Mike Martinez

Mike Martinez

Sunday, 07 October 2007

Mike Martinez, Austin City Council Member

Mike Martinez started his career putting out fires and he still does today. Although the fires he puts out now are fueled more by politics than by wood, they still put the heat on him. This Place 2 Austin City Council member is often thought of as the east Austin member because it is where he worked as a firefighter, but he reminds Austinites that the city council is still elected at large. He’s encouraging the city to reevaluate this representation and look at dividing the city into city council districts.

• Family: One son, age 9
• Education: Austin Community College, Temple College, University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs
• Contact: Mike.Martinez@ci.austin.tx.us

Q. How did you go from the fire department to the city council?

A. In my years at the Austin Fire Department, I was in a lot of leadership roles as our human resources director, political action committee chair and president of the Austin Firefighters Association. It gave me a good idea of the day-to-day issues of the city and got me intricately involved in state and federal government. When city council member Alvarez resigned, he and many others approached me asking if I would be interested in his place. I never wanted to resign from my position with the fire department, and it took a lot of soul searching. It was a leap of faith, and a way to take my public service to the next step.

Q. What surprised you most about the job?

A. How little staff we have, and how little they get paid.

Q. What are you best at as a city council member?

A. Being honest and open. It’s best to be honest up front. People appreciate it more. I’d rather someone tell me they are opposed to an issue than to placate me. I can respect someone who doesn’t agree with me. I’m just a very ‘what you see is what you get’ type of person.Most times you know how I will vote before I do it.

Q. What’s been one of the most interesting things you’ve been able to do as a city council member?

A. There was talk of putting a landfill in eastern Travis County, and people were opposed to the location. A man from Webberville wanted us to see how close the site was to the river and to subdivisions. He owned a helicopter, and so he offered to fly us over Travis County to look at it. He picked us up right across from City Hall at Auditorium Shores. You can see power point presentations and maps, but to fly over and see the proximity of the Colorado River and neighborhoods was a very impactful way of seeing the situation.

Q. What do you like most about Austin government?

A. The way the community feels it is truly a part of the government. Austin has a very smart electorate, we’re not going to be able to pull the wool over their eyes.

Q. Do people recognize you when you are out?

A. The other day I was on the Dillo (Capital Metro bus) getting around town and the guy across the aisle kept staring at me. He even said ‘I swear I know you from somewhere’ and I just shook my head and said ‘I don’t know.’ The minute someone recognizes you, they’re ready to tell you about an issue with the city. I bet he would have told me how long he stood at that bus stop and funding for Capital Metro.

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