27 Sep Why should environmentalists support 10-1?

by Robin Schneider, Carmen Llanes and Robin Rather

Why should environmentalists support 10-1?

Voting yes on 10-1 (Prop. 3) and no on 8-2-1 (Prop. 4) will make it easier for us to elect candidates who support clean air, clean water and Zero Waste, and will help us hold elected officials accountable to us – the voters!

First, the current system is not serving us well. It has not yielded strong environmental majorities that consistently vote to protect our quality of life. Many candidates have environmental backing at election time only to turn around and cast terrible votes as they cater to power-brokers who reward them by bundling checks for their re-election campaigns.

Many good candidates simply don’t run for City Council because they lack the large financial resources necessary to run city-wide. If elections are moved to November, the cost to run for office city-wide are going to be even higher because more people vote and more money will have to be spent for mailers – and the continued necessity to run TV ads in order to have a chance of winning. Imagine, instead, an Austin where grassroots candidates can run grassroots campaigns with the support of their neighbors – and win!

Our current system prevents good candidates from running in all parts of the city. Austin is the largest city in the nation without some geographic representation. Right now, there are no City Councilmembers who live south of Lady Bird Lake. None who live in the neighborhoods near Barton Springs or the Longhorn Pipeline or the Recharge Zone of the Springs. There has never been a City Councilmember from north of 183 where Walnut Creek winds through neighborhoods and needs protection.

It's particularly unjust that African American and Latino candidates can't run in districts and answer to those districts that have a substantial population that shares their experiences. This shared experience includes having some of the city’s most polluting facilities in their neighborhoods. When the City Council segregated the city by law in 1928, they put schools and services for the African-American community on the Eastside – along with the industrial zoning. The Latino and African American communities deserve authentic representation, people who will be accountable when a polluter such as Pure Casting facility continues to foul the air with heavy metals and use hazardous chemicals in the immediate vicinity of an elementary school and neighboring homes.

If a district plan is going to comply with the Voting Rights Act it cannot decrease the opportunities for African Americans or Latinos to have representation or it will be declared unconstitutional. That’s why if we want a more democratic city with geographic representation, we must have 10 districts and support Prop. 3.

Some people like the idea of being able to vote for some additional city-wide councilmember besides just one from their district and the Mayor (the 8-2-1 Plan of Prop. 4). However, only one plan can go into effect. If both pass but Prop. 4 gets more votes, the courts will likely strike it down. Why? Because, with only 8 districts, it will decrease the opportunity for African-American representation.  So a vote for Prop. 4 is a vote that will result in the status quo. That’s probably why the Real Estate Council of Austin supports it.

The definition of sustainability has always included equity, environment and the economy. We can't become more sustainable without the environmental community joining forces with those historically excluded from the process.  Latinos and African Americans have been at the forefront of the fight for 10-1. Conversely, it can work AGAINST us to be against 10-1, as the process was very open, went on for months and is widely supported across the city. Only a handful of political consultants and true insiders are for the alternative.

Perhaps one of the other most compelling reasons to vote for 10-1 (Prop. 3) over Prop. 4 is that the districts will be drawn by a balanced, independent citizens’ commission with community input required. Politicians, downtown lobbyists or political consultants are not even allowed to apply! We’ve seen all too often what happens when politicians draw the lines: Austin gets split up into 5 sprawling Congressional districts; a Congressional district goes to the border or to Houston; one State Senate seat now includes both Austin and Abilene. To draw the boundaries for City Council positions, we can trust Austin citizens more than sitting Councilmembers or others with financial interests at stake.

The environmental community has broad support. We can and must reach out across the city to galvanize support for our issues. For 41 years, the majority of Councilmembers and Mayors have come from just four upper-income zip codes in West Austin. We should not allow a small section of the city to decide our future. We welcome a change in which everyone actually has an equal voice and genuine representation. Join us in voting Yes on 3 and No on 4.