While there are now only six weeks before Early Voting begins, we still have 100% of the campaign left to go.
I want to thank those of you who have invested so much of your time, energy, creativity and hard-earned funds into my campaign for Austin City Council, Place 1. Together, we have built an amazing campaign full of diverse supporters.
I am so very proud to share with you that just this week, I have gained the endorsements of five additional leading Austin organizations: the Black Austin Democrats, Capital Area Progressive Democrats, South Austin Democrats, Stonewall Democrats and the Texas Environmental Democrats. These endorsements, combined with those of the Austin Firefighters and the Central Labor Council (which represents 23 individual groups), have brought significant momentum from 29 endorsing organizations towards a victory for all of us on May 9th.
Come help me celebrate and meet other supporters tonight, March 12th, at the Belmont from 5:30-7:30 at the Belmont (305 W 6th St). All are welcome!
Throughout my campaign for City Council, I have been focused on the ways we can position Austin to come out of this economic downturn as a strong economic leader. And, with my background working on economic issues through the Texas Association of Community Development Corporations and at the State Legislature, I know we can achieve this goal. As part of how we achieve long-term economic strength, we must look at ways to dig deep and make investments even in tough economic times. That is what I will do when I am on City Council, and that is what I am doing on my campaign.
As we are all taking a hard look at our budgets right now, I hope you will consider investing in our City's future over seeing one movie ($10), eating out one night ($25), or going out for one Friday night on the town ($50).
You can learn more about my platform, sign up to volunteer, or donate to my campaign by visiting my website, www.VotePerla.com. Thank you again for all of your support.
Best regards,
Perla
Ps. We'll be celebrating tonight with the heaters on, so I hope you'll join me for a warm reception tonight, Thursday, March 12th, from 5:30-7:30pm at the Belmont (305 W 6th St).
Pol. Adv. paid for by the Perla Cavazos Campaign, Jan Soifer, Treasurer. P.O. Box 11530, Austin, TX 78711. This campaign has not agreed to comply with the contribution and expenditure limits of the Austin Fair Campaign Chapter. As such, no public funds will be utilized.
(Perla Cavazos is running for Austin City Coucil Place 1. Welcome to BOR! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Dear friends in the BOR community,
I am excited to post my first official campaign update to BOR! The campaign has been moving fast, and I appreciate the opportunity to share with you the growing momentum and excitement we’re seeing on the campaign trail.
I am proud to share with you that I have recently received endorsements from the Central Labor Council and the Austin Firefighters Association. These endorsements represent 24 individual groups of over 13,000 hard-working Austinites. Here is what Stephen Truesdell, President of the Firefighters Association, had to say about my candidacy:
"What impressed us about Perla is her commitment to planning and building community-wide support around core values. Perla's experience with the city and the legislature, and working with so many diverse groups, is the very leadership the city needs now to set priorities and protect essential services.”
This is a great honor, and I believe it reflects my commitment to address Austin’s affordability issues and protect the quality of life for all citizens. These endorsements are just one of many signs of the true, grassroots energy our campaign is generating on the ground.
I want to personally thank those of you who have invested so much of your time, energy, creativity and hard-earned funds into my campaign for Austin City Council, Place 1.
Since beginning my campaign late last year, Team Perla volunteers have been all over town sharing our vision with literally thousands of our neighbors and the entire Austin community. While I’ve been a foot soldier in numerous grassroots campaigns myself, I’m still blown away by the willingness of others to open up their homes for coffees, devote their free time on Saturdays to go door-to-door through neighborhoods, and put in extra hours after work to work the phones and help build a better future for all of us.
In addition to the endorsements of Austin Firefighters and the Central Labor Council, I am also proud to share with you that a number of Austin leaders have recently joined my growing list of supporters, including: Pat Crow, Melanie Barnes, John Lipscombe, Kathy Rider (former president of AISD School Board), Lucille and Walter Timberlake, Elizabeth Yevich ( former executive Director of Travis County Democratic Party), and Marguerite Jones. These leaders join a long list of supporters, including Former Mayor Gus Garcia, Former Mayor Bruce Todd and Elizabeth Christian, Hon. Ann Kitchen, Hon. Nelda Wells Spears, Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, Dr. Fred L. McGhee, and Joe and Janis Pinelli. For a full list of updated supporters, click here.
From the very start, I have tried to use my campaign for Austin City Council to spark an open and honest dialogue on what Austin needs to do to plan for the future. My policy initiatives outline immediate steps to promote entrepreneurialism and small businesses; address affordability issues, including energy, transportation, and healthcare; and put plans in place for Austin's economic comeback, from partnering with schools to developing community support for a Medical School in Austin.
I invite you to learn more about my platform and get involved in my campaign by visiting my website, www.VotePerla.com. Thank you again for all of your support! I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail this week!
(I haven't had a chance to write up anything about Cavazos's kick off last night so I'll promote Rachel's report of the event. Be careful though, I believe she ate some of the guacamole paid for by the campaign so she could be labeled a sell-out. (inside joke) - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Disclosure: Perla is a friend of mine. I gave her $25. Sometimes we eat BBQ together. Crossposted at MeanRachel.com.
Last night the Perla Cavazos for Austin campaign got kicked off at Nuevo Leon, where Austinites packed into the East Austin establishment to get their hands on Perla Cavazos's pink & gold signs and hear her plan for the future of Austin's economy, affordability and healthcare issues.
Perla started off her speech by touching on the economic crisis, referencing the recent news that Starbucks was closing over 300 stores, the locations on South Congress and Stassney being two of them. Perla, who I first got to know when volunteering for Democratic candidate for Congress Larry Joe Doherty, admitted she was "not a Starbucks girl" (true: while blockwalking, we had a heated debate over Little City versus Progress) but that she "knows a lot of people who have jobs that pay even less than what baristas make, and their jobs don't come with health insurance."
Perla initially came to Austin to promote affordable housing, on a fellowship from the National Council of La Raza. She touched on Austin's affordability issues affecting not just coffee shop employees, but those recently laid off from tech companies or working in government jobs trying to pay the bills while saving money. Two of those Austinites happen to be her brother and sister, both in school and still working to get by.
The solution, according to Perla, is planning. She said that while serving on the Austin Planning Commission, her biggest frustration was that "we were constantly reacting." The concept of acting versus reacting, planning ahead rather than compensating later, is "what the city needs now...not just one more vote with the majority," Perla said.
Both Chris Riley and Perla Cavazos will have a difficult time labeling their opponent "Republican-lite" in this year's Austin City Council Place 1 race.
Both candidates' political contributions in state races are 100% Democratic, according to TEC online records.
Of course, I wouldn't imagine this is news to any of the people closely involved in this race. But for the rest of us, I thought I would take a look and see what kind of candidates Riley and Cavazos had contributed to in the past.
Chris Riley contributed to the following Democratic campaigns and groups:
Travis County Democratic Party, Neighbor to Neighhbor PAC, Valinda Bolton, Donna Howard, Texas League of Conservation Voters, Rose Spector, Chris Bell, Juan Garcia, Eddie Rodriguez, Annie's List, Kirk Watson, Bree Buchanan, Stephen Yelenosky, Elliot Naishtat, Mark Strama, Jim Sharp, Jim Sylvester, Glen Maxey.
Perla Cavazos contributed to the following Democratic campaigns and groups:
Gisela Triana, Annie's List, Travis County Democratic Party, Capitol Area Democratic Women PAC, Orlinda Naranjo, Chris Bell, Valinda Bolton, Donna Howard, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, Diane Henson, Mina Brees, Eddie Lucio, Mark Strama, Diana Maldonado.
Due to the Democratic nominance in the city, in Austin's current city council at-large system, it is nearly an impossible for a Republican to get elected.
Had either candidate had contributions to Republican candidates, it likely would have become a topic at Democratic club meetings and perhaps even been used in campaign mailers.
Remember last year's race when Laura Morrison brought up Cid Galindo's Republican voting and contribution history? It definitely was part of what helped her achieve a comfortable runoff victory. But that shouldn't be an issue this year in Place 1.
Should City Council races have Democratic Primary-like partisan litmus tests? Whether we like it or not, in Austin they certainly do.
You're invited to Perla's campaign kick-off on Tuesday, February 3rd from 5:30pm-8:00pm at Nuevo Leon, located at 1501 E. 6th Street.
As I've disclosed before, I am supporting Perla in this race, though Austin is lucky to have two (and before Rick Cofer dropped out, three) excellent candidates. Hope to see some of you tonight at Nuevo Leon.
In statements released to BOR, both Chris Riley and Perla Cavazos emphasized their support for single-member districts and their desire to bring the issue before Austin voters within the next two years.
Here are the candidates' unedited thoughts on single-member districts in Austin.
"I think we've learned this past election cycle the power of grassroots politics and how it helps rebuild communities. That's what single — member districts are all about — bringing government closer to the people and getting the people more involved in creating change. More than contribution limits, single member districts take the money and special interest influence out of city council politics. They encourage increased access and accountability.
Right now, because Austin is the 14th largest city in the nation, each one of us is forced to go on TV to communicate to the city at-large. Those will be 30 second commercials, not engaged, back and forth conversations about the direction of our city.
If a hybrid system is what it takes to make the transition, I support it. But it's time we realize that forgotten neighborhoods, where voter turnout may be low and easy to ignore, has an economic and opportunity cost for the entire city.
This is about making government work, and that's why I'd like to invite my fellow candidates to join me in a pledge that whoever is elected, that we work together to educate the community, and bring this issue back before the voters within two years."
I support a move towards a hybrid system of single-member districts and at-large council members. The 2010 census will be a good reason to move forward on the issue, with newer, more precise data about where people live in our city. Above all, I support putting this issue before the voters, because no major change to our democratic system of government should be made without the consent of the people whom it will impact.
Given the size of our city in terms of both geography and population, some combination of at-large and single-member districts would provide a way of ensuring more accountability at city hall and more responsiveness to people across the whole city. Right now, many Austin residents don't know who to contact on the council about an issue in their neighborhood. If each area had its own direct representative, there would be no doubt about who to call.
One way I will address this in the short-term is by holding weekly open office hours at City Hall, when any Austin resident can come speak to me in person and share their concerns. It's important that our city government be engaged with and responsive to the real, daily concerns of the people who live here.
In drawing these districts, the City of Austin would need to be very careful to craft proportional and representational districts. We would need to factor in both geography and precinct layout, as well as voter history and turnout. Single-member districts could potentially increase turnout in under-represented areas, which would also be a great benefit to our city.
There are many other issues to consider as part of this process. Single-member districts would vastly decrease the cost necessary to mount a city council campaign. Currently, candidates who can't manage to raise sufficient funds have difficulty competing city-wide, and that isn't necessarily fair to our democratic processes. However, I do not favor an all-single-member-district council. We should have some at-large members to ensure that we keep a city-wide perspective on the council as well.
It is clear from reading their statements that both candidates have given a lot of thought to issue. For those interested, former place 1 candidate Rick Cofer also favored a hyrbid SMD system.
What are your thoughts on single-member districts in Austin?
Note: I have made small contributions to the campaigns of Perla Cavazos and former candidate Rick Cofer.
Update 6:45pm by David: Former (and perhaps future?) council candidate Kedron Touvell has an insightful breakdown of SMD support among council members in the comments that is definitely worth reading.
Brewster and Sheryl Cole have always been the strongest opponents of moving to a SMD or even a hybrid system. Brewster talks about "wardism" and Sheryl rightly or wrongly is worried about dilution of the AA vote.
Here's where we stand now:
Supporters of SMD Mayor: Wynn (although, supposedly he was the one who killed last year's effort to put up a charter item) Place 1: Leffingwell Place 2: Mike Martinez (strong, driving most of the effort) Place 4: Laura Morrison
Strong Opponent of SMD Place 5: Brewster Place 6: Sheryl
Swing Vote Place 3: Randi Shade
Of course, that's enough votes to get something passed, but the issue is that there has to be a charter referendum in order for the change to be made. And given the lukewarm reception by the public to the Charter Revision process that studied the issue the last two years, not enough members were willing to risk another failed vote (there have been 6 failed SMD amendment votes in the last 30+ years).
If Lee wins the Mayoral race, Spelman wins place 5, and one of Chris/Perla wins place 1, then there will be only one strong opponent of SMD left, Sheryl. Then, the issue will almost certainly go before the voters, but not until Nov. 2010 at the earliest.
The Austin City Council unanimously decided to hold the special election to fill the unexpired term of mayoral candidate Lee Leffingwell on May 9.
That means the race to replace Leffingwell will be decided on the same day as every other major race, including the election for mayor.
After Leffingwell had promised to enter the mayor's race late enough so as not to cause a special election, Brewster McCracken had written a memo advocating for an earlier special election before May 9.
The conventional wisdom was that an early special election would have been a political embarrassment to Leffingwell. The council's 7-0 vote this morning has now taken away that possibility.
