BG Reads // May 6, 2025

Author

A.J. Bingham
May 06, 2025

Presented By

✅ Today's BG Reads include:

[EVENT SPOTLIGHT]

✅ Austin Chamber ATX Policy Forum 2025 // Wednesday May 14th // 8AM to 10AM

Mayor Kirk Watson will take the stage alongside these influential policymakers from across Central Texas including County Judges for Bastrop, Caldwell, and Williamson Counties.

[CITY OF AUSTIN]

🏛️🗳️ Today @9AM: Austin City Council Work Session

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[AUSTIN METRO NEWS]

✅ Some Austin, Travis County ambulance service scaled down amid rising overtime costs (Community Impact)

Some Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services ambulances have been replaced with "squads," or life-saving SUV units, under a new pilot program.

The change is meant to improve call and personnel management within budget limitations, according to the EMS department, while the city medics' union says the initiative could negatively impact local 911 responses. What's happening ATCEMS officially began using squads in place of ambulances April 22.

EMS Capt. Christa Stedman said the staffing plan was in development for several months leading up to its rollout this spring. Ambulances have full patient transport capacity, advanced lifesaving gear and are staffed with at least a paramedic and EMT.

The smaller squad units are staffed by one paramedic with similar capabilities and medications on board, but don't have some equipment like ultrasound and can't transport patients… 🟪 (READ MORE)

✅ Austin arts groups facing budget cuts after cancellation of NEA grants (Austin Monitor)

An assortment of arts organizations in Austin were among the hundreds across the nation that learned late Friday that their most recent round of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts was being withdrawn. The Austin Monitor has confirmed at least four Austin organizations — Cine Las Americas, Women & Their Work, Tapestry Dance Company, and American Short Fiction — were among the groups whose awards have been canceled after being approved under the Joe Biden administration last fall.

The loss of a $30,000 grant that had been tentatively approved in November has caused Tapestry Dance to cancel its upcoming Soul 2 Sole Festival, a jazz dance event that was scheduled to take place in June. Acia Gray, founder and executive artistic director for the group, said the loss of 40 percent of the festival’s budget made it impossible to proceed as planned.

While potential donors had started to step forward over the weekend to try to make up the funding shortfall, she said the uncertainty pushed her to cancel and let out-of-state performers avoid the risk of the event not happening… 🟪 (READ MORE)

✅ City to host free seminars on Austin's development processes (Community Impact)

Austin residents are invited to learn about the city's development processes through a series of free educational seminars this spring.

The city is launching its Land Development Academy to help residents, developers and other stakeholders better understand the often-complex rules and processes used to build things in town. The new academy will feature several classes taught by city staff experts in various subject areas, starting with a series from the Development Services Department.

"Land Development Academy participants will learn about the Land Development Code, the site plan review process, and how those topics work together to help Austin’s community thrive while protecting our safety, environment and quality of life," the department said in a news release.

The first round of academy sessions includes:

  • May 6: Understanding Technical Criteria Manuals & the Rulemaking Process, 11 a.m.-noon, virtual registration

  • May 12: Site Plan 101, 11 a.m.-noon, virtual registration

  • May 19: Site Plan 102, 11 a.m.-noon, virtual registration

  • June 5: Overview of Environmental Regulation, 11 a.m.-noon, virtual registration

  • June 10: Environmental Review Permitting Part 1, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., in-person, Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin

  • June 11: Environmental Review Permitting Part 2, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., in-person, Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin

    🟪 (READ MORE)

✅ Texas attorney general investigates Austin ISD for allegedly teaching 'critical race theory' (KUT)

Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday accused Austin ISD of using materials to teach critical race theory. His office plans to depose the superintendent and school board as part of an investigation.

The AG's office alleges the district is using curricula related to the “The 1619 Project," which recenters U.S. history around the impact of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans. It was created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in 2021 that banned the use of “The 1619 Project” in Texas public schools and sought to restrict how educators talk about race and racism in the classroom. Abbott and other Republicans said they wanted to prevent schools from teaching critical race theory, which was developed in the 1970s and 1980s to examine the ongoing effects of racism on U.S. institutions.

In a news release, the AG’s office said it was “made aware of an Austin ISD official making statements implying that they were using curricula and teaching material linked to the 1619 Project.”… ✅ (READ MORE)

✅ Austin ISD reconsiders closing Dobie Middle School following community pushback (Community Impact)

Dobie Middle School students may be able to stay at their campus next school year instead of being relocated to Lamar Middle School. Austin ISD administration is not currently recommending relocating Dobie Middle School students, Superintendent Matias Segura said at a May 2 special board meeting.

This comes amid feedback from community members and the board of trustees, he said. Instead, the district is considering internally restarting the school or partnering with a charter school to satisfy state requirements for the campus.

The state is requiring AISD to submit a plan on how they intend to improve low student performance at Dobie, Webb and Burnet middle schools following two years of failed accountability ratings… ✅ (READ MORE)

✅ Austin's multifamily market has slumped, but revival could be in the cards (Austin Business Journal)

Austin’s multifamily market has been experiencing a glut of vacancies, but some experts expect conditions to turn up as long as absorption remains high and development activity remains slow.

Multifamily vacancy came in at 15.5% in April, according to ApartmentData.com, an elevated level that's a concern to developers and property managers because high vacancy rates lead to lower rental rates and less new development as investors hesitate to back new projects.

Austin’s rental rates, for instance, have dropped 7.6% over the past 12 months to an average of $1,432 per month.

Still, 21,669 units have been absorbed over the past 12 months, while 14,259 are currently under construction,

Charles Cirar, vice chairman at commercial real estate firm CBRE and the top seller of multifamily properties in the region, said the trend means rental rates and occupancy could pick up by next year… ✅ (READ MORE)

✅ Austin's city auditor to retire at end of year (Austin Business Journal)

Austin is about to be on the hunt to fill another big job at City Hall.

In a May 1 post to the City Council message board, Mayor Kirk Watson said City Auditor Corrie Stokes plans to retire at the end of the year. Watson said he wants to begin the search to find her replacement before the end of May. 

The city also is looking for permanent replacements for Austin Energy General Manager Bob Kahn, who plans to retire at the end of June, and for Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, the former head of the city's Economic Development Department, who stepped down in December.

Stokes has worked in the auditor's office since 1999, holding various positions until becoming city auditor in 2015, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

The city auditor serves as an important check on municipal operations, such as by conducting routine audits as well as investigations in instances of alleged waste, fraud and abuse. The auditor's office also publishes recommendations on how different city departments can improve certain functions and how the city can meet its myriad goals. Recently, the office has published reports on how the city can better prepare for extreme heat, how it can better expand home ownership opportunities and on the effectiveness of the Austin Police Department's hiring and recruitment efforts… 🟪 (READ MORE)

[TEXAS NEWS]

✅ The Texas Lottery and billions in school funding in limbo as deadline nears at Capitol (Texas Tribune)

State Sen. Bob Hall laid out a bill in a Senate State Affairs Committee hearing on Monday with one purpose: ending the Texas Lottery.

In a lengthy speech, the Edgewood Republican summarized all the problems at the Texas Lottery Commission that culminated in the agency allowing ticket sales he called illegal to occur. The only solution, Hall said, would be to abolish the game entirely.

“It’s definitely the nuclear option, but what you have described is incredibly disturbing,” Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, said to Hall during the hearing.

With less than 30 days left in the session, lawmakers must pass legislation to either continue or end the lottery. At stake is $2 billion in public school funding and millions of dollars to veterans’ programs it provides yearly.

Passing Senate Bill 1988 is not the only way the lottery could ultimately be abolished. Lawmakers must act on two key pieces of legislation to keep the lottery going past Sept. 1. First, lawmakers must return the lottery commission’s funding in the next biennial state budget proposal after a House amendment removed it entirely.

Second, the Legislature must pass one of two “sunset” bills in each chamber. The lottery commission is under review by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, a legislative body that reviews state agencies every 12 years. The agency automatically closes if lawmakers do not renew it… 🟪 (READ MORE)

✅ Low turnout, incumbents, partisanship: How the Dallas City Council elections played out (Dallas Morning News)

Change is coming to the southern sector and the western half of the city as newly elected Dallas City Council members Maxie Johnson and Laura Cadena bring years of experience in the public arena. Johnson, a pastor and a former Dallas Independent School District trustee, said he was running on his record as an advocate of public education in his district.

“I’m not taking this race for granted,” he said. Johnson dominated with more than 70% of the votes throughout the night. He’ll represent residents in South Oak Cliff’s District 4. Cadena, council member Omar Narvaez’s chief of staff, is in prime position to take over unfinished projects started by her predecessor. She’ll represent District 6 residents in West and northwest Dallas.

She was up against seven opponents and had enough votes — just over 50% — to avoid a runoff, a rarity for a first-time candidate with so many challengers. Council members will be sworn in June 16. There were four open seats heading into Saturday’s election. Carolyn King Arnold, Omar Narvaez and Tennell Atkins reached their term limits in Districts 4, 6, and 8, and District 11 council member Jaynie Shultz opted not to run for reelection. Districts 8 and 11 residents will have to wait for a runoff on June 7, as no candidate secured more than 50%.

Former District 8 City Plan Commissioner Lorie Blair walked into the race with a bevy of endorsements and the biggest war chest of over $63,000. Yet, she was trailing former council member Erik Wilson into the wee hours of the night. In District 11, Jeff Kitner and Bill Roth raised thousands of dollars in campaign funds through donations and their own money.

Kitner had collected around $129,000 in donations. Roth raised nearly $60,500 in donations and used $126,000 in personal funds to supplement his run. Outgoing District 8 council member Tennell Atkins has represented South Oak Cliff for 16 of the past 18 years. In his last term, Atkins assumed the herculean role of shepherding the City Council through $4 billion shortfalls in the employee pension systems and hiring a new city manager. Atkins also led the influential economic development committee. As the mayor pro tem, he represented the city in the Texas Legislature and in board meetings when Mayor Eric Johnson couldn’t make it… 🟪 (READ MORE)

[US and World News]

✅ Trump has said Canada should be the 51st state. Today, he meets its prime minister (NPR)

President Trump is set to meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House Tuesday after Trump's steep tariffs and harsh comments about making Canada the "51st state" created tension between the two neighbors and allies.

Carney, the leader of the center-left Liberal Party, won Canada's election last week in a campaign dominated by concerns about Trump's rhetoric and the impact of tariffs on the country's trade-dependent economy.

"As I've been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country," Carney told supporters on election night. "These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never, ever happen."

Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of annexing Canada and using "economic force" to do so. In an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker that aired Sunday, Trump said it was "highly unlikely" that the U.S. would use military force, but "it could happen."… 🟪 (READ MORE)

✅ Alberta’s premier proposes referendum on separation from Canada (Associated Press)

IThe premier of Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta said Monday she will hold a referendum on separation from Canada next year if a citizen-led petition reaches the required number of signatures.

Speaking on a livestream address, Danielle Smith said she personally does not support the province leaving Canada and expressed hope of a “path forward” for a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.

“Should Ottawa, for whatever reason, continue to attack our province as they have done over the last decade, ultimately that will be for Albertans to decide,” she said. “I will accept their judgement.”

Smith’s announcement comes just one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney led the Liberal Party to a fourth consecutive federal government. It also comes as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to threaten Canada with tariffs and talk of the country becoming the 51st state… 🟪 (READ MORE)

✅ A new trend in global elections: The anti-Trump bump (New York Times)

The Trump factor is shaping global politics, one election at a time — just not necessarily to the president’s taste. In major votes in Canada and Australia over the past two weeks, centrists saw their fortunes revived, while parties that had borrowed from the MAGA playbook lost out. President Trump has been back in power for only three months, but already his policies, including imposing tariffs and upending alliances, have rippled into domestic political battles around the world.

While it is too soon to say that anti-Trump forces are on the rise globally, it is clear that voters have Mr. Trump somewhere on their mind as they make decisions. Canada and Australia share a lot in common: a political system, a major mining industry, a sovereign in King Charles. Now they also share a remarkable political story.

In both countries, before Mr. Trump was inaugurated, the center-left ruling parties had been in poor shape and appeared poised to lose power. The front-runners in polls were the conservative parties, whose leaders flirted with Trumpian politics both in style and in substance.

Within weeks following Mr. Trump’s return to power, the Canadian and Australian political scenarios flipped in the same way: The center-left incumbents surged ahead of the conservative oppositions, and went on to win. And both countries’ conservative leaders lost not just the elections — they even lost their own seats in Parliament. Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, campaigned on an explicitly anti-Trump message, putting the American president’s threats to Canada at the heart of his campaign. Australia’s leader, Anthony Albanese, did not. But both men got an anti-Trump bump… 🟪 (READ MORE)

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