Stephanie Elizalde is the finalist to be the Austin Independent School District superintendent. AISD trustees voted Tuesday night to approve Elizalde as the final candidate in a vote that will enable the Dallas chief of school leadership to begin her new position before classes start on Aug. 18. “I am honored and humbled to be named as the lone finalist and both excited and eager to work with the board, the staff and the community,” Elizalde said. “Es un honor para servir la comunidad!” A full story about the vote can be found at KUT, and more information on Elizalde’s background is available on the AISD website.

Travis County can officially welcome Tesla to the region. The California electric car maker announced yesterday that it had selected eastern Travis County as the home of its new Gigafactory, which will generate 5,000 new jobs over 20 years and $1 billion in capital investment as well as $8.8 million in tax revenue benefit for Travis County. “It strikes a balance between incentivizing Tesla, securing significant community benefits and ensuring protection of workers and the environment,” Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe said in a statement. As part of the agreement, Tesla will invest 10 percent of its tax rebate funds into community programs, including workforce initiatives, technical colleges and programs for K-12 schools. “It gives us three things we need in East Austin,” Mayor Steve Adler said in his statement. “It gives us thousands of good wage jobs that don’t need a four-year degree. Its factory will be better for people and the planet. It’s an important economic boost in East Austin, especially as we fight the economic effects of the virus.” This formal announcement occurs a week after the Travis County Commissioners Court approved a $13.9 million tax rebate deal to incentivize Tesla to move to the area.

City Council District 2 candidates David Chincanchan and Vanessa Fuentes will have their first opportunity to participate together in an online forum tonight from 6-7 p.m. Hosting the forum are leaders from the Dove Springs and Del Valle neighborhoods. Ana Aguirre of the area’s neighborhood plan contact team and Pat King of Del Valle have organized the forum, which will be streamed via Zoom and Facebook Live and posted to a YouTube channel. According to their news release, Dove Springs and Del Valle are among the areas of the city most severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Expect to hear questions about how the candidates would address problems caused by the pandemic and perennial issues such as the Land Development Code rewrite and property taxes. Delia Garza, the current District 2 Council member, was elected on July 14 to be Travis County attorney, a job she will start in January since she does not have an opponent on the November ballot. So far, Fuentes and Chincanchan are the only candidates who have designated campaign treasurers and started campaigning for the District 2 seat. The filing deadline for the November election is Aug. 17.

As anticipated, Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe has extended the moratorium on evictions until Sept. 30. The order prohibits landlords from filing notices to vacate, which initiate the beginning of the eviction process. Eviction hearings have also been put on hold until the end of September, which means evictions won’t be processed while that hold is in place.

Although the vast majority of votes in the special election for Senate District 14 came in and were counted last week, county clerks in Bastrop and Travis counties could not complete their final tally until Monday because of votes arriving from military and overseas voters. When the two counties did their final tally to determine who would succeed Kirk Watson – who stepped down to become the founding dean of the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston – former County Judge Sarah Eckhardt was still in the lead and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez was still in second place. According to their figures, Eckhardt needed just 304 more votes out of more than 121,000 to win the race without a runoff. Her campaign manager, Mykle Tomlinson, released the following statement: “Now that the Republicans, Libertarian and Independent are out of the race, it’s important to note that Sarah Eckhardt won 59.5 percent of the votes cast for Democrats. No amount of money or attacks were going to change the facts – Sarah Eckhardt is a proven leader who is willing to show up and do the hard work needed to be an effective public servant. This is why her closest competitor trailed her by over 19,000 votes.” Rodriguez said, “I am deeply appreciative of the support my campaign has received over the past couple months. We couldn’t have come this far without the support of everyone who has made phone calls, chipped in, organized their friends and families, and voted. Now we head into a runoff with the momentum.”

The community organization Voices of Austin has made its first foray into city politics by questioning the legality of a video produced to showcase the benefits of Project Connect. The group issued a press release noting “it is illegal to use public funds to advertise to persuade voters on a ballot choice.” The board of directors for the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Austin City Council have both voted to adopt Project Connect, a $9.8 billion plan that includes three light rail lines and a new commuter rail line as well as seven new and improved bus routes. Council is expected to vote in August to put the matter on the November ballot. Peck Young, executive director of Voices of Austin, said in a written statement, “Having a government entity, such as Capital Metro, use public funds to pay for any part of producing or advertising partisan commercials or videos, leading up to an election on the issue, would be clearly illegal. We’ve asked for some answers because we believe Austin residents deserve to know how their money is being spent.” Voices of Austin has sent a letter to Capital Metro officials seeking details about funding of the video but has not received a response. The Austin Monitor asked Mariette Hummel, the agency’s chief public information officer, for a comment on the Voices of Austin claim. “Our board approved a system plan expansion, and we’re moving forward on elements of that program. It’s our duty to educate and inform the public about what the program includes.” Young says his group will continue to question Capital Metro’s use of public money, and if necessary, file a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission. For guidance on state law related to use of public money for advertising versus information, attorney Roger Borgelt referred the Monitor to the Texas Ethics Commission’s resources on advertising.

At the July 21 meeting of the Travis County Commissioners Court, commissioners voted to issue a burn ban in the unincorporated areas of the county beginning July 21 and extending through Aug. 26. The burn ban does not limit prescribed burns or outdoor grilling, although Travis County Fire Marshal Tony Callaway urged caution when barbecuing outdoors. “Because conditions have continued to worsen over the last several weeks, there is an increased risk in fire potential,” he said. “While we could potentially receive some rainfall, there is no guarantee at this time and a burn ban is necessary to ensure public safety.”

Starting today, Austin families can receive free produce boxes from AISD. The boxes, which will feature locally grown produce from the Common Market Texas, are available to families with children under the age of 19. Children or adults with children (or documentation proving they have children) can pick up boxes at sites throughout the city. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is helping to fund the program. “Covid-19 has resulted in food insecurity well beyond what we’ve experienced in the past,” said Aliya Hussaini, a spokesperson for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, in a press release about the program. “Austin ISD has made a remarkable pivot, in a time of great uncertainty and need, to serve as a front-line healthy food access point for children and families in our community. The Common Market is working nationally to ensure that families receive high-quality, nutritious food while also supporting farmers to distribute their product and support their employees’ livelihoods.” The produce boxes are available until they run out. Distribution will take place from 9-11 a.m on the following dates and locations:

• Wednesday, July 22: Burnet Middle School, Dobie Middle School, Padron Elementary and T.A. Brown Elementary School.
• Wednesday, July 29: Akins Early College High School, Crockett Early College High School, Dawson Elementary School and Pleasant Hill Elementary School.
• Wednesday, Aug. 5: Anderson High School, Eastside Memorial Early College High School, LBJ Early College High School, Blanton Elementary School and Blackshear Elementary School.
• Wednesday, Aug. 12: Travis Early College High School, Govalle Elementary School, Oak Hill Elementary School, Perez Elementary School and Uphaus Early Childhood Center.

Texas can expect to finish Fiscal Year 2021 with a shortfall of $4.58 billion, according to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. (FY 2021 started on July 1.) Hegar announced the figure Monday, attributing the decrease to the Covid-19 pandemic and volatility in oil prices. The new figure compares to a previous positive ending balance of $2.89 billion, which Hegar projected last October. According to a news release from the Comptroller’s Office, the estimate assumes the state will effectively manage the pandemic and also assumes that “restrictions on businesses and individuals will be lifted before the end of this calendar year and that economic activity will strengthen but not return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this biennium.” Because of strong sales tax collections in the first half of the fiscal year, FY 2020’s sales tax revenues are expected to finish at only 1 percent lower than FY 2019 totals, but Hegar is expecting a drop of more than 4 percent in 2021. The state’s Rainy Day Fund, formally known as the Economic Stabilization Fund, and the State Highway Fund receive funding from severance taxes on oil and natural gas. Each is expected to receive $1.1 billion in transfers from the General Revenue Fund for severance taxes collected in FY 2020, but those transfers are expected to drop significantly in the future. Stephanie Rubin, CEO of Texans Care for Children, called on Gov. Greg Abbott and the Legislature “to make sure Texas families keep getting the services they need as they deal with high unemployment and a public health crisis.” She added, “State leaders should use the Rainy Day Fund and push Congress to boost funding to states during this crisis.” There has been a suggestion that the state may cut its funding for health services because of lower revenues. But Rubin said, “This would be about the worst time imaginable for state budget-writers to make things harder on Texas kids and families.”

In a Monday press release, AURA endorsed a number of November transportation issues, including the full Project Connect plan, the proposed $750 million active transportation bond and a Vision Zero bond. In a letter identifying its November priorities, embedded below, the group also urged City Council “to develop a comprehensive anti-residential displacement policy approach for areas impacted by transit investment” by making use of funding structures like PIDs, TIFs and housing funds. “We have an opportunity to build the infrastructure that will profoundly change how we move around our city and to do it in a way that will benefit all of us for generations to come,” said Cesar Acosta, AURA board president.

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Photo by Amitava Sarkar, Forklift Danceworks.

The Givens Park Working Group is teaming up with Forklift Danceworks and Austin PBS to produce an online celebration and community conversation this Saturday. The virtual event, which is free and open to the community, “honors the legacy of Dr. Everett Givens, the namesake of Givens Park and a tireless advocate for the Black community,” according to a news release. “Viewers will learn more about Dr. Givens as well as continued efforts to build community, celebrate Black achievement, document history, and steward one of the most meaningful public spaces in East Austin.” It’s not all educational, however; the event kicks off with a tribute – hosted by KAZI’s Kimberly Holiday – to Givens Swims, a storytelling dance performance that took place in Givens Pool last July. The tribute is followed by a panel discussion featuring Givens Park community leaders. Steven Brown, president of the Givens Park Working Group, said, “We are hosting this event to let city leadership as well as longtime and new Austinites know that as a Black community ‘We are still here!’ Through this event, we will create awareness about the leadership and legacy of Dr. Everett Givens, discuss how there is still much work to do, and let the wider public know how it will take all of us working together to fully complete that work.” Tune in Saturday, July 25, 2-4 p.m. at Forklift Danceworks.

The Economic Development Department and the San Antonio office of the federal Small Business Administration are teaming up to offer a free online workshop on “federal financial resources for businesses, nonprofits and self-employed individuals impacted by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Topics include recent revisions to the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, along with an opportunity to ask questions on program eligibility.” Veronica Briseño, the city’s chief economic recovery officer, said in a news release that the recent Covid-19 Business Impact Survey, done in partnership with the Austin Chamber, showed that the pandemic continues to have “severe financial impacts” on small businesses and self-employed people. Because of that, she said, it’s critical that local employers and entrepreneurs are able to take advantage of federal and local disaster relief programs “during this unprecedented time.” The virtual workshop is Thursday, July 23, from 3-4 p.m. Register on Eventbrite.