>>> THE FIRST AND OVERRIDING CONCERN IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND

CONCERN IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE

SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD

HERE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD VISIT US.

VISIT US. THAT WAS THE FOCUS AND IT

THAT WAS THE FOCUS AND IT REMAINED THE FOCUS THROUGH ALL

REMAINED THE FOCUS THROUGH ALL THE DISCUSSIONS.

THE DISCUSSIONS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A HARD CALL TO MAKE BECAUSE

IS A HARD CALL TO MAKE BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE A HUGE ECONOMIC

IT DOES HAVE A HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

IMPACT. YOU KNOW, I’M HEARTBROKEN FOR

YOU KNOW, I’M HEARTBROKEN FOR THE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY

THE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT REALLY RELY ON THIS EVENT

THAT REALLY RELY ON THIS EVENT FOR THEIR INCOME FOR THE YEAR.

FOR THEIR INCOME FOR THE YEAR. >> IN A MAJOR MOVE, CITY

>> IN A MAJOR MOVE, CITY OFFICIALS TODAY IN AUSTIN

OFFICIALS TODAY IN AUSTIN DECLARED A LOCAL DISASTER AND

DECLARED A LOCAL DISASTER AND CANCELED THIS MONTH’S POPULAR

CANCELED THIS MONTH’S POPULAR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FESTIVAL.

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FESTIVAL. THIS OVER CORONAVIRUS FEARS.

THIS OVER CORONAVIRUS FEARS. THE DECISION WILL NO DOUBT HAVE

THE DECISION WILL NO DOUBT HAVE AN ENORMOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT ON

AN ENORMOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE CITY AND THE AREA.

THE CITY AND THE AREA. THE "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTS

THE "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTS QUOTE, LAST YEAR THE VARIOUS

QUOTE, LAST YEAR THE VARIOUS EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH SOUTH BY

EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WHICH ALSO INCLUDE

SOUTHWEST, WHICH ALSO INCLUDE PROGRAMS ON GAMING, COMEDY AND

PROGRAMS ON GAMING, COMEDY AND EDUCATION, CONTRIBUTED

EDUCATION, CONTRIBUTED $356 MILLION TO THE ECONOMY OF

$356 MILLION TO THE ECONOMY OF AUSTIN ACCORDING TO FIGURES

AUSTIN ACCORDING TO FIGURES CIRCULATED BY THE FESTIVAL.

CIRCULATED BY THE FESTIVAL. HERE WITH US TONIGHT, MAYA

HERE WITH US TONIGHT, MAYA WILEY, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S.

WILEY, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN

ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK NOW WITH A

DISTRICT OF NEW YORK NOW WITH A NEW SCHOOL HERE IN NEW YORK, AND

NEW SCHOOL HERE IN NEW YORK, AND VICTORIA DEFRANCESCO SOTO AT THE

VICTORIA DEFRANCESCO SOTO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN. VICTORIA, YOU ARE AT THE SCENE

VICTORIA, YOU ARE AT THE SCENE OF WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING

OF WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT

ABOUT, SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT IT.

IT. FOR FOLKS WHO AREN’T IMMEDIATELY

FOR FOLKS WHO AREN’T IMMEDIATELY FAMILIAR WITH SOUTH BY

FAMILIAR WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, I’VE HEARD OF IT FOR

SOUTHWEST, I’VE HEARD OF IT FOR YEARS.

YEARS. I’VE NEVER BEEN.

I’VE NEVER BEEN. DESCRIBEHAT THIS MEANS TO

DESCRIBEHAT THIS MEANS TO AUSTIN, WHAT THE EVENT MEANS AND

AUSTIN, WHAT THE EVENT MEANS AND WHAT THE IMPACT OF CANCELING IT

WHAT THE IMPACT OF CANCELING IT WILL BE.

WILL BE. >> RIGHT, SO THE IMPACT IS

>> RIGHT, SO THE IMPACT IS MULTIDIMENSIONAL, AS WE HEARD

MULTIDIMENSIONAL, AS WE HEARD MAYOR ADLER TALK ABOUT THE

MAYOR ADLER TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS, THE FIGURES, HUNDREDS

NUMBERS, THE FIGURES, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF

OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE COME IN WITH SOUTH BY

REVENUE COME IN WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

SOUTHWEST. THERE’S THAT PIECE OF IT.

THERE’S THAT PIECE OF IT. THERE’S THE CULTURAL COMPONENT.

THERE’S THE CULTURAL COMPONENT. SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS BEEN A

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS BEEN A FEATURE OF THE AUSTIN CULTURE

FEATURE OF THE AUSTIN CULTURE FOR OVER THREE DECADES.

FOR OVER THREE DECADES. IT IS PART OF WHO WE ARE.

IT IS PART OF WHO WE ARE. IT IS PART OF OUR DNA HERE IN

IT IS PART OF OUR DNA HERE IN AUSTIN SO MY HEARTACHES IN

AUSTIN SO MY HEARTACHES IN KNOWING THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST

KNOWING THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS CANCELED, AND THEN THE OTHER

IS CANCELED, AND THEN THE OTHER PIECES IS UNDERSTANDING THAT

PIECES IS UNDERSTANDING THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS ALWAYS

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE OF

BEEN THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE OF CREATE

CREATE CREATIVITY THAT REALLY IS A

CREATIVITY THAT REALLY IS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR CREATIVITY

LAUNCHING PAD FOR CREATIVITY NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. SO LATELY WE’VE COME TO THINK

SO LATELY WE’VE COME TO THINK ABOUT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ABOUT

ABOUT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ABOUT THE GOOGLES AND THE TWITTERS AND

THE GOOGLES AND THE TWITTERS AND THE FACEBOOKS, BUT REALLY IT’S

THE FACEBOOKS, BUT REALLY IT’S ABOUT THESE THOUSANDS OF

ABOUT THESE THOUSANDS OF FILMMAKERS MUSICIANS, WRITERS

FILMMAKERS MUSICIANS, WRITERS WHO COME HERE AND HAVE A SPACE

WHO COME HERE AND HAVE A SPACE TO CREATE AND AS OF LATE, WE

TO CREATE AND AS OF LATE, WE ALSO SEE EDUCATORS, GAMERS, ALL

ALSO SEE EDUCATORS, GAMERS, ALL TYPES OF CREATIVE TYPES COME

TYPES OF CREATIVE TYPES COME HERE, AND THIS IS THEIR SPACE.

HERE, AND THIS IS THEIR SPACE. THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE.

THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. AND I THINK THE OTHER TWO GROUPS

AND I THINK THE OTHER TWO GROUPS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO BE

THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO BE SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THE

SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THE CANCELLATION SMALL BUSINESS

CANCELLATION SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEN THE SERVICE

OWNERS AND THEN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY.

INDUSTRY. FOR TEN DAYS ALL RESTAURANTS,

FOR TEN DAYS ALL RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, BARS, AND EVERYTHING IN

HOTELS, BARS, AND EVERYTHING IN AUSTIN IS PACKED.

AUSTIN IS PACKED. WHAT THIS MEANS IS A LOT OF

WHAT THIS MEANS IS A LOT OF HEADACHES FOR US, BUT WE TAKE

HEADACHES FOR US, BUT WE TAKE IT, WE DON’T MIND IT BECAUSE WE

IT, WE DON’T MIND IT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO

KNOW IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO ECONOMY, SO IMPORTANT TO THE

ECONOMY, SO IMPORTANT TO THE FOLKS HERE.

FOLKS HERE. I CAN’T EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH

I CAN’T EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH IT HURTS.

IT HURTS. KNOWING AGAIN THIS WAS A MOVE

KNOWING AGAIN THIS WAS A MOVE THE MAYOR HAD TO MAKE.

THE MAYOR HAD TO MAKE. >> THAT’S MY OTHER QUESTION TO

>> THAT’S MY OTHER QUESTION TO YOU.

YOU. I WONDER IF THIS IS SOMETHING

I WONDER IF THIS IS SOMETHING CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND

CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD ARE GOING TO BE

AROUND THE WORLD ARE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH IN THE COMING WEEKS

DEALING WITH IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, HAVING TO MAKE

AND MONTHS, HAVING TO MAKE WRENCHING DECISIONS WITH REAL

WRENCHING DECISIONS WITH REAL ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES JUST LIKE

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES JUST LIKE YOU’RE DESCRIBING.

YOU’RE DESCRIBING. THE REACTION ON THE GROUND, THE

THE REACTION ON THE GROUND, THE FOLKS YOU’RE TALKING WITH THERE,

FOLKS YOU’RE TALKING WITH THERE, DO THEY SHARE WHAT YOU JUST

DO THEY SHARE WHAT YOU JUST EXPRESSED THIS SENSE OF THIS IS

EXPRESSED THIS SENSE OF THIS IS TERRIBLE FOR AUSTIN, BUT IT IS

TERRIBLE FOR AUSTIN, BUT IT IS THE CORRECT DECISION?

THE CORRECT DECISION? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THE LAST

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AS WE’VE SEEN THE

COUPLE OF DAYS AS WE’VE SEEN THE CRISIS OF THE LACK OF TESTING

CRISIS OF THE LACK OF TESTING KITS COME TO THE FORE, I THINK

KITS COME TO THE FORE, I THINK THAT HAS PUSHED FOLKS TO

THAT HAS PUSHED FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS THE

UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.

LESSER OF TWO EVILS. THERE HAD BEEN A PETITION TO

THERE HAD BEEN A PETITION TO CANCEL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST THAT

CANCEL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST THAT HAD BEEN, I DON’T KNOW, FIVE OR

HAD BEEN, I DON’T KNOW, FIVE OR SIX DAYS.

SIX DAYS. I WOULD SAY IN THE LAST TWO TO

I WOULD SAY IN THE LAST TWO TO THREE DAYS, WE SAW THAT RAMP UP,

THREE DAYS, WE SAW THAT RAMP UP, AND THAT’S WHEN WE SAW THESE

AND THAT’S WHEN WE SAW THESE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE OF THE

CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE’RE

LACK OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE’RE SEEING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

SEEING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. WE’RE SEEING THE CDC NOT GIVING

WE’RE SEEING THE CDC NOT GIVING US THE ANSWERS THAT WE AS A

US THE ANSWERS THAT WE AS A NATION WANT, SO I THINK THAT

NATION WANT, SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE SAW IN THE LAST 48 HOURS

WHAT WE SAW IN THE LAST 48 HOURS WAS THE PRECIPITATING CAUSE OF

WAS THE PRECIPITATING CAUSE OF THIS AND WHAT ULTIMATELY IS

THIS AND WHAT ULTIMATELY IS MAKING FOLKS SAY THIS SUCKS.

MAKING FOLKS SAY THIS SUCKS. WE’RE GOING TO LOSE A TON OF

WE’RE GOING TO LOSE A TON OF MONEY, BUT BETTER SAFE THAN

MONEY, BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE’RE

SORRY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE’RE NOT SEEING THE FEDERAL REACTION.

NOT SEEING THE FEDERAL REACTION. WE’RE LOOKING TO THE STATE AND

WE’RE LOOKING TO THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL TO PROTECT US.

LOCAL LEVEL TO PROTECT US. >> SO MAYA, VICTORIA’S TELLING

>> SO MAYA, VICTORIA’S TELLING US WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN,

US WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

TEXAS. WE’RE SITTING HERE IN THE

WE’RE SITTING HERE IN THE LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED

LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME

STATES AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTED CASES AROUND HERE,

REPORTED CASES AROUND HERE, CERTAINLY IT’S IN THE NEWS HERE

CERTAINLY IT’S IN THE NEWS HERE AS IT IS EVERYWHERE ELSE.

AS IT IS EVERYWHERE ELSE. WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION OF BIG

WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION OF BIG CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND WHAT

CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH

THEY’RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH IN THE COMING WEEGSEING WEEKS?

IN THE COMING WEEGSEING WEEKS? >> I THINK WE’RE GETTING A

>> I THINK WE’RE GETTING A PREVIEW IN AUSTIN.

PREVIEW IN AUSTIN. GOI TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST EVERY

GOI TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST EVERY YEAR WEARING MY FACULTY HAT.

YEAR WEARING MY FACULTY HAT. THE NEW SCHOOL IS REPRESENTED

THE NEW SCHOOL IS REPRESENTED WELL IN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

WELL IN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST. I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH VICTORIA.

VICTORIA. I’VE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF

I’VE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING MAYOR ADLER WHEN I

KNOWING MAYOR ADLER WHEN I WORKED WITH MAYOR BILL BLAZDE

WORKED WITH MAYOR BILL BLAZDE BLASIO.

BLASIO. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE FACING.

FACING. I THINK I WANT TO UNDERSCORE

I THINK I WANT TO UNDERSCORE WHAT VICTORIA SAID.

WHAT VICTORIA SAID. MAYOR DE BLASIO HAS BEGGED FOR

MAYOR DE BLASIO HAS BEGGED FOR MANY

MANY MORE TESTS.

MORE TESTS. THAT’S BECAUSE AS A CITY, IF

THAT’S BECAUSE AS A CITY, IF YOU’RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

YOU’RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE -- WHERE YOU NEED TO

WHERE THE -- WHERE YOU NEED TO CONTAIN A PROBLEM IN ORDER TO

CONTAIN A PROBLEM IN ORDER TO PREVENT MORE PEOPLE FROM GETTING

PREVENT MORE PEOPLE FROM GETTING SICK, IT’S BECAUSE YOU CAN TEST

SICK, IT’S BECAUSE YOU CAN TEST AND SEE WHERE IT’S HAPPENING.

AND SEE WHERE IT’S HAPPENING. HERE IN NEW YORK WE HAVE -- WE

HERE IN NEW YORK WE HAVE -- WE LEARNED JUST THIS WEEK THAT WE

LEARNED JUST THIS WEEK THAT WE HAVE MORE -- ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE

HAVE MORE -- ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE IN SELF-QUARANTINE.

IN SELF-QUARANTINE. 3,000.

3,000. THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO IF WE COULD

THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO IF WE COULD TEST THEM MIGHT NOT NEED TO BE

TEST THEM MIGHT NOT NEED TO BE IN QUARANTINE.

IN QUARANTINE. THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO

THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

SCHOOL. THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK

THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK KNOWING THAT THEY’RE NOT

KNOWING THAT THEY’RE NOT INFECTING ANYONE.

INFECTING ANYONE. SO THIS NOTION OF THE TEST

SO THIS NOTION OF THE TEST ITSELF, ITS AVAILABILITY,

ITSELF, ITS AVAILABILITY, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERY

CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERY COMMUNITY, RURAL, URBAN,

COMMUNITY, RURAL, URBAN, EVERYWHERE, IN ORDER TO MAKE

EVERYWHERE, IN ORDER TO MAKE SOUND DECISIONS INCLUDING TO BE

SOUND DECISIONS INCLUDING TO BE ABLE TO NOT OVERREACT.

ABLE TO NOT OVERREACT. HOW CAN YOU BE SURE YOU’RE

HOW CAN YOU BE SURE YOU’RE PROTECTING YOUR RESIDENTS IF YOU

PROTECTING YOUR RESIDENTS IF YOU DON’T GET TRUSTWORTHY

DON’T GET TRUSTWORTHY INFORMATION, IF YOU’RE NOT