AUSTIN, Texas — As the City of Austin still tries to renegotiate a long-term contract with the Austin Police Association (APA), Mayor Kirk Watson and council members signed off on a stopgap measure Thursday that will extend pay and benefits for police officers until March 31, 2025.
The measure is designed to bring APA back to the negotiating table. The ordinance also offers a controversial bonus, which would reward $500 for every officer if talks start up again, and $2,500 if a contract agreement is successfully reached.
However, concerns were raised during the council meeting as to where the money would come from. District 2 Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes directed the city manager to ensure that the money came from the city's police department budget – an amendment that was included in the ordinance.
"Transparency is key, and that's what compelled me to bring forth my amendment – was to ensure that our community understood that we are directing these funds to come directly out of the police department budget," Fuentes said. "We want to make sure that our community knows that it's not coming from other funds. It's coming directly from the police department."
Austin Justice Coalition Policy Director Chris Harris, whose focus has been crafting a contract that includes the Police Oversight Act that was approved in May 2023, said that while the source of the funding still remains a bit unclear, he only hopes every factor is considered when budget talks come around.
"Things like rental assistance ... That program was cut substantially in the budget last year, things like permanent supportive housing for people that have been homeless for a long time, and some of the wraparound services they need to stay housed," Harris said.
When it comes to the actual contract, Harris believes there are other ways to get APA to the table.
"We see it as sort of the City losing some of its leverage to get a contract, to get the police to the bargaining table, and they try to give an incentive to them last year to come to the table and it didn't work," Harris said.
Watson released the following statement regarding the passing of the ordinance:
“Today, the Austin City Council reaffirmed its commitment to the hardworking officers of the Austin Police Department with the renewal of an ordinance to protect their pay and benefits in the absence of a contract. Now, it’s time for all of us—the Austin Police Association and the City— to return to the negotiating table so we can finally get to a long-term contract.
We all agree that the best thing for our police officers is to get a long-term contract because it would enhance morale and provide officers and recruits greater certainty about their futures.
I'm pleased the Council passed this ordinance today and supported my effort to get this important step completed. As I've said before, the police have our backs. This is a demonstration that we have theirs.”
APA President Michael Bullock said he supported the ordinance and believes it to be a step for everyone to move forward, not backward.
"This will allow us to help keep people here that we have already," Bullock said. "I think it's still possible that we're going to continue to lose folks throughout the year. Hopefully not at the same rate that we had last year."
Bullock, however, said more needs to be done before they return to the bargaining table.
"We're not there yet. Do I think we're getting closer? Yes, I do," Bullock said. "I do recognize the positive things that [the city does] for us. We do have disagreements on exactly what else we should be doing. And I do think that we had an opportunity to do more. But ultimately, the ordinance needed to pass."
Councilmembers Natasha Harper-Madison (District 1) and Zo Qadri (District 9) abstained from Thursday's vote.
Harper-Madison was not available for an interview but stated during the meeting that she could not support the item as a whole.
Qadri, too, was unavailable for an interview but released the following statement on his reasoning:
"While I was supportive of the pay measures in Item 23 at today's meeting, I abstained from voting due to concerns about where the funding would come from. Many community members have reached out to my office with similar concerns, and we heard testimonies at the council meeting today asking for transparency about the source of funding."
The ordinance is slated to take effect on March 24.