A nonprofit has asked a court to block the Austin City Council from voting Thursday on a five-year, $218-million deal with the city's police union.
Equity Action, the group that pushed for the voter-approved Austin Police Oversight Act, said the language of the contract is ambiguous and it doesn't fully address the measure. It asked a state district judge for a temporary restraining order preventing the vote.
Equity Action specifically took issue with the contract's language surrounding so-called "G-files," previously confidential employment files concerning police officer discipline. City staff has said the contract language complies with a court order to release those files.
Kathy Mitchell with Equity Action told KUT she doesn't buy those assurances, and the nonprofit amended an ongoing lawsuit to stall Thursday's vote on the contract.
"We think that this is a moment when City Council should take a pause, understand the gravity of the step that they are about to take, and allow this legal action to play out," she said. "And if that means postponing for two weeks, they should do that."
Mitchell and more than 100 other Austinites testified against the proposed labor deal Tuesday at City Hall. Opponents argue the $218-million price tag is an underestimate and it'll cost more over the contract's five-year term. That concern was echoed by some council members, including Ryan Alter. The District 5 representative introduced a resolution to require quarterly updates on expenses related to the contract.
Concerns aside, council members have seemingly coalesced around the deal, which has been in the works for more than a year. The contract would provide substantial raises to officers, as well as incentives to retain employees. Austin has struggled for years to staff patrol positions; there are currently more than 300 vacancies at APD. City staff has assured council the contract also complies with the APOA and specifically stated that it allows for disclosure of discipline files previously kept confidential under the G-file system.
KUT reached out to the city and Mayor Kirk Watson for comment on the lawsuit, but has not heard back.
Michael Bullock, president of the Austin police union, called Equity Action's lawsuit an "unprecedented ask," but said it didn't surprise him. Bullock said he and the union still plan to move ahead with the contract approval.
"I firmly believe that we are headed in the right direction and we are ready to move forward," he told KUT. "So, I'm not discouraged and we're just going to keep working."
