The BG Podcast

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 218! On this episode Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham and firm Economic Development Consultant Larry Holt discuss NXP Semiconductor's incentive proposal before the city of Austin. BACKGROUND: 🔲 The Austin Council will take up final discussion and approval of NXP's application, under a Ch. 380 agreement, this Thursday (9.20.2023). 🔲 NXP's application, totaling $1 milli...

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 217! On this episode Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham welcomes Larry Holt, our newest consultant to the show. Larry has deep experience in Texas municipal and state economic development, and will assist in developing Bingham Group's practice in this area. Topics discussed include: ➡️ The Passage of HB 5 ➡️ CNBC's America’s Top States for Business 2023 -> https://www.cnb...

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 216! On this episode Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. Bingham review the week in Austin politics (of 9.11.2023) and more. Topics include: ➡️ Is the city Austin back in play for economic development? ➡️ Texas AG Ken Paxton's acquittal  ➡️ The battle to save Flo the tree 💡 Spot Spotlight: Item 82. by Council Member Zo Qadri (District 9) ✅ Approve a r...

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 215! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (Week of 9.4.2023... and a bit of this week) in Austin politics and more. On this episode we focus another major staffing change in the city's executive ranks. We also touch on Council's discussion around its first potential Ch. 380 agreement (with NXP) in seven years. The cities of El Paso, H...

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 214! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (of 8.25.2023) in Austin politics and more. This week we focus on developments with the so-called "Death Star" bill, House Bill 2127, preemption legislation passed in the recent Texas legislative session. The law, set to take effect on September 1, imposes sweeping restrictions on cities’ and...

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 213! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (of 8.21.2023) in Austin politics and more. This week we focus on a new report from the McKinsey & Company consulting firm on the city of Austin’s development review process. • Link to Mckinsey’s Development Site Plan Assessment -> https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=413802&...

Welcome to BG Podcast Episode 212! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (of 8.14.2023) in Austin politics and more. This week we focus Austin Council's passage of the FY 2024 city budget. Highlights: • The budget was passed on a 10-1 vote (Council Member Mackenzie Kelly opposing on Wednesday (8.16) at 3:24PM. • At $5.5 billion the FY 2024 budget is Austin's larges...

Welcome to Episode 211! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (of 8.7.2023) in Austin politics and more. This week we focus on the Zilker Vision Plan going down, and Council's two budget work sessions reviewing their individual priorities (links below!) • Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison (D1)→ https://austincouncilforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=1854 • Council Membe...

Welcome to Episode 210! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (of 7.31.2023) in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: AUSTIN COUNCIL BUDGET PRIORITIES Council Member Vanessa Fuentes → https://austincouncilforum.org/viewtopic.php?p=4126#p4126 Council Member Alison Alter → https://austincouncilforum.org/viewtopic.php?p=4127#p4127 City of Austin hopes to ha...

Welcome to Episode 209! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia CEO A.J. Bingham review the week (ending 7.28) in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: • City of Austin FY 23-24 Budget Adoption Process; • Austin City Manager Search; and more. EPISODE 209 Bingham Group Update -> We've formed a new practice area focused on Government Incentives and Economic Development. -> https://www.bingh...

Welcome to Episode 208! On this episode we welcome guest Dave Porter, Executive Director, Williamson County Economic Development Partnership. The Williamson County EDP was founded in 2014 to create a partnership between Williamson County and city economic development leaders to market and promote economic development in Williamson County. Members from each of the contributing government entities m...

Welcome to Episode 207! Bingham Group Associates Hannah Garcia and Wendy Rodriguez review the week in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: • City Council returned from Summer break for a regular meeting on July 20th, 2023 → https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=411224 • City of Austin Staff released expedited timeline for housing code amendments → https://www.austinmon...

Welcome to Episode 206! Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham and Associate Hannah Garcia discuss the recently released, City of Austin FY 23-24 Budget. The discussion covers: City of Austin released FY23-24 Budget on July 16th → https://assets.austintexas.gov/budget/23-24/downloads/FY24_Proposed_Budget.pdf KEY DATES • July 26 → Work Session focused on General Fund with Public Comment being heard on Budg...

Welcome to Episode 205! Bingham Group Associate’s Hannah Garcia and Wendy Rodriguez with CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: Texas Legislature reaches deal for property tax cuts → https://www.kxan.com/news/18-billion-deal-reached-texans-to-get-biggest-property-tax-cut-in-states-history/ City of Austin ends APD-DPS partnership after community backlash and an...

Welcome to Episode 204! Bingham Group Associates Hannah Garcia and Wendy Rodriguez with CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: • City of Houston sues state to block new law (HB 2127) they argue erodes cities’ power → https://www.texastribune.org/2023/07/03/houston-texas-lawsuit-local-control/ • The City of Austin begins their budget adoption process on July 14...

On this episode we welcome Daniela Silva with Political Action Committee, Equity Action. Equity Action is spearheading the campaign in support Community Investment Budget (CIB) ahead of the Austin Council's vote on the FY24 budget, set next month. Daniela and A.J. discuss the 35 item budget package covering a range diversity of community needs including Early Childhood Education and Development, C...

Welcome to Episode 202! Bingham Group Associates Hannah Garcia and Wendy Rodriguez, along with CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: • The return of the Austin Police/DPS partnership; • Land Development Code amendment prioritization; • The Zilker Vision Plan and more. EPISODE 202 Also Checkout EPISODE 201: Discussing the last 6 months of Austin Politics with...

On this episode we welcome Jack Craver, independent reporter and founder of The Austin Politics Newsletter. Jack and Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham catch up on the past 6 months of Austin politics and city hall moves. For city hall watchers and those looking to get a handle on the state of play now, this is worth a listen. EPISODE 201 LINKS: • The Austin Politics Newsletter -> https://www.austinpo...

Welcome to Episode 200! Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics and more. The discussion covers: • The launch of BG Media, our sister agency BG Media, a public strategy firm providing comprehensive communications and engagement services in the Austin Metro area -> www.bgmediagp.com; • A recap of Texas Legislation (ending on May 29) important to Central...

Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics. The discussion covers: • A potential public re-vote on Project Connect. News link: https://bit.ly/3mVkbUp • Council's approval Thursday (4/20) of a resolution directing the City Manager to create a plan and implementation schedule to transition the City to sustainable low-embodied-carbon concrete. Link to Resolu...

Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics. The discussion covers: • Planning Commission's move Tuesday (4/11) to create a new zoning category, called Town Zoning (TZ). Link to TZ language: https://bit.ly/3KC8iug • Council's approval Thursday (4/13) of a resolution reducing parking requirements for bars and restaurants. Link to Resolution language: https:...

Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics. Today's discussion covers: • The 3/31 retirement of Austin Energy General Manager Jackie Sargent (https://bit.ly/3MnA93X); • Pushback on the Austin Police Department / Texas DPS agreement (https://bit.ly/400ro36); and • The Texas House passing HB 1, the state budget bill (https://bit.ly/3nZz4VG). The Austin Coun...

Today's episode features returning guest, Ed Latson, CEO, Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA). He and Bingham Group CEO A.J. continue a discussion around Central Texas's position in the national semiconductor sector, sparked by last year's passage of the CHIPS Act (see RELATED EPISODES below). Today's topic turns to two proposals at the Texas Legislature for the Texas Creating Helpful...

Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. review the week in Austin politics. Today's discussion centers around what we are calling the Bias Towards Action Era at city hall. This ethos has been expressed, and demonstrated, by both Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Interim City Manager Jesús Garza in recent weeks. More on the show! EPISODE 195 ABOUT THE BINGHAM GROUP, LLC Bingham Group works to...

Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. discuss Friday's announcement from Jesús Garza, Interim Austin City Manager regarding a second round of significant City Hall leadership. This marks the most significant overhaul to City staff leadership since Mr. Garza was appointed on February 15th of this year. It comes on the relative heels another reorganization on March 1st of this year. LIN...