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May 16, 2012 

Congressional Action Threatens Census Survey

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an Appropriations Bill last week that ends the American Community Survey, the country's only source of community estimates of social and demographic characteristics.  ACS data helps determine how more than $400 million in federal funding is distributed to communities for everything from transportation to health and human services. It is used by schools, hospitals, local governments and other jurisdictions to plan where and how to expand services.

 

The Bill also terminates the Economic Census, which measures the health of our economy and provides the data for GDP estimates and other data that help businesses plan where and how to expand. Other funding cuts to the U.S. Census Bureau would impact the 2020 decennial census.

 

See also these articles on the subject: 

  

 

May 29th Primary Election

VoteEarly voting for the May 29th Primary Election began Monday and runs through Friday, May 25th.  On May 29th, voters will select party candidates for President, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, State elected officials, and local offices including Travis County Sheriff, Travis County Commissioners, District Attorney and Tax Assessor-Collector. Learn about the issues and the candidates in the Austin League of Women Voters' Voters Guide.

Task Force Recommends $575 Million in Bonds

BondDev_logoA Citizens Bond Election Advisory Task Force voted on a list of $575 million in proposed bond projects earlier this week.  The Task Force is working to pare their list of housing, parks, facilities and transportation projects further to a $400 million bond package.  The recommendations of the Task Force will be presented to the Austin City Council on June 4th.

 

The list of projects approved by the Citizens Task Force include...

  • $100,500,000 for affordable housing,
  • $98,800,000 for facilities,
  • $150,000,000 for parks and open space,
  • $208,700,000 in transportation and mobility projects, and
  • $17,000,000 in other projects identified by the community.

The City Budget Office reports that a one-cent property tax increase would fund $500 million in bond projects and a two-cent tax increase would fund $625 million.  It is expected that a request for bonds for urban rail may be added to the bond package in addition to the projects identified by the Citizens Bond Election Advisory Task Force, which is why the Task Force is attempting to trim the list of projects to $400 million.

 

This Austin American Statesman article includes a link to an excel spreadsheet listing the recommended projects.  City Council will make the final decision on whether to put a bond election on the November ballot, and what will be included in the bond package.

 

In This Issue
May 29th Primary Elections
$575 M in City Bonds Proposed
Improving Mobility on IH-35
New Ready By 21 Leader
Viva! Streets
2-1-1 Training
CAN Survey: Thank You for Your Input
CAN Board Reviews Health Initiatives 
CAN Community Council Takes a Look at Disparities in School Discipline  
CAN Events Calendar
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Improving Mobility on IH-35

IH 35 MobilityThe City of Austin is partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation and other transportation agencies to improve one of the region's most important stretches of highway with innovative approaches. An open house from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, at 721 Barton Springs Road invites the public to comment on proposed changes. Free parking is available at the Palmer Events Center or at One Texas Center.    

 

In 2010, voters approved funding to look at improving the IH-35 stretch from US 290 E. to William Cannon Drive. City and state officials are pursuing improvements for IH-35 to reduce congestion, improve difficult connections, and more that can be implemented in the next three to seven years. 

New Leader for Ready by 21 

RB21 logoThe Ready by 21 Coalition has new leadership! Sabine Foster has been selected to serve as the new facilitator for the initiative. Ms. Foster has a wealth of experience in supporting community collaborations and in working with a number of Ready by 21 partners including the Central Texas Afterschool Network, Austin ISD, and the St. John Community School Alliance. She consults on training and technical assistance initiatives for the statewide 21st Century Learning Communities Network, is a certified facilitator, and is a certified trainer for the Youth Program Quality methods.

 

The next quarterly meeting of Ready by 21 will be on August 9th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at Workforce Solutions, 6505 Airport Blvd. People who are interested in getting involved or learning more about Ready by 21 may visit the Ready by 21 website.
 

Run, Play, Walk & Roll     

Viva StreetsJoin the energetic fun at VIVA STREETS! ­This car-free, tobacco-free street festival will be held on Sunday, May 20th on downtown Sixth Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Sixth Street will be closed to automobiles and open for biking, strolling, skateboarding and having a good time.   There will be live music, good food and family-friendly activities.

 

"Viva! Streets" is a born-in-Austin take on the Ciclovia, a Columbian idea that has become an international phenomenon. Learn more at www.vivastreetsaustin.org.

2-1-1 Training

Help2-1-1 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 government, non-profit, private and faith-based organizations who work together to enhance the social, health, educational and economic well-being of Austin/Travis County.  As a convener, connector and informer, CAN enhances awareness of community issues, strengthens partnerships, and supports collaborative strategies that promote equity and opportunities for all people to reach their full potential.

 
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.