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Austin 
Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 00:06 PM CST
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According to the analysis used to plan Austin's energy future it costs 3% more to lower Austin's CO2 footprint by 61 percent, as compared to the current plan which will lower CO2 18 percent, by 2020, below 2005 emissions levels. Expenses-wise that's an exceptionally small gap for an incredibly large gain, and likely that "3% more" is backwards. Let me explain.
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Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 07:00 PM CST
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At the age of 96, former Austin Mayor Travis LaRue passed away over the weekend, becoming the second former mayor (after Roy Butler) of the Capital City to die in the last week.
As a historical aside, LaRue was the last non-elected Mayor of Austin, having served from 1969-1971 after being chosen by the City Council. In 1971, Austin held it's first direct election for mayor after moving to a council-manager form of government. And in a somewhat odd co-incidence, LaRue as a sitting Mayor was defeated handily in 1971 by none other than Roy Butler, who also passed away this past week.
Date of Election: April 3, 1971
Registered Voters: 93,597
Total Ballots Cast: 53,140
Percent Turnout: 56.78%
Mayor
Butler, Roy 34,099 65.29%
LaRue, Travis L. 7,871 15.07%
Montgomery, Jon 7,323 14.02%
Stopher, H. W. (Oat) 787 1.51%
Donley, Raymond (Jr.) 565 1.08%
Cole, Lorado 508 0.97%
Tune, Ray 462 0.88%
Damon, Jim 376 0.72%
Hickerson, Carl 232 0.44%
In a further electoral note, Lowell Lebermann, who passed away in July, won election that year, defeating 3 opponents including Royal Masset.
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Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 03:28 PM CST
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I don't often like to post about organizational events or fundraisers, especially if they are specific to just one city in the state, but we wouldn't be the Burnt Orange Report without the University Democrats at UT-Austin.
The University Democrats, established in 1953, is the largest and oldest political organization at The University of Texas at Austin and the leading force of progressive student activism in the state of Texas. Today, they are the largest College Democrats chapter in the country - working to bring democratic ideals to UT, the state of Texas, and the entire nation.
Last year they broke records by registering 12,000+ young voters across the state and mobilizing an entire generation of young Texas activists to blockwalk, phonebank, and elect strong Democrats to the County Court House, the State House, and the White House. After the elections, they continued to be at the forefront of the youth movement in Texas by organizing students to be the voice on important legislative issues like tuition relief, gun-free schools, tax-free textbooks, and the disenfranchising voter ID bill.
This year they have pledged to be at the forefront of the movement to turn Texas blue. University Democrats has built a large and committed team of extraordinary student activists who are ready to organize young people to bring change to our state. With a plan, BLUEPrint for Texas, the mission is to turn Texas blue from the ground up by mobilizing student activists to:
• TRAVEL to swing districts across Texas to work for candidates.
• DISTRIBUTE voter registration cards in key neighborhoods.
• REGISTER new voters.
• KNOCK on doors for key candidates.
• CALL households on behalf of Texas Democrats.
• MOBILIZE young people to vote early.
In order to be effective in mobilizing students for change in Texas, Unversity Democrats needs the resources and support from community leaders like you! Please support them by making a donation at their fundraiser this Wednesday. I know I'll be writing them a check.
University Democrats: BLUEPrint for Texas
8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
UT-Austin Business School Special Events Room (CBA 3.304)
($40 minimum donation to attend please)
$50= ground breaker
$100=contractor
$250=developer
$500=master developer
$1000=architect
$2000=master architect
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Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 04:31 PM CST
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Today we are faced with another fear-based debate about whether or not the Guananomo Bay Detainees should be housed in US prisons and be given their days in court. If you were to believe the rhetoric from the Republican partisans, America has never faced such danger from any other past enemy or based decisions during wartime on human rights, the Constitution and international law. The reality is, of course, that we have been faced with all these things before and our values cannot be compromised especially in challenging times. The Supreme Court decisions upholding habeas corpus rights for these detainees is evidence that we, as a people, have a firm belief in the Constitution and our role as model for international law and human rights.
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Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 08:20 AM CST
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(An interesting campaign to do the right thing. I gladly signed and I hope you will too. - promoted by Matt Glazer)
(Co-sponsored by Jake Stewart, frmr manager of Austin's Climate Protection Program.)
Some friends recently suggested we petition Austin's new City Council to recommit to Mayor Wynn's 2007 Climate Protection Mandate. I think this is a great way to urge our leaders AND show them our support.BOR readers know I've been involved in (and somewhat critical of) Austin Energy's Recommended Generation Plan, 2010 to 2020. I'm one of thousands concerned about the plan's alarming financial oversights, costly health impacts and lack of initiative on climate and environmental issues. But I also think it's important to let our elected officials know that I (we) will support them if they come through with some strong climate actions.
Here is the text of our petition. I hope you'll consider signing it at http://budurl.com/AustinCPP
The City of Austin makes the goal of its Climate Protection Plan clear: to "make Austin the leading city in the nation in the fight against climate change." We have created the petition below to show our support for the Mayor, City Council, Austin Energy, Austin's city leaders, and our diverse community of multiple stakeholders, to achieve rapid implementation of affordable, world-leading, climate solutions, immediately.
We, the citizens of Austin, TX, urge members of Austin City Council to officially recommit to our City's Climate Protection Program. We feel our City can and must do more, and we stand ready to support our City's commitment to world-changing leadership.
In 2007, just two years ago, when the Austin Climate Program was adopted, more than half of today's council was not yet elected, we had a different Mayor and a different City Manager. We urge our City's new leadership team to recommit the City to the bold, urgent and important goals laid out in 2007.
We ask that today's City leadership put climate solutions first on their agenda and make public their commitment to finding an affordable way forward.
Austin needs to be a leader on the environment and clean energy. We pledged to do just that. Now it is time for us to move forward and fulfill our promises.
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Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:33 PM CST
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Tonight we witnessed a landmark vote for our generation, 220-215. Never again will people be turned down from health insurance due to pre-existing conditions. Never again will Americans go bankrupt due to health care crisis. Never again will our health care be based on our continued employment. Never again will we stand by and watch our neighbors die from lack of access to affordable health care.
This was an historic day that we've worked towards for decades, and now we are one step closer to achieving total victory. We now wait for the Senate version and then the process to combine them into the final law.
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Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 01:28 PM CST
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Last night's election results were less a referendum on the Democratic Party, and more a referendum on incumbents and limitless campaign spending. Exit polls showed that the number one concern of voters was the economy and jobs, and the voters themselves said that their vote was not about the performance of the President. The candidates pouring money into their own campaigns, spending millions of dollars to win, only reminded the voters of the vast gap between the rich and poor in America. In several races, those spending the most, did not win. Here in Texas, in the race for Houston Mayor, Annise Parker came in first after being outspent 5:1 by her challenger. While the latest poll averages from realclearpolitics.com show that the President's approval is still high at 51.4%, the approval of Congress is only at 24.8%, and of those polled only 38.8% think that America is on the right track. At this time of economic hardship, high unemployment, and job insecurity, the voters across the country voted out incumbents, those seen as contributing to our economic conditions, and voted for change.
These election results offer hope and inspiration to those of us challenging long-time sitting Republican incumbents with their own large war chests, such as Lamar Smith. Americans are ready for a change, ready for Representatives who will take action and represent their interests, not the special interests. It is time for Representatives to find solutions to our most critical issues, create and grow jobs, and put our country back on the right track. That is precisely what I will do when I am elected in 2010.
If you feel that your voice isn't being heard, if you are tired of the failed policies of Lamar Smith, and if you have a vision for a better tomorrow, then please join me in taking action to win in 2010. Go to my website, http://www.laineyforcongress.com, and contribute to my campaign, join our team, add your endorsement and spread the word that we have a winnable race in Texas Congressional District 21.
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Lainey Melnick
Candidate for US Congress
Texas 21st District
http://www.LaineyForCongress.com
lmelnick@laineyforcongress.com
On Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/...
On Twitter http://www.twitter.com/lmelnick
Paid for and authorized by the Lainey Melnick for Congress Committee
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Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 08:56 AM CST
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The risk analysis used to create Austin Energy's Staff Generation Plan omits numerous elements that will cause Austin's near-future electricity prices to spiral upward.
Alarming Financial Risks associated with: ozone nonattainment, greenhouse gas regulation, coal ash regulation, health injury costs, exposure to litigation, and highly volatile maintenance costs -- are all left out of the analysis used to guide our City's energy plan, 2010 to 2020. Thus, City managers are recommending a coal-centric strategy. Risks omitted all target Austin's coal plant, located in La Grange and responsible for providing 1/3 of your electricity...
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Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 09:37 AM CDT
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Austin's coal plant causes $200 to $300 million in health damages -- every year, according to the U.S. National Research Council.
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Wed Oct 28, 2009 at 03:29 PM CDT
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(Gomez is currently Travis County Commissioner for Pct 4. She is being challenged by Raul Alvarez in the Democratic primary. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Being chosen by my peers to chair the the Capital Metro Board has been an honor and a privilege. It has also been one of the toughest volunteer jobs I have ever had. We have dealt with accounting errors, a union strike and continuing delays in the opening of Metro Rail. However, despite problems with agency's leadership, I never lost sight of my responsibility as chair of the board: to help Capital Metro provide an efficient and affordable system of public transportation that the people of Travis County can depend on and take pride in. As chair, I have had to make many tough votes. I stand by my vote against using one-time stimulus money to delay an inevitable fare increase. As an avid supporter of rail, I believe the money is better spent investing in long-term improvements to our rail lines. As difficult as it is, a fare increase is needed to continue providing current level of service to the transit dependent. I am proud to say that Cap Metro's fares will remain among the most affordable in the nation. I have expressed to leadership that I believe Capital Metro would benefit from an aggressive nationwide search for a new CEO with executive leadership experience. We need someone who can run an agency successful, rather than someone who only has experience in transportation. Approving a fare increase is never a popular decision, but I believe it is the only way Capital Metro can survive at this time. However, I do not believe that we should balance the agency’s budget on the backs of elderly and disabled citizens, which is why I will ask the board to exempt seniors and disabled citizens from any fare increase. Capital Metro has made mistakes, but this should not be one of them. There is no good reason not to exempt seniors and disabled citizens from a fare increase. My constituents in Precinct 4 and people from across the county understand this, too. Government should be there to help those who need it most, not increase their burden. In tough economic times, little things add up. For my constituents who receive Social Security and disability benefits, this is even more true.
There is a lot of work ahead at Capital Metro. To start, they should launch an aggressive nationwide search to insure we find the most qualified individual. Most importantly to the many people who rely on Capital Metro everyday, they can agree to exempt seniors and disabled citizens from a fare increase. I look forward to hearing back from you all on this issue. Please leave your comments below or connect with me on Facebook, Twitter or on my website.
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