Meet the candidates running for Austin City Council District 9

Why are you running for this office and what is your top priority?

For too long, growth in Austin has benefitted the wealthy while working people continue to struggle, and our middle class has shrunk. I’ll fight to shift development from outdated trickle-down policies to ones that lift working families, local businesses, and folks who needs stable ground—not those already on top.

How would you maintain, or change, Austin’s homeless strategy initiatives?

We need a comprehensive, city-wide plan to get people off the streets and into stable housing with appropriate, accessible services, equitably distributed across all 10 districts. We especially need to invest in housing for families making less than $40,000 annually—those most at risk of falling into homelessness.

How do you view city spending and taxing, and would you pursue any specific fiscal strategies in office?

We need to look more seriously for places to save money without eliminating anyone’s job. I will fight to stop tax breaks for wealthy companies and sweetheart deals for billionaires that provide few public benefits.

How would you promote transparency and trust between City Council and the public?

We need to end back-room deals, secret votes, and stealth communications with lobbyists. We need genuine public participation in decision making, not phony “engagement” that is merely going through the motions. We need meaningful community input at Council meetings, not the managed spectacle that we currently have.

Why are you running for this office and what is your top priority?

An Austin resident since 1983, I’m running to bring professional experience, thoughtfulness, and visionary ideas to improve transportation, tax spending, housing, public safety, culture, parks, and infrastructure. Top priority is implementation, through meaningful public engagement, of “win-win” solutions that create a safe, cost-efficient, affordable, environmentally sustainable, and culturally vibrant city.

How would you maintain, or change, Austin’s homeless strategy initiatives?

Revise plans to identify, and tailor solutions to, each subset of the homeless population (e.g., foster youth, veterans, job loss, disability, mental health). Reduce evictions. Continue “No Wrong Doors,” compassionate camp clean-ups with resources. Cancel South Austin navigation center; reevaluate approach. Implement cost, program efficiencies; accountability; data transparency.

How do you view city spending and taxing, and would you pursue any specific fiscal strategies in office?

We need to reduce tax and fee burdens. As former city employee, I saw waste & financial mismanagement. Conduct thorough audits; re-evaluate city real estate holdings, programs and infrastructure projects; prioritize core city needs first (e.g., sidewalks, street, drainage, parks maintenance and repair; traffic & public safety; animal services).

How would you promote transparency and trust between City Council and the public?

All votes are public. Engage the community before items added to Council agenda. Insist on data dashboards and critical information on city websites. Hold drop-in office hours outside City Hall in neighborhoods. Inform voters via social media, weekly emails of how time spent. No conferring with lobbyists during public hearings.

Why are you running for this office and what is your top priority?

I ran for my first term on Council in 2022 because too many people were being priced out of Austin. We’ve made real progress on housing, transit and affordability, but the work isn’t finished. I’m running again to continue pushing Austin to be a place where working people, families and...

How would you maintain, or change, Austin’s homeless strategy initiatives?

We must focus resources on what gets people off the street while preserving their humanity: prevention, shelter, services and permanent housing. I’ve pushed for better coordination and accountability and recently led an evaluation of our homelessness programs. We need compassion paired with measurable results and investments in what we know...

How do you view city spending and taxing, and would you pursue any specific fiscal strategies in office?

Every tax dollar comes from someone’s household budget, and Austinites deserve results for what they pay. I have fought to protect essential services and our workforce while supporting internal reviews that ensure greater accountability for spending, contracts and programs. We should invest in what works and make every dollar deliver...

How would you promote transparency and trust between City Council and the public?

Trust starts with showing up and showing your work. Austinites deserve to know what we’re voting on, where their money goes and whether programs are delivering. My office already hosts quartlery townhalls and weekly public office hours, but I’ll continue pushing for stronger public reporting while meeting residents where they...

Why are you running for this office and what is your top priority?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

How would you maintain, or change, Austin’s homeless strategy initiatives?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

How do you view city spending and taxing, and would you pursue any specific fiscal strategies in office?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

How would you promote transparency and trust between City Council and the public?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

Why are you running for this office and what is your top priority?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

How would you maintain, or change, Austin’s homeless strategy initiatives?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

How do you view city spending and taxing, and would you pursue any specific fiscal strategies in office?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.

How would you promote transparency and trust between City Council and the public?

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time.