ZacCast

The case for public space Oct 08, 2024

This week's episode centers on a Texas Monthly piece titled "Why does Texas have so little public land?" Pat and Chad talk about the article and discuss whether cities can improve their development patterns and fiscal health by emphasizing the acquisition of more public space.

Topics
00:52 - Why does Texas have so little public land?
04:28 - Patrick proposes using public land acquisition to combat fiscally unproductive sprawl
07:54 - Distinguishing local parks and green space from urban growth boundaries
08:20 - Why do cities cede the public realm of our neighborhoods to the developer?
11:07 - Why is public space in single family neighborhoods often so non-functional?
13:25 - Life, then spaces, then buildings
14:34 - We've moved public amenities to the private realm
17:01 - To each his own, sans subsidy
17:32 - Should federal land be used for housing?
18:47 - Time to debate urban growth boundaries
25:08 - What causes us to ignore the pain points in our feedback loops?
29:16 - Putting odds on the State of Texas taking a role in growth boundaries
35:52 - Obligatory CFB talk

Links

Why does Texas have so little public land (Texas Monthly / AppleNews)
Carlton's Landing
Jan Gehl - First life, then spaces, then buildings

The housing trap with Chuck Marohn Sep 26, 2024

On this epic episode, we welcome Chuck Marohn, founder and president of Strong Towns. Chuck's bestselling new book, Escaping the Housing Trap, kicks off the conversation, which winds its way through a variety of important issues facing cities today.

Topics
02:33 - What is the housing trap?
04:05 - Pre-Depression era housing finance
08:00 - Government response to Depression vs the 2008 Housing Crisis
13:15 - Supply and Demand vs Finance as causes of the housing crisis
16:04 - Did we get here via High Modernism or hot fixes?
23:16 - When did we cross the Housing Trap Rubicon?
26:36 - What role does the finance market play in the housing shortage?
33:15 - Why doesn't the housing market doesn't respond to consumer needs like other markets?
35:37 - What's wrong with demand side approaches to affordability?
38:55 - The Strong Towns approach to addressing the housing trap
45:21 - How do we sell the Strong Towns approach to our community?
1:01:56 - Budgetary forests and trees
1:04:19 - Chuck's has beef with sales tax
1:18:17 - Why sales tax creates a higher burden for understanding your city's finance
1:24:38 - What role should state government's play to help city's improve their fiscal health?

Links and Notes

The tizzy Sep 18, 2024

On this somewhat feisty episode of ZacCast, Patrick and Chad discuss the built-in assumptions behind our development patterns, compare development in DFW and Houston, talk traffic planning, and talk about the problems with the electricity rate-making process in Texas. Stay tuned for a semi-lighting round at the end.

03:58 - Do we have some built-in assumptions about how cities grow?

21:39 - DFW vs Houston: development showdown
26:55 - Pre-approved development plans, yea or nay?
28:59 - RE: thoroughfare planning
34:40 - Electric rate-making woes
58:53 - Lightning round begins!
58:59 - Calling your shot on interest rate cuts
60:01 - Will the #1 ranked Texas Longhorns go undefeated?

Links

One of Collin County’s largest undeveloped tracts sold for massive mixed-use project (Dallas Morning-News)
Plano firm buys land for 2,200 homes in fast-growing northern D-FW (Dallas Morning-News)
Definition of Tizzy (Google)

The appraisal district drama Sep 05, 2024

In this episode, Patrick and Chad drop some hot takes on the appraisal changes recently approved by the Tarrant Appraisal District. We talk about addressing the symptoms of the property tax system in Texas versus addressing the illness. We discuss the upcoming September sales tax allocation. And college football is back, so we spend some time talking about week 1 to wrap up the episode.

01:15 - Tarrant Appraisal District goes its own way
26:28 - Are split tax rates a way to address the illness of the Texas property tax system?
32:50 - Is building enough housing a way to address the illness?
38:04 - Sales tax update
41:45 - What to expect if you see Patrick at a restaurant bar
52:30 - Come see us at a conference near you!
53:44 - College football is back!

What's the deal with the economy? Aug 14, 2024

Summer break is over and ZacCast is back at full strength. Today's episode is all about the economy. From macro to micro, how can cities prepare for what's next?

01:04 - Dr Evil and Mini-me
07:00 - What's the deal with the economy?
08:02 - The Sahm Rule: triggered
11:02 - August inflation numbers
14:40 - Real estate and interest rates
17:14 - Have cities already been in recession mode?
20:28 - Retail's struggles
27:58 - Electricity and insurance increases putting pressure on household budgets
34:45 - Where do we go from here?
42:20 - Has The Great Recession prepared current city managers for future downturns?
44:21 - Texas vs A&M: rekindled

The Vacation Episode Jul 12, 2024

Join us as we catch up and chat about life and cities in this grab bag episode:

00:10 - Patrick's waterpark excursions

02:53 - Patrick reviews Kalahari

01:40 - Is Schlitterbahn slipping?

12:09 - Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge

13:48 - Patrick reviews Schlitterbahn

20:41 - Fast Pass, yea or nay?

26:05 - The value of good customer service, and lessons for cities

33:48 - Good customer service -> good user experience

35:25 - What kind of city do we want to retire in?

37:03 - Pat's Poli Sci Corner

53:40 - Highway spending and decision making locus

1:01:17 - Quick July sales tax update

Links

Sales tax momentum continues to slow across Texas (ZacTax Blog)

The kind of problem a city is May 30, 2024

In this episode, Patrick and Chad look at the Scottie Scheffler arrest and subsequent dismissal of charges from the perspective of a city manager. What went wrong and how can you do better? Then we consider the legacy of the Progressive Movement's impact on city management and discuss whether the paradigm it ushered in has us thinking about cities the wrong way.

05:47 - The Scottie Scheffler mishap from a city manager's perspective
27:24 - Does our MPA train us to look at cities the wrong way?

Liability Lane May 17, 2024

In this episode, Pat and Chad talk about inflation remaining stubborn and how cities can/should better report their infrastructure liabilities.

00:00 - on pets
01:55 - on inflation
16:10 - on assets and liabilities

The world's most expensive bathroom May 01, 2024

On this episode, we talk about:

The world's most expensive bathroom, the regulations that led to it, and how can we be better in our own cities?
Houston is broke, but why?
McKinsey suggests automated vehicles will induce continued population expansion into outer ring neighborhoods and rural areas

Timestamps
00:22 - New TeamZac member
01:32 - Setting hiring policy on the podcast
02:55 - Generations Z and Alpha
03:51 - The difference between Pat and Chad
06:09 - The most expensive public restroom
14:31 - Can we incorporate staff accountability for getting a project done?
16:18 - The Purple Slip
19:38 - Can we just empower employees?
28:16 - Houston is broke
39:36 - On urban highway expansion
48:03 - McKinsey on the benefits of autonomous vehicles
57:47 - Could AVs eliminate the need for parking?
60:15 - AV cabs as public transportation: worst of both worlds?
62:04 - Special announcement time

Notes

A Close Examination of the Most Infamous Public Toilet in America (NY Times)
Houston mayor says the city is broke (Fox 26 Houston)
Here's the real reason Houston is going broke (Strong Towns)
Autonomous Driving's Future: Convenient and Connected (McKinsey)
Smart Bumps

The Doom Loop Apr 23, 2024

In this episode, Chad and Pat debrief from the Utah City Managers Association conference and talk about differences in management cultures among these United States. We talk about the growing concern of a doom loop cycle in urban commercial real estate, what is a doom loop, why do they happen, and how can cities mitigate their impacts or avoid them altogether. We follow up with a conversation about how to compare and evaluate the quality of your downtowns. Finally, we chat about a recent think piece on fire departments.

00:20 - Debrief from the Utah City Managers Association Conference and differences in management culture among states
19:26 - The Urban CRE Doom Loop: What is it and how to avoid it
34:04 - How should we compare and evaluate downtowns?
35:45 - Vibe-Oriented Development
43:51 - On Fire Departments

Links

Many Cities Fear the 'Doom Loop' (WSJ - The Journal)
Why the CRE Urban Doom Loop May Still Be Coming (Odd Lots)
On Fire Departments (Thesis Driven)

Amazon lockers, appraisal boards, and zoning reform Apr 04, 2024

In this episode, we talk about:

The sales tax implications of Amazon lockers and whether remote taxpayers should be subjected to detailed audits to verify that their tax payments are accurate;
Recent changes to Appraisal Board composition and various other property tax topics a recent Y'allitics episode stirred up; and
Zoning reform measures likely headed to Texas in the next legislative session.

00:30 - April Fool's Day Recap
04:30 - No Soap Radio
08:45 - Amazon Lockers and auditing remote sales taxpayers
25:19 - Changes to Appraisal District board composition
46:18 - Zoning reform is coming to Texas

Links

Y'allitics Episode 267
Dunning-Kruger Effect
Texas Tribune article on prospective zoning reforms (Texas Tribune)

The episode about nothing Mar 22, 2024

Fresh off of Spring Break and without a lot of hard hitting topics to discuss, Pat and Chad bounce between friendly and city topics.

00:12 - Intro
00:42 - Spring Break activities
03:09 - Paw Patrol Live (and other such shows)
05:25 - Kids YouTube
08:00 - Bozo The Clown, Homie the Clown, and Dougie the Whale
10:45 - Paw Patrol revisited
13:20 - Disney plot holes
14:56 - What are we watching?
16:34 - Rents are falling in Austin
19:08 - Population surge in the Texas Triangle
21:52 - Moneyball for cities: yea or nay?
30:00 - Baseball's back
35:33 - College vs Pro Sports in the DFW region
37:19 - Mowing szn
38:20 - Signing off

The Great Reversals Mar 07, 2024

In this episode, Pat and Chad talk about a couple of big reversals. First, March sales tax allocations in Texas appear to have unwound all of the audit adjustments from last month. Pat and Chad talk about the impacts and how we can put Humpty Dumpty back together moving forward.

Then, in the wake of Tuesday's primary elections, we discuss what "local control" means and if our conventional view of the concept might need its own reversal. When should cities have autonomy? Are there first principles we can lean on to identify when a problem should be addressed at a regional or state level instead? A difficult devil's advocate conversation ensues, and we'd love to keep the conversation going with you!

The (audit) adjustment bureau Feb 22, 2024

A major sales tax audit adjustment hit cities across the state of Texas in February. Chad and Patrick talk about the adjustment and some issues it highlighted. We follow up with a discussion on the recent performance of downtowns versus power centers, and the under-appreciated role that downtowns play in differentiating your city.

The mo is slow Jan 25, 2024

In this episode:

(01:20) Sales tax momentum has been slowing for some time now. We dig in to the numbers and issue a red flag warning as cities head into mid-year budget amendments and next year's budget cycle.

Sales tax momentum continues to slow in Texas (ZacTax blog)

(10:10) An episode of WSJ's The Journal podcast piqued Patrick's interest, so we discuss the UK post office scandal and lessons to be learned for city managers.

The Computer Glitch That Caused Nearly 1,000 Convictions (WSJ's The Journal)

(29:30) We wrap up with an unplanned chat about the need for a city working group to define software interoperability standards so that cities can wrest power back from ERP and other software vendors.

The Gourmet Underwear Jan 16, 2024

Pat and Chad are back for the first episode of 2024. After some throat-clearing chit chat, we discuss:

What do you do when a local news report or social media post gains traction, but you know the meat of the story isn't true? And how can cities be proactive in their communities to avoid such things in the first place?
What's going on in the Texas legislature on school funding, and what's the impact on cities?

Although the title might suggest it, there is no explicit content in this episode!

Retail sales and leases Dec 14, 2023

In this episode, Patrick and Chad talk about softening retail sales figures and changes to the retail real estate landscape. We finish with a March Madness style Christmas movie showdown.

The American Store is Shrinking (WSJ)

The Holiday Episode Nov 30, 2023

On today's episode, Pat and Chad talk about the holidays, from retail sales forecasts to planning holiday events to the appropriate time to start decorating. And because we can never seem to get through a fall episode without it, stick around for a spirited college football discussion.

Timestamps
00:32 - Holiday retail sales forecasts
13:12 - The joys of public events at the holidays
23:23 - Are we cool with decorating before Thanksgiving?
33:48 - Gratuitous college football razzing

The Drive-Through Nov 16, 2023

Newest TeamZac member Maria Skrut joins the show as we talk about a recent NY Times article on the future of drive-throughs. Where does the drive-through rank on the hierarchy of good urban design? Is the rise of the drive-through a result of growing anti-social behavior, as the article suggests? And what is the drive-through's impact on walkability, community development, and social capital?

The shrinking savings Nov 01, 2023

Household savings skyrocketed during the pandemic. Now that they're falling back to Earth, will retail sales come down with them? What other headwinds might stand in the way of the significant growth we've seen since 2020? Also, is Trunk-or-Treat a harmless Halloween innovation or a sign that we have given up on creating safe, walkable neighborhoods?

Timelines
00:00 - Throat clearing
05:15 - What's up in retail?
14:18 - Headwinds for 2024-2025?
23:45 - Is Trunk-or-Treat a symptom of bad walkability?
42:30 - College football and third places

Links

Nicolas Cage Filmography (IMDB)
Why retail stocks are suffering (The Street)
Where did Trick-or-Treating come from? (Stuff You Should Know)
Peaches Song (Mario Movie)
Mike Leach on Halloween Candy (YouTube)

The Segue Jul 07, 2023

Come for the best natural segue Patrick has ever managed... stick around for a discussion about the Texas Legislature's current struggles with property tax reform and how it may impact cities.

The formerly home-ruled 15-minute city Mar 10, 2023

A bill in the Texas Legislature could have a chilling effect on the home-rule status of Texas cities; SB2's property tax reforms could have significant implications for certain economic development mechanisms; and our thoughts on the 15-minute city and the brewing controversy around the topic.

Links

How the Texas GOP became the party of big government (Texas Monthly)
HB 2127
The 15-Minute City: Where urban planning meets conspiracy theories (NY Times)
The Last Utopia: The 15-Minute City (Alain Bertaud)
Order Without Design (Alain Bertaud)

The Urban Vitality of Costco Mar 02, 2023

Patrick and Chad discuss a proposed Costco/apartment complex in South LA, how multi-family can be better integrated into suburban areas, and give an update on the 2023 Texas Legislative Session.

Costco wants to build a different kind of store in South L.A. (LA Times)
HB 1465 - Grandfathering old sales tax sourcing rules
HB 1513 -
SB 546 - Homestead exemption changes
SB 547 - Homestead exemption changes, "Prop 13 bill"
Local sales and use tax on residential use of gas and electricity (Texas Comptroller)

The neighborly, the cloudy, the nice, and the naughty Dec 19, 2022

Not a Stranger, Not a Friend (Strong Towns)
Internet of S*** (Twitter account)
ChatGPT

The Bicycle Nov 11, 2022

The "Why" (with bonus content!) Oct 25, 2022

3:00 - Local control and California's housing programs

The Rise of the Single-Family Home (The Daily by the New York Times)

27:25 - Strong Towns podcast on customer service

What Customer Service Should Mean for a City (Strong Towns Podcast)

46:20 - Quick return to California

4630 - reels clip

57:40 - Cities preparing for recession

US Cities are Preparing for Recession (Bloomberg)
US Cities Prepare for Recession (Fortune, paywall)
All the (Unemployed) Young Dudes (The Fifth Column podcast)

The staff meeting Oct 12, 2022

Creed's Thanksgiving Day performance, November 2001
The Four Chords of Pop Music
- Why does the Four Chord Pop Song sound so good? (clean)
- Axis of Awesome - 4 Chord Song (explicit)
NYT Daily - The Rise of the Single Family Home
Strong Towns Podcast - What Customer Service Should Mean for a City

The profitable city Sep 23, 2022

Pat and Chad talk about what it means for cities to be profitable, and why it matters.

I'm your density... I mean, your destiny Sep 09, 2022

RIP Queen Elizabeth II
Tennis serves vs Baseball pitches
- www.humanbenchmark.com
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley's recent interview
"How Dense is Too Dense" in Fort Worth's Crockett Row?
Fifth Circuit strikes down restrictive short-term rental rules

Meddlers of the world, unite (then cut it out, please) Aug 26, 2022

The Rise of the Worker Productivity Score (NYTimes article)
The Rise of Workplace Surveillance (The Daily podcast by NYT about the article we discuss)

Isn't budgeting so much fun these days? Apr 22, 2022

Analysis: Property tax relief that doesn’t lower your tax bill

Open Mic Morning Mar 31, 2022

Local impacts of Ukraine and the 2020 Census changes Mar 10, 2022

Why the 2020 census has 9 fake people in a single house (Full Stack Economics)
Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 DNS Resolver
What is a VPN? (Forbes)
How Target figured out a teen girl was pregnant before her father did (Forbes)

Software subscriptions and a stock market for cities Nov 16, 2021

GASB 96

A stemwinder on sales tax, staffing, supply chains, speed bumps, and scooters Nov 03, 2021

What to expect when expecting to be a city manager Aug 18, 2021

UMANT Strong Towns event (Sep 24, 2021)
TML Conference Houston (Oct 6-8, 2021)

Don't buy AirPods at the airport Jul 14, 2021

In this episode, we assess the state of post-Covid sales tax recovery in Texas, talk about proposals to replace property taxes with a value added tax, and wrap up with a discussion about designing public spaces to delight.

The sky probably isn't falling, and why a national infrastructure bank isn't helpful Jun 12, 2021

Chuck Marohn Tweet thread
National Infrastructure Bank Coalition
GFOA - Cash is King
"We have no idea who the good guy is" - Y'allitics Podcast

Sales Taxes and Covid Vaxxes May 04, 2021

HB 4072 (and all-time great baseball movies) Apr 09, 2021

HB 4072 (and the totally worthless/misleading fiscal note)
Is it worth the time? - XKCD
The Bonnen Tapes episode - ZacCast

Dark Stores and Coachless Teams Apr 01, 2021

Editor's note: I'm very sorry that Patrick has subjected you, our dear listener, to another forced attempt at ridiculing the University of Texas on what is otherwise an extremely valuable podcast for local public managers. While I did my best to keep the discussion geared toward local government issues, if you don't wish to hear our friendly bickering about Texas vs Texas A&M, you are welcome to skip from minute 37:30 until about the last 30 seconds of the episode. - Chad

Fighting the wrong fight on property tax reform Mar 17, 2021

Texas cities have been fighting the state legislature over property tax revenue caps for years, but what if they've just been a symptom of the underlying problem? In this episode, we dig further into the problem with the commercial appraisal mechanisms, how they've shifted the tax burden to residential homeowners, and how the legislative response to that phenomenon continues to make the situation worse.

The one Patrick expects a lot of feedback on Mar 12, 2021

Happy Texas Independence (from masks) Day! Mar 03, 2021

Back in the saddle Feb 12, 2021

Student Sells $80k Pokémon Card Collection To Pay For University

Sales Tax (Post) Gameday - February 2021 Feb 11, 2021

Time Codes
01:47 Statewide overview
07:25 DFW area
08:45 Houston area
10:42 San Antonio area
12:22 Mcallen area
13:25 Midland/Odessa
17:30 Corpus Christi area
18:10 El Paso area
18:48 Amarillo area
19:47 Lubbock area
22:20 Brownsville
23:00 Kerrville/Fredericksburg
23:35 Austin/Round Rock
24:45 Killeen/Temple
25:25 Bryan/College Station
25:52 Abilene
26:49 San Angelo
26:52 Waco
27:18 Brenham
27:30 Wrap up

Valeri Williams freezes during weather forecast

Greg Abbott: City Manager Dec 16, 2020

Czech yourself before you wreck yourself Nov 27, 2020

In a special, barely-related-to-city-government episode, Cody Janicek joins us from Prague to talk Covid, living in Europe as an American, growing up with Chad, and college rivalries.

The "Chad's Mannerisms" episode Nov 25, 2020

Sales Tax Gameday - November 2020 Nov 12, 2020

Be sure to join us at www.salestaxgameday.com for your chance to play and possibly win some swag predicting sales tax collections for December 2020.

00:00 - Intro and Sales Tax Gameday winner
04:25 - DFW
09:15 - Houston area
14:10 - San Antonio area
16:00 - McAllen area
16:30 - Corpus Christi area
17:50 - El Paso area
19:45 - Midland/Odessa area
21:10 - Amarillo area
22:05 - Lubbock area
22:43 - Brownsville area
27:14 - Tyler/Jacksonville area
27:58 - Victoria/Port Lavaca area
28:30 - Kerrville/Fredericksburg area
29:57 - Austin area
33:15 - Killeen/Temple area
33:45 - Waco area
36:15 - Abilene area
36:40 - Bryan/College Station
37:55 - Quick hitters around the rest of the state
38:50 - Wrap up
41:45 - Star Baker Award Recipient

Covid resurgence, broken ice cream, street grids, and murder hornets Oct 30, 2020

Sales Tax Gameday - October 2020 Oct 07, 2020

00:25 - TeamZac Projections
07:42 - DFW Metroplex
12:42 - Midland/Odessa
13:55 - Corpus Christi
15:35 - Houston Area
19:20 - San Antonio
21:14 - Austin
25:56 - East Texas
27:08 - Amarillo
28:20 - El Paso
29:26 - McAllen/Edinburg
30:50 - Lubbock
31:32 - Victoria/Port Lavaca
32:12 - Brownsville
34:04 - Kerrville/Fredericksburg
34:45 - Bryan/College Station
36:55 - Waco
37:25 - San Angelo
38:00 - Sherman/Denison
38:22 - Nacogdoches
39:00 - Shining Star & Wrap Up

Round Robin - From AirBNB to our national treasure, Mike Leach Sep 29, 2020

Signup for our free monthly newsletter, the ZacTax Roundup

0:43 - AirBNB pilots a new City Portal

Airbnb’s Data ‘Portal’ Promises a Better Relationship With Cities

08:06 - Did cities defund the police in FY21?

15:06 - Weekly Covid tests for San Antonio schools

San Antonio billionaire wants to test every student in the city for COVID-19

23:18 - More gold from Mike Leach

Video from the press conference

Sales Tax Gameday - September 2020 Sep 10, 2020

02:48 - DFW
06:54 - Houston
10:45 - San Antonio
13:26 - McAllen area
13:35 - Corpus Christi area
15:13 - Austin Area
18:06 - Bryan/College Station
20:52 - Waco
22:18 - Abilene
23:16 - San Angelo
23:25 - Midland/Odessa
25:52 - Lubbock
26:40 - Amarillo
27:35 - El Paso
28:11 - Brownsville
29:10 - East Texas
30:04 - Sherman/Denison
31:00 - Removal of internet sales tax
33:30 - Wrap up

Internet Tax Freedom Act (of 2016)

The Last Dance Sep 04, 2020

Dataviz tips and dad jokes Aug 18, 2020

Show me the Numbers by Stephen Few
Preattentive Visual Properties and How to Use Them in Information Visualization
Quick wins for your data visualizations (ZacTax Blog)
Design Concepts for Better Power BI Reports - Part 2: Preattentive Attributes (Data Savvy)

Sales Tax Gameday - August 2020 Aug 12, 2020

Sign up for the ZacTax Newsletter

Kevin Shepherd on fiscal sustainability, infrastructure gaps, and the future of development Aug 10, 2020

Verdunity
Go Cultivate! Blog
Go Cultivate! Podcast (Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, TuneIn)

A city used these easy steps to have a productive council meeting and you won't believe what happened next! Jul 29, 2020

OK, so maybe the title is a bit hyperbolic. But everyone's been there: stuck in council chambers, time ticking away, missing your favorite show or maybe even Thursday night football. Meanwhile, nothing productive is happening in your city council meeting. In this episode, Patrick and Chad offer a few tips for fostering productive city council meetings.

What's Proptech, and how has Covid affected sales tax? Jul 11, 2020

VC and ED May 26, 2020

#OpenTexas May 01, 2020

Budgeting under the cloud of COVID-19 with Kyle Lester Mar 27, 2020

SCADA-as-a-service, appraisal mishaps, and time travel Mar 23, 2020

We talk about the future of SCADA systems, a very unfortunate error in a Utah appraisal district, and differing movie-time-travel rules.

James Earp on the local response to COVID-19 Mar 14, 2020

Brittney Huff on things you don't learn in grad school (aka TYDLIGS) Mar 11, 2020

Lamentations on technology and Disney princesses Feb 25, 2020

The future of ZacTax, software spies, and zipper merges Feb 10, 2020

Fresh Prince and Strong Towns Jan 10, 2020

Strong Towns is an international movement that’s dedicated to making communities across the United States and Canada financially strong and resilient. You can learn more at their website: www.strongtowns.org.

Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity by Chuck Marohn

Single Local Taxes, Rule Changes, and Christmas Conspiracies Dec 20, 2019

Robert Hanna - Downtown Redevelopment in Abilene Dec 16, 2019

In this episode of ZacCast, Abilene, Texas, city manager Robert Hanna joins us to talk about his city's downtown hotel/convention center project. We discuss the difficulties inherent in complicated projects, steering large organizations toward a common goal, and gaining community buy-in for potentially controversial projects.

Lifting the auditors' vail Dec 02, 2019

GoVirtual CFO

The Single Local Tax Rate Episode Nov 17, 2019

Mr. Miyagi, Facebook, and Christmas Spite Nov 13, 2019

Rework Nov 08, 2019

Rework on Amazon
Signal vs Noise (Basecamp's blog)
Basecamp

Haters gonna hate (local control) Oct 31, 2019

What Can Texas Cities Do When State Legislators Admit to Hating Them?

Errata

College Station is ~107 miles from Austin

Origins Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

The Trailer Oct 28, 2019

Everyone has a podcast now, so we figured we should, too. Join us as we embark on what we hope will be a fun and engaging show about city management, including stories from the front lines about interesting and innovative things happening in the field. In this trailer, we introduce the show and talk about our goals for it.

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