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Q&A: Meet the Austin City Council District 4 candidates

Advocates for targeted tax relief for long-term residents.

- Advocates for targeted tax relief for long-term residents.

Public Services

Supports investing in community programs.

Supports adopting "a balanced approach to public safety" that includes supporting the police department and investing in community programs.

- Supports adopting "a balanced approach to public safety" that includes supporting the police department and investing in community programs.

Public Safety

As of September 9, 2024, James D. Rabuck did not have a website or any information online.

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports the development of affordable housing through public-private partnerships.

- Supports the development of affordable housing through public-private partnerships.

Housing & Urban Development

James D. Rabuck

Ballotpedia, Eduardo Romero (Texas school board candidate)

As of September 9, 2024, Eduardo Romero did not have a website or any information online.

Eduardo Romero

Candidate website

Supports adding more parks and green spaces, especially in District 4 neighborhoods that lack them.

Supports adding more parks and green spaces. 

Believes in addressing homelessness, drug abuse, and mental health crises by utilizing existing public resources before seeking additional funding or resources.

Believes in addressing homelessness, drug abuse, and mental health crises by using existing public resources before seeking additional funding or resources.

- Supports adding more parks and green spaces. 
- Believes in addressing homelessness, drug abuse, and mental health crises by using existing public resources before seeking additional funding or resources.

Believes police should focus on "violent and dangerous crimes."

Supports Austin’s criminal justice reform efforts, including decriminalizing marijuana, improving police accountability, and adding mental health as an option when calling 911.

- Believes police should focus on "violent and dangerous crimes."
- Supports Austin’s criminal justice reform efforts, including decriminalizing marijuana, improving police accountability, and adding mental health as an option when calling 911.

Believes the Fayette coal power plant must be shut down to help slow climate change.

Believes the Fayette coal power plant must be shut down to "slow climate change."

Believes preserving Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer is crucial.

- Believes the Fayette coal power plant must be shut down to "slow climate change."
- Believes preserving Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer is crucial.

Supports modernizing Austin's transportation system by creating corridors that prioritize walking, biking, and public transportation.

Supports investing in bike lanes and sidewalks to promote less polluting, healthier transportation.

Supports investing in bike lanes and sidewalks.

- Supports modernizing Austin's transportation system by creating corridors that prioritize walking, biking, and public transportation.
- Supports investing in bike lanes and sidewalks.

Supports establishing reasonably priced housing options for middle- and low-income residents, emphasizing alternative housing types like townhomes, row houses, duplexes, fourplexes, and condominiums to create flexible and less expensive options, particularly for first-time homebuyers.

Supports establishing alternative housing types such as townhomes, row houses, duplexes, fourplexes, and condominiums.

Believes in lowering housing costs and investing in infrastructure, schools, reliable energy, and accountable public safety.

Supports lowering housing costs and investing in infrastructure, schools, reliable energy, and accountable public safety.

- Supports establishing alternative housing types such as townhomes, row houses, duplexes, fourplexes, and condominiums.
- Supports lowering housing costs and investing in infrastructure, schools, reliable energy, and accountable public safety.

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Jose "Chito" Vela, III

Plans to work towards reinstating the camping ban.

Supports reinstating the homeless camping ban.

Supports enhancing entertainment, tourism, and the arts.

- Supports reinstating the homeless camping ban.
- Supports enhancing entertainment, tourism, and the arts.

Opposes reallocating funds away from police departments.

Believes the City Council's decision to cut $150M (34%) from the police budget is misguided, saying "violent crime is growing the fastest rate in five years and when Austin led the nation in the growth of the homicide rate in recent months."

Opposes the city council's decision to cut $150M (34%) from the police budget.

Believes crime is at an all-time high in Austin.

- Opposes reallocating funds away from police departments.
- Opposes the city council's decision to cut $150M (34%) from the police budget.
- Believes crime is at an all-time high in Austin.

As of September 9, 2024, Louis C. Herrin, III’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Louis C. Herrin, III

Supports park programming for all ages and families.

Supports investing in social services, public health, park programming, early childhood programs, and libraries.

Supports investing in social services, public health, early childhood programs, and libraries.

- Supports park programming for all ages and families.
- Supports investing in social services, public health, early childhood programs, and libraries.

As of September 9, 2024, Monica A. Guzman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports addressing climate change and enhancing disaster preparedness.

Supports disaster preparedness and response, resilience hubs, community response teams, and flood mitigation.

- Supports addressing climate change and enhancing disaster preparedness.
- Supports disaster preparedness and response, resilience hubs, community response teams, and flood mitigation.

Supports anti-gentrification measures, equitable land use, tenant protection, and homeowner’s rights.

Supports anti-gentrification measures, equitable land use, and tenant protection.

- Supports homeowner's right to protest.
- Supports anti-gentrification measures, equitable land use, and tenant protection.

Monica A. Guzman

- City council members collaborate to create and enforce city policies, including legislation on essential services like police, fire, parks, libraries, and utilities.
- They work alongside the mayor to manage city departments, including transportation and parks and recreation.
- Council members can be elected to represent specific districts or the entire city at-large.
- The structure of city councils, including the number of members, their terms, term limits, and partisanship, differs by county.

Passes laws and regulations for your city