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Data center construction is booming in Texas, and though proponents say the industry stands to bring billions of dollars to the state’s economy, their rapid growth is under scrutiny from all sides of the political spectrum.
The Austin Community College Board of Trustees has approved a budget for the 2027 fiscal year that continues free a tuition program and staff raises despite lower revenue — but officials say they will need state legislators to approve new funding to be able to keep up with increased costs in the future.
The latest excerpt from the “After the Flood” podcast.
There’s lots more than World Cup watch parties happening this weekend in Austin: a roundup of the galleries and shows you don’t want to miss.
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The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:08] Data center construction is booming in Texas, and though proponents say the industry stands to bring billions of dollars to the state’s economy, their rapid growth is under scrutiny from all sides of the political spectrum. And the Austin Community College Board of Trustees has approved a budget for the 2027 fiscal year, but officials say they’re going to need state legislators to approve new funding to be able to keep up with increased costs in the future, plus the latest excerpt from the After the Flood podcast. More about those stories coming up on today’s show.
KUT Announcer: Laurie Gallardo [00:00:38] The Austin Signal is a production of KUT News, hosted by Jerry Quijano.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:43] And there’s lots more than World Cup watch parties happening this weekend in Austin, the galleries and shows you don’t want to miss. We’ve got an update from KUT’s Art Beat. That’s up next, right here on Austin Signal. Howdy out there. This is Austin Signal. I’m your host, Jerry Quijano. It is Thursday, July 9th. Thank you for tuning in to Community Supported Public Radio. This is KUT News. The Austin Community College Board of Trustees has approved a budget for the 2027 fiscal year, but officials say they will need the Texas legislature to approve new funding for the school to be able to keep up with increased costs before their next budget in 2028. KUT’s Greta Diaz-Gonzalez-Vasquez has the story.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:01:39] The ACC Board approved a $583 million budget for the next school year. It includes a 2% raise and a $1,700 one-time payment to all employees. But that is less than what the ACC staff had asked for. Here’s Professor David Albert.
David Albert [00:01:55] The one-time payment will provide some temporary relief that leaves our employees falling further behind since that additional 2% does not become part of the permanent base salary. We are advocating for a flat 4% raise to allow our employees, particularly our lower income employees, not to continue to fall further behind.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:02:18] ACC officials say new state funding formulas led to the school getting less money from the state. It’s also the first time in 17 years that property tax revenue was down for the college. Chancellor Russell Lowry-Hart says, while revenue indicated that they shouldn’t give raises at all, he was proud that the college was able to do it.
Russel Lowry-Hart [00:02:38] In a moment where we have lost revenue and now been cut $6 million by the state for us to propose any kind of raise when other schools in the state are proposing cuts speaks to our commitment to our employees and this college and this community.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:02:56] Along with the raises and one-time payments, the college was also able to pass a balanced budget. That’s in part because the college had money left over from the last budget. And this year, ACC will not put any money into its savings account or cash reserves as they normally do. Last year, for example, the college put $4 million into its saving. Officials say they’re trying to avoid touching their savings this year in case state funding formulas lead to more revenue loss, but they remain hopeful. Carlos Martinez is ACC’s deputy CFO and associate vice-chancellor. He hopes things will change during the next legislative session, which starts in January.
Carlos Martinez [00:03:33] The coordinating board has relayed to all the community colleges that they are planning to go in and ask for supplemental funding in the next legislative session to get us back to the levels of what we should.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:03:44] While the budget was tight, the college was able to keep the same tuition for the 13th year in a row, and ACC is continuing its free tuition pilot program for a third straight year. Martina says that has increased enrollment, student retention, and student success, which lead to additional revenue.
Carlos Martinez [00:04:02] So not only is it helping all the students in the surrounding area that we serve, but it’s also assisting us with meeting those, those budget gaps that we might have.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:04:11] While ACC officials hope for more money from the legislature and a boost in property tax revenue, they say they still have room to make some cuts, if needed, in the next budget.
Jerry Quijano [00:04:31] Data center construction in Texas is booming, and while proponents say the industry stands to bring billions of dollars to the state in the coming years, the rapid growth of data centers is increasingly under scrutiny from all sides of the political spectrum. Last week during a campaign stop, Governor Greg Abbott called for a ban on building new centers in rural areas. But some organizers and residents are skeptical of the governor’s promises. KUT’s Hayes County reporter Lee Walden spoke to some of them, and she’s with now, hi, Lee. Hey. So, first off, tell us a little bit more about the governor’s call for a halt to new data centers. What exactly is being proposed there?
Leigh Walden [00:05:08] Yeah, so there’s not so much in the way of specifics right now, which I think is part of the frustration from folks who have been organizing on this issue. He said he wanted to ban data center development in rural areas in Texas, but even definitions as to what is considered rural is a little bit vague and leaves people wondering whether or not this is kind of a promise that has action behind it or a promise because It’s an election year.
Jerry Quijano [00:05:33] Okay, this isn’t the first time that the governor has pushed back against data sensors. Earlier in June, he also laid out a regulatory framework for data sensor development. What did that include?
Leigh Walden [00:05:44] Yeah, so he did in June say that data centers should be responsible for bringing in their own power, should be forced to recycle water, and that some of the benefits and tax cuts, etc., that developers have been seeing in the state of Texas to build new data centers should be eliminated. So he’s made these statements before, but these two instances have kind of been departure from him because recently he’s been a heavy proponent of the data center infrastructure and the development. And we know that there’s still conversations that he’s having with folks who are trying to do the development in Texas. So yeah, there’s some conflicting ideas and opinions about what kind of action he intends to take moving forward.
Jerry Quijano [00:06:30] Well on the face of it, it would seem like a ban on data centers in rural areas and establishing some sort of framework seems like a win for anti-data center activists, but you spoke to some of those people, what did they have to say about it?
Leigh Walden [00:06:43] Yeah, they’re understandably a little skeptical. I think the lack of specifics and details on this gives them pause, but they did say that this kind of shows that they’re winning and bringing attention to these issues. Kay Weinberg is an activist in the San Marcos area, and they were telling me that this is exciting because we know that it’s starting to go somewhere and get to the of politicians, but there’s doubt as to how much. This is something that they intend to legitimately do.
Kay Weinberg [00:07:17] I think we all figure Greg Abbott is just trying to get elected and is saying what he thinks will get him elected.
Leigh Walden [00:07:31] Yeah, so there’s questions as to whether or not this is an election year promise or something he intends to back up with actions.
Jerry Quijano [00:07:36] Okay tell us a little bit more, what else did you hear?
Leigh Walden [00:07:39] Yeah, so I was speaking also with folks who are living on properties, legacy ranches, who are backing up to propose data center development sites. Abigail Lindsay is one of those. She’s also in the San Marcos area, and she was telling me that this is great that we’re starting to have these conversations, but for activists like Lindsay and Weinberg, they’ve been calling for a special session for a long time, and just these promises don’t mean all that much. Let’s listen to Lindsay.
Abigail Lindsey [00:08:09] And it’s great that the state’s finally taking notice, but that doesn’t mean that we need to let our guard down, because nobody cares about your property or your neighbor’s property like you do, like that’s your area.
Leigh Walden [00:08:21] Yeah, the folks I’ve been talking to argue that local organizing, local efforts, that’s the real crux of this organizing movement still.
Jerry Quijano [00:08:30] This reporting is part of a project that you’re doing with KUT’s Travis County reporter Katie McAfee and KUTs Williamson County reporter Kaylee Hunt. What all have you been working on? Tell us more about this series and what y’all are looking into currently.
Leigh Walden [00:08:43] Yeah, it’s been a fun project. I love working with Katie and Kaylee, of course. And we’re trying to answer all of the essential questions about the data center development boom in central Texas. Why are they coming here? What does it look like inside of a data center? What are the economic policies and legislative policies that are behind this boom? And what kind of does the sustainable future look like for data center and development in central, Texas? So a lot of wide-reaching questions, but we’re excited to hopefully broach some of the answers and fill in some of these gaps.
Jerry Quijano [00:09:14] Yeah, it seems like people have lots of questions. Is it easier working with two people, approaching the story, versus just doing it by yourself?
Leigh Walden [00:09:20] Yeah, the team is, it’s not only fun, but the depth of our reporting as we’re starting to work through some of the early drafts of these things, it just, it feels really pertinent because doing it across counties too, what’s happening in Hayes County is completely different from what’s happened in Travis and Williamson. So yeah, being able to have all these different perspectives and narratives involved and conversation with each other, yeah, it is awesome, we’re excited about it.
Jerry Quijano [00:09:42] Fantastic. Well, yeah, we’re looking forward to the reporting as well. That is Lee Walden. She is KUT’s Hayes County reporter. Thanks for being on the show. Thank you. The Fourth of July marked one year since flooding tore through the Texas Hill Country, killing more than 130 people, mostly in Kerr County. Since then, public radio reporters in Texas have been working on After the Flood, a five-part podcast examining why this happened and if it could happen again. Episode 3 is out now, and it follows investigations into Kerr and Camp Mystic’s response to the flooding. It also continues the story of Matthew Childress, who lost his daughter Chloe in the tragedy. She was a counselor at Camp Mystic. After The Flood is hosted by Houston Public Media’s Dominic Anthony Walsh and produced by the Texas Newsroom and PBS Frontline. Here is an excerpt from episode three.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:10:41] On July 12th, 2025, Matthew and Wendy Childress celebrated the life of their only daughter in Houston.
Mathew Childress [00:10:49] The funeral was overwhelming. It was a packed house.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:10:52] Chloe’s service was held at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church about a week after they identified her body in Kerrville.
Mathew Childress [00:10:59] Walking into the sanctuary was overwhelming, just to see the level and volume of people that were there. And the first 10 or so rows of the pews were filled with girls and her friends. They were all wearing white in honor of Chloe.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:11:16] Some of Chloe’s friends spoke. Matthew says they shared happy memories and silly stories. He wanted them to remember the best sides of Chloe. Then Matthew took his place behind a microphone.
Mathew Childress [00:11:28] I can’t believe this is actually my turn to do this. I am Matthew Childress, and I am honored to be the father of a hero, Chloe Madeleine Childress. So yeah, this sucks, this is as terrible as you think it is.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:11:46] In his eulogy, and in the times he and I have spoken since, Matthew paints a portrait of an energetic, precocious little girl who became an ambitious young woman.
Mathew Childress [00:11:56] Chloe growing up was kind of a mess. She was always a handful, even just as an infant, as a toddler, she was always on the move, always doing something, always pushing. And a lot of that, I think, was just about her yearning to learn. Everything she faced, she figured out how to conquer. Without our hand holding, she wanted to become a cheerleader and tumble and be a flyer. She did that, not us. She wanted to play guitar, she did that. She wanted start a slime store back in the day. She made thousands of dollars selling slime all over the freaking world. She was driven. She wanted to be smarter. She wanted drive to be better as a human being, as a woman, as a student. So what was Chloe to become? Give me a second. She had extremely good grades, got at the University of Texas on her own. Already picking out, designing her room, the new sweet roommates that were becoming her new best friends.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:12:54] Matthew and his family were grieving everything Chloe could have been.
Mathew Childress [00:12:58] Awkward dates, hangovers, school, med school. She wanted to be a doctor, you know, work life, first apartments, dogs, marriage, crazy in-laws, kids. It’s not about a thousand moments, it’s about a billion moments that she’s already had, but just many billions that she won’t get to have now. And that’s what we’re currently grappling with.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:13:19] Matthew briefly spoke about the early morning hours of the flood, about what Chloe and her fellow counselor Catherine Ferruzzo were likely doing as the water rose.
Mathew Childress [00:13:29] I will never know exactly what happened that night. And as much of the terror and horror that I tried to keep out of my brain, I know she was leading those children with Catherine, following the counselor policies, doing everything they could in their power when it got bad to lead those girls to safety. She wasn’t just my hero, she was their hero.
Dominic Anthony Walsh [00:13:50] Matthew’s grief was overwhelming, and so was his anger, so he and other families who lost their kids at Camp Mystic decided to do something about it.
Jerry Quijano [00:14:06] You can hear more about how the families advocated for change and eventually got new Texas laws passed in episode 3 of After the Flood, a podcast from the Texas newsroom and PBS frontline. This is Austin’s Signal, we will be back in one moment. This is Austin Signal, welcome back. Here are a few headlines for your day. The city of Austin is set to release tomorrow the proposed budget for next fiscal year. The city faces a $26 million deficit, million dollar deficit, excuse me, and is considering cuts to social services to balance the books. We’re gonna have more about that proposal on tomorrow’s show. And air quality in the area is considered moderate today per the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. That’s because we got a second blast of Saharan dust. As expected to linger through tomorrow. Howdy, podcast listeners. We can’t include our segment this week in Texas Music History in this podcast because of music streaming rights, but if you want to keep up with Texas Music history, and we know you do, not to worry, just head on over to kutx.org. There is always plenty of interesting and fun things to do, but we’re going to highlight what’s happening right now. And here to help us do that is KUT’s art beat editor, Stephanie Federico. Welcome back to the show, Stephanie. Hi Jerry. So let’s start with what’s happening tomorrow. Our friend over from KUTX Sound Founders having a little show, tell us more.
Stephanie Federico [00:15:41] Yeah, Andrew Brown, he co-hosts this monthly night of electronic music called Exploded Drawing. It’s a monthly thing. I’ve never actually been to it, but I’m really curious about it. Musicians come and they do 20 minute sets of original electronic music, create it however they want. I think it’s like a good way to experience like little bits and pieces and maybe find something that you’re into. That’s over at Dada lab at 830 on Friday. It’s five bucks. So it’s like affordable and Good entry into electronic music, I think
Jerry Quijano [00:16:16] Yeah, and it’s got the audio element. It’s also got the visual elements I know there’s a couple folks who do visuals for them through those shows. So yeah, it’s a very a well-rounded art event So let’s talk about Saturday There is a show closing out at I Vester contemporary. Tell us more
Stephanie Federico [00:16:32] Yeah, it’s called Redacted, and it features two Mexican-American artists, Carlos Ramirez and Emilio Bialba, and much of their work, they work in acrylics, much of their work is a response to current events. So as you can imagine, it is pretty political, but it looks really cool. It’s over at the Canopy Building.
Jerry Quijano [00:16:53] Yeah, and that’s always a nice, I like going to Investor because they have their main gallery. They always have like a little side room as well. And then Canopy’s just a great place to spend a Saturday night.
Stephanie Federico [00:17:02] Yeah, totally is. And I think it’s the second Saturday, right? So there should be other studios that are open, you can pop into.
Jerry Quijano [00:17:08] Okay, well tell us about another studio, Women and Their Work, what’s the show there?
Stephanie Federico [00:17:13] So there’s an opening there on Saturday called Spirit of Discrimination. It’s a Houston-based artist, Laurie Garcia, and she uses sculpture in installation to depict… She was at this century-old spiritual center in Puerto Rico, and from it, she discovered a lot of misogyny and gender-based violence, and depicts that in her work. Hmm. Okay. Yeah, and there’s a reception for that on Saturday night from seven to nine.
Jerry Quijano [00:17:40] Okay well, all July month it is Disability Pride Month, and this Sunday you’ve got a recommendation for us that’s celebrating that. What’s going on there?
Stephanie Federico [00:17:48] Yeah, Alienated Majestic, the bookstore down near campus, is having a free poetry reading and open mic featuring writers and artists with disabilities. And our intern, Caroline, has a post on that that just went up this morning. There’s going to be some readings. It’s from two to four on Sunday. And you can learn more about the event on our website, kut.org.
Jerry Quijano [00:18:08] Okay, so we have all of our main recommendations, but the one coming up next here is an honorable mention. Why is it an honorable mentioned and what is this happening?
Stephanie Federico [00:18:16] Does it sold out? And I’m so upset. It is a improvised adaptation of the Rocky Horror picture show using puppets.
Jerry Quijano [00:18:26] But improvise.
Stephanie Federico [00:18:28] Improvised. And with puppets, it sounds amazing, but it’s sold out. Like I said, it’s a fallout theater, but our intern is going. And she’ll be going to a rehearsal tonight and then going on Saturday and she will bring back a story for us next week. So I’m curious to know how it’s going to go. Like, you know, this is a cult classic that lots of people know and are people going to and dress up? Are they going to dance? Are are they going throw things at the puppeteers? We will find out. We’re relying on Caroline to let us know how it’s going. And I’m just curious about the group behind it. They’re called Puppet Bucket, and I don’t know anything about them. So what’s next on their agenda? What are they going to do next?
Jerry Quijano [00:19:08] Hopefully we can get in whatever that show is next. Well now you have advanced knowledge of it So we’ll keep be keeping our eyes and ears on that Okay, so you’ve mentioned a four or five things here, but there are so many other things going on And that’s kind of what you’re doing as in part of your role as the art beat editor So how can folks keep up with what you keep up?
Stephanie Federico [00:19:26] Well, I think folks should subscribe to our newsletter. It goes out on Monday mornings. It’s not a weekend thing. It is a Monday morning look ahead of the month. We’ve got a lot of arts listings in there. People can sign up at kut.org slash newsletters. And yeah, and if you have something that you want to recommend that we cover or highlight, please send it our way.
Jerry Quijano [00:19:48] All right, that is Stephanie Federico. She is KUT’s Art Beat Editor. We’re gonna have a link to all of these events and the Art Beat newsletter in today’s podcast, Show Notes. Thank you, Steph. Thanks, Jerry. And thank you out there for tuning in to Austin Signal and being with us, spending part of your day here with us. Our team is Kristen Cabrera, Rayna Sevilla, and Alexandra Hart. I’m your host, Jerry Quijano. Have a great day out there.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
