Austin’s Mayor Steve Adler appeared on the Todd and Don show today. He says in the upcoming City Council session, Thursday (6/6/19), a trio of ordinances: sit-and-lie, panhandling and camping in public, could be eased or even repealed. Mayor Adler said he would not vote to repeal. Instead the mayor wants a renewed focus on things that work like housing and treatment, which is in line with what some in Austin’s Business community have been saying. He also touched on changes he wants to see in the ARCH Homeless shelter.
The mayor said he is seeing a $58-60 million dollar budget deficit following but would not say where the city would make up for those dollars. He did say, cuts will happen, they will be felt, but that public safety remains the city’s first priority.
Looking to Traffic, the Mayor said while he voted in favor of adding lanes to I-35 he told the Todd and Don show there should also be tolled lane on I-35, like there is on MOPAC.
The mayor also continued to support the idea of expanding the Austin Convention Center. Adler explained, by Texas Law, the city needs to expand the convention center if the city want to take more advantage of the Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars.
Listen to the full interview here:
(Photo by: Elissa Nieves, News Radio KLBJ)
