You thought the political game at City Hall was rigged, right?
Respected investigative journalist, Ken Martin, at the Austin Bulldog, has exposed the Austin City Council’s behind-closed-door meetings that have taken place (and possible violations of the Open Meetings Act) since Kirk Watson took the helm in 1997. The Statesman has just confirmed that the County Attorney is now investigating. Read it and don’t just weep – read the rest of this message and take action!
Thanks to all the folks who packed it to the Alamo Drafthouse January 24th to see the film, Gerrymandering, including our somewhat “strange bedfellows” (Democrats, Republicans and those pesky independents) below who are on a shared quest for open government and fair representation.
Action Request!
1. Contact your state legislators (Texas House & Senate) now! Ask them to pass Sen. Wentworth’s bill, SB 380 that would simply require a November 2011 vote of Austinites on a fair representation plan. (see bill below). Go here to find your legislators.
2. Contact Mayor Lee Leffingwell to tell him you want to vote on a fair representation plan this year — no foot dragging for a 2012 ballot. (If he wants to put some other real reforms on the ballot he has ample time to do that for November 2011.)
3. Come to our next meeting – Thursday, Feb. 3 at 6:30 pm. The location is TBA. Please reply to this message and let us know you’re coming – we’ll make sure to have a room large enough.
Share this message with your Austin voting friends here. Stay tuned for more punches at and from City Hall!