Issue(s): Affordability

Affordability is discussed a lot in our community. How do you define affordability?

Issue(s): Economic Opportunity

Which bond Propositions on the November 2018 ballot do you support or not support? Check each that you support. Briefly explain your position.

Issue(s): Land Use

As you know, the City unsuccessfully tried to change the code, what do you believe needs to be done differently to achieve a better code? Will you support working to revise the land development code to provide and allow for predictability and deep affordability? (Y/N; Explain)

Issue(s): Land Use, Open Government

Would you support a policy requiring the City’s Development Services department to achieve its goal of 90% permit review completion within 15 business days across all departments/disciplines by April 2019? (Y/N/Explain)

Issue(s): Affordability, Housing

Council adopted the Strategic Housing Blueprint last year, calling for 13,500 new units annually over 10 years. This gets us to break-even in terms of need. Would you support amending the City’s proposed Strategic Housing Plan to increase the number to at least 15,000 housing units per year for 10 years, keeping the breakout across income levels and including permanent supportive housing for those chronically experiencing homelessness? (Y/N; Explain)

Issue(s): Affordability, Land Use

In a recent poll, residents of Austin cited rising property taxes as a major issue they face, iconic business are having to close their doors and longtime residents are moving out citing rising property taxes. Some have also cited homelessness as an impediment to business. How would you slow or stop the increase in City property taxes, encourage other taxing entities to do the same, and balance the requests for more funding coming from the City Departments and the public? One example of the request of more funding is to expand social service contracts to meet needs, including to provide more supportive housing programs. How do you balance less taxes and increased demand for social services? Please explain.

Issue(s): Economic Opportunity

Do you support a budget at the effective tax rate so home and business owners continue to benefit from the “growth dividend” and pay the same amount in property taxes as in the previous fiscal year? How do we balance this strategy with meeting the needs of people struggling to access services due to a lack of service capacity? How do you prioritize additional funding? Where would you look for efficiencies? (Y/N; Explain)

Issue(s): Affordability

Do you support maintaining affordable utility costs across Austin Energy and Austin Water that adheres strictly to the City’s affordability goals for Austin Energy, which require AustinEnergy rates to be in the bottom half of Texas ratepayers and minimizes increases to two percent per year for each rate class? (Y/N Explain)

Issue(s): Open Government

What is your collaborative vision when working with other governmental entities (Travis County, State of Texas, Central Health, etc.)?

Issue(s): Affordability

Many low-income families and persons experiencing homelessness have debt to the utility companies, which are now barriers to their ability to securing housing. Would you support increasing debt forgiveness programs for 3-4 years to help more people access housing? (Y/N/Explain)

Issue(s): Innovation

Austin has long since been perceived as a town of creative innovators. Given the City’s recent regulatory attempts with the sharing and gig economy (Uber, AirBnB, Scooters), what is your position on how the City should handle emerging technologies and emerging markets? What is your view, generally, on the conflict between consumer demands and government interests? Similarly, when non-profits secure grant funding for innovative social solutions that requires a local match, what is your view on city funding being available for the match?

Issue(s): Diversity & Inclusion

Austin has experienced growth but some constituencies have been left behind. What is your vision for the City’s role in funding/supporting the nonprofit network that provide much needed social services? What is your plan for addressing disparities and inequities in our community?

Issue(s): Economic Opportunity, Open Government

Council has passed 2 resolutions supporting an annual increase of about 2-3% for social service contracts in order to ensure that service agencies can keep up with rising costs of doing business and maintain service capacity. Would you direct the City Manager to include this annual increase in the budget for contracts meeting their performance targets? (Y/N/Explain)

Issue(s): Diversity & Inclusion, Economic Opportunity

One of the best ways to make Austin more affordable is to ensure we have a diverse set of industries which provide local, skilled and the hard-to-employ talent the opportunity to compete for jobs that have a career ladder. The Austin City Council is considering adopting a revised economic incentive policy, expanding the previous one-size-fits-all policy. If the Austin Chamber of Commerce presents a company that meets the criteria for an incentive as set by City Council policy, will you vote to support incentivizing jobs for both small operators and large in our city? How will you monitor success with the provision requiring employment of the hard-to-employ?

Issue(s): Mobility

How will you coordinate with regional partners to meaningfully address our increasing traffic level? What is your long-term vision for addressing traffic in Austin, and what would be the immediate first actions you would champion as a City Council Member to address the crisis?

Issue(s): Mobility

Transportation is the second highest family cost. When it is difficult to move freely around Austin, access to services and economic opportunities are limited; time spent commuting leaves less room for family obligations and socializing; and Austin becomes a more frustrating place. Do you support the items below? (Please mark each one you agree with)

Issue(s): Affordability

Solutions to homelessness exist – they require scaling up social services and housing programs, including the pathways from shelter to housing. To date, Austin has not identified adequate funding to address this challenge. How would you work to identify the funding needed?

Issue(s):

Why do you identify as a Democrat?

Issue(s):

Please share your experience and involvement in the Democratic Party in Travis County.

Issue(s): Housing

Affordable housing is a major problem in Austin. Large numbers of people who work in Austin cannot afford to live in Austin. Many families are moving outside the city to find affordable housing. Do you have any ideas to help create more affordable housing or to make existing housing more affordable?

Issue(s): Criminal Justice

Although Austin has remained a relatively safe city, there have been far too many shootings of African American men. What kind of changes would you institute at APD to reduce the number of officer-involved shootings and reduce the degree of mistrust that exists between the African American community and the police?

Issue(s): Diversity & Inclusion, Social Equity

A respected University of Texas study has found that Austin is the only high-growth city that is losing African Americans, both in terms of numbers and percentage of the total population. Do you consider this a problem? If so, what would you do to reverse or stabilize the decline?

Issue(s): Health & Human Services

Rising property taxes are a growing concern. There are a number of people who believe taxes are high because the city provides not only essential city services (police, fire, etc.) but non-essential services (social service contracts, education funding, etc.) If elected, how would you prioritize what is or is not an essential city service?

Issue(s):

Which Democratic value speaks to you most?

Issue(s): Housing, Public Safety, Social Equity

What are the most critical issues in your district and how will you address them?

Issue(s): Environment

What is your top environmental concern and how would you address it?

Issue(s): Land Use

Explain what important aspects of the land development code revision you support.

Issue(s): Affordability

What policies do you support to make Austin a more affordable place to live for all residents?

Issue(s): Affordability, Diversity & Inclusion, Economic Opportunity, Housing, Mobility, Social Equity

What policies will you advocate to address the increasingly unaffordable housing, transportation, and utility costs that are economically segregating our neighborhoods?

Issue(s): Diversity & Inclusion

What policies will you advocate to accommodate and welcome the full abundance and diversity of people who aspire to live in Austin’s neighborhoods?

Issue(s): Diversity & Inclusion, Social Equity

How will you resolve policy issues and cases that come before you when the wishes of some incumbent residents in a neighborhood conflict with the interests of other residents and the larger, city-wide community?

Issue(s): Diversity & Inclusion, Social Equity

What policies and approaches will you advocate to promote neighborhood improvement, and avoid neighborhood protectionism, as Austin changes and grows?