Voters are one step closer to seeing competing plans for Austin City Council representation on the ballot this fall 鈥� a move supporters say gives Austinites a choice, and opponents argue will doom both proposals to failure.
At its work session today, the council approved placing the so-called 鈥�8-2-1鈥� scenario for future city council elections on the ballot this fall. As KUT News , the item proposes eight individual, single-member council districts, with the mayor and two additional council members running citywide.
The proposal with 鈥檚 (AGR) 10-1 district plan 鈥� 10 single-member districts, with only the mayor running at-large. With the AGR plan earning a place on the ballot via petition, some council members argued against putting a competing measure before voters.
鈥淐ontinuing to honor the work of the petition gathers is still paramount for me and my decision,鈥� said council member Mike Martinez.鈥� 鈥� The citizen鈥檚 initiative, in my mind, prevails council鈥檚 desires in this case.鈥�
Council member Bill Spelman agreed. Citing the failure of similar districting proposals, he said 鈥渋f we put two single-member district proposals on the ballot, I think it extremely likely that both of them will fail.鈥�
That feeling wasn鈥檛 unanimous however. Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole, who had previously voted against adding 8-2-1 to the ballot reversed course, saying a debate over was 鈥渁 discussion that needs to be held by the entire community 鈥� We need to give voters that choice.鈥� Council member Laura Morrison expanded on that theme, saying 鈥淣ot all of our interests in the city are geographically based, and so I think that, fundamentally, that is a critical piece of why I think this has to be a choice for the voters.鈥�
The council then approved the proposal 5-2, with Martinez and Spelman voting no. A third and final vote is required to put the plan on the ballot, which is currently scheduled for council鈥檚 August 7 work session.
