BG NOTE: Recapping Austin Mayor Kirk Watson's Texas Tribune Conversation (1.24.2023)
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson speaking with The Texas Tribune.
January 24, 2023 (Austin, Texas) - Today, The Texas Tribune hosted a conversation with Austin Mayor Kirk Watson to learn more about his plans for the city.
The conversation began with questions regarding Mayor Watson’s election results, particularly how the majority of his votes and donations came from West Austin.
Asked what he was doing to specifically reach out to the East side of the city, people of color, and younger constituents, Mayor Watson replied he intended to really listen, lead with intentionality, and get out there in the community. He recalled his frustrations with policy issues that did not receive as much spotlight on the campaign trail, like affordable housing and early child care, and emphasized he not only agreed with but wants to live up to equitable and inclusive solutions demanded by those who didn't vote for him.
The discussion then turned to several persistent issues affecting Austin, including on homelessness, affordable housing, workforce, transportation, and public safety.
The following are key takeaways from each of those issues and how Mayor Watson plans to address them:
HOMELESSNESS
The issue Mayor Watson stated he worked on most in his first seventeen days in office.
He stated the city of Austin has previously been given an all or nothing choice when it comes to homelessness. He believed more infrastructure was needed to humanely enforce camping bans and do not require police enforcement.
He wanted Austin to be a national model when it comes to addressing homelessness
And he believed jail wasn’t the solution to an unhoused person having a mental health crisis. Rather he wanted to create diversion centers that provides people the healthcare they need.
HOUSING
Mayor Watson stated permitting and streamlining approvals would among many immediate steps in his first 100 days as mayor.
He wants to honor Austin’s 10-1 government system by allowing individual districts to decide Land Development Code (LDC) changes and reward those who build affordable housing. He criticized the most recent LDC reform attempt as being an all or nothing approach. He believed this new approach will move the city forward.
He believes in Private Public Partnerships (P3’s) as a tool to address the housing crises.
WORKFORCE
Mayor Watson envisioned creating a network of skilled trades, colleges, universities, and employers that start workforce development as soon as 9th grade.
He hoped to shift the economic paradigm from focusing solely on job creation to how many of those jobs were filled with local talent.
He wanted to continue breaking down structural barriers caused by the 1928 Master Plan by examining and introducing policies such as Affordable Childcare.
Lastly, Mayor Watson stated he was in the process of creating a blue ribbon task force to develop early child care policy/solutions for the city.
TRANSPORTATION
Mayor Watson wants to reassess Project Connect, and work with the city to develop a transit plan that works for the city’s demand for diverse transportation.
He also supports reimagining I-35.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Mayor Watson believes in just policies through training and accountability.
A key priority is working to fill in police and 911 responder job vacancies.
The conversation concluded with a series of questions from the audience. Asked if he intends to run again at the end of his two year tenure, Mayor Watson confirmed he would be seeking re-election in 2024.
Click here to view The Texas Tribune video recording of Mayor Watson’s conversation.