2011 Austin City Council Elections: An Update from the Machine

randi shade anti-establishment? (0.00 / 0)

hehe ok it's a full week past april fool's day, so I guess you're not joking, but really? shade anti-establishment?

if shade is anti-establishment, then how to explain the fact that she received the endorsement of the austin board of realtors, while Kathie tovo has also been endorsed by the austin sierra club, austin neighborhood council, and better austin today?

Is randi's support for building water treatment plant 4 anti-establishment, despite its horrific price tag and questionable benefit?

oh I get it. it's because the university dems endorsed her! it was a tremendous showing for the students that day. I counted maybe two dozen in the room.  and randi is a past member of UDs. so really the anti-establishment vote would have gone to kathie. what's so cutting edge about voting for one of your own?

I am a member of central austin dems, the co-endorsing group with UDs, whose combined endorsements create the austin progressive coalition. I am the immediate past treasurer for APC. I have lived in austin since 1980 and been both active in and a watcher of this city's various issues and controversies over the years. I know this city. I know its special interests, what business as usual looks like, what it doesn't look like. and randi shade has no claim to the anti-establishment mantle.

and why would she want it? The special interests she supports, the businesses  whose money she takes would not, I suspect, call her anti-establishment. In fact, she votes against neighborhood concerns more often than not, so any "anti-" label she's earned could be "anti-neighborhoods."

because shade actively courts the private sector, and regularly scoffs at environmental groups & their concerns, it sounds off - tone deaf - for the writer  to  designate randi the "anti-establishment" candidate in place 3. So unless you intend to redefine the conventional meaning of the term, randi ain't it.

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by: leslie pool @ Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 20:16:04 PM UTC

no. but Tovo isn't, either. (0.00 / 0)

I get the impression that both Tovo and Shade are establishment candidates, although in different ways.

My point was that, despite UDems' history of supporting challengers or anti-establishment candidates more often than other organizations, we very broadly support Randi Shade. It was meant to help illustrate how heavily rooted in the establishment Tovo's supporters are. I'm not trying to say that Randi Shade is anti-establishment; just that Tovo's campaign seems to be very establishment heavy.

In the four years I've been at UT, strong challenger campaigns tend to get at least some strong support within the club. Though those strong challenger campaigns tend to also be beyond the establishment, too. It'll be hard, I think, for Tovo to win as a challenger with ONLY establishment support, considering the incumbent still has her strong allies within the establishment.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 21:54:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Don't look now (3.00 / 1)

"Disclosure: I am now a public supporter for all the incumbents (Riley, Shade, and Morrison). I am also the President Emeritus of the University Democrats."

Maybe a little fuller disclosure would have included mention of the fact that Burnt Orange Report's own Katherine Haenschen is Shade's campaign manager.

I have worked with Katherine on campaigns and have the highest regard for her, a regard I share with others on Shade's list of supporters. It was common knowledge among we Central Austin Democrats that this was Katherine's endorsement as much as--if not even more--than Shade's.

Some have asked to be removed from Randi's list, others leave their names there out of loyalty to Katherine, but we all think and vote for ourselves.

Katherine Haenschen has been working on these endorsements since going to work for Shade last November, before the race had fully formed.

The estimable (not the same as establishment) Kathie Tovo entered the race only late last month.

I would say the real story here is how and why Tovo gained five of the endorsements on your list, not counting APC, in just two weeks, while Shade has eked out only two more after four months of campaigning.

There's a message in this. Sometimes it's not the campaign, it's the candidate.

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by: JuanBongo @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 16:13:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That is part of the story, too (0.00 / 0)

It's the big reason that I would be unsurprised if the race goes to a runoff. A big part of the "machine" is upset with Shade, and Kathie Tovo is definitely a quality candidate.

For the record, though: I said "yes" to Katherine when she asked if I would be a public supporter. I kept my name on the list because I like Randi Shade as a council member, and I like her better than any of her opponents (for multiple reasons).

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 18:31:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Michael wrote this of his own accord. (2.00 / 1)

I'm a little too busy to blog.

Send me an email, whomever you are, and we can discuss further. I'd appreciate it.  

I'm not a player, I just Tweet a lot: @KathTX

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by: Katherine Haenschen @ Tue Apr 12, 2011 at 01:04:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Campaign managers (0.00 / 0)

@Juan,

You're entirely correct that Katherine is a talented, hard-working and respected campaign manager. But you are not correct that these were her endorsements to win.

In City Council elections, a campaign manager's job is to help the candidate win as many votes and endorsements as possible - both from organizations and individuals. Candidates hire managers based on their field skills as well as the relationships they bring to the table, and you can't fault them for that. And in the same vein, campaign managers choose their candidates on their merits and (potential) effectiveness as an elected official. So if this was "Katherine's endorsement," why wouldn't that hold true for the opposition's staff as well?

Just look at Team Tovo - she has David Butts and Mark Yznaga. These are two of the most established and renowned names in Austin politics (and long-time members of CAD), so in that case, are you saying it was their endorsement to lose?

Anyway, all I'm saying is that it does come down to the candidate herself and the knowledge she has on the issues (see LSadun's comment below). The candidates can do their best to hire the right staff, but the rest is essentially up to them. Luckily for the Shade campaign, Randi has deep roots and strong relationships from her history and experience in Austin. She's worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors and has proven herself as a no-nonsense, let's-just-get-it-done Council member who has been quite effective. Her winning the APC endorsements just speaks to the amount of people who support her who were willing to show up on a Saturday morning to vote for her.

Full disclosure from me: I've already endorsed Randi, as has my boss, Mayor Leffingwell. Katherine is a friend of mine, but so are David Butts and Mark Yznaga. Kathie is a former neighbor, was president of our neighborhood assn and I have a good amount of respect for her, too.  

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by: Amy Everhart @ Tue Apr 12, 2011 at 18:46:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Establishment (0.00 / 0)

Leslie, around here, the ANC IS the establishment; they've just cunningly dressed themselves up in the guise of the poor little guy, when they're actually representing the interests of a small number of disproportionately wealthy center-city landowners.

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by: m1ek @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 13:12:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

South Austin Opposition (0.00 / 0)

Certainly, it is the South Austin political establishment that has lined up against Shade.  They continue to be obsessed with WTP 4 when that issue was decided in the 2009 council elections and when construction is already underway.  Tovo and ANC have increasingly shown themselves to be out of touch with Austin voters, particularly voters that live north of the river and south of Ben White.

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by: Jeb @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 15:14:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

interesting, jeb ... (0.00 / 0)

with regard to opposition to WPT4: you're saying that if a poor public policy decision is made then we should just move on down the road, let it go?

see I just don't believe that. I'd like to snag a comment you made a few months ago and use it here. it's from a matt glazer post, and the topic is different, but your sentiment works well in the current context:

tea party prepared to strike kay bailey hutchison
"Better to go down swinging than to not show up for the fight at all. We need to run candidates that define who we are.
by: Jeb @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 10:39 AM CST"

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by: leslie pool @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 16:10:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Beating a Dead Horse (0.00 / 0)

Contemplate the difference.

You may also want to contemplate the damage that the continued campaign against WTP4 is causing.

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by: Jeb @ Tue Apr 12, 2011 at 21:13:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Shade the Candidate vs. Shade the Voting Record (0.00 / 0)

She talks the talk, but you should look at her record.  And if you have a high tolerance for inanity, you can even read her emails for yourself.  They reveal a different Randi Shade from the one campaigning now.  She says she's "different like Austin," but she's actually carrying the water for the same old establishment.  

Checkout her votes on projects Park PUD over the objection of many citizens, as well as her votes against sustainability and neighborhoods.

In addition to an attitude of derision toward numerous Austin citizens, Shade's emails show that she wants to save only one house of each architectural style and that's the one that the tourists visit.  All the others can be squashed flat.  And she leads the charge against historic and neighborhood preservation behind the scenes at City Hall.  

Michael, you say "it's the machine."  I say it's rage against the same old machine that's pulling Randi's strings.  

If you listen to what she says and then look at the record, you realize that you are being played like a Tea Party chump.  

Her actual voting record closely aligns with Austin's monied interests: e.g., the Real Estate Council of Austin and the Chamber of Commerce, among others. So much so that I find it curious that she would be described  as anti-establishment by anyone who watches her work on the council.  

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by: paca @ Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 02:40:34 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Shade's record (3.00 / 1)

I would respectfully disagree with the criticisms I've heard thus far concerning Randi Shade.  I think that, overall, Randi has been an excellent, progressive council member.  She's super-bright and extremely well versed in city issues.  To make a broad-brush attack on her record as being "against sustainability and neighborhoods" seems to me to be both very unfair and wrong on the facts.  

I've listened to Randi and her opponents in candidate forums, and to me it seems clear that Randi's depth of knowledge and mastery of city issues are unmatched.  Governor Ann Richards recognized Randi's progressive values, creative talents, and strong management skills when Ann selected Randi to launch AmeriCorps.  I think we've seen the same skill-set and performance in Randi's work on Council.

Randi has a solid record on sustainability issues.  As her website makes clear, she voted to increase our share of energy that comes from renewable resources.  She has pushed for more aggressive water conservation. She was on the board of the Austin Clean Energy Initiative.  On Council, she has been instrumental in making the Pecan Street Project a success. That project is becoming a nationwide leader in cutting-edge technologies that help reduce energy usage.

Personally, I wish Austin had not grown as large as it has and that it would not grow as much as I'm sure it will in the near future.  But that's the reality.  The city has to try to deal with that growth responsibly.  In general terms, we have to reject sprawl and opt for greater urban density.  Sprawl creates too roads, too much utility expansion, increased carbon footprint, etc.  Sustainability means more people living closer together, walking or taking public transit to work, and reducing their overall impact on the planet. Randi has supported those types of sustainability initiatives.  

Fortunately, most Austin neighborhood associations (my own included) tend to be vigilant and aggressive in opposing developments that create the risk of excess traffic and related problems.  But the other side of that is the risk of being excessively Nimby: "Sure, we're for greater urban density in general-but not this time, not this close to my home."    

Sustainability issues tend to be difficult and often turn on fact-intensive determinations.  Sometimes, not surprisingly, reasonable minds differ.  Park PUD obviously would help further sustainability by letting residents avoid driving 45 minutes to work on MoPac every morning. It would expand multi-modal transit options on busy Barton Springs Road.  The building would be several stories shorter than the adjacent building.  Some neighborhood residents close to the project oppose it.  That's understandable.  But it doesn't mean that the project is anti-sustainability.  It's exactly the opposite.    

The Council voted 6-1 in favor of the project.  If that project were the entire story, its opponents also would have to oppose the other five council members.  Bottom line: Randi's vote is completely defensible as a pro-sustainability vote.  

Historical zoning is also a complex, multi-faceted issue.  As an abstract generalization, most folks are in favor of preserving our city's heritage.  But historical zoning, taken to excess, seriously erodes our tax base, complicates school funding and other local government funding, and creates gross inequities.  Owners of historic homes pay no property tax on the building and only 50% on the land. Tax breaks for mansion owners can go too far too fast.  See the Austin Chronicle story on the issue: http://www.austinchronicle.com...

I like Kathie Tovo, but historic zoning is an issue on which I don't think she's as knowledgeable as Randi Shade.  On the Planning Commission, Kathie voted for many historic zoning designations.  Does that mean she's a bad person or automatically unqualified to serve on Council? No, of course not.  Some of the affordability and tax base issues are probably clearer and more dramatic now than they were in the past.  But Randi has taken a leadership role in analyzing these issues in depth and attempting to reform city policies.  If we're going to have a progressive tax structure, we have to tax everyone fairly.  

I think that Randi's a wonderful council member and has earned her broad-based support in this election. - Chuck Herring

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by: ch243 @ Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 17:31:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ummm ok (0.00 / 0)

you've just denied your own premise: "both Tovo and Shade are establishment candidates ..." and I still don't follow your logic.

maybe if you define your terms we would have common ground for a discussion.

my general understanding is that "establishment" connotes monied interests, most often private sector business; it conveys the idea of going along with convention, maintaining the status quo.

was there maybe another term that would better distinguish the candidates?

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by: leslie pool @ Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 22:31:16 PM UTC

dictionary.com definition (0.00 / 0)

the dominant group in a field of endeavor, organization, etc.

In Austin city politics, due to the campaign contribution limits, monied interests is not usually what I think up of. What I think of are those individuals who have been fixtures in Austin politics, swaying elections year after year.

It's not the best word to use, I know...

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 09:29:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

UT Students Need Randi Shade (0.00 / 0)

I'm pretty excited about Randi's campaign...

She understands the dynamics of UT culture and the needs of its students...

She reaches out to the community on campus often.

She's got my support... :)

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by: HueyFischer @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 00:05:44 AM UTC

+1 to Huey, I'm voting for Randi (0.00 / 0)

Huey hit it on the nose.

John Woods

John Woods

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by: John Woods @ Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 18:49:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Reasons behind Shade endorsements (3.00 / 1)

It's easy to carp about establishment vs. anti-establishment. But that misses the whole point of what each candidate brings to the table.

I was on the West Austin Democrats committee that interviewed all of the Place 3 candidates.  I went into those interviews completely undecided about who to support, and I had turned down a request to support Shade earlier in the game. I emerged as a strong Shade supporter.

Of the candidates, Randi Shade clearly had the firmest grasp of the issues facing Austin.  Not just a few hot-button issues, but everything that we asked about. She also showed the greatest ability to see both sides of each issue, and to look for win-win solutions. In tough times, and dealing with issues that mostly are not ideological, that really matters.

I won't say anything bad about Kathie Tovo (or about Max Nofziger or Kris Bailey).  All of the candidates are intelligent and want to do the right thing. They all deserve better than being accused of being shills for X, Y or Z. Shade, Tovo and Nofziger have solid Democratic credentials. If Tovo gets elected, and she well might, I'll be content.

But to me, the best person for the job is definitely Randi Shade.  

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by: LSadun @ Mon Apr 11, 2011 at 20:22:53 PM UTC

looking for some guidance (0.00 / 0)

I haven't followed these races so I'm reading this thread looking for some guidance on how to vote, but not getting it. My priorities (which I'm guessing may be like many Austinites) are that we provide necessary services while limiting ever increasing property taxes.

It give me shivers to here AISD talking about a 9 cent increase, that's another $200 out of my pocket each year and it's really starting to add up. But I also believe in adequate and fair taxation to support the greater public good.

So I want to know: Which candidate will do the best job at measuring the efficacy of tax breaks for business? Which candidate will best weigh protecting historic properties with getting the best use of land for increasing our tax base? Which candidate can separate waste and inefficiency from much needed services?

I grew up in this town but just in the last couple years bought my own house. It's changed my perspective. The best candidate should be someone that balances our priorities including neighborhood protection, economic development, growth management, investments in our future, and protecting our most vulnerable citizens.

Would help to get less rhetoric and more answers to these questions.

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by: blake @ Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 03:38:59 AM UTC

Solid Topics... (0.00 / 0)

Blake,

Tough to get a solid grip on these questions by simply reading candidate's marketing promos and/or attending a candidate forum, or from a blog, as it's hard for a moderator to get at that in a minute time-frame...These are not the typical "do you support SMD"  or "how will you vote on Urban Rail" type of questions that are often easy to digest in the forum-type setting.

In theory the moderator could ask each candidate something framed around the above, but the candidates will likely give you their spin, so you really need to do your homework if you want to get to the bottom of these.

I can't promise anything, but I'll try to build these topics into our flow of questions when we host the Place 3 candidate's debate on 91.7FM KOOP Radio's "A Neighborly Conversation" on Wed., May 4th, from Noon-1pm.   The debate will broadcast live over the FM dial in the Austin area, and also you can stream it live and free from your computer at www.koop.org.

(BTW, we hosted the Place 4 debate today, and we'll host the Place 1 debate on Wed., May 11th, Noon-1pm).

Best of luck getting to the core of this.

David Kobierowski

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by: David Kobierowski @ Thu Apr 14, 2011 at 04:39:42 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm for Randi Shade... (5.00 / 2)

And I'm about as anti-establishment as a member of the Austin establishment can be.

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by: Glen Maxey @ Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 18:37:06 PM UTC