#NEWS // BG Reads | November 8, 2022
[AUSTIN METRO]
Early voter turnout for Nov. 8 election falls behind previous years in Travis County (Community Impact)
As of Nov. 7, 37.19% of registered voters in Travis County cast their ballots during the 12-day early voting period for the Nov. 8 election, trailing behind some previous elections.
This year’s early voting turnout is lower than the past two presidential elections in 2016 and 2020; however, it is also below the last gubernatorial election in 2018, which brought in 47.27% of voters.
A total of 329,848 ballots were cast during early voting, and there are 887,007 registered Travis County’s voters… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Statesman PUD nears final approval (Austin Monitor)
The redevelopment proposal for the former Austin American-Statesman site is headed for final approval in the coming weeks after City Council on Thursday approved the planned unit development, or PUD, on second reading.
If Council approves the PUD ordinance on third and final reading, developer Endeavor Real Estate will be able to transform the 19-acre lakefront tract at 305 S. Congress Ave., currently home to vacant offices and surface parking, into a huge mixed-use development.
Plans show 1,378 residential units, 1.5 million square feet of office space, 275 hotel rooms and 150,000 square feet of retail and restaurants spread across six towers up to 525 feet tall. Over half of the site will be parks and public space, including a reconstructed hike-and-bike trail and a bat watching area.
The vote on second reading was 7-1-2-1, with Council members Alison Alter against, Mackenzie Kelly and Ann Kitchen abstaining, and Kathie Tovo off the dais… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Council to curtail increases to energy bills, but by how much? (Austin Monitor)
City Council members have their work cut out for them this month, with the first of six work sessions leaving a lot of ground to cover before their vote on Austin Energy base rates for 2023.
With the independent hearing examiner ruling largely in its favor, Austin Energy is continuing to propose a shift to higher fixed monthly fees to resolve its under-recovered costs. Still, Council members are concerned about the impacts of such steep increases for residents already adjusting to an increase to the power supply adjustment charge, not to mention Austin’s continuing affordability crisis.
“I just want to punctuate this conversation with the fact that the increase to the PSA took place today, and so many of our Austin Energy customers are already feeling that $15 average increase on their bills,” Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said. “And then here we are considering a proposal that would more than double the base rate amount from $10 to $25. I’m very concerned about the rate shock effect this could have on our residential customers.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin school bond proposition in trouble (AXIOS Austin)
At least one plank of an Austin school district modernization effort that's before voters tomorrow could be in trouble.
Driving the news: Internal polling this fall by the Committee for Austin's Children, a political action committee that is advocating for the bond package, showed that support for a bond proposal for improvements to key stadiums and activity centers is under 50%, Axios Austin has learned.
Why it matters: District officials say long-term maintenance savings from facility improvements will lead to better teacher pay… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
CMT Awards tried to stay in Nashville, but Austin is the place to be (Austin Business Journal)
The CMT Awards are moving to Austin in 2023 because they could not find a venue in Nashville, Butch Spyridon, CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitor’s Corp., told the Business Journal.
The CMT Awards — which honor country musicians with fan-voted awards — have been held in Nashville for decades at various places such as Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, Curb Event Center and Music City Center. 2023 will mark the first year the award show has not been held in Music City… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, one of the most far-right members of the House, announces he’s running for speaker (Texas Tribune)
State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, announced Friday he is running for speaker, challenging fellow Republican Dade Phelan.
Tinderholt is one of the furthest-right Republicans in the chamber, and in a statement, he made clear he would be running on his opposition to Democratic committee chairs.
“Will the priority legislation of the Republican Party of Texas receive a vote on the Texas House floor?” Tinderholt said in a statement. “The truth is, we have no idea with our current speaker in control.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
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As warning signs flash for Democrats, Lina Hidalgo targets Black, Latino voters in final days of election (Houston Chronicle)
With early voting numbers showing a drop in turnout among Black and Latino voters, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo spent the Sunday before Election Day attempting to shore up the coalition that helped power her upset victory four years ago, campaigning with first lady Jill Biden at predominantly Black churches and a Latino outreach event. The flurry of last-minute campaign activity reflects the angst settling in among Democrats ahead of Tuesday’s election in Harris County, where Hidalgo and Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer are locked in a closer-than-expected battle for the county’s top elected post… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
GOP heavyweights McCarthy, Gingrich back ‘triple threat’ candidates in McAllen (McAllen Monitor)
With control of the U.S. House and Senate up for grabs on Election Day Tuesday, the Rio Grande Valley has increasingly become a battleground region for national politicos. After more than a century as a staunch Democratic stronghold, the Valley has begun to lean more heavily red in recent years, which, in turn, has drawn some of the biggest names in the GOP down here to stump for new Republican hopefuls. The latest example of that came Sunday, when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich made an appearance at the Radisson Hotel in support of the so-called “triple threat” — Mayra Flores, Monica De La Cruz and Cassy Garcia… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
These Texans gave the most political donations during the 2022 election cycle (Austin American-Statesman)
They are the Texas Top Ten — the Texans who have the most federal campaign contributions during the 2022 midterm election cycle. While Dallas and Houston billionaires donating to Republicans dominate the pack, there is one top donor from Austin, Carolyn Oliver, a retired physician, attorney and philanthropist, who ranked ninth with $1.78 million in contributions, almost all for Democratic committees or candidates, according to federal data compiled for the American Statesman by opensecrets.org, a nonpartisan organization. Oliver’s largest donations were $500,000 to the Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic political action committee for the U.S. Senate; $219,000 for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; and $219,000 for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She also gave $100,000 to the House Majority PAC, which is aligned with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
It's going to be hard for Biden to meet this $11 billion climate change promise (NPR)
President Biden has pledged to direct $11 billion annually toward international climate aid by 2024, quadrupling the previous U.S. high-water mark.
It is something that Biden has raised repeatedly in speeches to other world leaders, including during the United Nations General Assembly in September.
"To meet our global responsibility, my administration is working with our Congress to deliver more than $11 billion a year to international climate finance," Biden said then, "to help lower-income countries implement their climate goals and ensure a just energy transition."… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[HEARINGS AND MEETINGS]
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[BG PODCAST]
Today's episode (169) features Larry Smith, Chairman of Austin-based Tokyo Electron US Holdings Inc.
Part of an ongoing series on the CHIPS and Science Act passed in August, Larry and Bingham Group CEO A.J. discuss its impact on the Austin and Central Texas.
The bipartisan bill includes more than $50 billion in incentives for manufacturers of semiconductors, or chips, to build domestic semiconductor plants.
Enjoyed this episode? Please like, share, and comment! Follow Bingham Group on LinkedIn!