District 6 Austin City Councilwoman Mackenzie Kelly, along with former Austin Mayors Lee Leffingwell (2009-2015), Lee Cooke (1988-1991) and Ron Mullen (1983-1985), have announced their endorsement of Proposition A, which will ask voters in November to mandate that the City of Austin fund an increase to staffing levels at the Austin Police Department. Proposition A is the result of a citizen-led petition spearheaded by local nonprofit Save Austin Now, which describes it as “an ordinance which will ensure adequate police staffing, increase community policing, double police training and enact sensible police reforms.”
“More than 25,000 Austinites signed the petition to put Prop A on the ballot and those voices must be heard and respected, not out of state donors,” said Councilwoman Kelly. “We know that the police staffing crisis is dire and urgent. Our council will not be forced to cut public safety funding if Prop A passes. We will not cut Fire and EMS. We must pass Prop A to bring our staffing level up, reduce 911 response times and reduce violent crime across our city. I hope every Austinite joins us in voting for Prop A.”
The three former mayors expressed their support for Prop A with a joint statement:
“We shared a common governing ideology as mayors of the city of Austin in that we worked diligently to diversify and modernize Austin while preserving the city’s unique history and character. Under our leadership and the leadership of the councils with which we served, we became the Live Music Capitol of the World in both word and deed. Together we sought out opportunities to expand economic opportunity for our citizens so that a town that was once known for being an epicenter of education and government became a hub for technology, medicine and the creative arts. We set our sights on protecting the environment and focusing on using land for its highest and best use for the benefit of all Austinites. We are proud of what we accomplished during our tenures because it reflects the established values of our community.
“It is easy to overlook the importance of safety because Austin police officers quietly go about their work – responding to calls and taking criminals off of our streets – all without seeking recognition or accolades. It is something that we never took for granted because the progress we made would never have been possible without the foundation of a safe city and the selfless service of the men and women of the Austin Police Department.
“Prior councils have commissioned numerous police staffing studies and each concluded that the Austin Police Department needs additional personnel in order to meet the growing demands of our city. This is something for which we both steadfastly fought, yet the actions and pronouncements of today’s council make clear that those on the dais are taking law enforcement for granted and our city is suffering with more crime and fewer police. Austin will continue to further degrade if citizens do not take action by voting in favor of a minimum police staffing level. It is for this reason that we enthusiastically endorse Prop A.
“Make your voice heard on November 2 so this council understands that you want safety to be their top priority.” -former Mayors Leffingwell, Cooke and Mullen
Early voting begins October 18 and Election Day is November 2.
