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One of my main focuses as a member of the Austin City Council will be to increase citizen engagement. I’ve written extensively about it on my issues page, and also have a detailed position paper on the subject. By harnessing the collective energy, creativity, and ideas of our fellow Austin residents, we can overcome any challenge our city faces.

I became personally involved in making a difference in our city back in the 1990’s, when I noticed that a nearby section of Shoal Creek needed help: the trails were covered in litter, and portions had been washed away. Realizing there was no group to advocate on behalf of my area of Austin, I met with others and decided to found a neighborhood association. I also wanted to help give other people in my area a voice for their concerns. I contacted residents and signed up members. Once we started meeting, it became apparent that everyone in the neighborhood had issues they wanted to address, together. Over the years, our neighborhood association has worked together to clean up Shoal Creek, as well as protect historic homes and address issues of public safety.

Forming a neighborhood association not only created a forum for my concerns, but allowed me to engage others in the process of improving our city as well. We all have ideas about how to help Austin, and we all have issues that we think need to be addressed. As a member of your City Council, I will be open and responsive to your concerns. To make sure that everyone has a chance to be heard, I will return to the practice of holding open weekly office hours, when any Austinite can come by the office and share their concerns.

In the meantime, there’s no reason not to start now. Head over to my contact page and let me know what’s on your mind. I’ll be answering some of your questions here on the blog. Thanks for taking the time to ask!