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Do you support maintaining affordable utility costs across Austin Energy and Austin Water that adheres strictly to the City’s affordability goals for Austin Energy, which require AustinEnergy rates to be in the bottom half of Texas ratepayers and minimizes increases to two percent per year for each rate class? (Y/N Explain)

AE: Yes. AWU: Needs study. — I support adhering to the Austin Energy affordability goals for Austin Energy. As a Council Member, I was deeply involved in the first Austin Energy rate case in 15 years and understand that AustinEnergy’s finances are extremely complex. Those complexities are important for the Mayor and Council to understand because there are many “levers” to pull in achieving our affordability goals. — As for applying those same goals to Austin Water, I would be willing to discuss affordability goals for that utility, but believe there must be careful, customized consideration of an appropriate approach. As a Council Member, I was also deeply involved in a process to set Austin Water on a financially sound path that balanced affordability, reliability and conservation.