On Thursday, June 6th, Central Texas Interfaith (CTI) and Capital IDEA leaders successfully protected a $319,000 increase in workforce funding the Mayor and City Council committed to this past summer.  In response to the Texas Legislature passing legislation this session that places a future 3.5% cap on property tax increases, a move was made to reevaluate and potentially reverse this $319,000 investment and other budget items that were set for approval yesterday.   

CTI and Capital IDEA leaders mobilized to call and write their council members while Rabbi Alan Freedman, of Temple Beth Shalom and Co-Chair of the CTI Clergy Caucus, explained to the Mayor and Council how even a short delay could postpone and jeopardize the recruitment and enrollment of 50 new students.   

When a motion was made to delay the Capital IDEA funding, it did not receive a second.  Council Member Alison Alter made a counter motion to immediately award the funding for Capital IDEA, and it received unanimous support.  Kudos to all the Council Members who supported this funding, and to Rabbi Freedman, CTI leader and Capital IDEA Board Member Joy Penticuff, and Capital IDEA Executive Director Steve Jackobs, and all the CTI leaders who worked on this intensively in less than a 24 hour period! 

Nonprofit Funds OK'd Despite Flannigan Questions, Austin Monitor [pdf]

Click links below for videos about two Capital IDEA graduates: