AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Austin City Council members voted 10-1 Thursday night to approve a negotiated contract between the city and the Austin Police Association.
The vote on the new five-year contract came after hours of public testimony, both for and against the measure, which began around 11:15 a.m. Thursday morning. A companion measure, a transfer of more than $16 million to APD's operating budget to fund the first year of the agreement, also passed by a 10-1 vote.
"This is a truly momentous day. After a year-and-a-half without a police contract, we have achieved a major milestone. Since joining the City in May, I made it clear that one of my top priorities was to finalize a new contract between the City and the Austin Police Association. I am proud that we have been able to achieve such a significant accomplishment through this five-year agreement today," City Manager T.C. Broadnax said.
District 9 council member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri was the lone vote against the measure. "At the end of the day, I don't believe this contract reflects the values of the majority of Austinites," said Qadri prior to the vote.
"Since becoming mayor, I've pushed to get us to a long-term contract with our police. It is critical for us to achieve our staffing goals and our goals to assure Austinites are safe and feel safe," Mayor Kirk Watson said. "This contract will move us in that direction. I've also pushed to assure that the will of our voters is met when it comes to police accountability. This contract does that. I'm thankful to the City Council, the City Manager, and the APA for their work to get us here."
Over the five year term of the deal, the contract will provide a 28 percent pay increase for officers - including an 8 percent increase in year one. The total contract value over five years is $217.8 million.
Members of the Austin Police Association still need to adopt the contract; that vote is expected to take place in the next few days.
"It has been a long road to get to this point," Austin Police Association president Michael Bullock said in a statement. "I am grateful and encouraged that we have entered a time where we can work together towards common goals, prioritize the public safety of our citizens, and move our city forward."
