“We were told there will be jobs for the communities, hotels, restaurants, stores — empty promises,” said Darīus Lemelle, a leader with St. Paul United Methodist Church - COPS/Metro.

“That we see leaders continue to allow these developers to take our tax dollars for private investment, I say no more.”

The meetings follow a public call by Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai for more clarity on what the project will cost and how it will be paid for before he could agree to a venue tax election requested by the San Antonio Spurs’ basketball team owners....

[T]own hall attendees... frequently expressed their ire for a proposed new stadium after several said the arena failed to deliver in terms of economic development for the East Side.

Many said they oppose any new taxes to pay for it.

“Our tax money is better spent on what the East Side needs — more green spaces, workforce development and opportunities, and affordable housing and access to healthcare facilities and quality health care,” said Stewart Blanton, also speaking on behalf of COPS/Metro Alliance.

After Together West Michigan demanded transparency and public benefits from a proposed public investment in the Fulton Market Three Towers project, developers dedicated an additional $20 million toward hiring women, minority, and micro-local contractors, almost double the original commitment.

Over 160 people overflowed from chambers for the Three Towers vote, with Third Ward Commissioner Perdue standing with Together West Michigan.

"I want to acknowledge that [this]... was only possible because of the advocacy that you all provided," said Commissioner Perdue. "There's much, much more work to do...I'm committed to keep fighting with you and look forward to what's next."

Because of the spotlight Together West Michigan put on this development, public scrutiny was introduced into a process that's often been a rubber stamp.

TWM introduced many voices that wouldn't otherwise have been heard and more attention to this development than any previous one in Grand Rapids in recent memory.  Leaders plan to continue the push for more transparency and public benefit to the new City Commission in 2025.

How Would $565 Million in Taxes Help Pay for the "Three Towers" in Grand Rapids?, FOX 17 [pdf]

GR Commission OK's Project That Would Create Downtown's Tallest Building, Channel 8 News [pdf]

GR Commission Advances Three Towers Project, WZZM 13 [pdf]

Concrete Community Benefits are Now Included in Tax-Funded Downtown Project

Thanks to the intervention of COPS/Metro, concrete community benefits are now part of a partially tax-funded Downtown Missions Stadium project, thus creating a fairer deal for San Antonio residents, including those who will be relocated in advance of construction.

“When we look at this experience, we are keenly aware that doors were opened, conference rooms were made available and seats were placed at the table for billionaires, millionaires and developers,” said [COPS/Metro] leader Father Jimmy Drennan, referring to Missions investors, such as Weston Urban co-founder Graham Weston, a one-time billionaire."

COPS/Metro had been in negotiations with elected officials, city council members, city staff, Weston Urban, SAISD officials, institutional leaders, community leaders, and local residents.  COPS/Metro's complete statement and press can be read below:

Urges More Cities and Counties to Invest in VIDA

Valley Interfaith leaders Rosalie Tristan and Joe Hinojosa celebrated VIDA's recent fundraising success as the culmination of 28 years of dreams and hard political work.  Almost three decades ago, Valley Interfaith established and, over the years, sustained the labor market intermediary to help transform jobs in the Rio Grande Valley. 

Valley Interfaith Leaders Proud of VIDA's Success, Rio Grande Guardian

[Excerpt]

In the attached audio interview, Rosalie Tristan and Joe Hinojosa, both organizers with Valley Interfaith, Joe Higgs from IAF, and Bob Fleming, an organizer with The Metropolitan Organization of Houston, say tax breaks for large corporations should not be paid for with monies that would otherwise go to public education. 

[Photos: Rosalie Tristan (left), Joe Hinojosa (holding sign in center) and Bob Fleming (right)]

Valley Interfaith: Don't Suck Money Out of Public Education to Help Large Corporations, Rio Grande Guardian [audio] 

[Excerpt]

Over the years, critics argued certain requirements were whittled away and some companies were bringing few or low-paying jobs with little benefits. Some, including a coalition of interfaith leaders with The Metropolitan Organization, Central Texas Interfaith and Texas Industrial Areas Foundation Organizations, have called out the program as “corporate welfare” and for leaving the rest of the Texas taxpayers to essentially “make up the difference.”

[Excerpts]

“While we want economic development and good jobs in Central Texas, these agreements prohibit school boards from enacting high living wage and worker safety standards as part of these agreements, unlike city and county incentives, in which good job standards can be negotiated,” said Carlota Garcia of the Central Texas Interfaith organization. 

Garcia said these agreements are “Texas’ largest corporate welfare program, which costs taxpayers over $1 billion annually—money that could be going to public schools and other public needs. The state must replace the revenue that the corporations get out of paying in property taxes for 10 years by collecting more taxes from all Texans.” 

-Community Impact

“We’re not anti-economic development,” said the Rev. Miles Brandon of St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church and member of Central Texas Interfaith. “We believe that all of the dollars we can possibly put together in this state should go to educate our children.”

-Austin Business Journal

“We are a part of the AISD community,” Brandon said. “We implore you to choose your advocates and partners over corporations.  It makes certain there will be $100 million less to fight for. It is in our children’s best interest now and in the future.”

-Austin American Statesman

[Photo Credit: Community Impact]

Possible Chapter 313 Agreement Between Austin ISD, NXP Draws Criticism, Community Impact [pdf]

Austin ISD to Vote on NXP Semiconductor's $100M Tax Break, Austin Business Journal [pdf]

Time Ticking for Austin School Board to Vote on Proposed Tax Breaks for NXP Semiconductors, Austin American Statesman [pdf]

Bastrop Interfaith and Friends of the Land, a farmland preservation coalition, worked with local Elgin residents and landowners to defeat a 10-year Chapter 313 corporate tax abatement at the Elgin ISD School Board last night by a unanimous vote. Solar Proponents, a startup owned by an oil and gas hedge fund, would have clear-cut over 2,100 acres of trees bisected by Little Sandy Creek to build an industrial solar farm. While the community had been testifying monthly since May at the school board meetings against the project, last night was the first time the public got to hear from Solar Proponent about the project. Speakers argued the project endangered Greenbriar Community School and neighboring homes with water runoff in an area already prone to flooding with an already diminishing refuge for wildlife.

“In these past six months, we haven’t heard a single person speak in favor of this project. Compare that to more than 1100 signers of our petition to stop this project and all the comments here you have so patiently listened to since then,” said Skip Connett, a leader with Bastrop Interfaith and founder of Friends of the Land at last night’s school board meeting.

“We spoke for our communities and our trees. Our school board listened,” Connett said after the vote.

This past May, Bastrop Interfaith and Friends of the Land, one of its member institutions, opposed the initial Chapter 313 application which would have given the company a 10-year school property tax abatement from Elgin ISD. Chapter 313, Texas’s largest corporate welfare program, costs taxpayer $1Billion/year to fund these tax breaks, money which could be going to public schools.  Chapter 313’s reauthorization was killed last legislative session by Bastrop Interfaith and the Texas IAF along with allies. However, the program doesn’t expire until this December, and there has been a rush of nearly 500 applications by companies looking to get tax breaks before the deadline.

Bastrop Interfaith Commends Elgin ISD Board for Rejecting Chapter 313 Deal

Friend of the Land, Bastrop Interfaith Oppose Dogwood Creek Solar 313 Application to Elgin, Elgin Courier

Reverend Minerva Camarena Skeith of St. John's Episcopal Church explains to Jon Stewart how Central Texas Interfaith/Texas IAF organizations fight corporate incentives that negatively impact public budgets, including schools.

“What’s happening right here, right now, very powerful.” -- Jon Stewart

In a Behind the Scenes Cut, Rev. Minerva Camarena-Skeith describes how communities can organize.  

Full episode and panel discussion streaming on Apple TV+.  

In meetings with Hays County Commissioners, Corridor Interfaith leaders in Central Texas emphasized the importance of workforce development in one of the fastest growing counties in the county.  The Commissioners Court responded, increasing its public investment in long-term job training by 10% to $55,0000 in the upcoming fiscal year.  

Capital IDEA graduate Mary Helen testified, saying: "After working as a paramedic... I went back to college and earned my RN degree. I currently work as an ICU nurse at Ascension Seton Network and provided care to the first COVID patients in our region."