What the fuck is wrong with you, Austin?

[DigglerontheHoof 20562]

Cheese potato, please.

[hornian 5160]

4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Will I still be able to eat an entire bucket of pickles slathered with mustard at 3:00 am to replenish precious electrolytes and such while waiting for my reuben and cheese stuffed potato?  If so.....IN.

Be honest, the last time you were awake at 3 a.m. was in the late 20th century. 

[ABSR 5275]

7 minutes ago, hornian said:

Be honest, the last time you were awake at 3 a.m. was in the late 20th century. 

If we don’t count late night urination.

[Brisketexan 103602]

Be honest, the last time you were awake at 3 a.m. was in the late 20th century. 

If we don’t count late night urination.

For the record, I hate you both equally.

[PvilleStang 2809]

10 hours ago, hornian said:

Be honest, the last time you were awake at 3 a.m. was in the late 20th century. 

Does that count the multiple early morning flights that require you get up at 2:30?

[hornian 5160]

26 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

Does that count the multiple early morning flights that require you get up at 2:30?

No, no it does not.

Those suck. 

[HenryJames 65525]

Austin grocery store owner attacked amid downtown crime concerns | kvue.com

[MissingInAction 24416]

And that fucker will be back on the street today if not already.

That's my favorite spot for breakfast during my Sunday morning walks with the dog.

[Jerry Callo 8630]

On 8/27/2024 at 12:07 PM, crash_davis said:

Katz's never closes, apparently. Maybe this will be harbinger of old Austin making a return. Same exact location.

 

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/katzs-restaurant-owners-buy-space-in-downtown-austin/

Barry and Lisa Katz, owners of the Katz’s restaurant company, bought the property at 618 W. 6th St. in an auction, a company representative said. 

The acquisition is expected to close in August, and more details will be shared then, a release said. The Katzes plan to lease the second and third floors of the building.

 

 

I'm skeptical since Marc Katz doesn't appear to be involved. 

[texasdago 7407]

21 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

I'm skeptical since Marc Katz doesn't appear to be involved. 

I don't know Marc Katz but if he was running the business before, maybe that's a good thing?

Katz’s Deli and Bar closed in 2010 after three decades in business. Austin Business Journal reported that the business filed for bankruptcy after about $27,500 in unpaid taxes. The restaurant previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004.

[Jerry Callo 8630]

6 minutes ago, texasdago said:

I don't know Marc Katz but if he was running the business before, maybe that's a good thing?

Katz’s Deli and Bar closed in 2010 after three decades in business. Austin Business Journal reported that the business filed for bankruptcy after about $27,500 in unpaid taxes. The restaurant previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004.

I'm skeptical about the quality of the food.  If heard only bad things about the Houston Katz's.

[texasdago 7407]

48 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

I'm skeptical about the quality of the food.  If heard only bad things about the Houston Katz's.

Maybe just banking on the name.  Used to know the management staff at Dolce Vita and it sounded like they were not the biggest fans of the Katz's nearby. 

[HenryJames 65525]

5 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Used to know the management staff at Dolce Vita

[texasdago 7407]

1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

At first I thought you meant what a surprise they were dicks and then I got your meaning... oh yeah, we were regulars despite living a good 15 miles away.  I know its shocking.  

[crash_davis 23050]

Two dudes are fighting. A non-fighting participant pulls out a gun and shoots at the other fighter, a non-fighting participant friend of the other fighter pulls out his gun and returns fire, poorly I guess, the other fighter grabs that gun and shoots the original shooter. Original shooter dead.

No murder charges against the dude who knows how to aim because original shooter shot first. Self defense, bro.

I think I got that right.

America, Fuck Yeah!

 

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/no-murder-charges-teen-killed-buda-texas-erick-marin/269-2ce3559c-06b4-459f-ab11-499d5a234902

The videos revealed a relative of Marin's went to the Shadow Creek neighborhood to fight a 21-year-old.

During the fight, Marin pulled out a gun and started shooting at the 21-year-old. A teenager in the opposite group pulled out a gun and returned fire. The 21-year-old then grabbed that gun and killed Marin.

The District Attorney's Office reviewed all the footage and determined Marin was the first person to pull out and fire his gun, concluding that the shooting was justified under Texas laws related to self-defense and defense of a third person.

A grand jury agreed and voted to no-bill the case. However, the other people involved in the incident may still face charges related to conduct.

[HenryJames 65525]

notaustin;dr

[royiv 9044]

4 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

I'm skeptical about the quality of the food.  If heard only bad things about the Houston Katz's.

Imagine Applebee’s decided to open a NY deli. 

[hayden_horn 11311]

6 hours ago, HenryJames said:

Austin grocery store owner attacked amid downtown crime concerns | kvue.com

downtown crime concerns? surely the number of on-foot beat cops act as a deterrent of some kind, right?

  

On 8/26/2024 at 8:26 AM, HenryJames said:

oh. right. 

[Deej 76197]

A couple of homeless guys tossed a chair through the window of the Stabucks at 3rd an Lavaca this morning. Starbucks didn't even bother cleaning up the broken glass. People were sitting at tables with broken glass at their feet. Just another day in downtown Austin.

[Wally Pryor 5208]

Fuck that piece of shit.  No interest in protecting citizens but wants his own security around the clock. 

Quote

AUSTIN, Texas — On any given evening, and into the night, anyone passing through can likely notice police SUVs stationed on a particular Austin neighborhood street.

They’re Travis County deputy constables – on a special security assignment – protecting the home of District Attorney José Garza.

The KVUE Defenders, in partnership with the Austin American-Statesman, recently revealed the county secretly gave Garza $115,000 to enhance his home security in the spring. Now, we’ve learned Garza’s office has also mobilized a squad of county law enforcement officers to guard his house.

(Constable Stacy) Suits and other constables say they have never provided this type of home security to any official. In fact, the KVUE Defenders could not find another example of another local official receiving this type of taxpayer-funded security for this long of a period based on a perceived threat.

Dispatch logs obtained by the KVUE Defenders show deputy constables have performed the special security assignment to Garza’s house almost nightly since early February.

It’s an expense large enough to raise questions, says Adrian Shelley, director of the Texas office of the government watchdog group Public Citizen.

“That’s a significant investment, right, of taxpayer funds,” Shelley said. “For the average taxpayer, it’s considerable, and it’s enough money that we ought to understand if the expense is justified.”

 

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/law-enforcement-guarding-travis-county-district-attorney-jose-garza-home-security/269-a2116823-7b0f-4738-8811-3408e7ce62db

[Armybrat 40544]

Austin gets what they vote for.

[Gale Snoats 242]

I work downtown and walk up and down 2nd street several times a day (lunch, coffee, take calls while getting some steps in etc). In those 3 or 4 blocks, every single time i encounter at least 5 or 6 homeless and at least 1 or 2 of them has some level of aggression toward passersby.  I've seen homeless take their clothes off and shake their dicks at people, just lying their naked and passed out, taking a piss on the sidewalk, screaming at people walking by, screaming at another homeless, smoking weed, all kinds of crazy shit.  There are a ton of women and tourists with kids walking that street and they all have to navigate the minefield. In my probably hundreds of walks up and down 2nd I've seen a cop on foot patrol maybe 2 or 3 times.   

[Armybrat 40544]

CoA should be sending all their newly funded social workers there to deal with that trash.

[crash_davis 23050]

Austin Atlanta ad at the Rio airport. 

[royiv 9044]

4 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

Austin Atlanta ad at the Rio airport. 

That’s legit hilarious.

[crash_davis 23050]

Just now, royiv said:

That’s legit hilarious.

Is the mistake the picture of Austin or the word Atlanta?

[royiv 9044]

9 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

Is the mistake the picture of Austin or the word Atlanta?

I’m guessing the picture is the mistake since it appears to be sponsored by Delta and Latam.

[South Austin 51633]

Keep Atlanta Weird.

[InkaUtexas 24932]

31 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Keep Atlanta Weird.

I was there the night they won the World Series. Only weird thing was some skank aggy bartender screaming at us through a window down on Peach Street. Buddy was wearing his UT shirt.

Am not a fan of the airport.

[Bolero88 249]

APD is a fucking scam. They get all the fucking funding in the world and don't do shit. Fuck them lazy shits. 

[texasdago 7407]

18 minutes ago, Bolero88 said:

APD is a fucking scam. They get all the fucking funding in the world and don't do shit. Fuck them lazy shits. 

Yup

2023 - APD get a record high budget

"AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin’s proposed 2023-2024 budget is allocating $476.5 million to the Austin Police Department. That’s an increase from last year’s budget by nearly $32 million. The budget also includes giving civilian employees a four-percent pay increase."

2024 - budget raised again

Specifically, the proposed police budget includes a 4% wage increase for civilian employees, $2.6 million for opening the Canyon Creek joint fire and EMS station and an additional $18.2 million for the Austin Police Department compared to the previous fiscal year.

[Mittens 8027]

1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

Is the mistake the picture of Austin or the word Atlanta?

Why would Delta be advertising Austin?

[PvilleStang 2809]

1 hour ago, Bolero88 said:

APD is a fucking scam. They get all the fucking funding in the world and don't do shit. Fuck them lazy shits. 

 

40 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Yup

2023 - APD get a record high budget

"AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin’s proposed 2023-2024 budget is allocating $476.5 million to the Austin Police Department. That’s an increase from last year’s budget by nearly $32 million. The budget also includes giving civilian employees a four-percent pay increase."

2024 - budget raised again

Specifically, the proposed police budget includes a 4% wage increase for civilian employees, $2.6 million for opening the Canyon Creek joint fire and EMS station and an additional $18.2 million for the Austin Police Department compared to the previous fiscal year.

Well, considering they have to expand services to match the population growth AND keep pace with inflation, shouldn't EVERY year be the biggest budget to date?

And be honest here, you just lived through a year with 5% inflation, and your job offers you a 4% raise, that's not even covering the cost of living.  Try getting offended on something like the city clowncil voting themselves a 40% raise, or Watson and clan maxing out the tax increases.

[Orange&White 5501]

53 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Yup

2023 - APD get a record high budget

"AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin’s proposed 2023-2024 budget is allocating $476.5 million to the Austin Police Department. That’s an increase from last year’s budget by nearly $32 million. The budget also includes giving civilian employees a four-percent pay increase."

2024 - budget raised again

Specifically, the proposed police budget includes a 4% wage increase for civilian employees, $2.6 million for opening the Canyon Creek joint fire and EMS station and an additional $18.2 million for the Austin Police Department compared to the previous fiscal year.

 

9 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

 

Well, considering they have to expand services to match the population growth AND keep pace with inflation, shouldn't EVERY year be the biggest budget to date?

And be honest here, you just lived through a year with 5% inflation, and your job offers you a 4% raise, that's not even covering the cost of living.  Try getting offended on something like the city clowncil voting themselves a 40% raise, or Watson and clan maxing out the tax increases.

Yeah, I think they suck as much as the next guy, but getting budget increases that don't even match inflation is probably the last thing to be bitching about.

[texasdago 7407]

Well, last I checked, Austin spends more per capita on police that Houston, Dallas and San Antonio... also a greater % of our city on budget for police than Houston, Ft Worth, Arlington, Dallas, El Paso, SA

[ChickenSandwich 9767]

Amid a staffing crunch, Austin police officers raked in nearly $50 million in overtime money
 

https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-02-09/austin-police-department-overtime-staffing-shortage

[crash_davis 23050]

Those bitches are still salty that their asshole peers were held accountable for being assholes. 

[jimmyjazz 45192]

29 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Well, last I checked, Austin spends more per capita on police that Houston, Dallas and San Antonio... also a greater % of our city on budget for police than Houston, Ft Worth, Arlington, Dallas, El Paso, SA

To be fair, Austin has a disproportionate amount of violent crime committed by irate homeowners who are pissed about Robin Hood.

[texasdago 7407]

7 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

To be fair, Austin has a disproportionate amount of violent crime committed by irate homeowners who are pissed about Robin Hood.

Fully justified

[crash_davis 23050]

6 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

To be fair, Austin has a disproportionate amount of violent crime committed by irate homeowners who are pissed about Robin Hood.

I'm fully in support of Robin Hood. I want an educated populace. Helping out poorer ISDs is a good thing.

What I'm pissed about is, after paying out the Robinhood funds to the payee ISDs, the state not returning the excess money to the paying ISDs. There is NO state property tax, at least there isn't supposed to be one. But the excess is now treated as a state property tax. Fuck those thieving assholes.

 

https://www.texas.gov/living-in-texas/property-tax-transparency/

Who sets my property tax bill?

Texas has no state property tax. Local governments set tax rates and collect property taxes that they use to provide local services including schools, streets, roads, police, fire protection, and more. Your locally elected officials (school trustees, city council members, county commissioners) decide your property tax burden. These local officials can also help answer questions and respond to inquiries.  

The Texas Legislature does not set the tax amount of your local taxes nor does your local appraisal district. 

[Brisketexan 103602]

40 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Well, last I checked, Austin spends more per capita on police that Houston, Dallas and San Antonio... also a greater % of our city on budget for police than Houston, Ft Worth, Arlington, Dallas, El Paso, SA

This.

Austin budgets plenty for police on a per capita basis.  The numbers don't lie.  

But this post below is the real problem:

13 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

Those bitches are still salty that their asshole peers were held accountable for being assholes. 

APD has functionally "quiet quit" their jobs.  There are enough cops.  They are paid enough.  They have enough equipment.  The reason they aren't doing the basics of their job is that they don't want to.   Full stop.  That's it.  When they were told "hey, do your job, but maybe don't be abusive and violate the fuck out of the law when you do so," they said "fuck that shit.  Either we get to police the way we want to, with no accountability or requirement that we follow laws [which are for lesser peons, not god-like cops], or we won't police at all."  And we are seeing the results.

If you want to know who to blame for APD not doing its job....perhaps blame....and I know this seems crazy to the "personal accountability and responsibility" crowd, but stay with me.....APD.

[royiv 9044]

43 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Well, last I checked, Austin spends more per capita on police that Houston, Dallas and San Antonio... also a greater % of our city on budget for police than Houston, Ft Worth, Arlington, Dallas, El Paso, SA

I’ve never seen any statistics to prove me right or wrong, but I’ve always thought Austin gets some benefit to having UTPD patrol all of UT’s property and DPS covering the Capitol Complex. That’s a lot of real estate that Austin doesn’t have to be the primary policing agency for.

[PvilleStang 2809]

City	Population	Overall Budget	Police Budget	Per Capita Police Budget	Per Capita Total Budget	% of Total Budget
Austin	2,274,000	$5,900,000,000.00	$496,000,000.00	$218.12	$2,594.55	8.41%
Houston	6,802,000	$6,700,000,000.00	$1,042,871,375.00	$153.32	$985.00	15.57%
Dallas	6,800,000	$4,630,000,000.00	$654,545,687.00	$96.26	$680.88	14.14%
San Antonio	1,595,295	$3,700,000,000.00	$570,000,000.00	$357.30	$2,319.32	15.41%
El Paso	678,859	$1,318,526,091.00	$205,161,844.00	$302.22	$1,942.27	15.56%

 

Those are the rough FY 2024 budgets.  Seems we do pay more per capita than Dallas or Houston, but our per capita overall budget is also pretty out of control compared to other Texas metros.  And the police budget as a percentage to the total budget is also low compared to most cities.  This is just a cursory 10 minute search of these cities...

Edited September 3 by PvilleStang

[Texas Jeff 1918]

It would be interesting to know how many APD officers actually live in Austin. If you police a town you don’t call home and wouldn’t consider living in yourself, I believe you see policing as a paycheck.

Austin is expensive to live in and I understand why officers may seek a home elsewhere, but it creates a disconnect that doesn’t help our city.

[Brisketexan 103602]

7 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

City	Population	Overall Budget	Police Budget	Per Capita Police Budget	Per Capita Total Budget	% of Total Budget
Austin	2,274,000	$5,900,000,000.00	$496,000,000.00	$218.12	$2,594.55	8.41%
Houston	6,802,000	$6,700,000,000.00	$1,042,871,375.00	$153.32	$985.00	15.57%
Dallas	6,800,000	$4,630,000,000.00	$654,545,687.00	$96.26	$680.88	14.14%
San Antonio	1,595,295	$3,700,000,000.00	$570,000,000.00	$357.30	$2,319.32	15.41%
El Paso	678,859	$1,318,526,091.00	$205,161,844.00	$302.22	$1,942.27	15.56%

 

Those are the rough FY 2024 budgets.  Seems we do pay more per capita than Dallas or Houston, but our per capita overall budget is also pretty out of control compared to other Texas metros.  And the police budget as a percentage to the total budget is also low compared to most cities.  This is just a cursory 10 minute search of these cities...

Again, as noted above, the "overall budget" number needs to be adjusted to take out Austin Energy for the most part: AE is a large "expense," but it draws in more revenue than it costs.  So, it should at least be treated as budget-neutral (in reality, it's a budget benefit, as it makes a small amount that gets transferred to the general fund).

[PvilleStang 2809]

7 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Again, as noted above, the "overall budget" number needs to be adjusted to take out Austin Energy for the most part: AE is a large "expense," but it draws in more revenue than it costs.  So, it should at least be treated as budget-neutral (in reality, it's a budget benefit, as it makes a small amount that gets transferred to the general fund).

Just wait until the Bank of Austin gets looped in the budget...

[royiv 9044]

47 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

City	Population	Overall Budget	Police Budget	Per Capita Police Budget	Per Capita Total Budget	% of Total Budget
Austin	2,274,000	$5,900,000,000.00	$496,000,000.00	$218.12	$2,594.55	8.41%
Houston	6,802,000	$6,700,000,000.00	$1,042,871,375.00	$153.32	$985.00	15.57%
Dallas	6,800,000	$4,630,000,000.00	$654,545,687.00	$96.26	$680.88	14.14%
San Antonio	1,595,295	$3,700,000,000.00	$570,000,000.00	$357.30	$2,319.32	15.41%
El Paso	678,859	$1,318,526,091.00	$205,161,844.00	$302.22	$1,942.27	15.56%

 

Those are the rough FY 2024 budgets.  Seems we do pay more per capita than Dallas or Houston, but our per capita overall budget is also pretty out of control compared to other Texas metros.  And the police budget as a percentage to the total budget is also low compared to most cities.  This is just a cursory 10 minute search of these cities...

Those population numbers are way off.

[texasdago 7407]

33 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

City	Population	Overall Budget	Police Budget	Per Capita Police Budget	Per Capita Total Budget	% of Total Budget
Austin	2,274,000	$5,900,000,000.00	$496,000,000.00	$218.12	$2,594.55	8.41%
Houston	6,802,000	$6,700,000,000.00	$1,042,871,375.00	$153.32	$985.00	15.57%
Dallas	6,800,000	$4,630,000,000.00	$654,545,687.00	$96.26	$680.88	14.14%
San Antonio	1,595,295	$3,700,000,000.00	$570,000,000.00	$357.30	$2,319.32	15.41%
El Paso	678,859	$1,318,526,091.00	$205,161,844.00	$302.22	$1,942.27	15.56%

 

Those are the rough FY 2024 budgets.  Seems we do pay more per capita than Dallas or Houston, but our per capita overall budget is also pretty out of control compared to other Texas metros.  And the police budget as a percentage to the total budget is also low compared to most cities.  This is just a cursory 10 minute search of these cities...

I'll have to find the numbers I saw but I believe we were closer to 19% so different numbers/source. 

You know what's really frustrating is trying to current data analyzing cities in Texas on various factors... and when I say cities, I don't mean cities like Liberty Hill or Melissa, like some of these webpages define "cities".  Show me the big ones... Houston, Austin, Dallas, SA, El Paso, Corpus, Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene, Waco... etc.  Let's see how they stack up.  Interesting to view them then side by side with per capita spending.

[Herbie Hancock 7275]

It would be interesting to know how many APD officers actually live in Austin. If you police a town you don’t call home and wouldn’t consider living in yourself, I believe you see policing as a paycheck.

Austin is expensive to live in and I understand why officers may seek a home elsewhere, but it creates a disconnect that doesn’t help our city.

That’s not relevant nor is it advisable to attempt to make your employees reside where they work. I’m not a cop, but I am an employee of a municipality. I live 57 miles away from the city I work for, in a 7 year old home on 54 acres. I paid $1600+ less in property taxes last year than my coworker that lives in the city we work for. He lives on a 0.3 acre lot and his home is appraised for less than mine. Now tell me why I should be living where I work

[texasdago 7407]

2 minutes ago, royiv said:

Those population numbers are way off.

Totally... skews all the #s