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Community Dashboard 2012 | |
 Community Action Network has released its third annual Community Dashboard, a short list of key indicators that measure the social, health, educational and economic well-being of Austin and Travis County. A companion web site, www.cancommunitydashboard.org, provides a deeper analysis for each of the 16 indicators.
New in this year's report are a Strategic Framework for Action that highlights broad categories of strategies that can help move the indicators in the right direction, and common strategies that are suggested in multiple community planning documents. The report also contains expanded demographic data and targets for many of the indicators.
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Economic Forecast Bodes Well for City Budget | |
 The City of Austin kicked off its annual budget review and development process with a work session and some good news about revenue projections. Sales tax revenues are up 7% year to date and total property values have increased by 5%. This good news is tempered with the fact that utility transfers, which comprise about 20% of total general revenue, will be held steady, and there will be reductions in federal grant funding.
According to the budget forecast, the City would need to increase its property tax rate by 1.8-cents to maintain a structurally balanced budget. This would translate into about an additional $33 dollars a year for the average homeowner. The budget forecast does not include $24.6 million in unmet needs that have been identified by departments to make up for federal budget cuts, expiring grants and other needs.
Watch today's City Council Budget Work Session on Cable Channel 6. |
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Community Dashboard Press Conference
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City Council members Laura Morrison and Kathy Tovo joined Dashboard Steering Committee Chair Ashton Cumberbatch and CAN Executive Director Vanessa Sarria in releasing the 2012 Community Dashboard report at a press conference on April 16th. Watch the press conference on Cable Channel 6. |
| CAN Events Calendar | |
Keep up with community events and post your own events on the CAN Community Events Calendar.
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| Follow CAN's Tweets | |
Get short, timely updates on meetings, research and more on CAN_Austin. |
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Sales Tax Revenue to Local Governments Up | |
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced that state sales tax revenue in March was $1.87 billion, up 16.9 percent compared to March 2011. Combs will send April local sales tax allocations totaling $488.7 million to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts. April 2012 tax allocations were up 17 percent compared to April 2011.
Local Sales Tax Allocations (April 2012)| Recipient | April 2012
Allocations | Change from
April 2011 | Year-to-date
Change |
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| Cities | $321.8M | ↑ 15.1% | ↑ 9.2% |
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| Counties | $32.8M | ↑ 22.8% | ↑ 15.5% |
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| Transit Systems | $110.1M | ↑ 17.5% | ↑ 10.6% |
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| Special Purpose Taxing Districts | $24.1M | ↑ 35.6% | ↑ 24.6% |
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| Total | $488.7M | ↑ 17.0% | ↑ 10.5% |
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"The latest sales tax revenue numbers mark a continuation of recent trends we have seen in sales tax receipts," Combs said. "Strong collections continued in oil and gas-related sectors, while growth in revenue from the retail sector and restaurants also accelerated." For details of local sales tax allocations in April to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller's website. |
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GO Bond Development - Final Stages for Input | |
 The Citizens Bond Election Advisory Task Force will hold two community forums to get public feedback on the initial committee recommendations for new General Obligation bonds.
City Departments have submitted a wish list of almost $1.5 billion of capital projects that could be funded with bonds. City Council has directed the Bond Election Advisory Task Force to pare down this list and prioritize these needs to no more than $400 million of bond funding.
Public meetings to provide input on the bond committees' recommendations for G.O. bonds for affordable housing, parks, transportation, and facilities will be held...
- Wednesday, May 2nd, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Akins High School, 10701 South 1st Street (bus route #201); and
- Thursday, May 3rd, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Lanier High School, 1201 Payton Gin Road (bus route #1L, #1M, #10, #325.
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Young People are Ditching Cars in Favor of Public Transit | |
 A new report, Transportation and the New Generation, finds that, for the first time since World War II, Americans are driving less, and the trend is especially pronounced among young people. From 2001 to 2009, the average number of vehicle miles traveled by young people aged 16 to 34 decreased by 23 percent while the average number of miles traveled by this age group on public transit increased by 40 percent.
The report notes that the changing transportation preferences of young people, and Americans overall, will have big implications for transportation policy. The report suggests that national, state and local governments prioritize transportation investments to meet the demand for transportation alternatives such as public transit, bike lanes, and sidewalks.
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New Census Boundaries to Impact Local Transportation Services | |
The Census Bureau recently released the list of new Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters. For transportation related activities these boundaries have broad and far reaching affects. The Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Census Bureau and others will conduct a 2-hour webinar on Boundary Issues and Transportation. Participants in the webinar can expect to learn about the various Transportation related boundaries, where and how they interact with the federal programs and the steps that state and local agencies need to take to address the boundary related requirements.
Since registration is limited for the webinar, CAMPO is coordinating a group viewing at the TXDOT District Office on Friday, April 27, 2012 TxDOT District Office, Bldg. 7, Large Conference Room, 7901 N. IH 35, Austin 78753. The webinar will take place from 12 noon (Central) to 2 pm (Central). |
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New "Community of Respect" Effort Launched |
 Mayor Pro-Tem Sheryl Cole will join members of the Hate Crimes Task Force in announcing a new "Community of Respect" initiative this Friday, April 20th at 10:30 a.m. at Whole Foods Market at 6th and Lamar. This new initiative of the Austin Anti-Defamation League offers businesses, organizations, and houses of worship the opportunity to cultivate a culture of respect and acceptance. Organizations can earn the Community of Respect® designation by appointing a diversity committee, signing a Resolution of Respect, and completing three or more anti-bias activities.
Whole Foods Market is the first Austin company to commit to participating in ADL's Community of Respect®. Whole Foods Market is joined by Motorola Mobility, Wells Fargo, Calendar Club, Endeavor Real Estate Group, Seton Healthcare Network, Waxman Cavner Lawson, Unisource, Whale Shark Media, Schlosser Development, GSD&M, Austin Woman Magazine, Ballet Austin and Theater Action Project. |
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New Federal Agency Boosts Disability and Aging Issues | The federal government has announced a new Administration for Community Living within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the new agency is to help people with disabilities and seniors get the services and support they need to remain in their community, rather than in a nursing home other institution.
The new agency merges the Administration on Aging, the Office on Disability and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities into a single agency. The on-line publication disabilityscoop says the change could give significantly more voice to those working on developmental disability issues by shifting these concerns to a cabinet-level agency.
"It's the beginning of a much stronger position for disability interests in the Department of Health and Human Services," said
Ari Ne'eman, president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network , who called the organizational shake-up a "game changer." |
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Enhancing Counseling Practices, Advocacy & Community Outreach with Asian Americans in Central Texas | |
Join a discussion and information session hosted by the Asian Behavioral Health Network & YWCA Greater Austin with mental health and service providers who specialize in working with Asian and Asian American clients. Featuring a keynote speech by Ramey Ko, Associate Municipal Judge (First Asian American judge in the City of Austin and Member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian American & Pacific Islanders).
The session will take place on Friday, May 4 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Austin Travis County Integral Care Training Room at 1700 South Lamar Blvd. A light breakfast will be provided so please make sure to register at abhn.austin@gmail.com. |
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Qualified Nursing Candidates Turned Away Despite Demand |
 Despite the critical need for more nurses and the fact that more young people than ever want to become nurses, thousands of qualified applicants are turned away from nursing schools each year. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that 75,000 qualified applicants were not accepted into nursing programs last year due primarily to a shortage of faculty and resource constraints.
An article in the Fort Worth Business Press reports that in Texas, 8,000 to 12,000 qualified applicants are turned away from Texas' 100 nursing programs for the same reasons.
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Forum on Pros and Cons of Privatization of Government Services | |
The League of Women Voters of the Austin area is studying the effects of outsourcing and privatization of government services and functions. The League will host a panel discussion on how Governments at the local, state and national level have been outsourcing some functions or services to the private sector for decades. Sometimes this enhances services, but at other times there is a detrimental effect.
The forum will be held this Sunday, April 22nd at 2 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 4001 Speedway. |
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Austin's Community Needs - Join a Conversation & Rank Your Priorities | |
Austin's Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department is continuing its series of conversations about housing. This month, the focus will be on what can be done to ensure there is affordable housing in all parts of Austin. The panel discussion will take place next Tuesday, April 24th from 9 a.m. to noon at Austin City Council Chambers, 301 W. 2nd St.
These Community Conversations are 1 of 6 ways for Austinites to share ideas on prioritizing resources for low-income residents. Rank Your Priorities on this survey before April 27th. For more information contact Patricia Bourenane at (512) 974-1057 or patricia.bourenane@austintexas.gov. |
| 2-1-1 Training | |
 2-1-1 Texas offers free monthly trainings on when to use 2-1-1 Texas and how to search the 2-1-1 Texas database to find information about available community resources. The targeted audience for these trainings is social services professionals and volunteers. Registration for the training sessions, offered the last Friday of each month, is not required.
Training sessions are held on the last Friday of every month at 2 p.m. at United Way Capital Area, 2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and last about an hour and a half. For more information, call 2-1-1 and select option 1 or email Amy Price at amy.price@unitedwaycapitalarea.org. |
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 Working to promote equity and opportunity. Community Action Network (CAN) is a partnership of agencies, organizations and individuals who work together to enhance the social, health, educational and economic well-being of Central Texas. CAN's role is to enhance awareness of community issues, strengthen partnerships, and support collaborative strategies to promote equity and opportunity.
CAN Partners: Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Community College, Austin Independent School District, Austin Travis County Integral Care, Capital Metro, Central Health, City of Austin, Community Justice Council, interfaith Action Central Texas (iACT), One Voice Central Texas, Seton Healthcare Family, St. David's Foundation, St. Edward's University, Travis County, United Way Capital Area, University of Texas at Austin, and Workforce Solutions - Capital Area. CAN Issue Area Groups: Aging Services Council, Behavioral Health Planning Partnership, Central Texas Afterschool Network, Child & Youth Mental Health Planning Partnership, Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, HousingWorks, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Coalition, Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, Ready by 21, Reentry Roundtable, Regional Transit Coordination Committee and Success by Six. |
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