This is everybody’s Austin.
We’re a community that inspires new ideas and treasures the offbeat and the weird. There is an ebb and flow here that prevents us from getting set in our ways. We don’t have the sort of rigid social structures so many other communities have. That’s why we attract creative artists, original thinkers, ingenious entrepreneurs and progressive politicians. That’s a good thing. It is what makes Austin Austin.
Too often, however, we see our community divided. We hear about old Austin and new Austin. We see pro-growth versus no-growth debates, and we feel the pain of long standing battles between the east side of town and the west side of town, between neighborhoods and developers, and between businesses and environmental interests. It makes for heated debates, but this is everybody’s Austin. We need a leader on our City Council who hears the voices and concerns of people from all sides of any argument and translates those perspectives into action and creative solutions. I have a track record for being that kind of leader. My background is different from others on our City Council and I expect that to drive different results.
Achieving agreement on every issue is unrealistic, as is solving every problem; however, knowing how and why our City is responding to changing circumstances is a must, no matter which side of any argument you represent. Empathy and honest communication are critical components for achieving the trust necessary to build lasting coalitions and strong working relationships.
This is everybody’s Austin. I will serve with that in mind, and you’ll see it in my actions every day.