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FLANNIGAN, AND I AM YOUR CURRENT DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.WHEN I EARNED THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT BACK IN 2016, I PROMISED THAT I WOULD ACCOMPLISH REAL CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT FOR DISTRICT SIX.
AND TOGETHER WE DID JUST THAT WE HAVE HELD 60 DIFFERENT TOWN HALLS, MEETINGS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO LISTEN AND ENGAGE ON EVERY TOPIC FACING OUR CITY.
WE'VE TURNED THAT INTO UNPARALLELED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTO SOLUTIONS, DELIVERING ON THOSE PROMISES IN EVERY CORNER OF THE DISTRICT, WE'VE CREATED NEW ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, STREETLIGHTS SIDEWALKS, AND CROSSWALKS INVESTMENTS IN WILDFIRE MITIGATION, AND EVEN OPENED A NEW PARK AND IMPROVED A NEW FIRE STATION.
THIS AND SO MUCH MORE ALL ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR FIRST FOUR YEARS.
BUT HOW DO WE IMAGINE THE NEXT FOR 2020 HAS BEEN A YEAR SO UNPREDICTABLE AND CHALLENGING THAT THERE ARE BARELY WORDS.
THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN US THAT OUR SYSTEMS WERE MORE FRAGILE OR SAFETY NET, LESS SECURE AND OUR COMMUNITY MORE IN NEED, BUT IT ALSO SHOWED US WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TAKEN ON THIS CHALLENGE AS A COMMUNITY, EXPANDING OUR INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND CREATING PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, NONPROFITS, AND INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.
IT JUST TAKES THE WILL TO IMAGINE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO TOGETHER.
I HAVE WORKED HARD TO BUILD DEEP AND TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND ACROSS OUR CITY AND THE REGION, THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT IT TAKES TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND NOW DISTRICT SIX IS NOT JUST FINALLY AT THE TABLE.
I PROUDLY SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK AND REPRESENTING THE CITY ON REGIONAL BOARDS FOR CAMPO AND CAP COG COVERING A 10 COUNTY AREA.
OUR VOICE IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN IS NOW HEARD LOUDER AND CLEARER THAN EVER BEFORE.
AND NOW, AS I SEEK REELECTION, I HAVE ALSO EARNED THE SUPPORT AND ENDORSEMENT FROM A POLITICALLY DIVERSE SET OF PARTNERS, ESSENTIAL TO GETTING THE WORK DONE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH CARE LEADERS, INCLUDING THE EMS ASSOCIATION, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, REPRESENTING LABOR ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS ARE FIVE OVERLAPPING DISTRICT, SIX STATE HOUSE MEMBERS.
AND I'M THE ONLY ENDORSED DEMOCRAT IN THE RACE.
AND IT'S ONLY WITH YOUR SUPPORT THAT I'M ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BE THE VOICE FOR PRAGMATIC AND DATA DRIVEN SOLUTIONS ON OUR CITY'S MOST CRITICAL ISSUES ON POLICE REFORM AND HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE MADE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT LET'S BE FRANK THOSE SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING NEW HOUSING SHELTER, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS. IT'S BEEN SLOW TO IMPLEMENT, BUT THEY'RE STILL ON THE WAY.
WE ARE ALSO SEEING AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK PUBLIC SAFETY, HELP KEEP OUR OFFICERS FOCUSED ON THEIR CORE FUNCTIONS WITH BETTER TRAINING.
DISTRICT SIX HAS NOT BEEN GETTING THE SERVICE IT DESERVES DESPITE THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, NEARLY DOUBLING IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
SO WE HAVE TO IMAGINE A BETTER WAY ON AFFORDABILITY.
I'VE BEEN A PASSIONATE VOICE FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, SAVING TAXPAYERS, MILLIONS, AND REDUCED STAFF OVERTIME VOTING AGAINST TWO OF THE LAST FOUR CITY BUDGETS.
WHEN THE MATH DIDN'T JUST ADD UP AND ALWAYS SEEKING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCIES, WE'VE ALSO SLOWED THE GROWTH IN UTILITY RATES AND FEES TO THE LOWEST IN RECENT MEMORY.
BUT WITH A POST PANDEMIC RECESSION LOOMING, WE CAN NOT RELY UPON A STATUS QUO FORGED IN DECADES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WE HAVE TO IMAGINE A BETTER WAY.
AND ON TRAFFIC DISTRICT SIX KNOWS THE PAIN OF TRAFFIC BETTER THAN ANYONE.
AND WE KNOW THAT SOLELY EXPANDING ROADS DOESN'T SOLVE THE ISSUE.
WE LIVED THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF ONE 83 AND KNOW THAT TRAFFIC WAS WORSE AFTERWARDS.
THEN BEFORE WITH PROJECT CONNECT, WE CAN MAKE CRITICAL MULTIGENERATIONAL INVESTMENTS EXPAND COMMUTER SERVICE AND EVEN BUILD RAIL FROM DISTRICT SIX, ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT WITH A LONGTERM SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCE AND AN INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT BODY THAT WILL LEAD THE NATION IN TRANSPORTATION INNOVATION, THE STATUS QUO WAS NOT WORKING.
THE LAST FOUR YEARS ON COUNCIL HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, SERVING THE COMMUNITY SOLVING PROBLEMS AND LEADING ON ISSUES DURING THESE MOST CRITICAL AND UNPRECEDENTED TIMES WITH ALL THE HARD WORK WE'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER.
IT IS NOT HARD TO IMAGINE A FUTURE AUSTIN THAT IS MORE AFFORDABLE, EFFICIENT, HUMANE, AND JUST WE CAN CREATE THE AUSTIN.
WE WANT, NOT JUST SOMETHING WE CAN IMAGINE, BUT SOMETHING WE CAN ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR VOTE TO CONTINUE TO GET THE WORK DONE.
[Mackenzie Kelly]
MY NAME IS MACKENZIE KELLY.I'M AN AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FOR DISTRICT SIX.
I'M A MOTHER, A WIFE, AND A PERSON DEEPLY INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
OFTEN AS IN MY BLOOD, MY PARENTS LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT, MY BROTHER AND HIS FIANCE LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT.
MY INLAWS LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT AS WELL.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE AND I LEARNED LIFE'S HARD LESSONS HERE.
AND RIGHT NOW I ROLL UP MY SLEEVES TO HELP OTHERS NAVIGATE LIFE'S CHALLENGES IN OUR EVER CHANGING CITY.
IT'S EIGHT YEARS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AND I'VE LED CLEANUP EFFORTS OF THE OVERFLOWING HOMELESS CAMPS UNDER OUR EXPRESSWAYS.
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WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.IT'S PRESIDENT OF TAKE BACK AUSTIN.
I FOUGHT TO KEEP OUR POLITICIANS HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS FACING MULTIPLE CRISES RIGHT NOW, A CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS, A CRISIS OF SAFETY AND A CRISIS OF AFFORDABILITY HE'LL ADVOCATE FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE FULLY STAFFED.
AND WELL-FUNDED, I WILL FIGHT TO KEEP OUR TAXES LOW AND I'LL ENSURE THAT OUR HOMELESS POPULATION IS TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH POLICIES THAT WORK TOWARDS IDENTIFYING AND TREATING THE SYSTEMATIC PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE HOMELESSNESS, THOSE TYPES OF SOLUTIONS ARE SAFE AND COMPASSIONATE LIVING IN UNSANITARY AND ATROCIOUS CONDITIONS.
IT'S NOT OUR CITY IS FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME IN ITS HISTORY, CHANGES TO SEVERAL POLICIES ON COUNCIL THAT HAVE BEEN MADE RECENTLY WERE NOT MADE WITH THE CITY'S FUTURE.
IN MIND, WE NEED FACT BASED AND DATA DRIVEN SOLUTIONS.
NATE, NOT KNEE JERK REACTIONS WITHOUT SOLUTIONS IN PLACE BEFOREHAND.
OUR RESPONSE TO COVID HAS SHUT DOWN LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, AND MANY OF THEM CLOSED THEIR DOORS FOR GOOD, THE ICONIC BUSINESS LANDSCAPE THAT KEPT US.
AND WE WERE JUST SLOWLY FADING AWAY.
WE NEED COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT NOT ONLY WANT TO PRESERVE OUR CITY, BUT HELPS SOLVE PROBLEMS. WE NEED FORWARD THINKING AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR CITY'S PROBLEMS. MY LIFELONG WORK ADVOCATING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THOSE THAT LIVE HERE PROVIDE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD FOR FUTURE SUCCESS AS YOUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL WOMAN, AS AUSTINITES.
WE DESERVE A CITY THAT IS SAFE, PROSPEROUS, AND FORWARD PLANNING.
WE NEED SERVANT LEADERSHIP, NOT TYPICAL POLITICIANS.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PUT POLITICAL AGENDAS ASIDE AND TAKE ACTION TO INSIST ON A BETTER COMMUNITY THAT SERVES US.
PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE FOR MY CAMPAIGN@WWWDOTMCKENZIEFORAUSTIN.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION SEARCH ON FACEBOOK OR MACKENZIE KELLY FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, OR FIND ME ON TWITTER AT M KELLY,
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING YOUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL WOMAN.
I HUMBLY ASK THAT YOU VOTE FOR ME FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND DISTRICT SIX.
SO I CAN REPRESENT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS A NATIVE AUSTINITE.
[Jennifer Mushtaler]
HELLO AUSTIN.I'M A BOARD CERTIFIED OBSTETRICIAN AND GYNECOLOGIC SURGEON AT THE NORTH AUSTIN MEDICAL CENTER.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING MEDICINE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND I AM ON THE FRONT LINES.
I STARTED MY EDUCATION EARNING MY BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING HERE AT UT AUSTIN WHILE COOPERATING AND IBM, I WORKED ON THE DIVISION THAT WERE FOR RISK SYSTEMS AND MAINFRAMES, AND TOOK THE TRACK FROM THE OFFICE BUILDINGS OVER TO BUILDING SIX, TO GRAB THE MOTHERBOARDS.
SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL BEFORE THAT BECAME THE DOMAIN.
MY JOURNEY IN THE MEDICINE TOOK ME TO UT SOUTHWESTERN PARKLAND, WHERE I EARNED MY DOCTORATE.
I WENT ON TO DO MY POST GRADUATE RESIDENCY AT THE CURRENT COUNTY HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN FORT WORTH.
DURING THAT TIME I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE PARKLAND PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY ROOM, AND I ALSO WORKED AT THE TARRANT COUNTY JAIL SYSTEMS IN THE CLINIC FOR FEMALE INMATES OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, I'VE BECOME MORE CIVICALLY ENGAGED LOCALLY.
I'M NOW THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE RIVER PLACE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND THE LIMITED DISTRICT I PARTNERED WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS FIREWISE ISSUES, ZONING ISSUES, AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN DISTRICT SIX.
MY HUSBAND AND I WILL BE CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF MARRIAGE.
DESPITE COBIT THIS FALL, WE HAVE, UH, TWO DAUGHTERS AND THE LEANDER ISD SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I HAVE A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND AN EIGHTH GRADER AND I AM RUNNING BECAUSE I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR OUR CITY AND OUR FUTURE.
I BELIEVE THAT COVID-19 HAS LAID BARE WEAKNESSES AND INEQUITIES IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S CRITICAL TO SUPPORTING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE NOW AND IN THE COMING MONTHS ARE GOING TO BE CRUCIAL TO OUR RECOVERY.
I BELIEVE THAT AS MY EXPERIENCE AS A PHYSICIAN AND AN EXECUTIVE LEADER WILL BE AN ASSET TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL, OUR CITIZENS, BACK TO WORK AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES OPEN.
I SUPPORT ACCOUNTABILITY AND I SUPPORT PRACTICAL AND REASONABLE SOLUTIONS.
AS A COUNCIL WOMAN, I WILL TREAT MY CONSTITUENTS AND FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC IN A CIVIL AND RESPECTFUL MANNER.
THAT IS BEFITTING OF A PROFESSIONAL IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
MY PLATFORM CENTERS AROUND THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND DEALING WITH THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS THAT HAS NOW OPENED UP PUBLIC SAFETY.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THE FUNDING OR SHAMING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
OUR COMMUNITIES WILL NOT BE SAFER FOR THESE ACTIONS.
I BELIEVE IN FISCAL DISCIPLINE.
AND I BELIEVE IN PROPERTY RIGHTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SEEK RESPONSIBLE CONSENSUS SOLUTIONS
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TO SOLVE OUR GROWTH AND HOUSING CRISIS.I HOPE YOU WILL CHECK OUT MY PLATFORM AND I HOPE TO EARN YOUR VOTE AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT SIX AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
[Dee Harrison]
HI, MY NAME'S DEE HARRISON AND I'M A CANDIDATE FOR DISTRICT SIX ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.I RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE STATE AND BEGAN CONSULTING WORK, BUT LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE, THE COVID-19 VIRUS THREW A WRENCH IN MY PLANS IN MY CAREER, I'VE SERVED ON BUILTIN, MANAGED COUNTLESS COMMUNITY COALITIONS, SOME DEALT WITH CRIME VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OR SOCIAL EMERGENTS STORE TO JUSTICE.
OTHERS WERE RELATED TO DISASTERS AND DISASTER RECOVERY.
I CHOOSE TO LIVE IN AUSTIN BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
WE HAVE LEGS, PARKS, MUSEUMS. WE HAVE ART SHOWS AND ART GALLERIES.
WE HAVE FOOD FESTIVALS AND MUSIC FESTIVALS, BEST OF ALL.
IT'S IN THE BEAUTIFUL TEXAS HILL COUNTRY.
SINCE I FIRST MOVED HERE IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN IS MORE THAN DOUBLED.
I'VE WATCHED IT CHANGE FROM A NO GROWTH CITY TO A GO GROWTH CITY.
MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED ABOUT AUSTIN'S IN THAT TIME.
SOME FOR THE BETTER SOME NOT, WELL, I MIGHT MISS SOME OF THE PLACES THAT ARE NOW GONE.
I KNOW THEY'LL BE REPLACED BY SOMETHING BETTER, SOMETHING MORE DIVERSE, SOMETHING MORE OSTENTATIOUS.
AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF OUR CITY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BOTH THE DUTY AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED A CHANGE IN HOW WE LIVE, WORK, LEARN, AND PLAY.
PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, THEIR BUSINESSES, FRIENDS, FAMILIES, AND EVEN THEIR HOMES.
OUR SYSTEM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
IS IT A CRITICAL CROSSROADS? THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS PANDEMIC WILL BE FELT FOR DECADES YET.
INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL OUR FINANCIAL TIMES ARE LESS UNCERTAIN.
THE COUNCIL PROPOSED A $7.1 BILLION PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH WILL RESULT IN A 20 TO 25% TAX INCREASE ON HOMEOWNERS TO FUND IT.
IT ALSO PROPOSED AN ADDITIONAL $460 MILLION BOND PACKAGE, WHICH WILL ALSO BE PAID FOR BY INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS.
THESE PROPOSITIONS ARE ALREADY ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
SO FUTURE COUNCILS WILL HAVE TO ABIDE BY WHATEVER THE TAXPAYERS CHOOSE ON ELECTION DAY.
THE SOCIAL UNREST IN PROTEST OF SHINING A BRIGHT LIGHT ON THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT HAS BEEN RUNNING OUR COUNTRY FOR GENERATIONS INSTEAD OF SEEKING SUSTAINABLE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SOLUTION, THE COUNCIL CUT THE POLICE BUDGET BY 30% AND PROPOSED $80 MILLION IN MORE CUTS.
IT PROPOSED TO MOVE VICTIM SERVICE OUT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DOING AN EFFORT THAT TOOK CRIME VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, VICTIMS, RIGHTS, ADVOCATES, POLICE, AND PROSECUTORS YEARS TO PUT INTO PLACE.
IT PROPOSES TO CUT FUNDING FOR DRUNK DRIVING ENFORCEMENT, UNDERMINING DECADES OF EFFORT BY THE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF PEOPLE IN CHILDREN, MAIMED AND MURDERED BY DRUNK DRIVERS.
THE COUNCIL REPEALED THE HOMELESS CAMPING ORDINANCE RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION OF HOMELESS CAMPS.
THAT'S A STOP GAP MEASURE AT BEST AND AT WORST, IT'S JUST PLAYING CRUEL.
THESE DECISIONS ULTIMATELY PLACED MORE OF OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY AT RISK WHILE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS REPRESENT THEIR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS, THEY HAVE A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
I'M NOT RUNNING AS A CANDIDATE FROM A POLITICAL PARTY.
CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE NONPARTISAN.
IF ELECTED, I PLEDGED TO REPRESENT ALL MY CONSTITUENTS FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL PERSUASION AND THESE CHANGING TIMES, I BELIEVE YOUR VOTE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
AND I BELIEVE I'M THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOUR VOTE ON ELECTION DAY FOR CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT SIX.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND INTEREST.