Mayor Leffingwell Provides Guidance on New City of Austin Website

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman

Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07:36 PM CDT

As the first phase of our website redesign project finally gets underway, I wanted to briefly reiterate some of my personal priorities for the City's new website, which I've expressed on numerous occasions over the past several years.

PAYMENT CENTER: Austin citizens should be able to pay City and utility bills online via a single payment center. Payments that are not currently web-enabled - for example, various development-related fees and fines - should be brought online as soon as possible on a prioritized basis, with the ultimate goal of web-enabling all payments.

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY: I've previously referred to this as "putting the City's checkbook online." Austin citizens should be able to easily track all City revenues and spending on a basis that is as close to real-time as we can reasonably get. A good model for spending transparency on City contracts is Houston's "E-Catalog" product.

SOCIAL MEDIA & WEB TOOLS: While I'm pleased with the City's recent utilization of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, our relaunched website should make these social media tools even more central to our communications strategy. I would also like to see the new website make use of web-based tools like Google Maps and Google Earth.

DATA PORTAL: Washington DC, New York City, Boston, Vancouver and other cities have recently launched initiatives to make a broad range of raw data generated by City departments available to the public online, and to encourage citizens to make creative use of the data. I know our staff has taken some initial steps in this direction; I hope we can get a data portal project launched before, or in conjunction with, our new website.

CONTACTS DIRECTORY: Austin citizens with questions or concerns should be able to more easily locate the appropriate City department and staff person to assist them. The current pull-down "services" menu on our home page and the current FAQ page are both serviceable, but not sufficiently comprehensive, in my view.

LANGUAGES: Finally, our website should offer more content in other languages. Currently our site only offers Spanish-language content, but the Census Bureau estimates that over 100 languages are spoken in Austin. Over time, our goal should be to provide content in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, German, French, Korean, Hindi, and Arabic, at a minimum.

Thanks for the hard work that's already been done to improve our current site and to move the redesign forward, and thanks in advance for the work that remains to be done to bring these efforts to fruition. Don't hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.

There's a lot of good stuff in there. There's not excuse for not being able to pay more city bills online and efficiently in this day and age. And just being able to put more data out there is a huge step forward. If you want to talk about some good government websites, check out Utah.gov. Or maybe the city could offer a phone application to report road and neighborhood problems directly to city departments like they do in Boston.  

After all, our City of Austin website is such an eyesore. Now that we have Austin based developers working on it, I look forward to moving forward for the last time. What would you like to see improved or added to the city website offerings? Post it in the comments and I'll make sure that I circulate this post to staff!

(Austin) Mayor's Community Climate Charrette: Part 2

by: Chris Searles

Tue Mar 09, 2010 at 03:39 PM CST

After Mayor Leffingwell's introductions, including the statement,

"All of us on Council believe that global climate change is the issue of our time..."

The group's first major task was to come up with a big picture goal for Austin's climate protection, by the year 2050. . . That gives 40 years to work with; safe distance and inspiring when you think back to Austin life in 1970. Collectively, we came up with:

"In the year 2050 Austin has achieved net zero greenhouse gas emissions by creating an integrated, locally-sourced, green lifestyle that is affordable and accessible to all."

Like it. Note, however, that during the process Karl's team made a pretty big edit. Those present voted for the mission statement that Austin would become a net "carbon sink" -- meaning our community would absorb more carbon than it produces, by the year 2050. Maybe that's unrealistic? I'm not sure (things like cell phones and ubiquitous connectivity sounded crazy 10 years ago...). Eitherway, in the spirit of collaboration no one objected to the ACPP's rewording.

Note also that everyone present agreed "carbon" is an acceptable metaphor for broader idea of "greenhouse gasses."

For the rest of the charrette's day and half, we broke into small groups and set to work on better-defining goals in six, predetermined focus areas. Below are each of those focus areas and some of the goals voiced, via this citizen-driven process:

I. LAND
  Primary Goal
     > Coordinate all efforts to create a comprehensive network of engagement groups that can focus on land development in relation to climate change

  Highlights
     · preserve riparian areas, critical habitat, and recharge areas
     · combine land goals with mass transit goals
     · create network of urban & regional gardens and farms, resulting in sustainable local food production and related jobs
     · develop policies, incentives, and guidelines for land conservation, restoration, and development
     · prevent sprawl via a regional design approach that emphasizes high quality of life and staying within natural resource limitations

II. ELECTRICITY
  Primary Goal
     > Achieve net zero carbon emissions related to electricity use in Cen Tx, by 2050

  Highlights
     · provide affordable green energy for as many households as possible
     · institute k-12 and community energy education programs
     · replace coal with non-carbon emitting resources
     · use expanded life cycle cost analysis in energy purchasing decisions
     · heavily incentivize community efforts for carbon reduction

III. TRANSPORTATION
  Primary Goal
     > Achieve net zero carbon emissions related to transportation in Cen Tx, by 2050.

  Highlights
     · increase use of alternative fuels
     · increase availability of carbon neutral transportation options
     · develop "right-sized" neighborhoods to reduce vehicle miles traveled (i.e. walkable neighborhoods)
     · heavily incentivize no/low-carbon transportation options

IV. WATER
  Primary Goal
     > Reduce peak demand in water use over the next 40 years at a rate that is better than the average of "dry states." (Conserve to stay below system capacity.)

  Highlights
     · preserve wildlife and ecosystems
     · improve efficiency of pumping and treatment systems
     · increase education by reaching deeper into the Austin and central TX communities with strong branding, communication, and implementation strategies
     · preserve and restore natural drainage infrastructures for wetland creation and carbon sequestration
     · use less treated water, via utilization of on-site capture and reuse technologies, such as rainwater, grey water, and condensate.

V. MATERIALS
  Primary Goal
     > Achieve net zero carbon emissions related to waste disposal in Cen Tx by 2050, or sooner.

  Highlights
     · achieve Zero Waste by reducing and reusing as much was as possible; make recyling and composting easy/accessible/cost-effective/mandatory
     · leverage a Values Shift by implementing a campaign to educate companies, citizens, and consumers about the economic value of their choice
     · develop the Green Economy by prioritizing local production of renewable materials
     · expand Green Purchasing practices

VI. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
  Primary Goal
     > To make the community sustainable, even in the event of climate change shocks, such as extensive drought, heavy storms, heavy influx of climate refugees, shut-down of food supplies from various parts of the world.

  Highlights
     · engage disaster management community; have groups develop disaster management plans based on climate projections
     · ensure local food security to meet needs under disaster conditions
     · address climate change refugees' needs; increase capacity local support can manage
     · encourage each community group and individual person to create their own climate preparedness plan

###

Mayor Lee Leffingwell Launches AustinCorps

by: Katherine Haenschen

Fri Feb 19, 2010 at 08:44 AM CST

From The Office of The Mayor (emphasis mine):

AustinCorps will combine classroom curriculum focused on local government with a hands-on experience at City Hall.  In the fall, students will meet twice weekly with city policymakers and administrators to become familiar with the functions of city government.  In the spring, students will complete a mentored internship with the city, and work in small groups to plan and execute community projects.  

Altogether, participants in the inaugural AustinCorps class will spend a total of 10,000 hours over nine months working at City Hall and in the community.

Mayor Lee Leffingwell, who proposed creating AustinCorps during his mayoral campaign last year, said the main objective is to promote community engagement among Austin students.  "Our most valuable resource as a city is our young people," said Leffingwell.  "If we can do more now to educate and engage Austin's students in local government and civic life, the entire community will ultimately reap the reward."

This program has the potential to be a huge boon for Austin's long-term economic recovery, by investing in the future of our community. Much solid analysis of the ongoing recession has focused on the brutal unemployment rate for teenagers, and the long-term consequences of failing to prepare our youths for successful careers. The New York Times reported on record-high unemployment amongst teens last summer:

This August, the teenage unemployment rate - that is, the percentage of teenagers who wanted a job who could not find one - was 25.5 percent, its highest level since the government began keeping track of such statistics in 1948. Likewise, the percentage of teenagers over all who were working was at its lowest level in recorded history.

When teens don't work, they can't save money for college, gain valuable professional experience to help them earn better jobs later on, and explore potential career paths. While unemployment has hurt everyone, it's worth pointing out that an unemployed 22-year-old with zero work experience will be kicking around much longer than a 55-year-old who has been let go only 10 years before his or her planned retirement. The fact is, the recession is hurting America's ability to train and develop the workers we need for the next 50 years.

Unemployment has hit urban minority populations the hardest. From The Atlantic's must-read article How A New Jobless Era Will Transform America:

 Late last year, unemployment among black teens ages 16 to 19 was nearly 50 percent, and the unemployment rate for black men age 20 or older was almost 17 percent.

The two high schools which will participate in the pilot year of the program, Akins and Crockett, have significant minority populations. Given that Texas is now a minority-majority state, it is especially important that we make sure to create programs to help address the needs of our diverse population, especially those members who will suffer the most adverse effects of the recession.

What I like best about the program is its focus on service, inspiring and empowering our youths to pursue careers in the public interest that help all of Austin succeed together. AustinCorps is a great bulwark against stifling unemployment for teenagers and long-term economic perils of unprepared post-recession workforce. It's exciting for these kids to have this great opportunity now. I can't wait to see what they make of it--and do for the benefit of Austin--5, 10 years down the line!

Lee Leffingwell's State of the City Address for Austin

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman

Wed Feb 03, 2010 at 06:14 PM CST

I understand from Janice and Keith that we have a sold-out event here today. So in order to help RECA out a bit, I've agreed to be the keynote speaker at every monthly luncheon from now on. We all know that the reason I'm such a popular keynote speaker is my intense personal charisma and my dynamic and inspiring oratory. So in case you find yourself overcome with emotion during my speech, please, don't be embarrassed to weep openly.

...

I've spent practically my whole life in this city. I grew up just about a mile from here. Where we're enjoying our lunch today was - a hill. I went to Austin public schools, and graduated from UT. When I retired as a pilot, I became a full-time volunteer in Austin, for five years. Then I served on the City Council for four years before I became mayor.

After all of that, there's at least one thing I know about Austin. And that is that we do believe in the power a creative mind and a determined spirit to solve any problem. Austin is full of smart, driven people who make things happen. And lots of times, we even do it for the right reasons. That's exactly who's in this room around you right now. Look around. You're all a bunch of over-achievers.

So, if just for that reason - because we believe in Austin that we can solve any problem; because we believe that we can transform any challenge into opportunity - even during this monumentally difficult moment in history, the state of our city is strong.

...

Folks, balancing your City budget this year was not a pleasant exercise for anyone. The bottom line was a $30 million funding gap in a $600 million budget. It's testament to the City management team, to the members of your City Council, but most of all to the 10,000 employees of City government, that we closed that gap and still maintained all core City services at their current levels.

Most significantly, there were no cuts to police, fire, or EMS services - which I promised there would not be. While our budget did include an increase in our tax rate and some utility charges, we still have the lowest municipal tax rate of any large Texas city. So - to beat a dead horse - we're proud of what we were able to achieve with this year's City budget. We can only hope to do as well next year.

...

Finally, everything happening with web-based services, mobile computing, and social networking also holds great promise for our city. This is where I believe we have a unique opportunity to marry our tech-savvy culture, and labor force, with the next generation of growth. In particular, I'd very much like to see some of the largest social media companies, like Twitter, establish a significant presence in Austin in the near future. Maybe Mike Martinez could get an internship there.

...

Austin is a diverse city. Much more so than it has ever been. We should be proud of that. We should celebrate it. And, we should be sure that it's always reflected in our decision-making, and our actions, as a community.

Austin is also a caring and compassionate city. A lot of people in this town wear their hearts on sleeves. That's a big part of what makes Austin special - and a big part of what we need to preserve to keep Austin special. The hungry, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the disadvantaged: They have a friend in a true Austinite. As Austin grows and changes, I hope and trust that we'll never lose what my friend Rev. Joseph Parker calls our "moral center" - our drive to do good, to be fair, and to be giving.

Let me end where I began. Friends, the state of our city is strong, even at this incredibly challenging time, because here in Austin, we believe in our own ability to make things better. We know we can create solutions to problems. In an uncertain world, these are our secret weapons: Our ingenuity and our conviction. Our creative minds, and our determined spirits.

If you want to play a role in shaping our best possible future - in protecting our quality of life for the next generation - then I encourage you to leave here today and go do what you do best: Create. Solve a problem. Do a deal. Be bold. Make a difference for somebody.

I can't stand up here today and tell you that the worst of what's happening around us is over. The truth is, it may not be. But, after a lifetime in this city, I know the fiber of Austin, Texas. I know the character of the people who live here. And I can stand up here today and tell you - with great confidence - that for us, the best is yet to come. Thank you very much.

Football Pride: Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell Proposes Wager to College Station Mayor Ben White

by: Matt Glazer

Thu Nov 26, 2009 at 10:30 AM CST

All that's on the line, is a little green for the winning season.

On Thanksgiving Day, however, a wager between the mayors of College Station and Austin means some extra green is on the line: The city of the losing team must present trees to be planted in the winning team's city.

"This is an easy opportunity for Austin to win some new trees," said Mayor Lee Leffingwell of Austin. "This will provide a shady spot for Austinites to lay underneath our winning trees and celebrate our 12-0 season."

College Station Mayor Ben White has a different take on today's possible results.

"I can't tell you how excited I am at the thought of having some of Austin's finest oak trees planted in the heart of Aggieland," said College Station Mayor Ben White, whose grandfather was the former Austin city councilman for whom Ben White Boulevard is named.

This will be the 116th meeting of these two teams, but the first time that plant life has ever been at stake.  Arrangements for the ceremonial presentation - wherever it may occur - will be arranged by the mayors' offices for the earliest date possible.

The Longhorns are heavy favorites in today's game.  

Austin Solar Panel Financing up for First Vote (Updated)

by: Michael Hurta

Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 08:59 AM CDT

In other words, the the council can take the first step towards a plan that would allow solar panels added to homeowners' houses through property tax based loans.  Council Members Randi Shade and Mike Martinez also co-sponsor the legislation, and hopefully the rest of the council will join in support.  If passed, though, the council will still need to vote on the final implementation, which would probably occur in January.  Regardless, the mayor sounds excited about the idea:

"If successful, it will help make solar energy accessible to many more local residents, help them save money on their home energy bills almost immediately, and continue to build on Austin's growing reputation as a national leader on renewable energy initiatives," Leffingwell said.

Leffingwell said the program could potentially allow the installation of solar panels and energy efficiency upgrades with no up-front cost. The loan would also be tied to the home and would convey when it is sold, the statement said.

Of course, the plan still has its kinks, too.  I imagine the City Manager, the Mayor, and their staffs will be able to work them out.

Austin Energy General Manager Roger Duncan is an advocate of solar power but worries that if too many people install solar panels too quickly, the city could have trouble maintaining its grid unless it comes up with a new business model for the utility.

The city government has been promoting solar mainly by offering to pay part of homeowners' installation costs. That subsidy money comes from fees collected from all electric-utility customers.

But the subsidy, or rebate, has proven so popular that the city has had trouble keeping up with demand - $3.3 million of the $4 million the city budgeted for this fiscal year was already committed by Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year.

Thankfully, a loan program like this, more useful to consumers than simple subsides, will can also save the city some money.  Unlike those subsidies, the long-term budgeting implications would barely be effective under a solar panel loan program.  Worst case scenario: I'd imagine the city could place a cap on the amount of loans it gives out per year.  We might need such a restriction, because Austinites are certainly the type to jump on an opportunity like this.

At the current pace, Austin can set itself up to be the first Texas city with such a plan, which may serve as the impetus other cities need to follow through.  Rep. Villarreal follows the issue on his blog, and he informs us, "The City of San Antonio and other stakeholders around town have been working to figure out how to implement the program in our community."

Perhaps Austin will show the way.

Update: The Austin City Council passed the resolution on a 7-0 vote.

Birthday Boys Today

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman

Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 04:54 PM CDT

But I'm not the only one of note in politics today that has a birthday. Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell also has his birthday today and is turning 70. I've put a collection of his accomplishments so far in office below the fold. I only learned about his birthday yesterday- so how about a joint birthday party in 2010 or 2011 Mayor?

And one other political birthday is Glenn Bass, the gay Republican candidate running against Democratic Rep. Donna Howard. While I'll extend some birthday wishes, I'll stop short of congratulating him on any electoral success.

For those that have asked, I'm bad about organizing big birthday plans. I'm having dinner with some of the BOR staff tonight. Instead, I'm actually taking some time off in the coming weeks with trips to Kalamazoo, Michigan and spend some time with the One Kalamazoo campaign and then a trip to Nevada next month during Election Day. Don't worry, I'll still have time to early vote for a few days in the riveting 2009 Texas Constitutional Amendment elections.  

City of Austin Call For Roadway Safety Ordinance, Ban Texting While Driving

by: Matt Glazer

Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 09:27 AM CDT

That debate has come to Austin.

Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez and Councilmember Chris Riley are sponsoring a City Council resolution calling for the prohibition of text messaging and internet use while driving.

"Studies make this very clear," said Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez. "And, common sense reinforces what we already know; using a phone while driving is very dangerous and is factor in many traffic incidents."

The City Council agenda item directs the City Manager to prepare ordinance to prohibit the writing, sending or reading of text messages, instant messages and emails or viewing the internet on a mobile phone or other portable electronic device.

"Multi-tasking while driving is not a good practice," said Mayor Lee Leffingwell. "With kids headed back to school we should all take this time to be very aware on the road and put an end to text messaging while driving."

The City Council resolution also calls on the City Manager to create an ordinance requiring a three-foot safe passing distance for vulnerable road users.

"We are a bicycling community. We need to immediately create a safer environment for bicyclists and other vulnerable road users," said Councilmember Chris Riley. "Let's share our roadways together, safely".

This is a smart, timely proposal.  Countless studies have already shown the risk of talking and driving.  Texting and internet use seem far worse.  Both require you to actually take your eyes off the road for long durations of time, and in a city that doubles in size every 20 years, our roads are getting too full to take these risks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shown that text messaging while driving increases the risk of a crash or near crash by 20 times.

Already, Texas State law beginning September 1, will ban all drivers in Texas school crossing zones from talking on hand-held phones and texting.  

This Saturday: Health Care Rally with Rep. Doggett & Sen. Watson

by: Ian

Thu Jul 23, 2009 at 05:19 PM CDT

This Saturday afternoon, you're invited to a local health care rally featuring: Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Senator Kirk Watson, Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Council Member Sheryl Cole, Former State Rep. Ann Kitchen, TCDP Chair Andy Brown and others.

Our goal is to make Saturday's rally one of the biggest in the country. Spread the word!

WHEN:
* Saturday, July 25
* 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.  
* Click here to RSVP

WHERE:
* AFL-CIO Hall (new location)
* 1106 Lavaca Street
* Austin, TX 78701  

Health care reform. Yes we can!

Unplugged at the Grove Shut Down Due to Noise Complaint

by: Phillip Martin

Fri Jun 12, 2009 at 10:39 AM CDT

The first full day I was back in Austin a couple weeks ago, I went to Unplugged at the Grove. For those who don't live in Austin, Unplugged at the Grove is a concert series hosted at Shady Grove, a cool Austin restaurant on Barton Springs road in South Austin. They have local artists play for ninety minutes to two hours in a small setting; you can eat food, drink beer, and see free live music from some of Austin's best artists.

That is, until Captain No Fun calls the cops on you, which apparently happened yesterday.

Apparently, the opening act went beyond the 75 decibel limit (remember -- the 75 decibel limit is somewhat similar to chamber music being played in a small auditorium). Neighbor No-Fun threatened to do the same the following week.

From Austin 360:

Thursday’s opening act Sahara Smith was in the middle of her set when Austin Police showed up with a decibel meter and ordered the show stopped. Headliner Jimmy LaFave never played in front of a crowd estimated at 600. “Unplugged” booker Marsha Milam said the complaint came from a neighbor who told Shady Grove management that he’d call the cops next week, too.

“We’re gonna be back with live music next Thursday and the Thursday after that,” vowed Young. “I’ll pay the bands even if they only play five minutes. We’re not gonna give up the fight.”

I think you all know where I stand on this -- the music ends before 9:30pm, its on a loud, loud street in Austin anyway, and considering that my best friend lives a block off of Burnt Road in Central Austin where they have been bulldozing and building new apartments for several months, the idea that Unplugged at the Grove is too noisy is laughable.

Here are competing sides from the comments at Austin 360.

By stex5150

June 11, 2009 9:19 PM | Link to this

It is carpetbaggers like this that need to just pack up and go back to wherever they came from. They have no idea what Austin is all about or what made the company the carpetbagger works for want to locate in Austin. If you are stupid enough to buy a house or condo without researching the area for noise, traffic or crime then you really are not the genius you think you are. The Austin music scene was here long before 75% or more of these carpetbaggers got here but they all want to complain about the noise in their overpriced condos that were built right in the middle of the “Live music capital of Texas”. Think before you buy or go back to wherever you came from, preferrably sooner than later.

By YeahIsaidIt

June 11, 2009 9:23 PM | Link to this

They shoulda arrested the whole lot of them! Don’t want to hear no stank’n music in this overpriced town. Used to have a good neighborhood till all the weird crowd showed up and brought their drugs and tree huggers with them. And not to mention the bike losers. We don’t need know Stevie Ray statue…we need a statue of W…he saved America. Hail the New World Order and down with dull and awful live music. Anyone know the guy that called the cops? He needs a medal! Yeah I said it!

The noise ordinance thing -- pushed by neighborhood associations and Austin City Councilwoman Laura Morrison -- is complete nonsense. When I go camping at state parks (which I also did when I was back in Texas), then quiet hours don't start until 10pm. Before then (and normally after), you'll have lots of families running around, pick-up trucks playing country music -- and in the middle of nowhere.

And everyone is fine with it. And everyone has a good time.

But in the middle of a city, where there have been restaurants for decades, noise exceeding chamber music levels at a small auditorium is considered unruly at 8pm? Are you serious? Did someone confuse Barton Springs road with Georgetown's Sun City or something?

Whoever wants to run against Laura Morrison next election cycle, I'll support you.

Mayor Leffingwell -- let's see what we can do about this.

Update:

Just got an interesting e-mail: the homes across the street from Barton Springs have been around a long time, and those neighbors are (A) used to noise, and (B) the traffic on Barton Springs is loud, too.

The only new living areas there are those condominiums they put up where the trailer parks used to be -- those parks where, ironically, Jimmy LaFave -- who was headlining last night -- used to live for a while. Which means, more than likely, the complaint came from someone that just moved into the neighborhood willingly. 

Either that, or Laura Morrison is just traveling the city, telling kids to get off of her lawn.