If Austin’s so equitable, why do we still top the charts in economic segregation and inflated police budgets? Why are residents still brutalized by police without accountability? Why does COVID-19 continue to disproportionately ravage our Black and Latinx communities?

For years the community has called for police accountability, investment in community services, and equitable access to resources. Instead, the police budget has almost doubled in 10 years. As a true progressive, I'll take a holistic approach to achieving equity by transforming policing, but also tackling issues like displacement, representation, and economic mobility.

If Austin is so livable, why are we the least livable city for minimum wage workers? Why are housing costs STILL skyrocketing, up 30% in a pandemic? Why are we seeing such rapid gentrification of East Austin?

Our current D7 rep has fought to preserve the status quo and consistently opposed projects that would provide more housing. As a true progressive, I’d fight for much-needed updates to our archaic land use code, overhaul the permitting process, and work to create AND implement a new equitable, inclusive version of the Imagine Austin plan.

Austin has a rich legacy of environmental stewardship, but our inaction on housing and transit is jeopardizing our hard work. Hike-bike trails and pipeline lawsuits are nice, but don’t actually address the imminent threat of climate change. Austin’s Green New Deal is a good indicator of the City’s focus on “cosmetic environmentalism”.

We must fundamentally reorient the way we live, build, and travel in Austin to slow sprawl and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. As the progressive candidate endorsed by Sunrise Movement ATX, I’d work to achieve climate justice. I’d develop housing and transit infrastructure that together incentivize non-car travel and make Austin more sustainable.

If City Council is so invested in community input, why do so many Austinites’ voices still go unheard? They have a history of closed-door decisions, opaque processes, and a passive “sit back and let people come to us” approach. A small minority of residents, often with the loudest voices and deepest pockets, having disproportionate influence in decision making.

As the truly progressive candidate, I’d reform City hiring practices to diversify leadership, build community partnerships in underrepresented communities, and implement a proactive model of public outreach (like hosting town halls in District 7 and bolstering translation services) to make sure all voices are heard.

Why does Austin near the top of charts for worst traffic in the western hemisphere? Obviously we need transit infrastructure to fix traffic, and it has unanimous support from City Council. However, bus and rail lines alone aren’t enough to solve the problem — what’s the value of transit if we don’t build housing around it?

We need leaders who think more broadly about solving Austin’s issues. As the truly progressive candidate, I’ll ensure we successfully expand transit choices in all areas of the city (especially D7), protect vulnerable communities from displacement, AND build housing and businesses around those choices.

City Council’s failed efforts to save the music industry during COVID-19 are one example of their reactive, band-aid fixes for Austin’s complex problems. In the last 9 months we’ve seen a combination of inaction, closed-door decision making, and failed distribution of funding. Meanwhile, our iconic live music scene — and the industries that it supports — are still dying.

The music industry needs short-term relief and long-term sustainability. It's time we lived up to our title of Live Music Capital of the World and support those who’ve worked hard to make it. As the truly progressive candidate, I’ll help music venues, musicians, and industry professionals weather the storm while implementing a plan for dedicated funding and preservation.