Council to continue education Friday

This Friday, as part of their tireless search for policy knowledge, City Council members will tackle two more topics. From 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., they will discuss economic development. And from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m., they will dive into “Cost of Living and Quality of Life in Austin: Issues and Collaborative Strategies.” The morning economic development speakers will be: Rodney Gonzales, deputy director of the Economic Development Department; Jon Hockenyos, economist and principal at TXP; Brian Rodgers, ChangeAustin.org; Meg Wilson, senior lecturer, Executive Master of Science, Technology Commercialization, IC2, UT Austin; Grover Bynum, Austin Technology Council; Martha Cotera, member of the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission; Nakia Reynoso, artist and member of the Austin Music Commission; Bob Batlan, Austin Interfaith; Ceci Gratia, Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce; Richard Halpin, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin; and a yet-to-be-determined member of the Austin Chamber. In the afternoon, Council will hear from: Ryan Robinson, demographer for the City of Austin; Frances Deviney, Center for Public Policy Priorities; Erica Saenz, Community Action Network; Darryl Horton, African American Quality of Life Advisory Commission; Richard Jung, Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission; Diego Martinez-Moncada, Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Advisory Commission; Dr. Joyceia Banner, Huston-Tillotson University; Teddy McDaniel, Austin Area Urban League; Dan Pruett, Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force; Emily Timm, Worker’s Defense Project; and a speaker from Austinites for Fair Taxes.