James “Jimmy” Flannigan[/caption]James “Jimmy” Flannigan
A 20-year Austinite and small-business owner, he ran the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce for 10 years and co-founded the Northwest Austin Coalition. His platform includes seeking the Anderson Mill Road corridor’s inclusion in Austin’s mobility bond, reducing property crime, improving public transportation and protecting Balcones Canyonland Preserve.
On improving ingress/egress for Vandegrift High School/Four Points Middle School campus
Flannigan said the council can build a city road through the adjacent 3M property since it is for sale and can do so in conjunction with the sale to a new owner. He said he wanted to reach out to 3M and city staff to get the right of way to connect Four Points Drive to the school campus and provide two exits.
“You’re not going to be able to build a ridiculous road through the [Balcones Canyonlands Preserve] where the federal government, which controls that land, is not going to allow it.”
On the annexation of Steiner Ranch by the city of Austin/River Place de-annexation
Flannigan said he does not support annexing Steiner Ranch, and River Place cannot get de-annexed. He said council members have to be able to work with their colleagues to get problems fixed.
“I don’t think it’s something city taxpayers are willing to pay to fix, and I don’t think it’s something Steiner Ranch people want to start paying—to fix other problems in the city. I don’t support further annexations.”
On Proposition 1/ridesharing/transportation network companies
Flannigan said the root of Proposition 1 was that Uber and Lyft did not like the city’s regulations, so they put petitions together to put the regulations on the ballot. He said the TNCs spent $10 million of their corporate money to influence Austin’s local electorate and lost. He said he opposed Proposition 1, traffic issues are the same with or without TNCs, and TNCs are useful after people have been drinking.
”One person in one car is the same whether you’re driving the car or your Uber driver is driving the car.”
On YMCA opening in Four Points
Flannigan said nonprofit agencies do not have the funds they need, and it is important for cities to partner with them. He said city funds can allow these organizations to provide services for the community and without having “deep dives” on the nature of the services provided.
On the inclusion of Anderson Mill Road repairs in city of Austin mobility bond
Flannigan said his Anderson Mill Road corridor study compiled people’s experiences on the roadway. He said improvements needed to include fixing drainage ditches to extend sidewalks to bus stops, repairing the geometry of the street, and improving signal timing at Spicewood Parkway and Olson Drive. He said his work eventually led to the inclusion of the roadway into the city’s upcoming transportation bond.
Don Zimmerman* (Incumbent)
A fifth-generation Texan, he earned degrees in mechanical engineering. His major political accomplishments include creating the city’s first local district constituent office, producing live City Council testimony from a local district office, defeating an annexation demand from Austin for Old Lampasas Trail residents and opposing Travis County’s courthouse bond.
On improving ingress/egress for Vandegrift High School/Four Points Middle School campus
Zimmerman said he still supports the city of Austin road plan from 1984, but the city has a policy of not building roads. He said there are two ways to get a road onto the campus: either with an easement on the adjacent 3M property by the power lines or to use the city’s original 1984 plan. He said the city already has the property to put a road in to access the back side of Vandegrift and does not need 3M’s property.
“We can start working on [the road] next week if the political will was there to get it done.”
On the annexation of Steiner Ranch by the city of Austin/River Place de-annexation
Zimmerman said he does not support annexing Steiner Ranch. He said property owners should have a vote on whether to be annexed, and River Place has de-annexation rights.
“In my view, River Place should not have been annexed; they did not ask to be annexed–they were annexed against their will. It’s in the best interest of the city because the city gets to collect extra tax money, and they get to force the taxpayers to pay an additional limited district tax to support their parks and trails.”
On Proposition 1/ridesharing/transportation network companies
Zimmerman said when he canvassed the District 6 neighborhood in 2014, he did not have a single constituent ask him to tackle Uber and Lyft. About 90 percent of the people complained about traffic congestion, he said. When rideshare regulation came up, he said his objection to the council was that people wanted to focus on traffic congestion and not Uber and Lyft. He voted against Proposition 1 and said the city wanted more money out of TNCs and desired to protect the taxi franchises.
On YMCA opening in Four Points
Zimmerman said he does not support public-private projects because hundreds of nonprofit groups get city funding, and there is no real way to audit where the money is going. He suggested the YMCA be built with private funds and not by commingling city and private financing.
On the inclusion of Anderson Mill Road repairs in city of Austin mobility bond
Zimmerman said the city of Austin staff displayed they had a deep understanding of the problems on Anderson Mill Road and knew for a decade or more that repairs on the road were needed. He said the problem is Anderson Mill was already a narrow road, and the city narrowed the road more to put in bike lanes, causing a dangerous situation. He said the city does not have an information or communication problem but rather an agenda from city staff that “they do not want to fix the congestion problems.”
Answers were edited for length.
