WATCH: Austin Mayor Steve Adler outlines ‘immediate challenges’ in 2021 State of the City address
[ad_1]
The mayor said COVID-19 and vaccines, public safety, police and homelessness pose challenges for the city.
Austin, Texas – Austin’s Mayor Steve Adler believes Austin might be “perhaps the strongest big city” in the US, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t face its own challenges, he said.
Adler delivered his State of the City speech on Monday, August 30th Year address Details of the successes and struggles the city has seen over the past year and what is to come next year.
SEE: Austin Mayor Steve Adler gives the State of the City 2021 speech
The Mayor of Austin highlighted many of the city’s achievements in his 2021 speech, but also pointed out three “immediate challenges”: COVID-19 and vaccines, public safety and police, and homelessness.
Adler said the only way to stop the further spread of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated and mask yourself.
“Ninety percent of the people in our intensive care units are unvaccinated,” said Adler. “Do you know what these intensive care units are not filled with? People with vaccine side effects. “
Adler said he hopes to “lead by example” and to create one Vaccination order for city workers, or a test mandate for those who decide not to vaccinate.
He said Austin’s COVID-19 death rate was less than half that of the state. If Texas had the same death rate as Austin-Travis County, no more than 25,000 Texans would have died.
“Thanks to those who vaccinated and who are struggling with the decision and are still ready to listen and learn with an open mind,” said Adler. “Thank you for saving our economy, but more importantly, many lives, maybe even your own.”
Adler attributed misinformation for exacerbating all three challenges.
Austin is one of the five safest cities in the United States, according to Joseph Chacon, the interim police chief of Austin. Adler also said it is the safest of the four largest cities in Texas.
“We are not dealing with an insecure city, but with those who work hard to create the impression that we are insecure,” said Adler.
He said it was not true that Austin City Council compensated the police by asking $ 150 million from the police budget. APD’s budget for the 2021-22 financial year restored this funding in accordance with a new law signed by Governor Greg Abbott earlier this year.
Instead, Adler pointed out that APDs new cadet class began earlier this year, and the city budget approves two additional classes next year. APD also launched his illegal arms initiative, strengthens community oversight of policing and invests in first-line mental health responses.
“I believe we will make a safe city even safer with a comprehensive approach to public safety that is data-driven, adapts to changing needs, and takes into account the combined efforts of our police, firefighters, rescue workers and mental health.” Support experts, ”said Adler.
According to voters passed proposal B in May, Adler said it is important to help people with homelessness not only find shelter, but also give them the resources they need to lead a more permanent lifestyle.
“We see success moving hundreds of tents into serviced homes rather than moving one storage area in one neighborhood to another storage area in another neighborhood,” Adler said. “I think most people in this city agree that we have to rise to this challenge, remove the tents, shelter and support people, and do so in a way that invests our money in long-term solutions.”
Adler said the city council did bought hotels in four districts and built more than 600 homes for the homeless. The council’s goal is to accommodate 3,000 people who are chronically homeless over the next three years.
Achievements Adler mentioned included an unemployment rate of 4.2%, a labor market that has ranked second since the pandemic began, and Austin’s efforts to rethink public safety.
Adler also said he was “especially proud” of Austin’s accomplishments in terms of transportation and the city council’s ability to levy property tax under the Financial year 2021-22.
VIDEO: Train hits an 18-wheeler with attached rotor blade
The Austin Fire Department is “heartbroken” after a firefighter dies of COVID-19
A moving-in disaster: UT students at The Standard Apartments are concerned about their safety
[ad_2]