Burnt Orange Report

Byron's Austin City Council Endorsements

By Byron LaMasters

I figure that I might as well make endorsements for Austin City Council for what it's worth. I voted on Wednesday for Andrew Bucknall, Mandy Dealey and Betty Dunkerly in Austin City Council Places 1, 3 and 4. I also voted for the smoking ban and for ACC expansion. My endorsements:

Place 1: Andrew Bucknall and Lee Leffingwell

I've been impressed with Lee Leffingwell's civic service, progressive Democratic record, and environmental activism. The more I've seen of Leffingwell, the more I've liked him. It is extremely likely that Leffingwell will win this election to fill the seat of Daryl Slusher, and he would serve Austin well. However, Bucknall also has a progressive Democratic record of activism in east Austin. Bucknall has revitalized the Huston-Tillotson University Democrats, served as a precinct chair, and on citizens' committees addressing affordable housing. Either Bucknall or Leffingwell would serve Austin well. I voted for Bucknall, but both are a solid choice for progressive leadership.

Place 3: Mandy Dealey

Place 3 has four qualified candidates to replace Jackie Goodman. All four bring new ideas and energy to Austin politics, and any of the four would be an asset to the council.

Margot Clarke and Mandy Dealey clearly have the longest record of Democratic and progressive activism. Clarke's work has been on the grassroots side of things, whereas Dealey's work has been more related to fundraising and serving on numerous boards. They've both contributed valuable work that certainly qualifies them for the council.

Jennifer Kim and Gregg Knaupe round out the field. Kim is an impressive first time candidate, and is very well-spoken, but she lacks the experience of Clarke or Dealey. Knaupe is running an impressive campaign, but he has received a great deal of money from developer and Republican sources, and while I trust his Democratic credentials, I worry that he may be strongly influenced by his developer and Republican friends.

As the campaign has progressed, it is clear that Margot Clarke and Mandy Dealey bring the best progressive credentials to the race. Of the two, I am most impressed with Dealey. Clarke is the type of anti-growth, anti-development candidate that is less likely to be able to compromise and negotiate with others on the council. Furthermore, of all four candidates, Clarke has the least comprehensive website as to her agenda on the city council. On the other hand, Dealey's background with progressive nonprofits make her the best qualified candidate to work towards consensus on the council from a progressive perspective. She also has an extensive plan of action for Austin on her website. I was proud to vote for, and I am proud to endorse Mandy Dealey for Austin City Council.

Place 4: Betty Dunkerly

I've already indicated my support for Betty Dunkerly, but I'll do it again. Dunkerly entered politics during the economic downturn, because she believed that her background in public finance and as assistant city manager of Austin put her in position to help the city through the economic downturn. She's always been very accessible and has the best interests of Austin at heart. We need more people like her in politics. I wholeheartedly endorse Betty Dunkerly for re-election.

Smoking Ban: Yes, no, maybe so, ok, I guess, yes

I debated with myself over the smoking ban for awhile. I'm pretty much indifferent to it. In the end, I found the arguments for the ban more genuine than the arguments against the ban. People who I respect have spoken passionately on both sides of the issue. I know that Andrew feels strongly about this issue, but I was also moved by David Butts's support of the smoking ban at the UD/CAD/APC endorsement meeting. I've constantly debated the merits of the bill and weighed the rights of property owners and the rights of smokers versus the rights of non-smokers and the health risks of second-hand smoke, especially for people that work at bars.

In the end, I still couldn't decide, but I broke the deadlock with the statement by one of the anti-smoking ban guys at the UD/CAD/APC meeting. He said something to the effect that there was little evidence to prove that second-hand smoke was a health risk to which a lot of us were very much taken aback. There are good arguments against the smoking ban, but questioning the health risks associated with second hand smoke is not one of them. For me, this was a tie-breaker. I voted for the ordinance.

ACC Expansion: YES

This was an easy vote. Austin Community College (ACC) expansion allows more young people the opportunity for a higher education, and forces suburbanites to help pay for it. If this isn't a no-brainer, I don't know what is.