We need a new direction. Our Mayor is dishonest with us. (Austin: lawyer, purchasing)

[BentBow]

Originally Posted by Austin97

The status quo will make an austin a city for the rich. The mayor and 7/10 of the city council members are trying to fix it.

It is ironic that austin's homeless are not rich and the city council is trying to help them. How is that a city for the rich?

The new land development code will create more "missing middle" units all over austin. Also not for the rich. In fact the rich are pushing back because they dont want duplex-fourplexes next door.

Yes, we have seen the progress for doing the same thing over and over repeatedly and expecting different results. Now, let's get out of the insanity.

[BentBow]

Originally Posted by atxcio

This sort of political rant does not belong on the Austin forum. Also, you claimed in the title that the mayor wasn’t being honest, then provided no example of where he has been dishonest. You only spewed hate.

Offended Austinites, shows weakness. Are we weak in Austin? Speak and let us know your reasoning, behind Austin's growing pains. Hate speech, is just the truth you don''t want to hear.

[BentBow]

Originally Posted by bigben1234

That is pretty much how it works everywhere in this country. The U.S.A. is a great example of an oligarchy disguised as something else.

Can we call it Crony Capitalism? Kickback politics

[BentBow]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

I believe with all the gentrfying that's going on in Austin and the sky-high property taxes, the mid-middle income and lower income people are being priced out and away from the city center. The further from downtown, the cheaper the rent. Before gentrification, the closer to downtown, the cheaper the rent.

Before gentrifying is all over with, most of the suburbs that surround Austin will experience a major change in demographics and have a higer percentage of poor and lower income people than the City of Austin. It's not something that's unique to Austin. Gentrifying is happening in the prosperous cities all across the nation. That's why nearly every downtown of every prosperous city is experiencing an economic boom of new businesses and big condo buildings, like never before.

Show Me The Money, or should it be Follow the Money?

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by BentBow

Show Me The Money, or should it be Follow the Money?

I wonder. I read a developer bought the property at 6th and Lamar where Waterloo Record Store, 24 Hour Diner and Amy's Ice Cream is. I wonder what's in store for that little piece of prime Austin real estate?

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by BentBow

Offended Austinites, shows weakness. Are we weak in Austin? Speak and let us know your reasoning, behind Austin's growing pains. Hate speech, is just the truth you don''t want to hear.

So you admit it’s hate speech. I didn’t want to go there, but yes our Jewish mayor is perhaps getting criticized more than previous mayors or elected officials. No we are not weak, you should consider the source of your depression and get some help.

[VAF84]

^- atxcio - What in the world does the mayor being Jewish have to do with anything, and who said anything about that? This post is starting to go sideways.



The mayor is rightfully being criticized for his disregard for the rule of law in the sense that he's always working against law enforcement, and the promotion of increased regulation and taxation in the Austin area. What's to like?

[Need4Camaro]

Like I said I dont know the history of said mayor and after reading more into this thread I can see why many people here do feel outed by him. I would like to note that, this issue is far from specific to Austin though and is likely very well ingrained in the general revitalization of urban centers to begin with. I dont think that is the problem, I think that the problem is, that is the ONLY thing that they are focused on rather than affordable homes or atleast better infrastructure for commuters who were priced out to relocate to suburban or exurban districts.

It should be noted though only a handful of cities are really concentrating on infrastructure that far out. Atlanta is definitely not one of them. DFW and Houston are but you will be paying tolls. Pheonix 'seems' to be doing a decent job at it.

I personally dont have much hope for the infrastructure here and that admittedly kind of worries me. I am thinking (hoping) that what will likely happen as this metro grows, it will likely grow around more affordable suburban/exurban areas where there are less land restrictions where better infrastructure can be designed and hopefully other employment hubs further away from Austin proper where said infrastructure can exist which will release some of the need to commute Downtown.

Its messy and sprawly but I personally believe it's the best hope for Austin if this place continues to grow.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by VAF84

The mayor is rightfully being criticized for his disregard for the rule of law in the sense that he's always working against law enforcement, and the promotion of increased regulation and taxation in the Austin area. What's to like?

No, this is incorrect. No one has pointed out a single ACTUAL policy or action by him specifically that indicates disregard of rule of law, or dishonesty, or anything. Yet the false title of this thread is allowed to remain. There is no “truth” being stated here, just boilerplate complaints that could be (and are) made against any politician. The stuff of Russian troll bots, really. I would guess most of the complainers don’t even live in the city limits and can’t vote for/against him anyway.

[verybadgnome]

The new mayor and city council are vastly different that the pre 10-1 leadership. Much more idealistic, but unfortunately a lot less grounded in reality. Case in point the stated goal in twenty years to reduce the single occupant commuter share currently at 75% down to 50%. To get 1/3 of that population out of their cars an into transit, which currently has 5-10% mode share is impossible, even if there was a 20 to 40 billion transit bond. A bond like that will never happen because the property tax blow would push out a huge number of the middle class. Another objective is to solve the affordability problem which is addressing a market issue that if anything Austin city government has a history of exacerbating, e.g. de facto bans on duplexes, compatibility requirements, historic zoning, solar ready requirements, visitability requirements, etc. It was shot down but there was a proposal to not allow single family homeowners to demolish their homes and rebuild. Lunacy and an infringement on private property rights. Next was the homeless situation that couldn't be left alone, which I sorta understand, yet the reaction is proposals that will increase services and draw in more homeless from other communities in Texas that are not as generous. The mayor and council want to be all things to all people, caregiving & maternalism run amok, that increasingly makes this an unaffordable place to live.


I guess it is not just the mayor but the previous city council had two members, Houston and Troxclair, that sometimes made it a priority to reduce spending. This new mayor and council doesn't have a single rep with that outlook which is why they are so bristled at the state's 3.5% spending cap (subject to a vote). In their eyes there is never enough of other people's money since the needs are somewhre barely shy of infinite.