2022 VOTER GUIDE
COMPLIED BY BEN THOMPSON
Austin City Council, District 9
LINDA GUERRERO
TOM WALD
KYM OLSON
BEN LEFFLER
Occupation: Red Line Parkway Initiative executive director
Occupation: special education teacher Relevant experience: parks and recreation board chair; Environmental Commission chair; Downtown Commission vice chair; I-35 Coalition co-chair www.lindaguerrero.net
Occupation: CivicActions design director Relevant experience: city of Austin auditor’s o ce, Council Member Chris Riley policy adviser, Cherrywood
Occupation: policy consultant Relevant experience: Born in District 9; MPA from the UT LBJ
Relevant experience: Reconnect Austin, Our Future 35 working group; Rethink35 co- founder; Austin Outside board member; Safe Streets Austin board member 512-660-7785 | www.tomwald.com
School, UT; Texas Network of Youth Services board member; Texas State Guard captain 512-662-1808 | www.kym4atx.com
Neighborhood Association steering committee, Austin Blue Chip Network www.benle er.com
It is not just housing; it’s everything. Our ma/pa businesses are incorporated into this pricing out/ a ordability mix. … We need to ensure with CoA increasing permits, fees, nes, etc. for those still hanging on but barely a ording to, we don’t unintentionally create a death spiral prices some out to bring others in. We must dissect Austin’s permit process. We are by far the most expensive building permits and most in quantity and price on residential permits. We must build all types of housing for all income levels in all areas of the city. ... To do so, we must update Austin’s 38-year-old land development code to be more equitable and consistent across Austin. We can also better incentivize workforce housing development by expanding A ordability Unlocked and increasing density bonus programs. We must also streamline the permitting process … and increase transparency into development-re- lated rules. How would you work to tackle the issue of housing a ordability for both renters and homeowners in the city? One way Austin can impact the a ordability crisis will be to provide housing supply for those at the lowest end. The best opportu- nities for this housing supply are obtained by developing city-owned properties. … I will introduce a collaboration between AISD and the city of Austin to use schools that have been closed. … These properties can be used for a ordable housing for teachers and school sta . Another useful tool is communi- ty development corporations.
Our guidestar is to ensure that there is enough housing to meet the demand near jobs, services, and opportunity. … We also need to continue to build income-restricted units … to ll gaps in the existing supply for lower-income earners, to provide nearby options for those displaced now and in the future, and to help provide resiliency in the housing market. We also need to continue to subsidize housing for those with the lowest incomes.
How should council address the implementation of larger transportation initiatives as well as safety and mobility improvements?
Infrastructure is critical. Must be upgraded to meet current demand and ensured prior to more density and a part of any major plan moving forward. Project Connect is failing and an Austinite nightmare. I also think a full review of plans, complete transparency and a regroup with all the stakeholders to set a more reasonable process with the least con- sequence possible. I 35 expansion can learn from the mistakes of Project Connect
Successfully implementing Project Connect will reduce car dependence and congestion, incentivize housing development and help Austin achieve our environmental goals. ... Renovating I 35 is another signi cant infrastructure project with the opportunity to greatly increase transportation safety and e ciency. The city should also incentivize denser, more walkable, transit-oriented development, which will reduce car depen- dency
I see Project Connect as a transformative project. However, with the 30% design not yet completed, I have concerns about the impact of Project Connect on local business- es, the cost increases, and the environmental e ect of two river crossings. … I’m similarly concerned about TxDOT’s proposed widening of I 35 and subsequent displacement of an estimated 150 homes and businesses. … The City Council and members of the public need to continue to advocate for a better plan.
I’ve led e orts over the last 16 years to expand our city’s sidewalks, bikeways, trails, and tran- sit access so that more people can safely and conveniently get around Austin without a car. I would build on that work by ensuring that Project Connect is successfully implemented and that our all-ages-and-abilities walking, wheelchair and bikeway networks serve all parts of Austin. … I am opposed to expanding I 35, which will displace businesses and resi- dences and exacerbate climate change.
How would you rate Austin’s recent disaster responses, and what changes, if any, would you propose for civic emergency management operations?
FAIL. I’ve worked with TDEM in the SOC during crisis/pandemic. I know how incident management should be handled and have received commendation for my e orts and seless service. We lacked then and still lack the leadership, experience and con dence it takes to take initiative and charge with all information and stakeholders, and working with the state through TDEM to maintain transparency and accountability.
While some of the negative impacts can be attributed to failures at the state level, there is no doubt that the city’s response has consistently been reactive, insu cient and inequitable. … We must look ahead to identify and mitigate risks, and reect in order to learn from our previous failures. I support creating a task force to understand and document the city’s response to the re- cent disasters, especially in low-income and traditionally underserved communities
We should acknowledge that the city of Austin, Austin Energy, and the Austin Water Utility have a lot to learn. With the rapid in- crease in climate change, the likelihood that we will experience similar levels of natural disasters is increasing. … When these events are happening, we need better and more informative communication. … And, we need to work on developing better plans to be more resilient when facing these disasters.
The city needs to co-create a robust support system across Austin, building upon existing community organizations and businesses, plus existing city departments and other gov- ernment agencies. … We also need to recog- nize that while Austin hasn’t moved, we now live in a new climate, and our buildings and infrastructure need to be resilient in that new and changing climate. This includes updating our building codes and routine inspections to bring existing buildings up to date.
WHISPER VALLEY
Solar PV
Google Fiber
Future 600-acre park
Eco-Friendly, Connected, Revolutionary
Geothermal heating and cooling
Dog park
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
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