Austin City Council elections
Austin City Council elections
Written by Staff Friday, 11 April 2008
The Austin council has seven members, including the mayor and six council members. The entire council is elected at large, instead of by district, by the voters of the city. Each member serves a three-year term. The mayor and council may serve in their respective seats for a maximum of six years or two consecutive terms. Source: City of Austin
Place1
- Allen Demling
- Employment: Mechanical Engineer with National Instruments
- Education: Bachelor’s in general engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Master’s in mechanical engineering, University of Texas
- Years in Austin: 4 years
- Key issues: Alternative transportation, increased recycling, responsible growth, affordable housing, environmental protection
- Home ZIP code: 78702
- Phone: 925-7843
- E-mail: councilman@allendemling.org
- Website: http://allendemling.org
- Lee Leffingwell (Incumbent)
- Employment: Austin City Council Member
- Education: Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, University of Texas
- Years in Austin: Native
- Key issues: Environmental protection, water conservation, climate protection, including green house gas reduction policies, open government, traffic congestion and public safety
- Home ZIP code: 78731
- Phone: (home) 371-0284, (work) - 974-2260
- E-mail: lee.leff@gmail.com
- Website: www.voteleffingwell.com
- Jason Meeker
- Employment: Owner of Jason Meeker Communications
- Education: Bachelor’s in journalism, University of Texas
- Years in Austin: 19 years
- Key issues: Preserving neighborhoods, establishing a department of neighborhoods, creating an office of public advocate, local government accountability, improving transportation
- Home ZIP code: 78757
- Phone: 453-2995
- E-mail: jason@jasonforaustin.com
- Website: www.jasonforaustin.com
Place3
- Jennifer Kim (Incumbent)
- Employment: Austin City Council Member, Vice President of a company in Semiconductor Products and Services
- Education: Bachelor’s in political science, Texas A&M University; Master’s in public affairs, Princeton University
- Years in Austin: 12 years
- Key issues: Affordable housing, local economy and small business, quality of life, quality childcare
- Home ZIP code: 78704
- Phone: (home) 444-9231, (work) 974-2255
- E-mail: kimforaustin@gmail.com
- Website: www.StandingUpForAustin.com
- Randi Shade
- Employment: currently a homemaker; former founder and CEO of Charitygift, executive director of Austin Entrepreneurs Foundation, founding executive director of Texas Commission on Volunteerism & Community Service
- Education: Bachelor’s, University of Texas Austin, Master’s, Harvard Business School
- Years in Austin: 18 years
- Key issues: Affordable housing, quality of life, beneficial growth, environmental conservation, parks, local poverty, safety, private-public partnerships, community partnerships
- Home ZIP code: 78703
- Phone: 391-6290
- E-mail: questions@randishade.com
- Website: www.randishade.com
- Ken Weiss
- Employment: Full time politician, part time maintenance manager for Casino Knights.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management, Concordia University, Master’s studies in business (in progress).
- Years in Austin: 38 years
- Key issues: Environment, small businesses, opposing toll roads on existing infrastructure, and community protective services
- Home ZIP code: 78741
- Phone: 383 - 1012
- E-mail: ken@weissforplace3.com
- Website: weissforplace3.com
Place 4
- Robin Cravey
- Employment: Attorney
- Education: Bachelor’s in American studies, University of Texas; Juris Doctor, University of Texas
- Years in Austin: 39
- Key issues: Affordable housing, local job market, alternative transportation including pedestrian, bicycling, motorbikes and public transit, expanded parks and trails system, creek preservation, small business
- Home ZIP code: 78704
- Phone: 447-8014
- E-mail: robin@robincravey.com
- Website: www.robincravey.com
- Jennifer Gale
- Employment: NA
- Education: NA
- Years in Austin: NA
- Key issues: NA
- Home ZIP code: NA
- Phone: 472-4085
- E-mail: jennifergale2003@yahoo.com
- Website: NA
- Cid Galindo
- Employment: President and urban planner at the Galindo Group
- Education: Bachelor’s in economics, Texas A&M University, Master’s in business administration and Master’s in Latin American studies, University of Texas
- Years in Austin: 11 years
- Key issues: Creating an updated comprehensive city plan, transportation, green issues and conservation
- Home ZIP code: 78701
- Phone: (home) 297-0525, (work) 472-5129
- E-mail: info@cidgalindo.com
- Website: http://cidgalindo.com
- Laura Morrison
- Employment: Disaster Management Consultant. Previously worked in engineering and project management with Lockheed
- Education: Graduate Certificate in public health with a focus on community preparedness and disaster management; Master’s in mathematics
- Years in Austin: 26
- Key issues: Transparent government, community involvement, safety, environment, local business, social services and affordable housing
- Home ZIP code: 78703
- Phone: 494-VOTE
- E-mail: Laura@LauraForAustin.com
- Website: www.LauraForAustin.com
- Sam Osemene
- Employment: Parole officer for Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science, University of Texas, Master’s degree in political science, Texas State University, (May graduation)
- Years in Austin: 16 years.
- Key issues: Crime, tax cuts, a balanced budget, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, rule of law, transparancy, community participation in policy matters, no corporate subsidies and promoting local businesses, supporting the single-member district initiative
- Home ZIP code: 78758
- Phone number: 554-7897
- E-mail: Vote4alonghorn@gmail.com.
- Website: http://vote4alonghorn.com
- Ken Vasseau
- Employment: NA
- Education: NA
- Years in Austin: NA
- Home ZIP code: NA
- Phone number: NA
- E-mail: kenseye30@yahoo.com
- Website: NA
Important Dates
- For what will be included in the ballot, visit www.traviscountytax.org/goVoters.do
- Early in-person voting begins - April 28
- Final day to accept applications to vote by mail - May 02
- Early in-person voting ends - May 06
- Election day - May 10
AISD proposes Bond for May election
Austin School Trustees voted unanimously to call a $343.7 million bond election May 10 to finance campus improvements and to construct new facilities. The Austin district’s last bond election was in 2004 for $519.5 million and provided eight new schools and land and improvements for many others. The cost of the bond proposal totals $343,717,819, with a proposed tax rate increase of 1.7 cents. The district has also approved a resolution to appoint a bond oversight committee to monitor the spending of bond money, should the bonds pass.
The following is a list of the propositions and the items they include.
Proposition 1
Tax rate impact: $0.09 - $180 on a $200k home*
Total amount: $187,797,315
Relief for overcrowding and support for academic achievement
- Linder Early Childhood Center - $21,600,000 - This south Austin school is the district’s most crowded, the early childhood center for kinder and prekindergarten would help to relieve some of the overcrowding.
- Land acquisition for Linder center - $2,400,000
- Barrington Elementary School - $4,313,318 - eight classroom addition
- Hart Elementary School - $4,442,242 - eight classroom addition
- Langford Elementary School – $4,367,607 - eight classroom addition
- Undesignated elementary school - $25,168,951
- Land acquisition for undesignated elementary school - $2,574,800
- Auditorium renovation at Lanier and McCallum high schools - $16,742,000
- High school science laboratory additions and renovations to meet new science requirements beginning 2010 - $36,338,317
- Technology upgrades - $69,850,000
Proposition 2
Tax rate impact: $0.04 - $80 on a $200k home*
Total amount: $73,920,504
Addresses health, safety and environmental needs
- Campus cafeteria kitchen renovations required by the Health Department - $1,852,787
- Menchaca Elementary School internal roadway - $826,836
- Purchase of low-emission school buses - $12,205,600
- Capacitor bank installation to improve and balance power demand for all facilities - $14,569,913
- Critical renovation at various campuses - $37,213,068
- Upgrade of payroll software - $1,045,000
- Replacement of cold-storage warehouse - $6,207,300
Proposition 3
Tax rate impact: $0.04 - $80 on a $200k home*
Total amount: $82,000,000
- Districtwide performing arts center and land acquisition - $40,000,000
- Land acquisition for high school in south Austin - $32,000,000
- Fine arts program and classroom additions at Anderson High School - $10,000,000
* This is an estimated tax impact - actual annual impact may vary.
Contact school district for more information.
Where to vote on Election Day
If you are not sure if you are registered or where to vote, visit www.traviscountytax.org/goVoters.do. This Travis County voter registration website provides information on all polling sites according to owner address. It also has a sample ballot available online.
What to bring on Election Day
According to the office of the Texas Secretary of State, if you are a registered voter and you have lost or misplaced your voter certificate, you may vote without your certificate by providing some form of identification and signing an affidavit at the polls. This is the procedure to follow if your voter registration is still current and your name appears on the voter rolls in your county of residence. You may also contact your county voter registrar to obtain a replacement certificate.
Acceptable documents are:
- a driver’s license or personal identification card issued to you by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to you by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
- a form of identification containing your photograph that establishes your identity;
- a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes your identity;
- United States citizenship papers issued to you;
- a United States passport issued to you;
- official mail addressed to you, by name, from a governmental entity;
- a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address; or
- any other form of identification prescribed by the secretary of state.
Source: Texas Secretary of State.
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