Press

CTI Leaders Testify Against Ch 313 in Texas Ways & Means Committee

Posted by · September 22, 2022 9:53 AM

[Excerpt]

The Chapter 313 program, authorized in 2001, allows Texas school districts to cap the taxable value of a property for some new projects, saving companies tens of millions of dollars in taxes, or more. It is set to expire at the end of December, after a bipartisan coalition in 2021 stopped efforts to reauthorize the program.

Critics of Chapter 313 call it corporate welfare that deprives Texas public schools of funding....

The Rev. Miles Brandon of St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church in Round Rock spoke in support of ending the program for good. He appeared on behalf of the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation and Austin Interfaith, both community... groups.

"We draw a hard line at using school funding for corporate tax funding," Brandon said at the hearing. "In our minds, it is shameful to take money from school children to line the pockets of wealthy corporations. It seems like greed of biblical proportions. Economic development should never be a threat to the well-being, competitiveness and growth of our most precious, God-given assets. More precious than fossil fuels, more precious than green energy, more precious than electric cars, more precious than computer chips: our children, whose education and future are being bankrupted by Chapter 313."

[Image Credit: KVUE]

State Lawmakers Discuss Bringing Back Tax Incentive Program for School Districts, KVUE [pdf]

Clock is Ticking on Texas' Chapter 313 Incentives -- and Major Projects May Miss Out, Austin Business Journal [pdf]

CTI Leaders Commend Mayor & Council, and Celebrate $20/hr Wage Floor and Budget Wins for Families

Posted by · August 19, 2022 3:45 PM

Last night the City of Austin voted on a budget that includes one of the highest living wages for their workers: $20/hr for municipal workers including contracted workers and those employed by corporations benefiting from City tax subsidies. At the urging of Central Texas Interfaith, through meetings with individual council members and communications that persisted even as votes were taken on amendments, the City of Austin expanded emergency assistance for struggling renters and sustained spending on essential human development initiatives including long-term workforce development and after-school programs.

Specifically, the Council approved:

$20/ hour base pay for all City of Austin staff, contract employees and employees of corporations receiving City tax subsidies - Sponsored by CM Fuentes
$8 Million in emergency rental assistance - Sponsored by CM Vela
$3.1 Million for long term workforce development - Sponsored by CM Alter
Increased funding for AISD programs including Parent Support Specialists and Primetime After School programs - Sponsored by CM Tovo

Central Texas Interfaith commends the Mayor and the entire City Council for investing in these important initiatives.

Austin Councilmembers Approve Budget Amendment to Include $20 Minimum Wage, KVUE

Central Texas Interfaith Calls on Mayor and Council to Include Substantial Funding for Mobile Home Parks in Proposed Affordable Housing Bond

Posted by · July 28, 2022 9:46 AM

CTI has supported previous affordable housing bonds because they have advanced the preservation and creation of affordable housing including: homes for both renters and prospective buyers, permanent supportive housing, home repair for low-income homeowners, etc. However, often overlooked are the needs of residents of mobile home parks. While Central Texas Interfaith (CTI) supports the principle that the City of Austin increase its investment in affordable housing and likes many of the priorities discussed in the initial bond conversations, we call on the council to include strategies for mobile home renters to receive substantial funding by the proposed affordable housing bond.

Mobile home park residents, including those who own their home but rent the land underneath their home, are often required by their landlords to quickly repair and/or renovate their homes or face displacement. To remain in Austin, mobile home residents need access to home repair funds - which currently exclude them. More importantly, they need a mobile home park stabilization strategy – one designed to stabilize rents and prevent displacement. The City can play a role by facilitating the purchase of mobile home parks for strategies including: community land trusts, cooperative resident ownership, and/or transfer to a nonprofit or lower profit entity.

Central Texas Interfaith congregations and non-profits are directly engaged with mobile home park residents in our communities, and know the challenges they face. For CTI to be fully supportive and engaged in advocating for another affordable housing bond, we urge the council to include substantial funding for mobile home park communities in any proposed bond and city budget.