RYAN AUTULLO Published October 21, 2022
Article edited for brevity, includes only candidate stances on public safety issues.
The American-Statesman surveyed the candidates in Austin’s mayor’s race to get their positions on some of the key issues facing the city.
Here are their responses, some of which have been edited for length and clarity:
Phil Brual
What is something you would change about the city’s policies on homelessness?
Austin should stop trying to develop and build city-operated homeless programs. Instead, those tax dollars would be directed to already established non-profit or charity programs in Travis County. These organizations can complete the same task for less, as they already have the experts, research, and programs in place.
How would you rate the quality of policing services Austinites are getting as the police department deals with hundreds of officer vacancies, and what can be done to improve those services?
The quality of APD’s services is currently extremely subpar. However, this does not fall on the responsibility of the APD. This has come from extreme defunding and villainization of our officers by City Council. It is very hard for any individual to do their job efficiently when they know their boss openly hates them. APD needs to have their funding increased but have it properly allocated to specialized training, task divisions, recruiting, and most importantly, community service. Community service will allow these officers to build relationships with the people of this city. These relationships build trust and respect for APD, and can be used to help deescalate situations across the board. Increase funding no longer means more hand cuffs and bullets. It now means trust.
Celia Israel
What is something you would change about the city’s policies on homelessness?
We have all seen Austin’s unhoused population rise, and we must react with compassion as well as an understanding that we must tackle this problem holistically. First, we must address those who have been pushed out of housing due to rising costs. We need to tackle housing costs from the supply side, and I am the only candidate in the race with a housing plan that will expand the supply of housing that working families can afford here in Austin.
Just as we must tackle the economic issues, we must also work to address the gap in necessary social services that have led to many becoming unhoused. Austin is in serious need of more wraparound services, substance abuse treatment, and mental health support. We need to improve our coordination with the county, as well as ensure that our very qualified and dedicated nonprofit partners have a greater voice in both short-term response and long-term planning. I would further support the work of experienced nonprofits like the Other Ones Foundation and Sunrise Navigation Center, and speed up permitting and assistance needed from the city in order for them to be successful.
How would you rate the quality of policing services Austinites are getting as the police department deals with hundreds of officer vacancies, and what can be done to improve those services?
We have made necessary headway in updates to the training academy – in partnership between community stakeholders and police – in an effort to improve retention, officer safety and community trust. We must ensure that these training reforms are providing the positive outcomes intended, preparing officers for service with training as a “guardian” rather than a “warrior,” and resulting in fewer injuries and higher completion rates of new officers. If these reforms are providing these desired outcomes, we can increase recruitment efforts to fill these vacancies which will reduce workforce strain and decrease average response times. Supportive training and transparent oversight are essential to having a successful police department with community trust.
Additionally, I’m concerned about the growing vacancies in 911 operator and dispatcher positions and the impact this has on the city’s quality of public safety services. When you call 911, you expect a swift and supportive response, not to be placed on hold. Not only must we provide the competitive salary and benefits necessary to fill these vacancies, but we must also combat our many affordability challenges of which our first responders are not immune. We must ensure those who work in Austin can afford to live in Austin.
Gary Spellman
What is something you would change about the city’s policies on homelessness?
More accountability for everyone involved. Look to our successful programs and implement them more. Use of the private sector brain power.
How would you rate the quality of policing services Austinites are getting as the police department deals with hundreds of officer vacancies, and what can be done to improve those services?
We need to make sure our officers feel valued and appreciated. Better community interaction between Austinites and policing. We need a cop on the beat again, someone the whole neighborhood knows.
Jennifer Virden
What is something you would change about the city’s policies on homelessness?
I would start with fully enforcing the camping ban. We need ECHO to complete a current (point in time) count. Audit all existing resources and examine all current homeless spending. Effectively leverage all existing state, local and federal resources (such as our local mental health authority and hospital district resources). Prioritize mental health and substance abuse treatment, which is necessary for the overwhelming majority of Austin’s homeless population, while working with APD and the court system. Stop allowing open drug use on Austin’s streets and underpasses. End expensive homeless hotel enterprises. Move the ARCH out of our downtown business & tourism district. Shift from “housing first” to “housing plus treatment.” Redefine success away from just simply staying in housing for six months. Lobby for strengthened involuntary commitment laws for those who are incompetent or a danger to themselves or others. Implement proven models such as Mobile Loaves & Fishes Community! First Village, and Bexar County’s Haven for Hope, which has a sensible barrier to entry of proving nine months of residency prior to being eligible to receive services.
How would you rate the quality of policing services Austinites are getting as the police department deals with hundreds of officer vacancies, and what can be done to improve those services?
The quality of policing services is rather subjective. Rising crime rates and longer response times are objective failures of the current council’s defunding police policies. Increasing police staffing will be a top priority for me as mayor.
Kirk Watson
What is something you would change about the city’s policies on homelessness?
I support the creation of more permanent supportive housing units with support services and the city’s ongoing efforts to get more unhoused people into those units, which must be accelerated. We should also expand the city’s partnerships with community organizations like Caritas and Mobile Loaves & Fishes to deliver even more housing options. I additionally believe the city should further explore options, including city-sanctioned encampments, to protect unhoused people that cannot or may choose not to move into permanent supportive housing but who cannot camp in public spaces following voters’ reinstatement and legislative reinstatement of the public camping ban last May. The bottom line is that we need to meet people experiencing homelessness exactly where they are and provide the support and services they need without regard to how or where they live. We need a continuum of service and not the limited options we have been offered. We also need to build on the mental health work that is currently ongoing in the region with a focus on our population that lives homeless.
How would you rate the quality of policing services Austinites are getting as the police department deals with hundreds of officer vacancies, and what can be done to improve those services?
I believe Austin police officers are working to provide the best possible service to our community, but our police department is seriously understaffed. I am an advocate for scaling our recruitment and training programs and bringing more officers onto the force as soon as possible. This can be done reflecting Austin’s values of justice. Recruiting and training is key to that. I also believe strongly in police accountability. During my time as mayor, I successfully negotiated agreements between community leaders and police officers that increased police oversight, strengthened public safety, and led to the creation of Austin’s Office of the Police Monitor. If elected to serve again, as we focus on rebuilding the department, I will remain committed to finding new ways to build trust. This could include investing in community violence intervention programs, restorative justice, and other approaches that prioritize dialogue and relationship building. Having a properly staffed department that lives up to Austin values is not a binary choice.