Austin Metric

A set of proposals to improve the City of Austin's community engagement routines.

1. Verified, digital "preference" voting platform

Austinites should be able to register to "vote" on a web application that allows them to express their support on public matters before Council (or other public bodies). Identity must be …

Improving Austin government's public engagement process requires procedures and tools that separate the two major goals of citizen input: uncovering insightful information and assessing political support.  As long as engagement routines mix both goals together, sub-optimal engagement is likely.

Quantity

The crowds that show up on key votes or public …

[Originally posted at Burnt Orange Report on 1/21/13]

This past November Austinites replenished our municipal democratic practices by shifting towards geographic districts and moving elections from May to November.  However, much work remains to be done to ensure that city government is truly open to the community's diverse …

Some weeks ago I was approached by some of the members of the 2012 Charter Revision Committee who read some of my previous posts on single-member and at-large districts.  They asked me to write a more comprehensive document detailing the empirical evidence for the hybrid position I hinted at in …

From the Austin City Code:

The councilmember elected to and occupying the place designated “mayor” shall be the mayor of the City of Austin. At its first meeting following each regular election of councilmembers, the council shall, by election, designate one of its number as mayor pro tem, who shall …