Austin Needs a Mayor not another Photo Op!

Pardon me, but... (0.00 / 0)

Was it a photo op when Brewster got the rules on the books that prohibit Austin pharmacies from providing women with birth control? (This was the first such law in the nation, I believe.)

Was it a photo op when Brewster led the fight to get the city to provide the same benefits to same-sex couples as are provided to married heterosexual couples?

Is the Pecan Street Project, which brings together the city, the university, the environmental community and the business community to make Austin a center of alternative energy technology development, just a photo op?

Was it just a photo op when Brewster led the fight against the McMansions that were springing up across our city like a bunch of smallpox sores?

Was it just a photo op when Brewster stood on the steps of the Capitol to call for gay marriage in Texas? If you think so, fine. But if you think so, you obviously must have a pretty low opinion of all the other activists who made the same call that day.

Is all of Brewster's work to promote New Urbanism and Transit-Oriented Development just a bunch of photo ops? Those rules are all the books now, and will help promote urban density, reduce suburban sprawl, and improve the overall quality of life for our community?

And I begin to suspect you're from another planet when you say that Brewster "didn't do much" for the Austin Studios bond. Even those who don't particularly like Brewster readily admit that he was the driving force behind the whole thing. The Austin Chronicle referred to the bond as "Brewster McCracken's $5 million gift to Austin Studios".

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by: JeffBrooks @ Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 16:52:23 PM CST

Whoops. A Correction (0.00 / 0)

Obviously, what the first sentence should say is, ". . . Brewster got the rules on the books that prohibit Austin pharmacies from denying the provision of birth control to women."

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by: JeffBrooks @ Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 19:45:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Very Good Save (0.00 / 0)

That could have ignited a political firestorm.

On bulk of the content of the original post, the bottom line was about Brewster's lack of responsiveness to a South Austin neighborhood concerning speeding gravel trucks. Please note that the two council members mentioned above (were at the time) lived in South Austin and responded to the neighborhood's requests for help.

It's good McCracken has visions for Austin in the future. We need a forward looking plan for the future. For the here and now, our city council needs to stick with public safety, transportation, affordable housing, health care, and picking up the trash.

A good leader has both a vision and plan for the future while taking care of business with basic government services. It concerns me that fair geographic represention and responsiveness to the needs of non central city neighborhoods appears not to be a priority of McCracken's agenda.

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by: ssuits @ Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 09:08:59 AM CST

[ Parent ]

huh? (0.00 / 0)

didn't see most of those points addressed in any way.

do you have data to refute the contention about the trucks?

that would be both pertinent and interesting.

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by: colin @ Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 16:31:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Opinions (3.00 / 1)

Well actually, most of what you mentioned above did in fact have high profile media coverage. But you are entitled to your opinion, and I am entitled to mine (based on my personal experience).

From what I have heard from reliable sources, Brewster did not lead the fight against the McMansions; people who worked closely on the bond for Austin Studios said Brewster didn't do anything in the beginning when it was most vulnerable; and lastly, as for your Creative Convergence gathering post, not all of the creative community is behind Brewster... That will soon become evident in the coming months.

I orignally moved here with one of Austin's first and most noted filmmakers and have spent most of my life in the film and television industry. I often wonder if I would have received a return call from Brewster had he known that.

I am not one to go back and forth on these things, so I will leave it at that. If however,  I find that I was wrong, I will be the first to admit it openly on Burnt Orange.

Lastly, I read both websites carefully. I was glad to see that Lee was a pilot for Delta Airlines for many years. That says something to me about his character, and the kind of sound and reliable decision making a city like Austin needs.

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by: Featurewritr @ Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 14:59:10 PM CST