#atxcouncil: Houston and Troxclair chronicle BULLYING and INTIMIDATION by proponents of Austin's new "sick leave" entitlement

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."
Romans 12:19

Last night was the most bloodthirsty night we've seen at Council for a long time.  Unfortunately, it's been that way throughout this farce of a "stakeholder process."  Council members Houston and Troxclair noted the same thing.

Houston:



[Note: For more on the intimidation efforts in District 1, see the exchange between Houston and Casar at the end of Tuesday's work session.]

Highlights:

• 5 months was not enough time for businesses to have the input that they needed.

• "I am so sorry that this has turned into an 'us vs. them' scenario.  Because all of use support women, and children, and men and anyone who needs sick time off and needs paid sick time.  So, it's unfortunate that it's become that."

• Seattle at least has some basic standards before you qualify for the entitlement.

• Final ordinance was only posted yesterday afternoon, which gave nobody an opportunity to discuss what was actually passed.

• Flannigan and Casar crafted the final ordinance behind closed doors hours before the vote.

• "I've lived in this city long enough to see what happens when you don't take into consideration the unintended consequences."

• "People in small communities, especially minority communities, are hurt."

• "The disconnect between our stated community values, which support and encourage small local businesses, and this ordinance."
• "I'm not talking about the Dell's, and I'm not talking about the Applied Materials'...."
• "I'm talking about Roland's Soul Food Kitchen on Chestnut and Country Boy's on twelveth street."

• "You say they won't be put out of business, but you don't know that."

• "What do we say to the business owners and those that they hire?!?  Whoops, we made a mistake?!?"

Troxclair:

Highlights:

• "I would really appreciate respect and decorum."
• Gets hissed.

• Adler gets her back on that point.

• "Being in this room tonight, and hearing this crowd hiss at people who have given up their time with their families to come down here and testify.  You can hiss at me.  I ran for office.  I take responsibility for what I say up here and the votes that I take.  But it was so incredibly disrespectful for those people to be treated the way that they were treated tonight."

• "I have no doubt that's exactly how they were treated throughout this 'inclusive stakeholder process."

• "I'm glad to know that the Democratic Socialists are supporters of big corporations because they offer great benefits to their employees...but were critical of small businesses for not giving the same benefits to their employees."

• More than half of small businesses fail.

• "Having a job, compared to not having a job, is really nice."

• "Jobs don't grow on trees.