Austin Chamber Members -

Following the release of the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 proposed City of Austin Budget, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement.

“We appreciate the hard work of Interim City Manager Jesus Garza and City staff in drafting a 2023-2024 City Budget that reflects the values of our great city and advances several key priorities for the Austin business community. We must continue to make progress on key areas, including public safety and affordability.

“A safe community remains a top priority for Austin businesses, and it is paramount that the next city budget invests in addressing staffing shortages. The City of Austin has our support to continue pursuing innovative solutions as well as funding to achieve appropriate staffing levels across all public safety departments, including the 911 call center.

“We are also supportive of the manager’s proposed budget because it is a balanced budget and doesn't exceed the roll-back tax rate. We appreciate the City Manager and Council’s efforts to implement budgets and policies that address affordability for residents and businesses alike.

“This includes the Austin Energy budget as it continues to meet its affordability goals, an important objective for businesses to control electricity costs.

“A fiscally prudent and safe city attracts businesses and fosters economic growth for our region. As the City Council continues to hold Budget Work Sessions, we encourage the Mayor and City Council to keep public safety and affordability at the forefront as we move toward final passage.”

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We encourage you to contact your Council Member or the full Mayor and City Council using the statement above to express your support for a budget that focuses on public safety staffing and affordability.

The email addresses for Mayor and Council are below.
Mayor@austintexas.gov, district1@austintexas.gov, district2@austintexas.gov, district3@austintexas.gov, district4@austintexas.gov, distrct5@austintexas.gov, district6@austintexas.gov, district7@austintexas.gov, district8@austintexas.gov, district9@austintexas.gov, district10@austintexas.gov.