Knowledge is power. However, knowledge is only powerful when it is used. At Community Not Commodity, we strive to give you the information you can use to be powerful. Civil Rights legend John Lewis said, “[the vote] is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.” It is time to pick up that tool, exercise your democratic rights to defend our community, and, even more, protect those rights from attack.
Early Voting has started and continues until Friday, November 1st. This is a crucial time for our community. Find locations and poll hours here. Please vote.
We told you how the Austin City Council violated its rules in order to marginalize public input and diminish the democratic process. We alerted you to court rulings finding the Mayor and Council in violation of the Open Meetings Act. You now know that the Mayor and Council are deregulating land use, taking planning and decision-making away from the community, and putting it in the hands of the market by diminishing or eliminating off-street parking requirements, single-family zoning, compatibility standards, and reasonable height and density controls. After the election this council plans to consider commercial uses such as convenience stores and restaurants in any home in residential neighborhoods. Removing these protections will destabilize neighborhoods, displace vulnerable residents, and increase concrete, runoff, heat, and property taxes while failing to provide affordable housing.
Knowledge is power. However, knowledge only empowers you when you use it.