>> WITH THE NEW FORM OF
GOVERNMENT TAKING SHAPE AT CITY
HALL AND EVERY
SEAT UP FOR GRABS,
AUSTIN VOTERS ELECTED TWO NEW
CITY COUNCILMEMBERS ON NOVEMBER
4TH AND SENT 16
COUNCIL CANDIDATES,
PLUS TWO VYING FOR AUSTIN
MAYOR, TO RUNOFF ELECTIONS.
TONIGHT, BEYOND THE RHETORIC.
WE ASK THE REMAINING CANDIDATES
WHAT MAKES THEM THE RIGHT PERSON
TO LEAD THEIR
DISTRICT AND OUR CITY.
[MUSIC].
>> SUPPORT FOR CIVIC
SUMMIT COMES FROM GOOGLE,
A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LEADER
FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE WAYS
PEOPLE CONNECT WITH INFORMATION.
AND ALSO BY TEXAS
MUTUAL INSURANCE,
PROVIDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION
FOR TEXAS EMPLOYERS.
[MUSIC].
>> HELLO, AND THANKS FOR JOINING
US FOR CIVIC SUMMIT CITY COUNCIL
RUNOFF CONVERSATION DISTRICT
6, A JOINT PRODUCTION OF KLRU,
LEADERSHIP AUSTIN, KUT, AND THE
ANNETTE STRAUSS INSTITUTE FOR
CIVIC LIFE.
I'M MICHAEL KANIN, PUBLISHER OF
"THE AUSTIN MONITOR." FOR THE
NEXT HALF HOUR, WE WILL BE
SPEAKING TO THE CANDIDATES FROM
DISTRICT 6, JIMMY FLANNIGAN
AND DON ZIMMERMAN.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE
A PART OF THE CONVERSATION,
PLEASE JOIN US ON TWITTER
USING #CIVICSUMMITD6.
DISTRICT 6 ENCOMPASSES THE EDGE
OF NORTHWEST AUSTIN TOWARD CEDAR
PARK AND EAST OF THE
TRAVIS/WILLIAMSON COUNTY LINE.
DISTRICT 6 IS PRIMARILY ANGLO,
WITH MOST OF THE POPULATION
RANGING FROM 24 TO 34 YEARS OLD.
THE DISTRICT IS ONE OF
THE LARGEST IN POPULATION,
AND IS THE HOME OF
SEVERAL TECH SITES,
INCLUDING 3M'S
DEVELOPMENT PLANT.
TO MY LEFT IS JIMMY FLANNIGAN.
JIMMY HAS LIVED IN AUSTIN
SINCE HE WAS A STUDENT AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
WHILE HE -- WHILE
STILL A STUDENT,
HE STARTED A BUSINESS
CALLED SITE STREET,
WHICH HELPED STUDENTS
ORGANIZATIONS BUILD THEIR
WEBSITES.
HE IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF THE
NORTHWEST AUSTIN COALITION.
RUNNING AGAINST
HIM, DON ZIMMERMAN.
DON HAS A B.S.
AND M.S.
IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
FROM TEXAS A&M.
HE'S BEEN A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
6 CANYON CREEK SINCE 2000,
AND FOUNDED THE TRAVIS COUNTY
TAXPAYERS' UNION IN 2002.
OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT
WILL FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP,
CONSIDER THIS A JOB INTERVIEW.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT SKILLS AND
QUALITIES YOU WOULD BRING TO
AUSTIN CITY HALL.
THE DISCUSSION IS NOT BEING
CONDUCTED IN AN OFFICIAL DEBATE
MANNER, BUT WE ARE ASKING
CANDIDATES TO BE RESPECTFUL OF
EACH OTHER'S TIME AND LIMIT
THEIR ANSWERS TO ABOUT A MINUTE.
THE FIRST QUESTION, WHICH
WE SHARED WITH BOTH OF YOU
CANDIDATES BEFORE TONIGHT, WHAT
HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF
OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS OF
CAMPAIGNING THAT WILL HELP YOU
GOVERN?
JIMMY, YOU'RE FIRST.
>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'VE
LEARNED -- WHAT I'VE CERTAINLY
LEARNED IS HAVING LIVED IN
DISTRICT 6 NEARLY MY WHOLE ADULT
LIFE, AND AT THE SAME TIME
WORKING ACROSS THE CITY FOR A
VARIETY OF ISSUES, YOU KNOW,
I'VE LEARNED HOW DISTRICT 6 IS
THE SAME AND HOW IT'S DIFFERENT.
AND THERE ARE MANY ISSUES
THAT DISTRICT 6 USES DIFFERENT
LANGUAGE TO TALK ABOUT,
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,
IT'S THE SAME ISSUE.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF BATTLES
THAT PEOPLE THINK ARE GOING TO
COME.
AND ULTIMATELY -- YOU KNOW, AND
I HAVE SAID THIS TO FOLKS ALL
OVER THE DISTRICT, IF WE WALK
INTO CITY HALL WITH OUR FISTS
CLENCHED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET
ANYTHING SOLVED IN DISTRICT 6.
IF WE FOCUS ON THE WAYS
THAT WE'RE DIFFERENT,
WE'LL GET NOTHING.
WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE
WAYS THAT WE'RE THE SAME.
AND THERE ARE A LARGE
NUMBER OF ISSUES.
CERTAINLY, TRAFFIC IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE FACE IN
DISTRICT 6, AND I'VE SPENT MANY,
MANY YEARS WORKING ON THAT ISSUE
THROUGH THE AUSTIN
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND -- AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE ISSUES
ARE THE SAME ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THE DECADE THAT I'VE SPENT
THROUGH THE GAY AND LESBIAN
CHAMBER, THROUGH
THE AUSTIN CHAMBER,
THROUGH THE NORTHWEST
AUSTIN COALITION,
BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER,
THAT THOSE TOOLS BECOME VERY
VALUABLE WHEN IT COMES TO
FINDING THOSE OTHER FIVE VOTES.
YOU KNOW, DISTRICT 6 RESIDENTS
DON'T OFTEN GET DOWN TO CITY
HALL.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
I CALL IT A GOOD CITIZEN
TAX IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE,
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE
THAT A SITTING -- A SINGLE
COUNCILMEMBER ISN'T A PRESIDENT,
THEY DON'T GET TO BY FIAT MAKE
DECISIONS IN OR OUT
OF THE DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE TO FIND
WAYS TO COLLABORATE,
YOU HAVE TO FIND
THOSE COALITIONS,
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE SPENT
MY LIFE'S WORK DOING.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
DON?
>> I THINK THE FIRST THING YOU
NEED TO LEARN WHEN YOU'RE A
CANDIDATE IS IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU.
SO WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THIS
CAMPAIGN FOR DISTRICT 6,
TALKING TO AS MANY
PEOPLE AS I HAVE,
IT'S REALLY NOT
ABOUT ME PERSONALLY.
I THINK THIS IS ABOUT
THE RULE OF LAW.
AND MY LEADERSHIP STYLE WILL
BE CENTERED AROUND THAT.
WHEN I WAS PRESIDENT OF MY MUD,
WE ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE WITH
THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME BEFORE
ME IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD,
THEY TRIED TO FORM
RELATIONSHIPS,
THEY TRIED TO MEDIATE, THEY
TRIED TO REASON TOGETHER,
AND NONE OF THAT WORKED.
AND WHEN I GOT ELECTED
AS MY MUD PRESIDENT,
IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME AS AN
ENGINEER AND A PROBLEM-SOLVER
THAT WE NEEDED TO
GO TO LITIGATION.
WE NEEDED TO HAVE RESPECT
FOR THE RULE OF LAW.
SO I THINK MY LEADERSHIP STYLE
AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED TALKING TO
SO MANY RESIDENTS, I
THINK I CAN DO VERY,
VERY WELL IN DISTRICT 6 BECAUSE
I FOCUS NOT ON POLITICAL
RELATIONSHIPS, BUT ON
FIDELITY TO THE RULE OF LAW.
>> OKAY.
I THINK THAT LENDS IN
PERFECTLY TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
DON, THERE'S A TONE OF
UNCOMPROMISINGNESS -- NOT A
WORD, UNCOMPROMISING ON A
WILLING -- A LACK OF WILLINGNESS
TO COMPROMISE THERE.
AND THIS ELECTION SEASON
HAS BEEN NO DIFFERENT,
SORT OF GOING BACK
OVER YOUR HISTORY.
FOR YOU, DO THE CONCEPTS OF
LEADERSHIP AND MITIGATION MIX?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER
OF MEDIATION CASES, OF COURSE.
BUT LET ME ASK -- MAYBE I CAN
PUT OUT A SIMPLE CASE OF WHAT I
MEAN BY COMPROMISE AND
HOW THAT IS A BAD WORD.
IMAGINE, HOW FRUSTRATED OUR
PEOPLE WOULD BE IF ONE OF OUR
CITIZENS CALLED THE
POLICE AND SAID,
I HAVE A ROBBERY IN PROGRESS.
POLICE COME OVER.
POLICEMAN LOOKS AT THE
ROBBER, POLICEMAN LOOKS AT THE
HOMEOWNER, HE SAYS
TELL YOU WHAT?
LET'S HAVE A COMPROMISE.
THE ROBBER TAKES HALF OF YOUR
PROPERTY AND YOU KEEP HALF.
COMPROMISE.
AND I WOULD SAY TO THAT,
THAT'S NOT A COMPROMISE,
THAT'S AN OUTRAGE, BECAUSE
THERE'S A VIOLATION OF THE RULE
OF LAW.
SO WHAT I SEEK TO DO IS IF
THERE'S -- WHEN THERE ARE GRAY
AREAS, BECAUSE THERE ALWAYS ARE.
WHEN THERE ARE GRAY AREAS, LET'S
ASK, WHY IS THIS AREA GRAY?
LET'S SEEK FOR THE
TRUTH OF THE MATTER,
AND LET'S SEE HOW THE
RULE OF LAW APPLIES,
AND LET'S APPLY IT FAIRLY.
>> OKAY.
JIMMY, DON'S VICTORY MAY HAVE
BEEN SLIM, BUT THERE IT IS.
AND A BASELINE ARGUMENT MIGHT
START WITH THE IDEA THAT AT
LEAST ONE QUARTER OF THE
POPULATION OF YOUR DISTRICT ARE
CALLING FOR HIS
STYLE OF LEADERSHIP.
IF ELECTED, HOW WOULD YOU
REPRESENT THAT SEGMENT OF THE
POPULATION?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT THERE WERE 15,
000 VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT,
AND WE DID NOT REACH 15,
000 VOTERS AS CANDIDATES.
THERE WERE SMALL FORUMS, THERE
WERE -- YOU KNOW, AT MOST,
200 PEOPLE SHOWING
UP TO A FORUM.
AND THE FOLKS THAT I'VE SPOKEN
TO IN THE DISTRICT WHO HAVE
VOTED FOR OTHER CANDIDATES
BESIDES MYSELF HAVE SINCE
APOLOGIZED, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T
TAKE THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE THE
CANDIDATES.
AND ONCE THEY DID, ONCE THEY
LOOKED INTO MY LEADERSHIP STYLE
AND MY LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
AND THOSE OF MY OPPONENTS,
THEY'VE PULLED YARD SIGNS OUT,
THEY'VE PROMISED TO VOTE IN THAT
WAY IN THE RUNOFF, BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY YOU CAN'T GOVERN BY
LAWSUIT.
IT'S NOT A REALISTIC APPROACH.
YOU CAN'T SUE APD IN ORDER TO
FIX A PROPERTY KIND OF PROBLEM,
AND YOU CAN'T SUE LCRA TO FILL
THE LAKES AND YOU CAN'T SUE
TXDOT TO BUILD A ROAD.
>> OKAY.
I WANT TO PUSH YOU
A LITTLE BIT ON IT,
BECAUSE YOU'RE SUGGESTING --
YOU DIDN'T QUITE ANSWER THE
QUESTION.
IF ELECTED, HOW WOULD YOU
REPRESENT THE LEADER -- THE
PORTION -- >> SURE.
>> -- OF THE
POPULATION -- >> SURE.
WELL, I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE
IN THE RACE THAT WENT TO EVERY
FORUM, RESPONDED TO
EVERY QUESTIONNAIRE,
WENT TO EVERY MEETING.
I WENT TO PARTISAN ONES,
ISSUE ONES, NEIGHBORHOOD ONES,
AND AT EVERY SINGLE POINT, IT
BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT I HAVE
NOT ONLY THE SKILLS -- THE
KNOWLEDGE ON THE ISSUES THAT WE
FACE AT CITY HALL, BUT THE
SKILLS TO ACTUALLY BRING RESULTS
TO DISTRICT 6.
AND I HAVE SUPPORTERS ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE PARTISAN DIVIDE,
I HAVE ENDORSEMENTS FROM GROUPS
THAT CONTRADICT THE OTHER
GROUPS.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IT'S NOT
THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT ME TO
SAY, WELL, DOES HE AGREE WITH
ME; IT'S THEY LOOK AT ME TO SAY,
THAT'S THE GUY WHO CAN GET STUFF
DONE AND WE CAN WORK WITH HIM.
>> OKAY.
NEXT QUESTION, SORT OF
ALONG THE SAME THING.
THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT THIS
INCUMBENT COUNCIL WILL PLAY A
HOST TO A WIDER VARIETY OF
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY THAN HAS BEEN
ON COUNCIL BEFORE.
HOW WILL YOU WORK WITH YOUR NEW
COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE THAT THE
BODY ISN'T SIDETRACKED?
JIMMY?
>> WELL, THIS IS NOT
ABOUT PARTISANSHIP.
AND I HAVE, FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING,
MADE IT CLEAR THAT I'M NOT
INTERESTED IN PLAYING PARTISAN
GAMES.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN
-- IN PICKING A SIDE.
CITY ISSUES ARE
NONPARTISAN ISSUES.
THERE IS NOT REPUBLICAN
TRAFFIC OR DEMOCRATIC TRAFFIC.
THERE IS NOT A CONSERVATIVE
LAKE AND A LIBERAL LAKE.
THESE ARE ISSUES
THAT WE ALL SHARE.
AND THE SOLUTIONS, MORE
OFTEN THAN NOT, ARE THE SAME.
YOU TAKE ANDERSON OLD ROAD IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE DISTRICT,
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR
POLITICAL PARTY IS,
YOU'RE TIRED THAT ONLY
HALF OF IT'S BEEN FIXED.
AND THE HALF CLOSEST TO 183
HASN'T BEEN UPDATED LIKE THE
OTHER ENDS OF THAT ROAD.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER
ISSUES YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT
HAVE NOTHING TO DO
WITH PARTISANSHIP,
AND THAT'S BEEN A COMMITMENT
I'VE MADE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
THE RACE.
IT'S WHY I ATTENDED REPUBLICAN
FORUMS AND DEMOCRATIC FORUMS.
LIKE I SAID, I'M THE ONLY
CANDIDATE TO DO THAT.
AND HOW -- THAT IS
HOW I INTEND TO LEAD,
WITH BRINGING IN ALL IDEAS AND
MAKING SURE THAT THE IDEAS WE
USE ARE THE BEST ONES.
>> DON, SAME QUESTION TO YOU.
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO BRING
A FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE VIEW.
I'VE KNOCKED ON MANY
DOORS, AS HAS JIMMY.
AND JIMMY'S RIGHT, TECHNICALLY,
IT IS A NONPARTISAN RACE HERE,
BUT THE FACT IS WE DO HAVE
SOME VIEWS THAT ARE DIVERGENT.
AND THERE ARE SOME MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.
WE CANNOT SIMULTANEOUSLY LOWER
PROPERTY TAXES AND ALSO INCREASE
THEM.
SO THE FISCAL CONSERVATIVES,
ESPECIALLY IN THE SUBURBS,
FEEL THEY'VE BEEN
OVERTAXED, UNDERREPRESENTED.
THEY NEED TAX RELIEF.
TO DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CUT THE BUDGET AND LOWER
TAXES.
NOW, THAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE
HAPPY A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WE
HAVE THAT WANT TAXES RAISED
BECAUSE THEY WANT MORE SERVICES
OUT OF THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT.
SO, AGAIN, MY LEADERSHIP STYLE
IS TO COME IN AND SAY LOOK,
WE DO LIVE -- WE'RE GOING
TO LIVE IN A DEMOCRAT CITY,
THAT IS THE MAJORITY VOTE HERE.
AND THE DEMOCRAT POSITION
HAS BEEN, FOR DECADES,
MORE REGULATION AND MORE TAXES,
SO IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT
FOR THE MINORITY OF NEW CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT ARE FISCAL
CONSERVATIVES, IT IS GOING
TO BE CHALLENGING FOR THEM,
BUT I THINK THERE
IS A WAY TO DO IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I PLAN TO DO
IS FOCUS ON THE TRANSPORTATION
PROBLEM AS AN ENGINEER
IN WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY,
AND THAT CERTAINLY IS
A NONPARTISAN ISSUE.
>> OKAY.
LET'S MOVE ON FROM
THIS BASIC TOPIC.
HERE'S A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION.
A DEVELOPER IS IN CONFLICT
OVER A PROJECT WITHIN A LOCAL
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
CITY STAFF PREFERS ONE SOLUTION,
THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP PREFERS
ANOTHER.
WHAT SKILLS WILL YOU USE TO
RESOLVE THIS AND ANY OTHER
CONFLICTS THAT WILL NO DOUBT
ARISE BETWEEN COMPETING
INTERESTS?
DON, YOUR TURN TO GO FIRST.
>> GREAT QUESTION, BUT ONE
PERSON THAT WAS LEFT OUT WAS THE
PERSON WHO PURCHASED THE
PROPERTY AND WANTS TO DO THE
PROJECT.
I THINK THE QUESTION WAS
POSED BETWEEN THE BUREAUCRATIC
INTEREST, RIGHT, AND ALSO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT ARE
ALREADY THERE.
WHAT ABOUT THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT
THE PROPERTY AND HAS A PLAN AND
A GOAL TO DO A DEVELOPMENT,
BUILD MORE HOUSES, BUSINESSES,
WHATEVER IT IS?
THIS IS SOMETHING WE OBVIOUSLY
CAN'T ANSWER IN A ONE-MINUTE
RESPONSE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THEN YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE
MORE THAN A MINUTE, PLEASE.
>> BUT JUST TO SAY IDEOLOGICALLY
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS
MORE RESPECT FOR
PROPERTY RIGHTS.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU
END UP WITH A DISCREPANCY OR A
CONFLICT IN PROPERTY RIGHTS
BETWEEN THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
ALREADY LIVED THERE,
THEY'VE LIVED UNDER ZONING,
THEY'VE BEEN SINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE,
THEY HAVE A REASONABLE
EXPECTATION THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SHOULD STAY THAT WAY.
THEN YOU HAVE PROPERTY
RIGHTS OF, SAY,
A DEVELOPER THAT COMES IN
AND BUYS UP SOME LAND, WELL,
MAYBE HE WANTS TO
CREATE SOME DENSITY,
HE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT WITH THE PROPERTY.
WELL, HE'S A PROPERTY OWNER, BUT
SO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY
LIVE THERE.
SO I SEE THE CITY'S ROLE,
GOVERNMENT'S ROLE AND THE
JUDICIARY'S ROLE IN
MEDIATING THESE DISPUTES.
HOW DO WE BALANCE THE DEMANDS,
THE JUST DEMANDS BETWEEN
PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE ALREADY
THERE UNDER ZONING AND A NEW
PROPERTY OWNER WHO'S BOUGHT
PROPERTY WHO WANTS A DIFFERENT
DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S A MEDIATION
EXERCISE, IN MY BOOK.
>> OKAY.
>> AND IT SHOULDN'T BE UNDER
THE CONTROL OF UNELECTED
BUREAUCRATS.
>> OKAY.
THANKS.
JIMMY?
>> WELL, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION,
THIS IS ABOUT BEING PARTNERS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOING
INTO THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS
ADVERSARIES.
AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT
A LOT AT CITY HALL WHERE THE
DEFAULT POSITION BY STAFF,
THE DEFAULT POSITION BY
NEIGHBORHOODS, THE DEFAULT
POSITION BY DEVELOPERS HAS BEEN
THIS IS GOING TO BE A BATTLE
AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT.
INSTEAD OF BEING PARTNERS,
INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW,
NEIGHBORHOODS UNDERSTANDING
THAT, YOU KNOW,
GROWTH IS COMING.
WE'VE SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE
ON THIS MISCONCEPTION THAT YOU
CAN STOP GROWTH.
YOU CAN'T STOP GROWTH.
YOU HAVE TO MANAGE IT,
YOU HAVE TO PLAN IT,
AND YOU HAVE TO BE PARTNERS WITH
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT.
OTHERWISE, WHAT YOU END UP WITH
IS GROWTH IN LEANDER AND CEDAR
PARK AND ROUND ROCK, AND THEN
THOSE PEOPLE DRIVING ON AUSTIN
ROADS THAT AUSTIN
TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PAY FOR.
SO THIS IS ABOUT NOT -- NOT
ABOUT LETTING IT ALL GO TO
LAWSUIT AND -- OR -- OR
ARBITRATION OR MEDIATION,
THIS IS ABOUT STARTING AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS AND
MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE DONE
IN AN AIR OF COLLABORATION AND
PARTNERSHIP.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO
10-1, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO
GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, WE
HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO
CHANGE THAT TONE.
IF THIS WASN'T A CHANGE AND IT
WAS JUST ONE NEW COUNCILMEMBER
COMING IN TO AN EXISTING SYSTEM,
YOU MIGHT ARGUE THAT THAT WAS
IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE.
BUT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
THESE NEW VOICES AND THESE NEW
PERSPECTIVES, WE HAVE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT DONE.
>> OKAY.
HOW WILL YOU INCREASE CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AND INTERACTION WITH
YOUR OFFICE?
JIMMY, YOUR TURN TO GO FIRST.
>> THIS IS ALL ABOUT CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION.
IN FACT, THERE WERE MANY
FORUMS AND QUESTIONNAIRES,
SAYS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO
DO IN YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS?
WHAT'S THE FIRST LAW
YOU'RE GOING TO PASS,
THE FIRST ORDINANCE?
I SAID I'M NOT GOING TO PASS ANY
ORDINANCES IN THE FIRST HUNDRED
DAYS.
FOLKS IN DISTRICT 6 AREN'T EVEN
BEING TOLD WHAT'S ON THE BOOKS
NOW.
WE HAVE TO REACH OUT AND YOU
HAVE TO BUILD THOSE LINES OF
COMMUNICATION SO THAT WHEN
THE NEXT BATTLE COMES,
WHEN THE NEXT ORDINANCE COMES,
WHEN THE NEXT THING COMES,
DISTRICT 6 RESIDENTS
ARE INFORMED,
THAT THEY CAN ADVOCATE THROUGH
THEIR COUNCILMEMBER OR AT CITY
HALL, IF THEY'RE
ABLE TO GET THERE.
THIS IS -- IT'S ENTIRELY
ABOUT COMMUNICATION.
AND NOT JUST
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS,
BUT BUSINESSES AND -- SMALL
BUSINESSES, PTAS, CHURCHES,
IT'S -- THIS IS THE PREMISE OF
THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN COALITION
GROUP THAT I FOUNDED, WAS AFTER
WE DID SOME ADVOCACY ON MAPPING,
WE SAID, LOOK, WE'VE
GOT TO KEEP THIS GOING.
THERE IS STUFF
HAPPENING AT CITY HALL,
AND THAT INFORMATION NEVER
GETS PASSED THE ARBORETUM.
SO I KEPT THOSE MEETINGS GOING
MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH
AND BRINGING OUT APD AND
CODENEXT AND TRANSPORTATION AND
WATER AND NEIGHBORHOOD
PARTNERING SO THAT FOLKS IN
DISTRICT 6 COULD UNDERSTAND
WHAT WAS GOING ON AT CITY HALL,
SO THEN WE COULD BE
ALL, AS A COMMUNITY,
BE GOOD ADVOCATES
ON THOSE ISSUES.
>> OKAY.
DON?
>> IT IS A GREAT QUESTION, AND
THIS ONE HAS A CLEAR ANSWER FOR
ME.
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, I WENT
DOWN TO CITY HALL TO PROTEST THE
-- SOME OF THE PATRIOT
ACT ITEMS THAT WENT IN.
AND I THINK THE PATRIOT ACT,
UNDER THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION,
WAS ASKING FOR LIBRARIANS TO
EFFECTIVELY SPY ON LIBRARY
CUSTOMERS AS TO WHAT
BOOKS THEY WERE READING.
I WENT DOWN TO THE CITY
COUNCIL TO TESTIFY.
IT WAS ON THE AGENDA
AT MAYBE 2:30.
I ENDED UP GIVEN THE CHANCE TO
HAVE THREE MINUTES AT ABOUT 1:00
IN THE MORNING.
AND THAT STUFF
HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
SO I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
TO IMPROVE CIVIC PARTICIPATION
IS TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE
COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER
SCHEDULING AND WE NEED TO HAVE
TIME SLOTS WHERE PEOPLE
CAN COME IN AND TESTIFY.
I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MEETING,
AN ALL-DAY MEETING, THE
AGENDA IS NOT CLEAR,
PEOPLE CAN COME IN AT 10:00,
THEY WAIT EIGHT HOURS TO TALK
FOR THREE MINUTES.
THAT'S HOW YOU KILL
CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE A -- AN
INDIVIDUAL, BILL OAKEY,
WHO'S BEEN IN THE
AREA HERE FOR DECADES.
AND BACK IN THE 1980S, HE CAME
UP WITH A TERRIFIC PROPOSAL THAT
WOULD CHANGE THE SYSTEM,
RIGHT, AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO SET
APPOINTMENTS WHEN THEY COULD
COME AND SPEAK BEFORE THE
COUNCIL.
THAT WAS PROPOSED 30 YEARS AGO.
I PROPOSE THAT WE IMPLEMENT THAT
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE NEW
10-1.
>> OKAY.
WITH SO MANY NEW
FACES ON THE COUNCIL,
MANY OF YOU WILL BE LEARNING
THE ROPES OF GOVERNING THE CITY
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
LEARNING THE ISSUES.
HOW WILL YOU LEARN IT?
DON?
>> THAT IS ANOTHER
GREAT QUESTION.
I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY
ENGINEERING BACKGROUND WHERE
THEY DUMPED A BIG PILE
OF TECHNICAL BOOKS,
SOME OF WHICH WERE SO
COMPLICATED I NEVER DID
COMPREHEND THEM.
YOU HAVE TO WORK
VERY, VERY, VERY HARD.
YOU HAVE TO PUT
IN A LOT OF HOURS.
YOU HAVE TO STUDY
VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT
WOULD HELP WOULD BE TO BRING IN
PAST CITY COUNCILMEMBERS.
JACKIE GOODMAN WAS, I THOUGHT,
A VERY GOOD COUNCILMEMBER.
SHE HELPED ME ON
A LOT OF ISSUES.
I THINK WE CAN GO TO PAST
COUNCILMEMBERS, OBVIOUSLY.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO SOME
OTHER CITIES THAT ALREADY HAVE
GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION,
WE CAN GET IDEAS FROM THEM.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE, AS YOU SAID,
TO TRY TO LEARN WHAT YOU NEED TO
LEARN, ADJUST TO THE NEW SYSTEM.
IT'S GOING TO BE DRINKING
FROM THE PROVERBIAL FIRE HOSE.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
JIMMY?
>> I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE
THAT YOU NEED TO BRING IN OLD
COUNCILMEMBERS.
THE VOTERS MADE IT CLEAR THEY
DIDN'T LIKE THE OLD SYSTEM.
I THINK WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE IT'S NEW,
TO -- TO INVENT A SYSTEM THAT
WORKS FOR THE CURRENT CITY AND
THINK ABOUT HOW WE WANT
TO GOVERN INTO THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, LEARNING WHILE YOU'RE
ON THE JOB IS SOMETHING EVERY
COUNCILMEMBER DOES, EVEN THE
ONES IN THE OLD SYSTEM HAD TO DO
IT.
AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPENT
MORE THAN A DECADE OF MY LIFE
WORKING ON CITY ISSUES.
IT'S BEEN MY PRIMARY FOCUS AS
A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND A
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEADER.
I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO
START GOVERNING RIGHT AWAY.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
I HAVE TO DO THIS HUGE,
RIDICULOUS LEARNING
CURVE ON DAY ONE.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING
TO GOVERN IN 10-1.
IT'S GOING TO BE
BECAUSE THE VOTERS SAID,
WE DON'T TRUST THE OLD SYSTEM.
WE WANT GEOGRAPHIC
REPRESENTATION,
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
REPRESENTATION CAN WORK TOGETHER
TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
AND IF WE END UP IN A SITUATION
WHERE WE'RE EITHER RELYING UPON
THE OLD WAY, WE WON'T HAVE
FULFILLED THE VOTERS' WILL,
AND IF WE WAIT AROUND FOR
EVERYBODY TO GET UP TO SPEED ON
EVERY ISSUE, THAT'S NOT
GOING TO GET IT DONE.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND ARE
DIFFERENT COUNCILMEMBERS IN THIS
NEW SYSTEM HAVING MORE
EXPERIENCE IN ONE AREA THAN
ANOTHER.
CERTAINLY, MY PRIMARY AREA OF
EXPERIENCE IS SMALL BUSINESSES
AND TRANSPORTATION, AND I INTEND
TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON
THOSE ISSUES.
>> OKAY.
THANKS.
LET'S PULL BACK AND TALK MORE
-- A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
REGION.
AS YOU BOTH MAY BE AWARE, THE
CITY HAS A NUMBER OF REGIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS WITH A NUMBER
OF REGIONAL ENTITIES.
HOW WILL YOU -- WHAT LEADERSHIP
SKILLS WILL YOU USE TO -- WHEN
YOU INTERACT WITH THESE FOLKS?
LET'S START WITH YOU, JIMMY.
I THINK IT'S YOUR TURN.
>> WELL, IT'S REALLY ABOUT
MAINTAINING THIS -- THIS
COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION
AND NONPARTISAN PERSPECTIVE.
DISTRICT 6 HAS A VERY UNIQUE
ROLE IN WORKING REGIONALLY
BECAUSE WE'RE IN TWO COUNTIES,
BASICALLY EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN
WILLIAMSON COUNTY
AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO, ESPECIALLY
SOLVING TRANSPORTATION AND WATER
ISSUES, IT TAKES A REGIONAL
COLLABORATION TO GET IT DONE.
AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
BRINGING IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS COURT, WE'VE
GOT SIMILAR CONSTITUENTS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE A
CITYWIDE COUNCILMEMBER,
YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY
THINKING ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE
FOLKS THAT VOTED IN THAT CITY
ELECTION, WHICH IS PRIMARILY NOT
THE FOLKS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO REALLY BRIDGE THAT GAP,
BECAUSE WE HAVE
SHARED CONSTITUENTS,
WE HAVE SHARED ISSUES, WE'RE
SEEING THE SAME CLOGGED ROADS
BECAUSE THE ONES DRIVING TO
GEORGETOWN ARE DRIVING ON THAT
SAME PARMER LANE THAT MY FOLKS
ARE DRIVING TO APPLE DOWN THE
ROAD.
SO THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS
IS REALLY ABOUT REMOVING
PARTISANSHIP AND MAKING SURE
THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO A
DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED
COMMISSIONERS COURT IN TRAVIS
AND REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
COMMISSIONERS COURT IN
WILLIAMSON, THAT DISTRICT 6 GETS
TO BE THE NONPARTISAN BRIDGE
THAT'S FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS.
>> OKAY.
DON?
>> I WOULD AGREE.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE APPOINTED
TO THAT CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL
MOBILITY AUTHORITY.
I DO HAVE A DEEP
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND.
I HAVE A PROBLEM-SOLVING
ORIENTATION,
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
MY LEADERSHIP STYLE,
IT IS TO DRIVE TOWARDS
A GOOD SOLUTION.
SO THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM HERE IS
-- IT IS A VERY COMPLEX PROBLEM.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
COST OF NEW ROADS,
THE PROBLEMS WITH RIGHT OF WAY,
THE ISSUES -- ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES AND THE DESIRE OF PEOPLE
TO PRESERVE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS
AND SOME SCENIC VIEWS
IN CERTAIN PLACES.
THIS IS VERY, VERY COMPLEX
SYSTEM PROBLEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO GET THE ROAD EXPANSION WE
NEED TO RELIEVE CONGESTION.
SO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE
AND I WILL SEEK SOME POSITION ON
SOME OF THESE BOARDS AND THEN
COOPERATE IN THE REGION TO HELP
SOLVE THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.
I THINK I'M QUALIFIED FOR THAT.
>> I THINK YOU BOTH MENTIONED
TRAFFIC AS AN ISSUE.
LET'S -- LET'S THINK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE
RAIL BOND, AND THERE'S A LOT
OF -- THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF
BRUISED FOLKS OUT
THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WORK WITH
YOUR NEW COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO
SORT OF -- TO HEAL WHAT HAPPENED
THERE AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
-- WITH REGARD TO
TRANSPORTATION?
DON, YOU'RE UP.
>> WELL, I APPRECIATE
GETTING A CHANCE TO GO FIRST.
I WAS STRONGLY OPPOSED
TO THE URBAN RAIL SYSTEM.
ONE OF THE TECHNICAL ARGUMENTS
I MADE IS, YOU KNOW, IN 2014,
IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO GO BACK
TO THE 1800S FOR TECHNOLOGY IN
TRANSPORTING PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THE RAILROADS
ARE STILL GOOD FOR MOVING
AGGREGATES, PETROLEUM
PRODUCTS, SHIPPING CONTAINERS.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT
RAIL ARE VERY, VERY GOOD FOR.
MOVING PEOPLE IS
NOT ONE OF THEM.
SO I'M GOING TO REMAIN ON THIS
POLICY OBJECTIVE OF GETTING THE
ROADS EXPANDED AND RESIST THESE
FUTURE PROPOSALS FOR RAIL.
THE RAIL HAS NOT WORKED IN MANY
CITIES WHERE IT'S BEEN PUT IN.
THERE WAS A BIG "STATESMAN"
ARTICLE ABOUT PORTLAND, OREGON.
IT DOCUMENTED HOW PORTLAND HAD
BEEN BUILDING RAIL FOR DECADES,
FOR MANY DECADES.
THEY HAVE A VERY
EXTENSIVE RAIL SYSTEM,
AND THEY NOTED THAT RIDERSHIP
HAD ACTUALLY DECREASED.
IT WAS AROUND 9% DECADES AGO,
BUT IT HAD DECREASED OVER TIME
TO AROUND 7%.
SO THE ARGUMENTS WE'VE
BEEN HEARING POLICY-WISE,
THAT IF YOU BUILD
IT, THEY WILL COME;
IF YOU BUILD OUT THE RAIL
SYSTEM, MORE PEOPLE...
IT HASN'T PANNED OUT, SO I
WANT TO RESIST THAT AND KEEP
EMPHASIZING ROADS.
>> OKAY.
SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WORK
WITH THOSE -- THOSE -- THOSE
FOLKS THAT ARE PROBABLY NOT
GOING TO AGREE WITH YOU,
AND THERE MIGHT BE A
LOT OF THEM OUT THERE?
>> ASK THEM TO HELP US GET
THE ROADS FIXED -- >> OKAY.
>> -- JUST IS WHAT
WITH NEED TO DO.
>> JIMMY, YOU WANT TO TAKE IT?
>> WELL, I SERVED ON THE
AUSTIN CHAMBER'S TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE, AND SO I'VE SEEN -- I
SAW PROP 1 DEVELOP FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING.
AND RIGHT AS THE BOND LANGUAGE
CAME OUT AND WE FINALLY GOT TO
SEE WHAT WAS GOING
TO BE ON THE BALLOT,
AND I CAME OUT AGAINST IT,
AS DID ALL OF THE DISTRICT 6
CANDIDATES.
YOU KNOW, I GOT A LOT OF
PRESSURE FROM FOLKS AT THE
CHAMBER AND FOLKS IN DEVELOPMENT
AND OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE VERY
PRO PROP 1.
AND I TOLD THEM POINT BLANK,
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SOME
IDEOLOGICAL OPPOSITION TO RAIL.
THIS IS ABOUT A BAD PLAN.
AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AGAIN YOU CAN
NEVER DO RAIL ON LAMAR, YOU
CAN NEVER DO RAIL ON LAMAR,
AND THEN PUT IT ON
THE SYSTEM PLAN.
YOU DON'T SOLVE A TRANSPORTATION
PROBLEM WITH A SINGLE LINE OF
RAIL, AND YOU DON'T SOLVE A
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM WITH A
RAIL IN LOW-DENSE AREAS.
AND THAT SAME -- SAME ARTICLE
AND THE SAME STUDIES THAT I'VE
SEEN SHOW THAT RAIL WORKS WHERE
THERE'S DENSITY TO SUPPORT IT.
AND WHAT WE HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT IS A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
TRAFFIC.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE
LINE OF RAIL OR A SYSTEM PLAN
HAPHAZARDLY PUT TOGETHER TO
TRY TO COME UP -- OH, YEAH,
WE HAD A SYSTEM PLAN ALL ALONG.
THAT'S NOT REALISTIC.
AND THE FACT THAT I'VE WORKED
WITH THESE TRANSPORTATION
ADVOCATES, AND, IN
FACT, THE BOND MEASURE,
THE PROP 1 BOND MEASURE
BEFORE IT WAS FINALIZED,
I'M THE PERSON WHO GOT PARMER
LANE AND 2222 AND 620 INCLUDED
IN THAT BOND MEASURE.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY, EVERYTHING
ELSE THEY PUT INTO IT WAS
TERRIBLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SPEND $18
MILLION NOT EVEN BUILDING A
ROAD, BUT JUST
PLANNING THE ROADS,
WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THE
PROBLEM WE HAVE IN DISTRICT 6.
THIS IS ABOUT HAVING
THAT EXPERIENCE,
BEING IN THE TRENCHES
WITH THESE FOLKS,
AND KNOWING THAT YOU CAN'T --
YOU COULD NEVER -- YOU COULD
NEVER BUILD ENOUGH ROADS TO
SOLVE THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM IN
AUSTIN, BUT THAT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY MEAN YOU HAVE TO
BUILD A BILLION
DOLLAR RAIL LINE.
>> OKAY.
WHO OUTSIDE OF LOCAL
CITY GOVERNMENT,
DO YOU ADMIRE FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, AND WHY?
JIMMY, I THINK YOU'RE FIRST.
>> WOW.
YOU KNOW, I -- I HAVE A LOT
OF -- A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAVE
PASSED AWAY WHO
I REALLY IDOLIZE.
YOU KNOW, BETTIE NAYLOR WAS
A -- A BIG MENTOR FOR ME.
>> YOU'VE GOT TO STEP OUTSIDE OF
CITY POLI- -- >> OUTSIDE OF --
WELL, SHE WAS LEGISLATIVE.
>> FAIR ENOUGH.
SHE WAS LEGISLATIVE.
>> FAIR ENOUGH.
>> SHE DIDN'T REALLY GET
INVOLVED IN CITY POLITICS,
CERTAINLY NOT --
NOT WHEN I KNEW HER.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF --
OF GOOD LEADERSHIP QUALITIES,
BUT TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, I
HAVE SPENT MY LIFE WORKING ON
ISSUES AT THE CITY LEVEL, AND
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT I KNOW
AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT
I'VE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD FOLKS
THAT I SEE IN COMMUNITY GROUPS
AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
IN AUSTIN THAT -- THAT HAVE
EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE SUCCESS OF
THESE ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW,
ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
I MEAN, WHAT ZACH SCOTT HAS
PUT TOGETHER THERE IS A PRETTY
AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST A SINGLE
LEADER THAT GETS THOSE THINGS
DONE, IT'S THE TEAM YOU BUILD
AROUND YOURSELF AND IT'S THE WAY
THAT YOU BRING A
COMMUNITY ALONG WITH YOU.
>> OKAY.
DON?
>> I'M GLAD BETTIE
NAYLOR'S NAME CAME UP,
BECAUSE IN THE ODDEST
OF CIRCUMSTANCES,
I ACTUALLY MET HER IN A BIBLE
STUDY IN THE OFFICE OF THE
FORMER SPEAKER, BILLY
CLAYTON, THE TEXAS AGGIE.
SO THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, AUSTIN
IS WEIRD, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ME,
A RON PAUL REPUBLICAN, BETTIE
NAYLOR, AND AGGIE BILLY CLAYTON,
AND WE'RE ALL SITTING AROUND
STUDYING THE BIBLE RIGHT ACROSS
THE STREET FROM THE CAPITOL.
HOW STRANGE IS THAT?
BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, MY
POLITICAL FIGURE WOULD HAVE TO
BE DR. RON PAUL.
I HEARD ABOUT RON PAUL WHEN I
WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 1970S,
AND WHAT I ADMIRED
MOST ABOUT HIM,
INTEGRITY TO THE CONSTITUTION.
AND YOU WOULD HAVE THESE VOTES
IN CONGRESS WHERE THERE WOULD BE
434 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED, AND
IT WOULD BE DR. RON PAUL.
AND HE WOULD SAY, WELL,
THIS ISSUE IS NOT IN THE
CONSTITUTION.
IT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT WE DON'T
HAVE ANY LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO
THIS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
I'M VOTING NO.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATED
AND ADMIRED HIM.
>> OKAY.
I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE
30 SECONDS TO ANSWER IT.
AT THE END OF YOUR TERM, HOW
WILL YOUR CONSTITUENTS DESCRIBE
YOUR LEADERSHIP
SKILLS AND QUALITIES?
DON, I THINK YOU GO FIRST.
>> WHAT I WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD
SAY IS THAT I KEPT MY CAMPAIGN
PROMISES.
I WOULD HOPE THAT
THEY WOULD SAY,
WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH DON
BECAUSE HE LISTENED TO US AND HE
DID WHAT HE SAID
HE WAS GOING TO DO.
AND I HOPE THEY
COULD SAY, YOU KNOW,
OUR TRAFFIC IS MOVING A WHOLE
LOT BETTER SINCE WE ELECTED
ZIMMERMAN.
>> OKAY.
JIMMY?
>> IN ONE SENTENCE, I THINK
IT WOULD BE WORKING WITH JIMMY
FLANNIGAN ON SOLVING THE ISSUES
THAT WE FACED IN DISTRICT 6 HAS
NOT ONLY BEEN A PLEASURE,
BUT IT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE,
BECAUSE HE'S BEEN AGGRESSIVE
WHEN HE NEEDS TO BE,
HE'S BEEN COLLABORATIVE
WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY,
AND HE GOT THE JOB DONE
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
>> OKAY.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME
WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU.
ALL OF THE RUNOFF CONVERSATIONS
AND OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE
NEWLY ELECTED CANDIDATES
FOR DISTRICTS 2,
5 AND 9 WILL BE
AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE.
EARLY VOTING IN THE RUNOFF
ELECTION STARTS DECEMBER 1.
ELECTION DAY IS DECEMBER 16.
FOR KLRU, LEADERSHIP AUSTIN, THE
ANNETTE STRAUSS INSTITUTE FOR
CIVIC LIFE, AND KUT,
I'M MICHAEL KANIN.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
[MUSIC].
>> SUPPORT FOR CIVIC
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A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LEADER
FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE WAYS
PEOPLE CONNECT WITH INFORMATION,
AND ALSO BY TEXAS MUTUAL
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COMPENSATION FOR TEXAS
EMPLOYERS.