Jimmy Flannigan, an Anderson Mill neighborhood resident and organizer of the Northwest Austin Coalition, announced his candidacy for the District 6 seat on Austin City Council.

Flannigan is the president of the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, an experience he said has led him to understand the challenges that minority businesses face and the role business should play in equality and fairness. He is also the president of marketing and design firm Site Street. Steve Simmons, owner of Amy's Ice Creams and Phil's Icehouse, hosted a campaign kick-off event at Austinville 78750 for Flannigan March 25.

Flannigan said his top priorities for Northwest Austin include traffic and affordability issues.

"I love Austin. I've lived here nearly my whole life, but I understand the unique challenges we face as a city and a region," he said. "Crippling traffic that slows our economy and drains our pocketbooks, affordability and tax issues that challenge our ability to live in the city that we love, and a growing and complicated bureaucracy at City Hall that stymies local business and burdens homeowners."

Flannigan has been an Austin resident since 1996 and graduated from the University of Texas in 2001. During the 10-1 redistricting process, he said Northwest Austin needed a strong voice and formed community group NWAC, which was the first organization in the city to provide the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission with map redistricting recommendations.

On Jan. 27, Flannigan facilitated a forum in Northwest Austin for candidates for county judge in Precinct 2— Andy Brown and Sarah Eckhardt—and candidates for county commissioner—Garry Brown, Richard Jung, and Brigid Shea.

"In order to address these problems, Northwest Austin cannot act alone. It requires leading and building relationships with people all across the city. Relationships that I have spent my whole life building," he said.

For more information about Flannigan, visit his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/FlanniganForAustin.