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(Emma Freer/Austonia)
If Proposition A is approved, it would help fund Project Connect, a transit plan that proposes an underground light rail tunnel at Republic Square.
With early voting underway, Austin residents are already casting their ballots for or against Proposition A, a city property tax rate increase that, if approved, would help pay for Project Connect, a $7.1 billion overhaul of the city's transit system.
The measure has prompted the formation of two political action committees, countless op-eds and our own guide, which answered questions such as: How much will Prop A raise my property tax bill? And: How likely is it that the federal government will help pay for Project Connect?
Today, we are publishing a short argument from both sides of the debate.
Chas Moore, Nora Linares-Moeller, David Foster and Jeremy Hendricks write in support of Prop A. Moore is the executive director of the Austin Justice Coalition. Linares-Moeller is executive director of HousingWorks Austin; she donated $263.47 to the Mobility for All PAC, according to campaign finance reports. Foster is the Texas director of Clean Water Action. Hendricks is a member of the executive board of the Laborers International Union of North America.
Jim Skaggs and Roger Falk write in opposition. Skaggs is the chairperson and CEO of the Seattle-based pharmaceutical company Aminex Therapeutics and has donated $14,000 to the anti-Project Connect PAC Our Mobility Our Future, according to campaign finance reports. Falk is an analyst with OMOF and volunteers with the Travis County Taxpayers Union, which was founded by former Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman.
Disclaimer: These submissions are the unedited views of both sides of the argument. Claims made have not been fact-checked to give the proponents and opponents a chance to speak their minds freely.
Pro: Prop A is a progressive step toward traffic relief, job creation and a greener planet
For such a proudly progressive city, Austin has been spinning its wheels with a transportation system stuck in the past.
Our roads-only approach to mobility has resulted in crushing congestion, exacerbated racial and economic inequities, and it keeps paving the way for environmental catastrophe.
Congestion-proof light rail will tie together UT, the Capitol, Downtown, South Congress, and the airport, and be supported by rapid bus citywide, new passenger rail in the Eastern Crescent, and more options for suburban commuters. Along with more than a dozen new on-demand neighborhood circulator zones, this complete network will finally provide a viable, scalable, and comprehensive alternative to crammed highways and parking headaches.
For Austin's transit-dependent riders — a group that is disproportionately Black, Latino, lower-income, or disabled — Project Connect slashes travel times and expands access to work, school, grocery stores, and health care.
Like other vital infrastructure projects, Project Connect will create thousands of jobs and drive billions into our local economy. But Prop A is a distinct departure from the failed model of road-building. This plan preserves neighborhoods and includes a historic $300 million anti-displacement investment that will create and preserve affordable housing so people who rely on transit will still be able to use it. Greater access to high-quality transit will give more households the option to save thousands each year by reducing the number of cars they own.
Finally, Prop A represents one of the most consequential steps we can collectively take to prevent climate change. Our transportation system is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in our community. By electrifying our bus fleet and getting more people to take transit, we can leave a cleaner, greener planet for our children and grandchildren.
Remember: Project Connect is a long-term investment in Austin's future. Despite misleading exaggerations, it will only increase your total tax bill by about 4 percent. For most residents, that's less than 80 cents per day.
Austin's population will grow by 2 million additional people by 2040. We can't afford not to vote for Prop A. It's finally time to move Austin in the right direction.
Con: Project Connect is too expensive, especially during a pandemic, and serves too few
PropA proposes the greatest city tax increase in history for ineffective, obsolete trains in Austin; where less than 2% use transit. Transit ridership has not increased in 30 years with spending $8 billion (today$) and population doubling.
PropA's $144 million/year will not fund Project Connect (PC); many billions in bonds are needed in the next eight years, increasing taxes again. Federal funding is unsubstantiated and doubtful. The Red Line had massive cost overruns, false ridership promises and no federal funding.
PropA results in a twenty-five percent city tax increase, that grows with appraisals. Promoted as "Regional" transit, this cost is exclusively paid by city property owners/renters.
80% of this Prop funds $250 million/mile, light rail. At full capacity, this rail's exaggerated ridership serves well less than 1% of regional mobility. All bus elements can be funded without record tax increases.
This is not a time for useless higher taxes, penalizing struggling businesses, homeowners, and renters. We need to reach a stable economic condition, with COVID-19 under control.
This pandemic and the possibility of more have placed transit systems in crisis and ridership is down more than 50%. Until transit's future design and capacity is established, investment in contagion vulnerable infrastructure is irresponsible.
Expansion of work-from-home substantially reduced commuting demand Project Connect hoped to serve. Reduction in traffic and vehicle emissions due to reduced commuting creates many times, 10-15 years earlier, the Project Connect benefits. NO COST TO PROPERTY OWNERS OR RENTERS.
Mobility is evolving, rail's old technology, will be obsolete before complete. A 17-mph trolley, stopping every other block, isn't "rapid/mass" transit.
Most growth isn't near trains. Unless you live near trains, access is challenging and time consuming. People won't abandon convenience and utility of personal vehicles for public transit's lost time and inconvenience.
It shouldn't take millions in propaganda and deceptive promises of congestion relief, jobs, social justice and climate change to sell a good plan.
This is a taxpayer funded, multi-billion-dollar jackpot for rail special interests and developers. Transit policy should be driven by logistics and need, not politics and greed.
This rail is an inequitable displacement machine, penalizing low income, working families. The "displacement" $300 million does not exist.
Some say past neglect justifies action, but this is a disaster plan and would be the most destructive project in Austin's history with years of disruption and pollution; digging up downtown with major impacts on businesses and mobility.
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The roar of Austin FC fans will be heard soon, as the newest Major League Soccer member looks to kick off their season in a brand new stadium in 2021.
<p>A 23.5 acre site, located at 10414 McKalla Place, is the future home to the 20,500 seat Austin FC stadium—a $242 million privately-funded, state-of-the-art facility for Austin's newest team.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe allowfullscreen="" aria-hidden="false" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3441.7050557034395!2d-97.72175558487675!3d30.387732081758692!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8644cbd96a7af0dd%3A0x79427365a674ed87!2sAustin%20FC%20Stadium!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1603902827628!5m2!1sen!2sus" style="border:0;" tabindex="0" width="600"></iframe></div><p>"I was tracking this for a long time," Chris Welhausen said. A born and raised Austinite, Chris has been watching MLS for a while and the second there were even rumors of a team coming to Austin, Chris was on board.<br/></p><p><span></span>Rumors first started about a potential MLS expansion team that could be coming to the capital city when Two Oak Ventures, led by investor Anthony Precourt, bought the MLS Columbus Crew in 2013. The intention behind closed doors at the time was to move the franchise to one of the fastest growing areas in the country—Austin. <span></span><br/></p><p>In 2017 Two Oak Ventures made their intentions known. The ownership group announced plans to move the Crew to Austin and start playing games as soon as 2019. </p><p>Before the team could be moved, Cleveland businesses, lead by Jimmy and Dee Haslam, owners of the Cleveland Browns, <a href="https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20191010/as-team-breaks-ground-on-stadium-today-dee-haslam-says-it-was-just-honor-to-help-save-it-for-columbus" target="_blank">stepped in and bought the rights to the Crew</a>. Because the Crew would not be moving, MLS granted Two Oak Ventures a franchise, creating the expansion franchise Austin FC. </p><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="650" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1bH32AhCfE8bsG8CZVy7igJdOGlvhe1Oue1lXfp0Jue0&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=650" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe></div><p>In 2019, MLS announced Austin FC as the 27th official club, making it the newest official professional sports team in the city. Before the move, Austin was the largest city in the U.S. without a major professional sports league. Austin FC joins the Austin Huns Rugby Club as the only other pro league in the city.<br/></p><p>"I think it's the best possible outcome," Jeremiah Bentley said. Bentely moved to Austin after attending the University of Texas in 1992. Bentley said he makes up the core demographic of Austin FC's fans: Austinites who love the city and have been looking for a team that is their own. <br/></p><p>In August, Austin FC<a href="https://www.fox7austin.com/sports/austin-fc-sells-out-of-season-ticket-memberships" target="_blank"> sold out of season ticket memberships</a>. That is equal to about 15,000 seats or almost 75% of the stadium capacity. The club selling out season tickets still leaves about 5,000 tickets available for individual purchase for select games in the spring.</p><p>The addition of all star players like <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-fc-cecilio-dominguez" target="_self">Cecilio Dominguez</a>, the 26-year-old Paraguayan National Team forward, along with 20-year-old Paraguayan left winger <a href="https://austonia.com/sports/austin-fc-announces-paraguayan-forward-rodney-redes-as-first-club-signer" target="_self">Rodney Redes</a> adds excitement. Redes was<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/07/06/austin-fc-announce-paraguayan-winger-rodney-redes-first-signing" target="_blank"> the first player officially signed to Austin FC</a> after he transferred from Paraguay's Primera Division Club Guarani in July. Fans can expect more players signing down the road.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cccf97ca6be63552fe5c80b11615d6c6" id="779b3"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1311848665942720517"><div style="margin:1em 0">If they’re as good in Austin as they are in Libertadores, we’re going to have some fun next year. A goal from Cecil… https://t.co/ox5UCWiugw</div> — Austin FC (@Austin FC)<a href="https://twitter.com/AustinFC/statuses/1311848665942720517">1601604069.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Even with the COVID-19 pandemic preventing other expansion franchisees like Charlotte and St. Louis from starting on schedule, Austin FC is still set to open their doors and play their first home game in the spring of 2021, according to Austin FC representatives.</p><p>The MLS schedule won't be released for a few more months, but fan support for the team is already building.</p><p>The official Austin FC Twitter and Instagram accounts combine for more than 80,000 followers. Austin FC already has arguably the most famous fan and now part owner, UT's Minister of Culture and Academy Award winner <a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/08/23/matthew-mcconaughey-headlines-new-partners-joining-austin-fc-ownership" target="_blank">Matthew McConaughey</a>. </p><p>"I think (McConaughey) is the guy that most represents Austin and the culture," Bentley said. "It's cool that he's really involved and really into it. He's not just another famous person who is just lending their name to sell some extra tickets. He is all in on the whole experience."</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fd96e5c28162f99abc7811a727706bc4" id="19814"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1164934911385636864"><div style="margin:1em 0">New @MLS owner @MatthewMcConaughey is an actor, producer, and philanthropist. McConaughey, a graduate of @UTAustin… https://t.co/K8sH6YeRp0</div> — Austin FC (@Austin FC)<a href="https://twitter.com/AustinFC/statuses/1164934911385636864">1566577100.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The Austin FC front office group hosted McConaughey on a<a href="https://austonia.com/matthew-mcconaughey-austin-fc" target="_self"> Zoom call for local supporter groups</a> in August. Bentley said McConaughey talked for an hour about chants and the experience he was looking for from the club.</p><p>Fan groups sprung up almost as soon as the announcement that a MLS team would be coming to the capital city. The fan groups have shown their support for UT women's soccer games this season, drumming up excitement for the upcoming season. </p><p>Groups like <a href="https://www.losverdesatx.org/" target="_blank">Los Verdes</a>, <a href="https://capitalcitysoccer.com/2020/07/07/sgs-of-austin-fc/" target="_blank">Capital City Soccer</a> and<a href="https://austinanthem.org/about/" target="_blank"> Austin Anthem</a> are a few established supporter groups for Austin FC fans. <br/></p><p>"The fan movement and supporter culture here is unbelievable," Welhausen said. "We have a really tight knit group that's already been connecting online. It's super organized, growing really fast."</p><p><span></span>Between the new stadium, the new players and the fan support, Austin FC looks poised to surprise not only the city but the rest of MLS when the season kicks off next year.</p>
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Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Tito's Handmade Vodka
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- 1/2 oz pomegranate juice
- 1 maraschino cherry
Directions: Add Tito's Handmade Vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Sink pomegranate juice by pouring slowly over the back of a spoon into cocktail. Drop in one maraschino cherry.
(Bob Daemmrich)
Decision time
You've seen and heard messaging from the city, transit opponents, and the big money PACs. You've probably read Emma Freer's in-depth, multi-part series, a fact-based exploration of Project Connect—and the tax rate election proposal, known as Proposition A, that would fund it—from multiple perspectives.
<p data-children-count="0">As Election Day approaches, here are what we think are five of the strongest arguments on both sides of the issue. </p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Reasons to support Proposition A:</strong><br/></p><p data-children-count="0"><u>1. Congestion has been Austin's #1 community issue</u></p><p data-children-count="0">Ask any group of people in Austin "what is the biggest issue facing the city right now," and, pre-pandemic, many would say "congestion." Traffic-clogged highways reduce quality of life and limit economic growth. Building more highways is not practical in a city that's already been largely built. Adding toll lanes to major highways like MoPac has not had much impact, and does nothing to solve problems on feeder roads. Transportation experts largely agree that building new highways does not reduce congestion and instead brings more people onto the roads and encourages people to make longer commutes. Congestion is starting to reappear as more people resume their traditional routes to work and school. </p><p data-children-count="0"><u>2. We're a big city now, and this is how successful cities do transit</u></p><p data-children-count="0">Austin is the 11th largest U.S. city right now. Of the 10 ahead of us, only one, our neighbor San Antonio, has no light rail. A rail system of some kind is part of the modern city's transportation mix. Whether it's a giant system like New York's—with almost 500 stations—or the more modest systems in Houston and Dallas, rail is a proven way of moving people in urban areas. Higher housing density around transit stations may help address the city's affordability crisis and create new, walkable areas with a higher quality of life.</p><p data-children-count="0"><u>3. An effective transit system addresses social and environmental issues</u></p><p data-children-count="0">Austin was racially, economically and culturally partitioned by our highway system—I-35 and MoPac, in particular. A rail system could provide equal transit opportunity for all and help unify the city. And moving people via mass transit is more efficient than in individual vehicles, offering cleaner air, fewer carbon emissions and less fossil fuel usage. Think about the proposed line from downtown to the airport. How many car trips would be saved? And the message to visitors would be clear: We're a modern city, and we care about our environment. </p><p data-children-count="0"><u>4. The sooner we get started, the sooner we'll have it</u></p><p data-children-count="0">Best case, financing and building new lines will take a decade, maybe more. Voters turned down rail transit projects in 2000 and 2014. If Austin turns down this opportunity, it could be years before there's another one. Some projects are hard to visualize, but when they're complete, they seem inevitable. Think of how essential our city icons are: Zilker Park, the hike-and-bike trail, Barton Springs, the Forty Acres. A city-wide rail system could be the same.</p><p data-children-count="0"><u>5. City leadership supports it</u></p><p data-children-count="0">Mayor Adler and every member of the council supported putting Project Connect on the ballot this year. This is what our elected leadership thinks is best for the city. If approved, we should expect them to move quickly to start implementing, without resistance.</p><p data-children-count="0"><br/></p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Reasons to oppose Proposition A:</strong></p><p data-children-count="0"><u>1. The total costs are unknown, and not fully funded by the ballot prop</u></p><p data-children-count="0">The $7.1 billion cost figure is an estimate—the exact costs are unknown and depend on timetable and operational issues. Boston's "Big Dig" was estimated at $2.5 billion and ended up costing more than $20 billion to build. And the Prop A tax increase, best case, will only pay for 55% of the plan. The hope is to get a federal transportation grant for the other 45%. But there are no guarantees. And with federal budget deficits at an all-time high, there's no assurance that the federal money will come. What if it doesn't? Will the project be shut down? Will there be another historic tax increase? There's no plan for this scenario. </p><p data-children-count="0"><u>2. There are no engineering studies with the proposal</u></p><p data-children-count="0">The Project Connect proposal calls for running the downtown portion of the system underground and creating underground plazas for shopping and entertainment. But no engineering studies have been done. How feasible is it to locate rail lines and plazas underground in our karst limestone geology that's marked by underground passages into the aquifer? And how much will it cost to mitigate structural and environmental issues and work around existing downtown infrastructure? These costs and operational issues are not known. <strong></strong></p><p data-children-count="0"><u>3. It's a solo effort by the city that mostly lacks regional support</u></p><p data-children-count="0">Transportation and traffic congestion are regional issues, as people regularly cross boundaries when choosing where to live and work. The city is growing more slowly than surrounding areas of our region, so the ideal solutions come from a shared regional vision, cooperation and cost-sharing. But Austin is alone in this effort. There is little cooperation with surrounding jurisdictions on Project Connect, except Leander. But that city has been close to pulling out of CapMetro for more than a year, and the result may be inevitable, given what leaders there view as inadequate rail transit ridership to and from Austin. Except for the red line in far north Austin, there's no rail service proposed west of Lamar Boulevard and no linkage to West Lake Hills and Lakeway.</p><p data-children-count="0"><u>4. This may not be the time for a big tax raise</u></p><p data-children-count="0">People are hurting. While Austin real estate prices continue to climb and some companies are creating jobs, the pandemic-driven recession has closed or impaired large numbers of businesses, leading to layoffs, furloughs and stalled hiring. Entire industries are shut down. The live music capital has no live music. With so much financial pain, is this the time for a big tax increase? By committing so much money to the transit program, the city may not have the financial flexibility to address other big issues that may ultimately be more important. </p><p data-children-count="0"><u>5. COVID may change things in ways that we can't foresee</u></p><h3 data-children-count="0"></h3><p data-children-count="0">No one knows how long the pandemic will last, and, in what ways, if any, it will change our society in the long term. It's possible that everything will return to a pre-COVID normal at some point. But it's also possible that live-work patterns will see lasting change as more people work entirely or partially from home, reducing traffic congestion. Ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles may create technology disruption that makes big transit systems obsolete. It's also possible that social distancing will become part of our culture, and people will be reluctant to ride on public transport with groups of strangers. Why make a multi-decade, multi-billion dollar financial commitment without knowing precisely what our city is going to need post-pandemic? </p><p data-children-count="0"><br/></p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>More on the argument: </strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/project-connect-argument" target="_self">Proponents vs. opponents: How should Austin vote on Prop A?</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUyMzk5OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxODUzNjI4OX0.FtvfXigkkJiQ466CDeQsxg0PH7sfZSeWNt6UnVjT8Ec/img.jpg?width=980" id="078d9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c5d0d42556d24e192ef49e3ab42f1703" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Proponents vs. opponents: How should Austin vote on Prop A?
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(CC)
Google leased office space in downtown Austin in 2019.
Chances are, if you moved to Austin in the past two years, it was probably for a tech job.
<p>Only Vancouver and San Francisco topped Austin in the <a href="http://cbre.vo.llnwd.net/grgservices/secure/North%20America%202020%20Tech-30.pdf?e=1603991030&h=7ef32502539f5ee741d6f2f78a81993b" target="_blank">latest tech market rankings released Thursday</a> from CBRE, a commercial real estate services firm. Austin tech jobs grew by 22.9% in 2018-19, topping Seattle and New York City to round out the top 5 tech markets in the U.S. and Canada.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="46be623b0fc61e7db4751411a5fe7bc7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="8847e" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYzNDg4NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwODgwMTYzN30.vvoIR67eHAguKXF6kul2Y9kGFkqpIEd5ASw8kHMucYM/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">CBRE</small></p><p>Austin also ranked in the top 10 for office market rental growth from mid-2018 to mid-2020, growing 9.1% in that time.<br/></p><p>Last year, Austin placed fifth on <a href="http://cbre.vo.llnwd.net/grgservices/secure/NA%20Tech-30%202019.pdf?e=1603993315&h=9c14d0652b2a41cfda31c863b19a870b" target="_blank">CBRE's Tech-30 list</a> with a similar growth rate of 22.5%. Here are other takeaways from CBRE's annual technology jobs report:</p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul><ul class="ee-ul"><li>11,857 Austin tech jobs were created 2018-19. In total, 63,663 people were employed in the high-tech software and services fields in 2019.</li><li>22.6%<strong> </strong>of Austin office jobs were in the technology sector in 2019.</li><li>$102,586 is the typical salary for an Austin software engineer.</li><li>Northwest Austin was the top tech submarket locally and the 23rd fastest-growing submarket the past two years in U.S. and Canada, with 3.3% tech office growth.</li><li>6.5 million square feet is how much office supply is under construction in Austin, with another 1.9 million square feet available to sublease.</li><li>The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex was the only other Texas market to rank among top tech markets at #7.</li></ul>
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(Chris Caselli)
The Mexic-Arte Museum's Day of the Dead Exhibition last year.
With films like Coco streaming on Disney+ and Day of the Dead Barbies lining Walmart shelves, it is clear that the commercial aspects of Dia de los Muertos are alive and well.
<p>Despite its trending marketability, this ancient Mexican tradition of altars and offerings remains a rite of remembrance. The holiday begins Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 2, with traditional activities starting days in advance.</p><p>Jessica Tovar, an educator and artist who lives in north Austin, sees Dia de los Muertos as a time of "unity between families" which is expressed through an ancestral celebration. </p><p>"I am delighted to remember loved ones who are no longer with us," she says.</p><p>Tovar, who is originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico, recalls how Day of the Dead festivities were a major part of her primary education.</p><p>"At school, every year we made a mega altar in the school theater and we all participated by decorating it, bringing food, flowers, toys, photos, pan de muerto, fruit, etcetera," she says. "Families would gather around the altar to sing, socialize, dance, and would eat the food from the altar. Some came to celebrate dressed as catrinas (an elegantly attired female representation of death) or had their faces painted as calacas (skulls)."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e180ce86d0aca49abdfa355eb399ba4b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="af2fe" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYzMzk5OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTY3ODA2OH0.keCUh3tG1le-yQ4bKyqpT-KNMdAt8AD8fLCz874uWxQ/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Painting by Jessica Tovar, inspired by Dia de los Muertos. </small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Jessica Tovar)</small></p><p>Tovar, who often employs Day of the Dead imagery in her art, notes that the holiday carries a commitment in Mexico that is, perhaps, lacking in the states.<br/></p><p>She says in Mexico the tradition begins days before with people making altars in their homes and decorating the tomb of their deceased loved ones with their favorite things. And on Nov. 1, the cemeteries are open 24 hours for people to celebrate the tradition day and night.</p><p>"When you walk among the tombs you see people singing together or alone with a big speaker; some bring serenata with a mariachi while others are sharing el pan de muertos, drinking pulque or tequila together. You look at others crying, others smiling, and some telling stories/anecdotes," Tovar says. "The emotions are different among all. This tradition unites family, friends, neighbors, and strangers with all the events around the city."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9c0a5370d8aec7797075ef59f74b5769" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="5fdf2" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYzMzk1Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODI1MzIwMX0.U678ydr71LmOgv--mLljus2O9HTVP4qnpbecfYzWXh4/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">A cemetery in Michoacán, Mexico decorated on Nov. 1, 2018.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(CC)</small></p><p>While she thinks the tradition in Austin would be beautiful, Tovar has alternatively enjoyed attending the annual downtown Day of the Dead parade—which was canceled this year. The Viva la Vida Festival coincides with the Mexic-Arte Museum's Day of the Dead Exhibition.<br/></p><p>In Austin the Day of the Dead celebrations have—like everything else—been affected by COVID-19, so the corresponding events have had to go online.</p><p>The <a href="https://mexic-artemuseum.org/" target="_blank">Mexic-Arte Museum</a> will hold its 37th annual Day of the Dead Exhibition virtually. The online event, which will run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, will exhibit community altars that pay homage to Latino victims of the pandemic, as well as people who have died from AIDS and heroes of the U.S. civil rights movement.</p>
<p>Austin has depended on the Mexic-Arte Museum's guidance regarding Dia de los Muertos since the non-profit opened its doors in 1984, and every year interest in the festival has increased.<br/></p><p>Mario Villanueva, marketing and events associate at the Mexic-Arte Museum, says close to 15,000 people participated in last year's parade.</p><p>Rather than view the virtual exhibition as a limitation, Villanueva says he sees the digital outreach as an opportunity for Mexic-Arte to engage with a wider audience. </p><p>Navigating through the pandemic has called for a <a href="https://mexic-artemuseum.org/exhibitions/" target="_blank">new website</a> featuring a virtual tour of the exhibits, as well as online instructions on altar construction and the creation of sugar skulls.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d7c4e3b3a54eeadb516d221cbd588c10" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XqxKlx1crk8?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Sugar Skull Tutorial by the MACC</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://youtu.be/XqxKlx1crk8" target="_blank">youtu.be</a>
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</p><p>"Having everything virtual, making more content online has opened up a new way that we can share the knowledge," says Villaneuva, who considers Day of the Dead a genuine way for communities to cope with and heal from tragedy.<br/></p><p>Last year's Day of the Dead exhibition opened a few weeks after the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/10/10/769013051/el-paso-walmart-shooting-suspect-pleads-not-guilty" target="_blank">El Paso shooting</a>, so the Mexic-Arte Museum made an altar dedicated to the 22 people killed in the racially-motivated domestic terror. Villanueva said the result of the altar was "something that was really, really beautiful."</p><p>Olivia Tamzarian, the culture and arts program supervisor at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, says this year people are making altars at home and sharing photos during its <a href="https://spark.adobe.com/page/51lWXmvNMgNjo/" target="_blank">virtual program</a>.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="41d2181fafc10376c6cf4d6357b72a39" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="f0153" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYzNDE2OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDEwOTU3MH0.9WF7BF8e20NM5G_H4-lrSWPZCyfnlE97EyAzmTTNvYE/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Ulises García/Mexican American Cultural Center)</small></p><p>The very tone of this year's Day of the Dead celebration has been affected by the cautions around COVID.<br/></p><p>"You know there is a lot of talk in the Latino community about how Latinos have been <a href="https://austonia.com/covid-19-latino-disparity" target="_blank">disproportionately affected by COVID</a> and that's not something that's lost on us," says Tamzarian. "It's very real when you have a festival to celebrate the deceased and then you are worried about the actual deceased in your community. It becomes not just a celebration but almost like a political movement, to talk about these things in a way that becomes very desensitized when you just hear it on the news."</p><p>Tamzarian, who personally discovered Day of the Dead when she was about 20 years old and living in Mexico, sees the celebration as a form of psychological healing. </p><p>"I think it's healthy because it gives a chance, a place or an excuse for a time of the year to talk about people you were supposed to have forgotten," Tamzarian says.</p><p>Heirlooms on the altars is of great significance, Tamzarian says. One original idea of the Day of the Dead is the creation of an ofrenda, an altar that you put highly personal objects on. Personal items like a deceased family members glasses, gloves, or hat, are put on the altar because there is a belief that those personal items have a spiritual connection to that person."</p><p>"What's so interesting now is how it's being mixed with all sorts of commercial objects as well, so you might take your old grandfather's hat but then you might go to H-E-B and buy a little plastic skull or a candle and put that on the altar too," Tamzarian adds, elaborating on the malleable nature of the ancient Latino celebration.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="319eaa1e4fa3abe377976d8a66fd8902" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="eea7e" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYzNDA5MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNjY1MzAwOH0.DD5kEWAvCOvohc8J1bge1JYOBt9Wq22hAv77b8Yu6Aw/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">A Dia los Muertos alter by Olivia Tamzarian.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Olivia Tamzarian)</small></p><p>Tamzarian recalls witnessing a visiting student being moved to tears at the sight of a particularly powerful altar.<br/></p><p>"We had a girl come in and when she saw the altar she burst out crying and I was worried like 'Oh God, maybe she saw someone she knows' and I was like 'What's going on?' and she was like probably around 11 and she said 'I've never seen … this looks just my grandmother's house' is what she says: 'I've never seen something like this in a museum before.'"</p><p>Tamzarian says, the girl described the altar as a kind of a validation of her culture. </p><p>"The fact that it is something that could be in a museum means that it's an art tradition that has so much value—cultural and historical value," says Tamzarian. <span></span>"That her grandmother had this sort of alter in her home and had candles up and everything, that she was able to see this in a museum just put it into perspective, that it is something to be proud of and that it isn't something that should die."</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYzNDI2OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxODIyNzkyOX0.SBlVffj3a7o9JrnlyUkxcjj6tdlPPiLt8RoiMlBS2sA/img.jpg?width=980" id="f1c06" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b74ec99d8d2a05f2117e7dbf0fba0a6e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
(Chris Caselli/Mexic-Arte Museum)
A band marches downtown in the 2019 downtown Vida la Vida festival.
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(CC)
Today is going to be a windy one, according to The National Weather Service, which predicted breezy conditions in the Austin area and South Central Texas.
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="36cc15b897a0e812eb175eb2a701a9c3" id="d14c5"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1321824719453249537"><div style="margin:1em 0">North/Northwest winds today will be breezy and capable of 30-40 MPH wind gusts. The highest winds will likely be in… https://t.co/CyuHDj6oIO</div> — NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/statuses/1321824719453249537">1603982546.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Through mid-morning to the evening hours, the Austin area should expect 15-20 mph sustained winds with the occasional 30-35 mph gust of wind.<br/></p><p>In the Edwards Plateau and the Hill Country, occasional gusts up to 40 mph can be expected, though temperatures remain around the mid-60s.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c97a3d2e886bec31d7dae3e609c6e4d8" id="cd1f3"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1321779878048444416"><div style="margin:1em 0">Today will be clear, cool, and breezy. Highs in the 60s for most of the area with gusty winds. https://t.co/bPpRaN4YjW</div> — NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/statuses/1321779878048444416">1603971855.0</a></blockquote></div><p>A 10 a.m. snapshot showed winds ranging from 30-37 mph in the Central Austin area, so it is recommended to secure any loose decorations or anything that might blow away outside.<br/></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4b20678bf5dd7b73bc4581c528a688c3" id="aef8a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1321829522656927746"><div style="margin:1em 0">Here is a look at current wind gusts across the area at 10 AM. https://t.co/bdjjUzzrCp</div> — NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/statuses/1321829522656927746">1603983691.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Winds are expected to subside to around 10 mph this evening. Tomorrow is expected to be sunny with variable light winds, according to <a href="https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/e984113ce3e551f4914f965a69b5e6f0ad8f76cb5da62ea88e32639a2af2a66f" target="_blank">The Weather Channel</a>.<br/></p>
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In round figures the 18 active candidates running for the five seats on the Austin City Council raised a quarter-million dollars just in the last few weeks alone and they spent more than a half-million dollars during the same period. Total fundraising to date is nearly $1.2 million.
