rock

Do something cool…

[austinreform @austinreforms]

@chaya_tong @statesman Totally unacceptable.

We will not pay for the absurdist things they are asking for

$90M for special interests?
$36M for AV equipment?
$350M for homeless?!

Our city budget 2x Nashville’s. 3.8x Denver’s!

This council is spending like drunken sailors.

Corruption. Theft.

Dig.

[austinreform @austinreforms]

Austin spends more on homelessness than Denver and Nashville... *combined*.

And heading into 2026, the Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) is demanding $101M for annual operations 👉 https://t.co/bGzoR71Wo8

While blowing 9 figures a year on operations, the city is trying to force a brand-new $220M housing bond onto our November ballot. They are hoping you won’t notice that over $170M is still sitting unspent from the $350M bond we gave them in 2022!

Peer cities use fiscal discipline; Austin demands a relentless taxpayer double-dip for a broken pipeline with zero visible results on our streets.

Piling hundreds of millions in new bond debt onto our property taxes won't fix the problem. VOTE NO on the 2026 bond package. 🛑

#KeepAustinAffordable #ATX #atxcouncil

[James Talarico @jamestalarico]

Ken Paxton is throwing everything he has at us.

He’s called me a radical leftist. He’s called me a fake Christian. He’s even called me a vegan!

I’m an 8th generation Texan — I've been eating BBQ since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.

[ASSOFASCEPTIC @assofasceptic]

@PaigeForAustin

[Jack Craver @JackCraver]

Here's my update on the sorry state of Project Connect. Depressing to see one of America's leading transit scholars say Austin has fucked up so bad that it might consider just giving up on high-capacity mass transit.
https://t.co/bHLXa3sfXz

[ATX data @data_atx]

In a situation eerily similar to the $27 million AV contract, council tomorrow will vote on a $7.5 million consulting contract with several consultants including McKinsey

Once again, staff can’t give a list of the consulting projects or how much comes from the general fund

In other words, it’s a slush fund. Vote no and make staff justify each project!

[rock @brushmonk]

@JenRobichaux @johnnyk20001 Vote no on any Bond

[cinesthetic. @TheCinesthetic]

The finale of The Last of the Mohicans (1992) are basically Michael Mann saying dialogue is optional once cinema becomes this locked in. The way the score keeps accelerating while the editing cuts cleaner & cleaner with every death is unreal craftsmanship.

[Tyler Norris @TXTylerNorris]

20% Tax Increase
Half the distance promised
Three times the cost
On a train that will fix nothing…

In a city with the largest autonomous car factory in the world…

[rock @brushmonk]

@cym1975 @data_atx Truth

[rock @brushmonk]

@data_atx Hahahahajah

[Jen Robichaux @JenRobichaux]

Austin City Council is reconsidering Cap and Stitch entirely. But the Mayor still has a limited vision for caps.

Curiously, these mark the north and south ends of Endeavor Real Estate's largest groups of downtown properties. Endeavor's employees are also one of the largest groups of donors to City Council races. Could this be a coincidence? Maybe Endeavor is just really good at investing in the right places.

The Mayor lays out his vision for caps -

"Instead of committing to a much larger speculative approach, I propose we move forward with a 160-foot cap connecting Palm Park and Waterloo Greenway across I-35 to the East side.

This would create a continuous public connection from Waterloo Greenway into East Austin and provide a real, usable public benefit when the highway project is complete.

Importantly, it would also reconnect historic Hispanic cultural spaces that were divided by I-35. Austin’s Mexican American Heritage Corridor & Cultural District could run continuously from Republic Square to Plaza Saltillo without interruption by the highway.

Additionally, I propose future-proofing a possible cap at 11th and 12th Streets, preserving an opportunity to reconnect another historic divide between the Capitol area and the heart of Austin’s historic African American business and cultural community."

Read the full Watson Wire
https://t.co/DzXJWs3O7h

[Jen Robichaux @JenRobichaux]

Austin City Council is planning to issue $1.35 BILLION in bonds for the convention center this week.

These will be repaid from Hotel Occupancy Taxes. Some will argue that makes it 'better' because it's not from our property taxes. But...

The convention center's projected revenue does not justify taking the lion's share of HOT.

Increases in HOT have cascading effects, increasing costs to tourists and reducing what visitors can spend at other businesses in the city.

Most tourists will never visit the convention center, thereby they receive no benefit for their increased lodging costs.

Council is making unilateral decisions about the convention center. Tourists can vote with their pocketbooks and take their vacations elsewhere. Meanwhile, residents and local businesses are sidelined and ignored. Where is the representation? Where is the accountability?

This is item 16 on the May 21st agenda https://t.co/myoDvQqPmh

Here's the full backup content https://t.co/6WLBXdcxYd

[rock @brushmonk]

@chrisharris904 @ToddJeffries And…… I’ll let you post $100 bond and decide not to prosecute…. Your actions don’t support your words

[ATX data @data_atx]

In 2014 , Austin spent $750k to fully fit the new 10-1 council chambers with audio / video broadcast equipment

Now , 12 years later, they say we need $36 million to update that equipment and expand similar broadcast equipment to new rooms? YIKES!

[ATX data @data_atx]

Austin city government paid $30k for breakfast at SXSW with delegations from our sister cities 🤦

This is the same city that says there isn't enough in the budget to cover basic needs , well I guess breakfast is a basic need , but we have to stop doing this!!

[ATX data @data_atx]

On the next council agenda is an item for $36 million ( $8m per year ) to upgrade the city's Television broadcasting equipment.... (think city council meeting broadcasts)

WTF! $8 million is one third of next years budget deficit.. We have to figure out what is going on here🤔

[rock @brushmonk]

@PaigeForAustin @Austin_Police Awesome…. Now don’t support anymore cuts to public safety on the next budget cycle. Support the outside audit and investigate/prosecute NGO’s if they commit fraud

[rock @brushmonk]

@VinnyMartorano No on any bond. Bring on the outside audit

[rock @brushmonk]

@realardardalan Why is no one bringing up Recapture/ Robinhood and addressing how much money is being stolen from AISD every year. This is the main reason for the budget crisis