ELECTIONRESULTS
BREAKDOWN RESULTS
Austin voters rmly reject PropA, back PropB
Austin voters are spread across Travis, Williamson and Hays County, where 22%, 12% and 12% of registered voters turned out respectively.
PROPOSITION A
BY BEN THOMPSON
Through the No Way on Proposition A campaign, opponents
Austin voters in Travis, Williamson and Hays County weighed in on two city propositions and eight state constitutional amendments during the Nov. 2 election. While Austin’s Proposition A, a police sta ng measure failed, Proposition B, authorization for a parkland swap deal, and all eight state amendments passed. Austin says no to PropA More than 68% of city residents voted to strike Department at a ratio of two o cers per 1,000 residents, alongside other provisions for police operations and safety training. On Nov. 2, the co-founder of Save Austin Now, which supported Proposition A, Matt Mackowiak expressed disappointment that voters did not share his group’s vision. “We thought more people in the city were going to demand that we have an adequately sta ed police department ... In the end, they were convinced by the other side that this is something the city could not a ord ... and everything’s ne,” Mackowiak said. down the proposal to sta the Austin Police
Prop. A drew millions of dollars from local and national sources between Sept. 24-Oct. 23 .
Proposition A would have established a minimum sta ng requirement of two police o cers per 1,000 residents. City sta estimated it could cost $54.3 million-$119.8 million annually.
expressed concern over the questionable link between police sta ng and homicide rates, and the nancial e ects of another police funding increase. City sta estimated the proposition would cost Austin $54.3 million to $119.8 million annually over ve years, gures that would likely have forced either a tax rate hike or cuts to several city departments. “The community rea rmed that what we need is a comprehensive approach to public safety,” Mayor Steve Adler said. Voters clear path for new city park Proposition B’s passage by a 47%margin gives the city permission to trade its Central Maintenance Complex for more than 48 acres of land elsewhere and money to restore the Fiesta Gardens parkland and replace the maintenance complex. The city has not identi ed the 48-plus acres that could be gained, but East Austin’s Driveway Austin track on the Colorado River is the likely target. The property is surrounded by city parkland
SAVE AUSTIN NOW
31.81% For
PROPOSITION A RESULTS 106,413 of the 156,057 Austin voters who cast ballots rejected the measure
Raised $1.01M Spent $1.02M
FAILED
EQUITY PAC NO WAY ON PROP A
Raised $1.06M Spent $762K
68.19% Against
PROPOSITION B
Now that Proposition B has passed, sta can begin soliciting bids in exchange for 9 acres of property on Lakeshore Boulevard.
LAKESHORE BLVD.
35
73.28% For
PROPOSITION B RESULTS 110,995 of the 151,476 Austin voters who cast ballots approved the measure
PLEASANT VALLEY RD.
RIVERSIDE DR.
N
PASSED
26.72% Against
Austin can trade 9 acres on Lakeshore Boulevard for other parkland after Prop B passed. BEN THOMPSON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
SOURCES: CITY OF AUSTIN, HAYS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY, WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
and adjacent to John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park. “We knew going into this that parkland is sacred to Austinites, and that it’s something that they are not going to trade away or sell unless they were sure that they were going to get something of tremendous
land and ful ll the city’s other requirements in exchange for the Riverside maintenance complex, which is adjacent to the company’s world headquarters. Oracle did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Olivia Aldridge contributed to this report.
value in return,” said Mark Little eld, consultant for the pro-Proposition B Grow Austin Parks PAC. Driveway President and CEO Bill Dollahite con rmed he has been in talks with the city and Oracle for a three-way deal. That process would see Oracle purchase the Driveway
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • NOVEMBER 2021
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