How much does Austin Energy owe us?
How much is too much?
Chris Riley dies at 60
Former City Council member and longtime urbanist advocate Chris Riley died Sunday night at home with his wife Denise by his side. She said in an email to friends that "he just faded away, which was exactly how he wanted to go."
Numerous media outlets published obits describing the legacy he left his hometown.
I particularly liked the quote KUT got from former Council Member Mike Martinez:
"What I learned from Chris Riley ... is that it costs you nothing to be kind. But it makes such a difference to the people who you’re kind to. And he was always, always kind.”
The Statesman quoted longtime friend Carolyn Ostrum, whom he met in law school:
“He just had a clear vision of what he wanted to do,” she said. “He's incredibly thoughtful and ethical. And he really puts his money where his mouth is. … He has beliefs, and then he lives his life according to those beliefs.”
KVUE's Jessica Cha interviewed Riley just a few days before his death about the weekly Giant Chess game he started in Wooldridge Park a quarter-century ago:
“It actually fostered very positive human interaction between people who otherwise never would have even crossed paths,” Riley said.
James Rambin at Towers Austin also recently wrote a piece on Riley's Giant Chess game and is seeking volunteers to keep the tradition alive (email him at james@towers.net if you're interested).
I was very lucky to have gotten to spend hours speaking with Chris in recent months in preparation for the article I wrote about his life a few weeks ago. We won't have another Chris Riley, but I am sure that his example has inspired many others to do good for our city and planet.
Can Austin Energy bail out the city budget?
When you think of the city budget, you're typically thinking of the "general fund," the $1.4 billion that funds police, fire, EMS, parks and other basic city services.
The other $4.5 billion is mostly tied up in enterprise departments, which essentially function as city-run businesses, funded entirely by rates or fees paid by customers. The biggest one is Austin Energy, the city-owned electric utility.
The enterprise departments are totally separate from the general fund –– except when they're not. Most notably, the city general fund would be in very bad shape if not for the big chunk of change it receives annually from Austin Energy.
In the current fiscal year, Austin Energy is transferring $115 million to the general fund.
But....why?
