Running Off With the Government

Reader Brian writes:

I'd like to ask about the runoff happening right now. Like, what are they running off? Tacos? And who are the people? And what do they stand for? Again, tacos?

Ah, Brian is reminding us of the sad, sad voter turnout for the recent elections.

Well, Austin, you can still get your two cents in. City Council elections require a 50% majority, and no one got it in Place 3. Hence the runoff election between Jennifer Kim and Margot Clarke. Early voting ends today, and the final election will be held Saturday, June 11th.

We’ve noticed that no one seems to think that City Council elections are very sexy. Well, it’s true. They’re not. But, as we Americans learned the hard way, if you just ignore your government then things that some might consider bad (or even downright frightening) start to happen. And, let’s face it, high-level government officials have to get their experience somewhere. They’re ex-governers, ex-mayors and perhaps have even held a seat on some city council somewhere.

More importantly, issues that effect daily life are often decided at the local level.

Some of the issues:

Property Tax

Eh, whatever. I rent You may be a renter but your landlord is an owner. Property tax goes up, so does rent. If you knew where it was going, you might think that was a good thing. Or not. You decide.

Transportation

Traffic? Toll roads? More highways? Bigger highways? Don’t decide after the tollbooths open and construction begins.

Regional Growth & Neighborhood Planning

Booooooring!! Oh yeah? Next time we hear some one complaining about the WalMart across the street, the super duplex next door and the funny tasting tap water, we are going to tackle them and force them to produce that little white “I voted” sticker.

Tacos

But I love tacos. Yeah, so do we.

Find out where to vote here.
More about the candidates and the runoff.

Got Questions? We've got answers. Ask Austinist: askaustinist at gmail dot com

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By Kristina B in Other on June 7, 2005 9:12 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

sean stonecutter

Can anyone fill me in? As far as I can tell both candidates have near identical stances on everything.

Both candidates were in support of the smoking ban (boo!)

Property Tax: Both candidates want to adjust property taxes and make housing affordable for everyone.

Transportation: Both candidates are opposed to the toll roads.

Regional Growth and Neighborhood Planning: Both candidates are ecologically mindful, and want to protect sensitive areas. Clarke's page simply says she's commited to supporting 'the neighborhood planning process' while Kim elaborates a bit more on her goals for neighborhood planning. Her site details how she would like to take steps to make more mixed-use urban areas (i.e. living within walking distance of common-use businesses like restaurants and grocery stores)

Tacos: Living in Austin, I'm sure both candidates heartily endorse taco consumption.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see much of a difference between the two. If anything I'm inclined to vote for Kim simply because her site provides more useful information on her platform and goals than Clarkes.