Burnt Orange Report Endorses Gina Hinojosa for AISD At-Large Seat

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 04:00 PM CDT

Hinojosa, a civil rights and employment lawyer, became actively involved in the Save Our Schools movement when her family's neighborhood school was slated for closure. A 20-year resident of Austin and graduate of UT's Plan II Honors program, Hinojosa has a broad background in volunteer community service and a history of working well and listening to others.

We have serious qualms about Hinojosa's opponent, Mary Ellen Pietruszynski, who works as executive director of the Sooch Foundation, an educational foundation that supports charter schools. Her campaign is being bankrolled by her employer, Nav Sooch, and his business partner at Silicon Labs. Given the volume of money they have invested in this race, there are concerns that the tech duo are trying to buy a seat on the AISD.

The two candidates also differ in their perspective on working with embattled AISD superintendent Meria Carstarphen, who has rankled many community members by  insufficiently considering public input -- particularly from East Austin -- in district decision-making. Pietruszynski seems content to simply let Carstarphen do as she pleases with our public schools, and wrote a Statesman Op-Ed to that effect. Pietruszynski also wrote an op-ed supporting the IDEA charter school in East Austin, which took over a neighborhood public school and turned it into a charter against the wishes of the students' parents, who opted out in such numbers as to curtail the program.

Hinojosa is an extremely capable, impressive woman who will listen to parents, and bring a valuable citizen activist voice to the school board. She is the best choice to both hold the AISD superintendent accountable and engage the public in the continued effort to improve our public schools. We unanimously and enthusiastically urge AISD voters to support Gina Hinojosa for the At-Large seat.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Vote FOR Travis County Central Health Proposition 1

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 03:30 PM CDT

This is one of the most important measures on our Travis County ballot this year, and we strongly encourage voters to learn about the many excellent community benefits Prop 1 will provide, starting with world-class medical care. Austinites who currently must travel out-of-town to seek cutting-edge care will instead be able to receive care here. It will create 15,000 permanent jobs and generate $2 billion in economic activity each year.

Prop 1 will expand access to care, especially for the 200,000 uninsured Travis County residents. 60% of those folks work and don't have or can't afford employer-provided insurance. Prop 1 will save taxpayer money by helping people without insurance avoid the emergency room. Preventative healthcare is more cost-efficient and less expensive than a visit to the ER.

Importantly, Prop 1 does not pay for construction of a physical medical school -- instead, it funds access to healthcare by funding and expanding healthcare programs. The University of Texas has contributed $25 million in perpetuity and $5 million per year for the first eight years to fund maintenance and operation of a medical school. Additionally, the Seton family of hospitals has pledged $250 million towards construction of a teaching hospital. All of that funding for the medical school disappears if Prop 1 does not pass.

Proposition 1 will fill critical gaps in our healthcare delivery system, improve healthcare and access to healthcare for Travis County residents, and result in a healthier community. We unanimously and enthusiastically endorse a vote FOR Central Health Proposition 1!

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Burnt Orange Report Endorses Diane Trautman for Harris County Department of Education

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 03:00 PM CDT

Trautman is clearly the better choice for Harris County schoolchildren and would be a welcome improvement over conservative ideologue Michael Wolfe, the incumbent. Voters would be wise to turn out Wolfe, who has stated that he would abolish the very Department of Education on which he serves! The HCDE board previously tried to remove Wolfe from office because he simply does not respect the governing body or its procedures. Wolfe pledged to adhere to ethical practices and begged for a second chance, but since then has continued to miss meetings.

Wolfe is a severely partisan Republican who has earned endorsements from some of the most extreme conservatives who threaten to derail our public education system. Wolfe has been endorsed by two of the greatest anti-science advocates in Texas, SBOE member Barbara Cargill and Dr. Steve Hotze. Cargill wanted to put the age of the universe up for a vote, while Hotze believes disease is caused by "sin"... perhaps as opposed to viruses or bacteria? With friends like these, it's impossible to imagine that Wolfe will support scientifically accurate, reason-based education for our Harris County students.

The city that is home to NASA should not re-elect Board of Education members who fundamentally do not believe in science!

Trautman has been endorsed by the Houston Federation of Teachers, owing to her experience in many of the area's public schools. She is the former principal of Tomball Junior High School, and assistant principal while at Moorhead Junior High School in Conroe ISD. She also taught education administration at Stephen F. Austin State University. Her hands on experience will be a valuable asset to the board.

Burnt Orange Report urges Harris County voters to reject Michael Wolfe's ideological extremism and vote in a real educator to the Harris County Department of Education. We unanimously and enthusiastically endorse Diane Trautman for HCDE At-Large Place 3.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for Harris County Early Voting information.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Vote FOR San Antonio's Pre-K 4 SA Initiative

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 02:30 PM CDT

As the Legislature slashes and burns public education to the ground, the task of educating the next generation of Texans -- all of them -- increasingly falls to local governments. We applaud Mayor Julian Castro for his commitment to picking up the slack and supporting critical Pre-K programs that prepare our children to excel in school.

The proposal will create access to early childhood education in San Antonio, and help thousands of local children who lack access to full-day Pre-K programs. The measure will also support professional development for teachers across the district, thus raising the quality of education across the city. The Pre-K 4 SA program will close achievement gaps between some of the most disadvantaged children in San Antonio, and result in greater educational attainment across the community.

The measure has broad support from across the community, and represents only a modest sales tax increase. San Antonio's public schools are some of the worst ranked among major urban areas. The Legislature clearly will not fund access to competitive, 21st century public education for all Texans. This is a critical investment in the future of San Antonio and future of Texas, and merits support from San Antonio voters.

We enthusiastically endorse the Pre-K 4 SA program and urge San Antonio voters to vote for it.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for the Bexar County Elections Division website.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Vote FOR Lakeway Proposition 1

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 02:00 PM CDT

The bonds will provide $4.3 million for sidewalks, streets, curbs, gutters, and drainage improvements. This is a worthwhile investment in the community. We encourage voters to support these bonds and vote FOR Lakeway Prop 1.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Burnt Orange Report Endorsements for ACC Board Trustee

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 01:30 PM CDT

Place 7, ACC Trustee: Brigido "Brig" Mireles. Mireles will give a voice to the many students in the ACC system who come out of Round Rock ISD. Although Round Rock is the second largest ISD in the ACC taxing district, it currently lacks representation on the board. Mireles has taught a vocational class at ACC for 30 years, and brings a diversity of perspective that will benefit the board.

Place 8, ACC Trustee: Betty Hwang. Hwang is running unopposed, but we endorse her nevertheless for her commitment to education throughout her career.

Place 9, ACC Trustee: Allen Kaplan. Incumbent Kaplan has a strong record over his three terms and merits re-election.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Burnt Orange Report Endorsements in AISD District Races

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 01:00 PM CDT

District 2: Rev. Dr. Jayme Mathias. Perhaps the most acrimonious local race, Mathias is battling to unseat incumbent Sam Guzman and represent a largely Hispanic swath of East Austin on the AISD Board. The race centers on incumbent Sam Guzman's support for the IDEA charter school program, which took over several neighborhood public schools. Mathias opposes IDEA, and will bring substantial energy to the AISD, where he will face the daunting challenge of addressing the many needs of our Southeast Austin public schools.

District 3: Ann E. Teich. Teich is running to unseat incumbent Christine Brister, who has since suspended her campaign due to illness. A retired AISD teacher, Teich will bring a much-needed perspective to the board.

District 5: Amber Elenz. While our staff was narrowly divided on this race, we give the edge to Elenz owing to her experience as president of the Austin Council of PTA's. We have no major qualms about Jackson, but on the balance think Elenz' 13 years as a volunteer in the AISD system gives her the edge.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Vote FOR City of Austin Bonds, Props 12-18

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 00:30 PM CDT

The combined $385 million in bonds are within our existing bonding capacity, so there will be no property tax increase to fund these projects. This is a great deal for voters, and an important way to invest in the Austin we love.

Projects were vetted and prioritized by a citizen's committee, and rely on our shared community values to address the tremendous infrastructure and human needs of our rapidly growing city. These are important investments in Austin that will not impact our cost of living, and we urge voters to vote FOR all of them.

Proposition 12 supports transportation projects including road improvements, bikeways, and trails.
Proposition 13 funds the purchase of environmentally sensitive land to protect it from development.
Proposition 14 funds badly needed parks and recreation projects in our large and small public parks.
Proposition 15 provides funds to build, repair, and renovate low-income housing.
Proposition 16 funds public safety projects.
Proposition 17 supports health and human services projects, including expanding our women's and children's shelter.
Proposition 18 supports our public libraries and cultural arts facilities.

This is a balanced package that addresses some of the most urgent needs in our community while also supporting our unique quality of life. We urge a vote FOR City of Austin Propositions 12 through 18.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Vote YES / FOR City of Austin Propositions 10 and 11

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 00:00 PM CDT

Essentially, these propositions will create a "just cause" system that will provide worker protections in the hiring, firing, and discipline processes at the City of Austin. Our current "at-will" system basically means that City employees can be fired by management without justification or review. This proposition will create a review process through which employees can dispute the process.

Proposition 10 provides labor protections for most city employees who are not already covered by the state civil service statute. Proposition 11 provides a civil service personnel law for EMS employees. This must be done separately, hence two props.

Our hardworking public employees -- especially those who bring the ambulance when you call 911 -- deserve fair labor practices. We urge a vote YES vote on City of Austin Proposition 10 and a vote FOR Proposition 11.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.

Vote YES on City of Austin Propositions 5 through 9

by: Burnt Orange Report

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 11:30 AM CDT

Proposition 5 will amend the charter to formally declare that council members hire and manage their own staffs. Technically, that power currently lies in the hands of the City Manager. This will formalize the actual council staff management process and increase transparency and accountability.

Proposition 6 moves the City Attorney from the control of the City Manager to the City Council. This is an important step for accountability here in Austin. Currently the City Attorney cannot be directly fired by Council even if the person disobeys a directive from our elected officials. Instead, the City Attorney reports to the City Manager. Given issues that have arisen with various City Attorneys over the last decade, it is important that council members -- who are accountable to the voters -- have an attorney representing the city who is accountable to them.

Proposition 7 brings citizen-initiated ordinances and referendums in line with the number needed for charter amendments. Currently, it is easier to gather enough signatures to amend the city charter -- the most significant document in our municipal governance -- than it is to gather enough to force a public vote on an ordinance or referendum. This is a boon to citizen engagement and will lower barriers to more citizen-driven reforms.

Proposition 8 allows city council members to continue to raise funds for 30 days after the election date. The practical effect will be to decrease the amount of campaign debt that council members carrying from cycle to cycle.

Proposition 9 will allow our city to help our public schools, by granting the city the ability to lease parkland to an independent school district for park purposes. This is wonky and procedural but given the tragic underfunding of our public schools by the Legislature, it is a critical move that will provide more mechanisms to help our cash-strapped ISD's.

Burnt Orange Report endorses a YES vote on City of Austin Propositions 5 through 9.

Early Voting: Monday October 22 - Friday November 2 --- Election Day: Tuesday, November 6

Click here for a map of Travis County Early Voting Locations. For all other counties, please contact your County Clerk's office.

Endorsements are made based on a weighted consensus of the staff, which guides the type and tone of endorsement. Members of the Burnt Orange Report staff employed by campaigns abstain from voting on those races.