I asked a dozen of the most policy-minded critics of the "mansion exemption" for alternative ways of spending approximately $30 million annually to boost Austin's affordability. Here are the four main themes that came across in their responses.
Important changes are coming to MoPac. But they won't help you safely get places faster. For real improvement, we need a shift away from car-centric, low-density policies.
"What's happening to MoPac?"
Metro Austin's regional transportation planning agency wants more highway lanes. On MoPac, new "Express Lanes" will feature "congestion pricing …
[MORE]There are better tools to solve the 'affordability' problem than a 20% homestead exemption (HEx). Here's what progressive, fiscally-responsible Austinites must argue.
"It's just a tax cut for mansions."
The benefits of a percentage-based homestead exemption disproportionately flow to those with the most property wealth and income. The chart below …
[MORE]Your community isn't dense enough to justify using scarce transit operating funds to serve it. Providing service to your community would probably decrease overall ridership.
"Huh? If my neighborhood or City Council district represent, say, 10% of the population, then why shouldn't we get 10% of the service?"
It would …
[MORE]Yesterday, Mayor Adler invited me to discuss transportation with the new Austin City Council. I encouraged Council to pursue policies that would increase Austin's transit mode share from our current 4%. Increasing the use of public transportation would help ameliorate the pain Austinites endure from traffic congestion, as well as …
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