Austin City Government - Circus of the Insane

[Guest Lobo]

The auditor is not independent for the simple reason they can be removed by City Council at any time.  Yes, it would require 7 votes, but I don't know if you work for the same City Council, I do---they do everything in groups of 8 or 9.  The auditor's office is handcuffed to uncover anything.  Their own report last year shows that 50%+ of 50 sampled city projects are 40% or more over budget.  And then the report died so as not to offend city council.  I've been asking for an audited review of how we sell our muni paper for three years and I've been told multiple times that the auditor's office won't do that without City Council consent and that Council will never give that to them.  S

So I'm going over their heads, I'm going to have S&P, Moody's, and Fitsch ask for the practices instead.  I've already been threatened again by one council member and the other City Hall officials.  To the point where I've literally begun conversations with counsel to continue under Federal Whistleblower protection.  

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

It would require 9 votes, not 7, to remove the city auditor and that happening as a result of an unfavorable audit is simply unrealistic.

[DanRydell 799]

lulz.  move next to the seaholm train tracks, complain about the train noise.  we should start shooting people for stupidity.
 
"The Austin group hopes the city will step in and help. They are requesting the city hire a rail noise expert to determine the best solution."
 
http://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2018/10/23/seaholm-district-residents-fight-to-combat-noisy-train-
 
 

To be fair, it seems like they’re mostly complaining about the screeching that comes from trains going around that turn, not just the normal train noise.

[blacklab 11926]

and to be fair the screeching from going around those turn was there before they moved in as well. 

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

To be fair to the screeching, those people are assholes.

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

Uh, no.  No more libraries.  The last one turned into an unmitigated budgetary disaster.  Shockingly, with Austin.  I don't care if the thing turned into a gold-plated haven with a world class view for the bums.   No more. 

The new library is the first world-class public building this city has ever built. It’s a shame you can’t allow yourself any pride in that. Have you ever been in there? Among other things, a large number of freelancers and startups work there. That’s the opposite of bums.

Thanks, however, for the vivid example of the narrow and regressive mindset actively trying to prevent this from becoming a great city. It’s the same mindset that has prop J on the ballot. It’s the same mindset that prevented us from investments in roads in the 90s and transit today.

Have you thought about loving to Waco? They won’t spend your money on greatness there.

[Godzillatron 292]

Austin Neighborhood Council represents the actual people that live in Austin neighborhoods.   Zoning changes typically have to get the approval of the local Neighborhood Association.  
Developers control the sock puppets FRIENDS OF AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS:
https://forum.atxfriends.org/
FAN represents developers efforts to maximize density and help cram condos on 60’ wide home lots which were previously single family houses.  
FAN pushes the density agenda for financial gain while opposing actual residents that back ANC.  

ANC is run by the NIMBY crowd that thinks Austin was just fine in 1977 and should never have changed.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ghost of LL 15531]

4 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Yes on A-G because we have to accept reality, including the fact that tomorrow exists. If you’re too cheap for infrastructure you deserve what happens.

I agree with this.

And yet I still voted "no" on everything, because I don't trust this city's leadership with a nickel.

Sorry, but I think my mistrust is well-earned.

[Guest Lobo]

2 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

It would require 9 votes, not 7, to remove the city auditor and that happening as a result of an unfavorable audit is simply unrealistic.

Where do you see 9, I see 75% of those voting.  Which on something that hot-button would probably have all 10-11 there.   

I agree with you that it's unrealistic because we saw them drip out a shitshow of a report showing 50% of 50 selected projects to be 40% of more over budget.  That's Chicago/Baltimore/New Orleans level ineptitude right there.  And council did nothing, so I have no doubt that auditor can survive a helluva lot worse.  

One thing I have to call bullshit on however is that this auditor functions independently and outside city politics.  That office has done a good job thusfar, problem is nobody executes on their fucking suggestions.  Our bond floating procedure is horribly flawed.  

Big cities do independent audits.  The usual suspects fought 10-1, of course they're gonna fight this.  We are about to become the 10th largest city in this nation.  We should act like it.  

[smokebomb 357]

35 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

The new library is the first world-class public building this city has ever built. It’s a shame you can’t allow yourself any pride in that. Have you ever been in there? Among other things, a large number of freelancers and startups work there. That’s the opposite of bums.
 

So basically - Austin spent $140 million dollars to look pretty on Instagram and help private tech startups. Yes - it is an amazing piece of architecture and a stunning building. Heck, I would suggest that anyone on a date go up to the patio/garden and use dimly-lit, amazing views of downtown and Lady Bird to impress.

However, libraries should be built to help educate those less fortunate and not try to impress others in order to make yourself feel better. The people that really need a library will not travel downtown much to use it and the majority of people that will use it, will be high paid, downtown workers drinking their Starbucks. The money would have been better spent building 5+ smaller libraries in low-income areas of town to help provide services to those that need it. Instead, all Austin did was create a drop-in office space for a bunch of high-paid hipsters and a pretty architecture example the city council could point to that shows how progressive they are. 

I will be voting on Prop B because it is what should have happened in the first place. And fuck the city council for making me pissed about what should have been a good thing. 

[Biff Tannen 45673]

Fuck I'm conflicted.  I've got Madonna's big dick Bozo coming out of my left ear, and Toby the Jap GOLL... I don't know what - comin' out of my right.

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

6 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Where do you see 9, I see 75% of those voting.  Which on something that hot-button would probably have all 10-11 there.   

I agree with you that it's unrealistic because we saw them drip out a shitshow of a report showing 50% of 50 selected projects to be 40% of more over budget.  That's Chicago/Baltimore/New Orleans level ineptitude right there.  And council did nothing, so I have no doubt that auditor can survive a helluva lot worse.  

One thing I have to call bullshit on however is that this auditor functions independently and outside city politics.  That office has done a good job thusfar, problem is nobody executes on their fucking suggestions.  Our bond floating procedure is horribly flawed.  

Big cities do independent audits.  The usual suspects fought 10-1, of course they're gonna fight this.  We are about to become the 10th largest city in this nation.  We should act like it.  

75% of 11 is 8.25, so they would have to have 9 votes. I'm just saying it'a difficult to imagine that they wouldn't have all 11 voting for something that would draw that much heat. Also, this is a pretty deeply divided council right now as I'm sure you know. So unless it was a major scandal IN the auditors office, it's difficult to imagine a scenario where an audit would lead to removal. 

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

2 minutes ago, smokebomb said:

So basically - Austin spent $140 million dollars to look pretty on Instagram and help private tech startups. Yes - it is an amazing piece of architecture and a stunning building. Heck, I would suggest that anyone on a date go up to the patio/garden and use dimly-lit, amazing views of downtown and Lady Bird to impress.

However, libraries should be built to help educate those less fortunate and not try to impress others in order to make yourself feel better. The people that really need a library will not travel downtown much to use it and the majority of people that will use it, will be high paid, downtown workers drinking their Starbucks. The money would have been better spent building 5+ smaller libraries in low-income areas of town to help provide services to those that need it. Instead, all Austin did was create a drop-in office space for a bunch of high-paid hipsters and a pretty architecture example the city council could point to that shows how progressive they are. 

I will be voting on Prop B because it is what should have happened in the first place. And fuck the city council for making me pissed about what should have been a good thing. 

You really don't get the value of great public spaces to a big city? 

[Deej 76759]

So basically - Austin spent $140 million dollars to look pretty on Instagram and help private tech startups. Yes - it is an amazing piece of architecture and a stunning building. Heck, I would suggest that anyone on a date go up to the patio/garden and use dimly-lit, amazing views of downtown and Lady Bird to impress.
However, libraries should be built to help educate those less fortunate and not try to impress others in order to make yourself feel better. The people that really need a library will not travel downtown much to use it and the majority of people that will use it, will be high paid, downtown workers drinking their Starbucks. The money would have been better spent building 5+ smaller libraries in low-income areas of town to help provide services to those that need it. Instead, all Austin did was create a drop-in office space for a bunch of high-paid hipsters and a pretty architecture example the city council could point to that shows how progressive they are. 
I will be voting on Prop B because it is what should have happened in the first place. And fuck the city council for making me pissed about what should have been a good thing. 

Austin is phasing out low income people. Why build something for them?

[freyguy 4268]

22 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

You really don't get the value of great public spaces to a big city? 

[skittlebrau 474]

1 hour ago, Godzillatron said:

ANC is run by the NIMBY crowd that thinks Austin was just fine in 1977 and should never have changed.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100% this. If you think Austin died when they closed the Armadillo and don't appreciate how many more options we have today in terms of entertainment, food, culture and activity, then ANC is exactly the place for you.

Edited October 25, 2018 by skittlebrau

[skittlebrau 474]

13 hours ago, bschoolprof said:

If I think soccer is for fags and socialists, should I just vote opposite?

Absolutely. Though, there's a pretty big overlap between the pro-soccer crowd and the anti-NIMBY crowd on Council. So maybe follow it if you hate NIMBYs. Except for District 9.

[atomheartbevo 89649]

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/-115k-contract-proposed-to-clean-one-austin-portable-toilet/1492303853

Quote

The Austin City Council on Thursday will vote on whether to approve a contract to clean and empty a single portable toilet in the downtown area. The cost? A minimum of $115,000 per year.

The contract will initially be for two years, with the ability for it to be reauthorized each year thereafter for a total of five years at a cost not to exceed $775,000, or $155,000 per year.

The portable toilet would be located within five miles of the State Capitol and must be cleaned twice a day, including refilling water and removing waste because it does not have its own plumbing. That comes out to $157.53 per cleaning. It may have to be cleaned more often during heavy-use times like special events, according to a spokesman for the Public Works Department.

Only one contractor, Blue Chem Inc., submitted a bid.

Over the past year, the city conducted a pilot program of a temporary restroom in various areas of downtown Austin. It helped inform the city of areas that would benefit from a permanent public restroom, such as an area near I-35 and 6th Street and the 500 block of Brazos street, according to a city memo. The Austin Transportation Department will be responsible for paying for construction and upkeep.

 

[Brisketexan 105095]

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/-115k-contract-proposed-to-clean-one-austin-portable-toilet/1492303853

The Austin City Council on Thursday will vote on whether to approve a contract to clean and empty a single portable toilet in the downtown area. The cost? A minimum of $115,000 per year.
The contract will initially be for two years, with the ability for it to be reauthorized each year thereafter for a total of five years at a cost not to exceed $775,000, or $155,000 per year.
The portable toilet would be located within five miles of the State Capitol and must be cleaned twice a day, including refilling water and removing waste because it does not have its own plumbing. That comes out to $157.53 per cleaning. It may have to be cleaned more often during heavy-use times like special events, according to a spokesman for the Public Works Department.
Only one contractor, Blue Chem Inc., submitted a bid.
Over the past year, the city conducted a pilot program of a temporary restroom in various areas of downtown Austin. It helped inform the city of areas that would benefit from a permanent public restroom, such as an area near I-35 and 6th Street and the 500 block of Brazos street, according to a city memo. The Austin Transportation Department will be responsible for paying for construction and upkeep.

 

Seems like a shitty idea.

[Digdogger 1344]

Sure you can figure cost/cleaning at $157. Or look at it as cost per homeless people to have sex at a $13/roll in the proverbial hay

[Orange&White 5522]

14 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

You really don't get the value of great public spaces to a big city? 

I get it, but just like your home budget, you don't buy luxuries when the rest of your house is falling the fuck apart. 

Every intersection of a major road in this town looks like a third world country. There's a dam failing. Traffic is fucking terrible. Cost of living is through the roof. Our Police force has been negotiating a contract for what seems like three years. There is a major shortage of Fire Stations.

So, yes, spending $140M just so you can convince the rest of the world that you're "cool" is not exactly a great idea in my opinion.

Not to mention that this Council is already hiding $100M a year in taxes in our electric bills by taking so much money from AE.

Being a great city is a noble cause, but running a city with some sort of financial responsibility should come before that.

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

5 minutes ago, Orange&White said:

I get it, but just like your home budget, you don't buy luxuries when the rest of your house is falling the fuck apart. 

Every intersection of a major road in this town looks like a third world country. There's a dam failing. Traffic is fucking terrible. Cost of living is through the roof. Our Police force has been negotiating a contract for what seems like three years. There is a major shortage of Fire Stations.

So, yes, spending $140M just so you can convince the rest of the world that you're "cool" is not exactly a great idea in my opinion.

Not to mention that this Council is already hiding $100M a year in taxes in our electric bills by taking so much money from AE.

Being a great city is a noble cause, but running a city with some sort of financial responsibility should come before that.

I agree with you that Austin's infrastructure is falling apart,  and that we don't spend money on things that matter, but we have to separate that from spending it on something good. The problem with Austin is that the many of our voters are cheap and unrealistic, and care more about the past than the future.
We were barely able to vote for a transportation bond that was about 1/10 of what we actually need. We voted down two crucial school bonds a few years ago. A movement just stopped a rewrite of our 1984 land use code and now that same movement attempts to obstruct any future attempt to rewrite our code from 1984. We've spent 40 years saying no. The bond election in 2010 for the new library was a miracle. It's shocking to me that it passed. That's not why your roads are crumbling. Your roads are crumbling because we make bad choices. Multiple current and future city council members have said to me that they know we need to do A,B,C but that their most important citizen supporters oppose those things. 

We need to get into the habit of saying yes. Yes to building more housing, so that our costs of housing can stabilize. Yes to voting for infrastructure, Yes to transit, yes to new zoning, Yes to council members who will actually make tough calls.  Saying no to things like parks and libraries is just more of the same thing that got us here. 

[Orange&White 5522]

14 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

We were barely able to vote for a transportation bond that was about 1/10 of what we actually need. 

This is part of the problem with this city. 

Yes, we barely voted for a "transportation" bond that was 1/10th of what we "needed". I will agree that the actual dollar amount was less than what is needed, but the shit that was included in the proposal was not at all what I, and many others like me, think we need. It was full of shit that the voting public in this city have repeatedly said they don't fucking want. Just like rail votes keep getting voted down. The voting public don't want that.

If you pitched an election for a transportation bond that the people actually want, it would pass with flying colors. But the city leaders keep recycling the exact same shit and wondering why it is not passing. 

Just like in this current "transportation" bond. As I mentioned up stream, I voted against it because a very large percentage (33%?) of it goes to replace a bridge that services a shitload of wealthy people that don't pay taxes in this city. I don't think they should pay the whole tab, but they should pay something. They're already using damn near every city service without contributing, if they want a bridge, kick some fucking money in or petition for annexation.

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by Orange&White

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

Look, you'll get no argument from me about the bridge. The bridge is stupid, But that's the sausage of Democracy - voting for some your tax dollars to pay for things you don't value so that more can go to things that you need. 

[DanRydell 799]

45 minutes ago, Orange&White said:

This is part of the problem with this city. 

Yes, we barely voted for a "transportation" bond that was 1/10th of what we "needed". I will agree that the actual dollar amount was less than what is needed, but the shit that was included in the proposal was not at all what I, and many others like me, think we need. It was full of shit that the voting public in this city have repeatedly said they don't fucking want. Just like rail votes keep getting voted down. The voting public don't want that.

If you pitched an election for a transportation bond that the people actually want, it would pass with flying colors. But the city leaders keep recycling the exact same shit and wondering why it is not passing. 

Just like in this current "transportation" bond. As I mentioned up stream, I voted against it because a very large percentage (33%?) of it goes to replace a bridge that services a shitload of wealthy people that don't pay taxes in this city. I don't think they should pay the whole tab, but they should pay something. They're already using damn near every city service without contributing, if they want a bridge, kick some fucking money in or petition for annexation.

 

While there are certainly fewer of them than Rollingwood or West Lake Hills residents, there are also City of Austin residents who live on the Westlake side of the bridge. 

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

While there are certainly fewer of them than Rollingwood or West Lake Hills residents, there are also City of Austin residents who live on the Westlake side of the bridge. 

And one of them happens to be Mayor. Just saying.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

6 hours ago, DanRydell said:

While there are certainly fewer of them than Rollingwood or West Lake Hills residents, there are also City of Austin residents who live on the Westlake side of the bridge. 

Well, I'm one of them, too.  And I actually think there are quite a lot more Austin residents that use that bridge than West Lake Hills residents.  I don't think people realize just how small the population of West Lake Hills is.

[DanRydell 799]

Well, I'm one of them, too.  And I actually think there are quite a lot more Austin residents that use that bridge than West Lake Hills residents.  I don't think people realize just how small the population of West Lake Hills is.

 

I was just counting Stratford and adjacent areas and had forgotten about basically all of Davenport being in Austin so you may well be right.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

19 minutes ago, DanRydell said:

 

I was just counting Stratford and adjacent areas and had forgotten about basically all of Davenport being in Austin so you may well be right.

Not just that, but also Lost Creek and the surrounding area.  Lost Creek alone might have a greater population than West Lake Hills.

[Orange&White 5522]

That is all true but it still doesn't excuse the Westlake residents from putting some skin in the game.

[Deej 76759]

Haven't had a need to use that bridge since they closed the Westlake Popeye's.

[ftf82 485]

I guarantee you that the West Lake Hills residents pay more taxes to the City of Austin in the form of sales tax than the City of Austin, Bee Cave and Lakeway residents that cut through West Lake to use the low water bridge pay in West Lake taxes. And believe me, knowing many of my neighbors, and reading the shitshow that is Nextdoor, lots of West Lake residents would be fine gating off Westlake Drive and Redbud to non-residents in exchange for giving up the Red Bud Bridge.

Edited October 25, 2018 by ftf82

[Deej 76759]

Then how do their maids get to work?

[ftf82 485]

Helicopter pads. Duh

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

I guarantee you that the West Lake Hills residents pay more taxes to the City of Austin in the form of sales tax than the City of Austin, Bee Cave and Lakeway residents that cut through West Lake to use the low water bridge pay in West Lake taxes. And believe me, knowing many of my neighbors, and reading the shitshow that is Nextdoor, lots of West Lake residents would be fine gating off Westlake Drive and Redbud to non-residents in exchange for giving up the Red Bud Bridge.

Gate Westlake and Redbud? Your neighbors sound like morons.

[ftf82 485]

I don’t disagree.  Look at the over abundance of speed bumps on side streets that have been installed since the work on Bee Caves Road started. Much bigger pain in the ass to residents but a few noisy types convinced the council that they would slow down cut through traffic. They, of course, haven’t.  You think Austin neighborhood groups are NIMBY? Go to a West Lake City Council meeting where an owner wants a variance to remove a 14” circumference cedar tree. 

Edited October 26, 2018 by ftf82

[Neonmoon 38129]

Quick question, Which dumb cunts can I vote out of office Nov 6?

[Thetexashammer 1062]

Y'all should have gone with my idea. A citywide system of gondolas would be awesome and useful and cheap.

[Hellraiser97 181]

On 10/24/2018 at 9:52 PM, atomheartbevo said:

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/-115k-contract-proposed-to-clean-one-austin-portable-toilet/1492303853

Only one contractor, Blue Chem Inc., submitted a bid.

We use them.  They're a good company.  They charge me a hell of a lot less than that!

[Biff Tannen 45673]

17 hours ago, Thetexashammer said:

Y'all should have gone with my idea. A citywide system of gondolas would be awesome and useful and cheap.

Hear hear!

[ABSR 5309]

On 10/25/2018 at 9:54 PM, Thetexashammer said:

Y'all should have gone with my idea. A citywide system of gondolas would be awesome and useful and cheap.

#teamgondola

[phdhorn 6224]

As long as they have a 351 Nautique engine strapped to them, I'm in.

[Hellraiser97 181]

http://www.kut.org/post/early-voting-runoff-elections-central-texas-has-begun-heres-everything-you-need-know

 

Early voting in the run-offs starts today.  These races tend to have low turnout and are really close, so if you're in District 1,3, or 8, GET YOUR ASS OUT AND VOTE

[Updawg 2266]

Who should I vote for in district 8

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

Paige Ellis, based on Frank Ward’s recent and extremely surprising stated opposition to building more housing in central Austin neighborhoods.

[Facemask 103]

Who should I vote for in district 8

Frank Ward, if you want someone that was close to what Troxclaire represented. And since Bozo is opposed to him.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

For the record, I thought Troxclair was a good fit for her district and a good councilperson.

And I would have assumed that Ward was along her lines until his shocking responses to questions on land use and planning. He sounded more like Leslie Pool or Allison Alter than Troxy.

 

[ChickenSandwich 9833]

Pool is the devil

[Bozo_Casanova 26444]

Speaking of Allison Alter voters, these people saw scooters being unloaded in their neighborhood so they CALLED THE COPS - (I may have bolded some things below, but this is a real story of a thing that actually happened.) 

 

Northwest Austin couple confused after Bird scooters dropped off near their home

An Austin couple woke up as people were trying to unload scooters in front of their home and they are now warning others.

 

Author: Hank Cavagnaro

Published: 10:57 PM CST November 28, 2018

Updated: 11:04 PM CST November 28, 2018

AUSTIN — Now scooters can be found just about anywhere in Austin, and most of the time they're lying around. But one Northwest Austin couple woke up as people were trying to unload scooters where they have never been unloaded before and, where the couple thinks, they don't make sense.

The Harrison's said they normally wake up and see just trees out their window, but Wednesday morning around 5 a.m. someone was unloading things out of their car onto the street.

Flores, Rebecca

After Tony Harrison started to take pictures, the man packed everything back up. About 10 minutes later, another car came so Tony called the police to see if they knew what happened. Harrison said the cops then told the person they could not be dropped there and needed to take all the scooters with them.

[Hellraiser97 181]

1 hour ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

For the record, I thought Troxclair was a good fit for her district and a good councilperson.

And I would have assumed that Ward was along her lines until his shocking responses to questions on land use and planning. He sounded more like Leslie Pool or Allison Alter than Troxy.

 

I actually think he's just playing politics.  There's a couple guys in my infill builder's group who are pretty heavily involved in politics and they think Ward is a friend to increased density.  He's just pushing the 'neighborhood character' angle for the NIMBY votes.  I sent him a facebook message and asked him "How do you up-zone in key transit corridors without 'impinging on the character of existing neighborhoods'? "  His response was typical political speak, but the feeling I got was that he was fine with up-zoning in central Austin more broadly and along key corridors in the south, but he just didn't want to see ADU's, triplexes, whatever in places like Legend Oaks/Circle C.  

Ellis also supports up-zoning, but she's been heavily involved with a lot of environmental groups that have opposed things like the SH-45 extension, Slaughter/LaCross over passes, etc.  Her idea of environmentalism is put everybody downtown and stop all progress in South Austin, including anything that would actually help traffic.  So if you like traffic, she's a good person to vote for.