| Cid Galindo is having a rough week. After spending 7 days trying to deceive voters on issue known as point of sale, Galindo is now being taken to task for repeatedly misleading Austin voters on issues like affordable housing and even his Democratic credentials.
On Tuesday, the Austin Chronicle fact checked one of Galindo's recent hit pieces and it looks like the piece was heavy political rhetoric and light on facts.
Galindo Mailer: "Pay a big tax just to sell your home."
Facts: No tax is proposed, or has ever been considered by the city. Home sellers would not be required to pay for any upgrades. Homeowners would be investing in their own house, not paying monies to the city.
Galindo Mailer: "Every home in Austin would have to pass a city energy efficiency inspection before it can be sold."
Facts: The task force is considering a voluntary program only, initially. Homes would not have to pass an energy efficiency inspection. Sellers would be required to have an energy audit, and to provide that data to prospective buyers. Homes built in the last decade would be exempt.
Galindo Mailer: "Homeowners could be forced to spend thousands of dollars on new air conditioners and appliances."
Facts: Expensive items like HVAC units and new windows would not be required. The program would prioritize low-cost improvements such as weather stripping and duct sealing. A spending cap of 1?2 of 1 percent of the sales price has been proposed ($923 for a median-priced home). A home buyer's up-front investment would be offset by subsequent utility bill savings. Long-term, the upgrades would provide homeowners with continued monthly savings, reducing the cost of homeownership.
Galindo Mailer: "Waiting for the city to get around to inspecting a home would cost homeowners even more."
Facts: As directed by city council, the task force is developing a program that would not hold up property closings. City inspections would not be required.
The week got worse when yesterday, FOX and KVUE both ran stories questioning Galindo's commitment to affordable housing.
The KVUE story highlights the community outrage as half million dollar homes pop up in traditional, historic east Austin neighborhoods. The FOX story goes one step further discussing his failure to disclose the development projects in East Austin while Galindo sat on the Austin Planning Commission. A mistake he didn't disclose at all on the planning commission and didn't fix until March for his city council race (three months after he started running). Galindo even admits this was a mistake. We of course agree.
Both stories show local Austin residents questioning Galindo's commitment to affordable housing, when he is jacking up property values and displacing east Austin residents.
One story that hasn't been told yet is the fact that Cid has deep ties to the Republican Party.
After a little research it appears that Governor Rick Perry is a long time family friend. Cid's father and business partner is a "Bush Pioneer" who raised over $100,000 for George Bush. Cid himself is on record as donating $1000 to Senator Phil Gramm during his doomed presidential bid.
Cid is president of the Galindo Group, which says on its company website that it is a strong supporter of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the James Leininger funded radical right wing "think tank" in Texas. The Foundation, which is closely connected to the Texas state GOP, supports vouchers, opposes environmental laws and recently crusaded against pre-kindergarten programs in public schools.
In February he began to deceive Austin Democrats when he sent out blatantly partisan e-mails to Democrats announcing:
"This week I cast my ballot in the Democratic Presidential Primary that has captured the imagination of our nation and imbued us with a determination to turn the page and set a new course for our country."
Galindo's constant deception is one of many reasons Burnt Orange Report endorsed Laura Morrison. Don't forget to vote early voting lasts until Tuesday June 10 and Election Day is June 14. |
