TEXAS SIZE SCAM: City of Austin used Covid-19 Relief Funds to Pay Their Allies and Their Businesses Millions for Dubious Services
[NOTE: This post was written by former Austin City Council candidate for District One Clinton Rarey [@ClintonRarey] and first appeared on the Team Rarey Substack on March 16, 2023.
We are reprinting this article with Mr. Rarey's permission. It further underscores the City of Austin's outrageous audacity, hubris and illegal behavior when it comes to financial hand-outs. -Editor|
We are reprinting Clint's brilliant research here on Austin Texas Times with his full encouragement and permission.
Add this research to the growing mountain of evidence that proves the City of Austin is way overdue for an INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT of the entire city - from Austin Finance and procurement to Austin Water and Energy.
The City of Austin used Covid-19 Relief Funds to Pay Their Allies and Their Businesses
Austin City officials handed out millions of dollars in generous Covid-19 relief checks to their personal friends for highly questionable and difficult-to-quantify services.
For nearly 10 months Mayor Adler pushed stay-at-home orders shutting down businesses, which ultimately crippled the small business industry in Austin.
Over 50+ bricks-and-mortar stores in Austin closed their doors permanently due to these draconian lockdowns.
Instead of supporting legacy Austin businesses that took an enormous financial hit from strict city-imposed shutdowns - and using these "Covid-19 relief funds" to assist families who lost their businesses and jobs - the city decided to take a different route.
Austin elected officials decided to hand out Covid-19 Relief funds to people who they closely associate with or agree with politically.
MEET THE GRIFTERS
People like Joyce M. James who received $109,000 in Covid-19 Relief Funds to lecture and shame the Austin Police Department while accusing them all of racism.
Joyce James also has a contract with the city to teach Anti-Racism at the Austin Police Academy, for the low, low price of only $10,000 a day
Total contract amount: $2.9 million
Austin’s Equity Action Team member Courtney Santana received $800,000 in Covid Relief Funds for her company: Survive 2 Thrive Foundation
City of Austin Food Policy Board member Joi Lynne Chevalier received $214,000 in Covid Relief Funds for her catering company:
'The Cook Nook'
Joi Lynne Chevalier also received a free $486,000 check from the Covid Relief Fund cookie jar for a different catering company she co-owns called:
'Chisos Star LLC'
Former Austin Mayor Steve Adler's Universal Basic Income (UBI) program features some seriously sketchy payments.
Adler's UBI program will provide no-strings-attached monthly payments of $1000 per month from Austin tax revenue to 85 families
Austin has chosen a California-based NGO called UpTogether to run the city's UBI Program.
UpTogether received $2,971,538 in Covid Relief Funds from Austin to implement plan
UpTogether got additional $12 million in grants on top of their city contract
The CEO of BCL of Texas (also known as “Cen-Tex CDC”) is Rosa Valdez.
Rosa Valdez is business & community financial lender who is a huge proponent of ESG & DEI programs:
Rosa Valdez received:
$1,533,520.03 in City of Austin payments for “counseling services”
$206,696 in PPP loan
$56,662.50 in Covid Relief funds
Lourdes G. Zuniga has been on the City of Austin's board of the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Advisory Commission since 2021.
Zuniga owns a company called Financial Health Pathways.
Financial Health Pathways received:
$202,300 in free Covid Relief money from the City of Austin
$113,336 in taxpayer grants from the City of Austin (2022)
Seems like there might be a conflict of interest here.
Lastly, the Better Business Bureau of Austin received $202,500 in Covid Relief Funds.
Since 2020, the BBB of Austin has received $41 million in taxpayer grants for “Creative Sector Assistance”.
AUSTIN TEXAS | COVID LOCK DOWN TIMELINE
March 15, 2020 - Austin Mayor Steve Adler bans events of more than 250 people until May 1st, 2020 under stay-at-home orders.
March 16, 2020 - The U.S. Federal Government encouraged people to stay home for 15 days to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issues a disaster declaration for all 254 counties on the same day. Texas has 39 confirmed cases at this time.
March 17, 2020 - Travis County closes bars, restaurant dining rooms, and limits gatherings of more than 10 people.
May 1, 2020 - Texas Gov. Greg Abbot allows restaurants, stores, movie theaters, museums, libraries, wedding venues, and golf courses to reopen at 25% occupancy
May 8, 2020 - Mayor Adler extends stay-at-home order until end of May.
May 29, 2020 - Mayor Adler extends stay-at-home order until June 15th
June 15, 2020 Mayor Adler extends stay-at-home order until August 15th, 2020
August 17, 2020 Mayor Adler extends stay-at-home order until December 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1331068380204457990
AUSTIN TEXAS | COVID LOCK DOWN TIMELINE (continued)
February 9, 2021 - Travis County downgrades from Stage 5 to Stage 4 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 25-50% capacity
March 13, 2021 - Travis County downgrades from Stage 4 to Stage 3 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 50-75% capacity
May 19, 2021 - Travis County downgrades from Stage 3 to Stage 2 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 75% capacity
October 12, 2021 - Travis County upgrades from Stage 2 to Stage 3 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 50-75% capacity
December 29, 2021 - Travis County upgrades from Stage 3 to Stage 4 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 25-50% capacity
March 1st, 2022 - Travis County upgrades from Stage 4 to Stage 3 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 50-75% capacity
March 4th, 2022 - Travis County upgrades from Stage 3 to Stage 2 restrictions. Businesses can only operate at 75% capacity
March 29th, 2022 - Travis County does away with Stage 1 to 5 system