AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The battle over the City of Austin's efforts to shift funding away from the Austin Police Department has taken on a new level, with two new billboards along Interstate 35.
The billboards, which were paid for by the Texas Municipal Police Association, give a warning to drivers: "Austin Police Defunded. Enter At Your Own Risk!"
"The safety of Austin citizens and visitors has never been more at risk from dangerous policies propagated by their own locally elected officials," said Kevin Lawrence, executive director of TMPA. "We applaud Governor Abbott’s consideration of a legislative proposal that would put the control of the Austin Police Department under state authority."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said last week he's considering a legislative proposal that would potentially shift control of APD to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
In the recently approved fiscal year 2020-21 budget, Austin City Council members immediately cut $20 million from the APD budget, primarily by canceling three cadet classes. The council also plans to "reimagine" public safety by shifting more than $130 million in services out of APD, into other City departments.