. While that may sound like a lot, it's down slightly from a growth rate of 171 a day during the previous 12-month period.

According to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the metro's population climbed by about 2.3% from July 2023 to July 2024, an addition of 58,019 people that brings its total to 2.55 million — the first time it has topped the 2.5 million mark.

That factors in everything including people who move here, babies born here and deaths. At 2.3% growth, that's a slight decline from the 2.6% clocked in the previous 12-month period, when the metro — which consists of Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Hays and Caldwell counties — added 62,243 people.

Once again, the bulk of the additions were outside Travis County, which is by far the metro's most populous county with 1.36 million residents and boundaries that roughly mirror Austin's city limits. More than two out of every three people added to the metro during the recent 12-month period reside outside the central core, according to the data.

That has been the trend recently, and the new figures are more evidence that the suburbs continue to be the metro's growth driver. Excluding Travis County, the four other metro counties grew a combined 3.7% in the latest period — although that's still a dip from their combined growth rate of 4.3% during the previous period. By itself, Travis County grew by just 1.2% in the latest period, unchanged from a year-ago and on par with the national growth rate… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅ Austin police chief defends city's safety while outlining departmental reforms (KVUE)

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis defended the city's safety record Thursday after testifying against House Bill 470. The proposed bill would extend the Texas Department of Public Safety's enforcement area downtown, raising questions about the city's ability to manage public safety independently. The city would also be responsible for any new costs.

Davis said violent crime in Downtown Austin is down more than 15% year-to-date while violent crime in Austin overall is down 9%. She also added that Austin was down 30% in its homicides. "I just don't want there to be this misconception that Austin is a dangerous city.

During this week's testimony, Davis said the department has been traumatized, particularly since 2020. Davis cited the significant challenges Austin police have faced, including officer arrests, issues with the city council, and policy changes, as factors of instability within the department. "All of that culminates into a department that's feeling that they need some leadership," Davis said. "They need to turn the ship."… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅ Central Health moves towards greater transparency after critical audit (Community Impact)

On March 11, Central Health—Travis County’s taxpayer-funded hospital district—announced strides in improving transparency following a critical third-party performance audit from September.

The gist The audit, conducted by Mazars USA, highlighted issues with insufficient documentation and inconsistent reporting methods.

The report specifically lists concerns with the fundamental agreements made by Central Health with the Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, or Dell Med. Since 2014, Dell Med has received $35 million of taxpayer dollars annually paid by Central Health with the intent to support increased capacity for greater care of the area’s poorest residents.

A lawsuit filed in 2017 spurred some of the initial unease from community members regarding the hospital district’s handling of tax dollars. County commissioners officially authorized a $845,000 contract in 2022 with Mazars USA to conduct an independent performance audit of Central Health.

Per the report, a little more than 80% of that funding is used to pay staff salaries; however, Mazars was unable to link the salaries paid to a direct number of outcomes or number of patients served due to a lack of consistent documentation by Dell Med and Central Health… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅ GSD&M, Austin's top ad agency, has a new CEO (Austin Business Journal)

Austin's top ad agency is getting a new CEO. GSD&M, known for creating the Don't Mess With Texas campaign, announced that President Lee Newman will succeed Duff Stewart as CEO. Stewart, who held the top gig for almost 16 years, will transition to a chairman role.

“As I step into the role of CEO, I am deeply honored to carry forward the incredible legacy built by Duff and the GSD&M founders,” said Newman.

“I love this team and I see a bright future for this great agency where we continue to lead with bold creativity, embrace new technologies and redefine what’s possible in advertising." GSD&M reported more than $93 million in revenue in 2023, ranking it No. 1 on ABJ's list of top advertising and marketing agencies.

Southwest Airlines, which put its trust in GSD&M over 40 years ago, is still flying high on the firm's work. It also boasts Corona, Capital One, Pizza Hut and the U.S. Air Force as some of its clients.

Stewart has spent 35 years at the firm, starting as an intern… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

[TEXAS NEWS]

✅ Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick lays out second round of Texas Senate priorities. Here's the list. (Austin American-Statesman)

Two months into the 89th Texas legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a second slate of priority bills he hopes the Senate will approve this session as lawmakers in the upper chamber continue to pass bills at a "breakneck pace."

Patrick, the three-term Republican who presides over the state Senate, announced the first 25 of his top 40 priorities in late January, with many of those bills buttressing the conservative culture-war agenda the lieutenant governor has championed alongside Gov. Greg Abbott and President Donald Trump. Ten of Patrick's 40 priorities have already passed out of the Senate, including three items on his new list released Thursday. Six of those bills had not yet been filed. Patrick said he hopes all 40 of them will head to the House by mid-April for consideration.

"We are moving rapidly to ensure all these bills, which reflect the will of the conservative majority of Texans, have ample time to pass the Texas House and arrive at Gov. Abbott’s desk to be signed into law," Patrick said in a statement. Patrick's second round of priority bills include a teacher pay bill that would give educators a raise of up to $10,000 and boost funding for the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, which is meant to reward high-performing teachers. SB 26 passed unanimously late last month.

The Senate has also passed a proposed ban on lottery courier services, which act as a physical proxy for a lotto player who buys a ticket online. The practice has recently been thrust into the spotlight after a courier sold the winning ticket for an $83.5 million jackpot in February, drawing scrutiny from Patrick who has pointed to a longstanding Texas law that bans lottery sales via telephone.

The lieutenant governor's priority list also includes legislation that have not yet been filed, including a proposal for business tax relief and a pair of apparently abortion-related bills. SB 31 is dubbed the "Life of the Mother Act" and could be related to calls from Abbott and Republican leaders to clarify the state's wide-ranging abortion ban to protect mothers at risk of death... 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅ City of Dallas breaks silence on new Mavs arena, vows to keep team ‘where they belong’ (Dallas Morning News)

Behind-the-scenes dialogue between the Mavericks and the city of Dallas about potential sites for a new arena has intensified in recent days. It’s also no longer behind the scenes.

“The Mavericks have called the City of Dallas home for the last 45 years,” City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said Tuesday in a statement to The Dallas Morning News.

“We are committed to the long-term relationship we have established with them and are working closely with team officials to keep them in Dallas — where they belong.” Tolbert’s remarks come as the city of Irving considers rezoning that could pave the way for an arena, destination resort — and potentially a casino — on 182 acres primarily owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp., whose COO is Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont. On Tuesday, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts emphasized to The News that the franchise, first and foremost, is focused on building an arena in Dallas.

He characterized Mayor Eric Johnson, Tolbert and other city officials as extremely enthusiastic and encouraging. The most immediate goal, Welts said, is within 12 months identifying and securing a 30-to-50-acre site for an arena and “full-blown entertainment district.” “What we’re saying to the city is we want to exhaust every possible option in the city of Dallas before considering pivoting to another location in the Metroplex,” he said.

“That’s our commitment. That’s our desire. That’s the outcome we want, to be doing this project in the city of Dallas.” Earlier Tuesday, Welts expressed the same goals and sentiments during a conference call with the 28-member Dallas Mavericks Advisory Council, composed of a diverse cross-section of North Texas community and business leaders. City of Dallas officials and the Mavericks declined to divulge potential arena/entertainment district properties, largely because doing so could drive up the price for securing potential sites… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

[US and World News]

✅ Democrats plan nationwide blitz of town halls in Republican districts (New York Times)

The Democratic Party is planning an extensive series of town halls in Republican-held districts in all 50 states to draw attention to the Republican leadership’s recent warning that G.O.P. lawmakers should avoid such open forums.

The initial wave of what Democrats are branding “People’s Town Halls” is planned to target nine House Republicans in battleground districts, from Arizona to Pennsylvania, who Democrats believe will be vulnerable in the 2026 midterm elections. The incursions into Republican territory come as the Democratic Party tries to find its political footing after a turbulent first 50 days of President Trump’s second term, and as Republicans control every facet of the federal government — and are exercising their power aggressively.

Party officials said the first nine town halls were just the start, with the goal of eventually holding events across the country to highlight some of the less popular proposals pressed by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress. The effort seeks to capitalize on private advice this month from Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the House Republican campaign arm, that G.O.P. lawmakers stop having in-person town halls after some devolved into shouting matches.

“If they won’t talk to their own voters, then Democrats will,” Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement to The New York Times.

“That’s why we’ll be hosting People’s Town Halls in all 50 states across the country, starting now with vulnerable G.O.P.-held target districts.” This weekend, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president, is set to headline two of the events, which have previously been announced.

The idea of Democrats’ hosting town halls in Republican districts began with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has already held five such town halls, drawing thousands of people. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York is expected to join him for at least one event. Separately, Representative Ro Khanna of California has announced plans to hold events this weekend in the districts of three California Republicans, all of whom are in battleground seats.

And Representative Maxwell Frost, Democrat of Florida, said this week that he was also planning to hold town halls in Republican districts… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅ Judges order Trump officials to offer jobs back to thousands of fired workers (Washington Post)

Two federal judges on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to immediately offer jobs back to thousands of fired probationary workers as they imposed separate, broad roadblocks on the administration’s efforts. The rulings — in Maryland and California — mark the most significant challenge so far to Trump’s campaign to shrink and reshape the sprawling, 2.3-million-person bureaucracy.

Trump would now have to appeal and win in two, separate legal cases — or seek Supreme Court involvement — to get his workforce reduction effort back on course. In Maryland, U.S. District Court Judge James K. Bredar required 18 federal agencies to rehire any probationary employees they had terminated since Jan. 20, when Trump took office, and to submit reports to the judge by March 17, outlining compliance with his order and naming each reinstated employee.

His ruling came in response to a multistate lawsuit accusing the federal government of illegally terminating tens of thousands of probationary workers, arguing those firings were conducted in an opaque way that has overwhelmed state government support systems for unemployed workers and caused economic harm.

Hours earlier in San Francisco, U.S. District Judge William Alsup said at a court hearing that the Office of Personnel Management — which serves as the federal government’s human resources agency — had no legal authority to direct the mass firings in conference calls and written communications last month. He added that individual agencies could downsize their staffs by following the steps laid out in the federal Reduction in Force Act, a process that administration officials have already put in motion.

The government’s effort to cut its workforce, championed by Trump’s billionaire adviser Elon Musk, has sparked mounting legal and administrative challenges across the country. The lawsuit in federal district court in Maryland came from a cohort of 20 Democratic attorneys general nationwide. They argued that the Trump administration had falsely categorized mass layoffs as terminations based on poor individual performance — which gave the government much more leniency to swiftly fire people — when they were actually a Reduction in Force, part of the administration’s plan to restructure and downsize the entire federal government… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

✅ Immigration accounts for entire US population growth for first time: Survey (NBC News)

All U.S. population growth in 2022-23 happened because of immigration, not births — the first time that’s occurred since 1850, a migration think tank reported Wednesday.

That immigration growth has happened as U.S. birth rates have fallen, the Migration Policy Institute reported as part of its latest edition of “Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States.”

The immigrant population grew by 1.6 million people between 2022 and 2023, reaching a record high of 47.8 million in 2023, according to the analysis. That’s about a 3.6% population increase, the largest annual growth since 2010, the institute stated in its report.

However, the foreign-born percentage of the U.S. population is 14.3%. That puts it slightly below the 14.8% registered in 1890, MPI said.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of immigrants in the U.S. are legally present and almost half are naturalized citizens, according to MPI… 🟪 (LINK TO FULL STORY)

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