LETS CHANGE THE
FACES AT CITY HALL
The City Accountability Project (CAP) works to identify and endorse qualified candidates for Austin City Council races. CAP is looking ahead to November 2024 for candidates who support accountability and transparency in our local government across a variety of issues and projects that impact Austinites.
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As we head into the new year the City Accountability Project will continue to educate and advocate across Austin for both specific issues as well as broader goals of more local government accountability and transparency.
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Our mission: influence the council races to change the course of tribal politics that govern Austin today.
Over the last year and half, CAP has made significant progress in bringing rationality to a big financial issue the City faces: our $1.5 billion proposed Convention Center expansion. We have successfully advocated to multiple City Boards and Commissions, elected officials, civic leaders, and many candidates running in 2022.
The next stage of our plan is to take that and other financial issues straight to voters in the council races we made endorsements in. CAP intends to campaign smart and hard in the competitive races to educate voters and support candidates who share our priorities: accountability, transparency, public input, and spending on vital City needs that solve problems – NOT financial boondoggles supported by special interests.
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With our education and advocacy, we can change the faces of the incoming council members and elect financially-sensible voices who listen to constituents. We will keep you informed about how these races unfold.
WHY WE NEED THE
CITY ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
Austin has changed dramatically - especially over the last several years. We have seen unprecedented civic projects initiated that accompanied equally unprecedented spending, on issues like transportation, tourism, criminal justice, and addressing homelessness.
The City does a poor - and often non-existant - job of transparently informing the public about the status of these huge projects and their outcomes. Too often we see national politics or outside spending - or even a push by a narrow interest group - shape public understanding on key issues that impact the entire City. Voters are left scratching their heads making sense of issues and who or what to support as they are deluged with information for several weeks out of the year leading up to a key vote or election.
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CAP wants to change that approach, by investigating and advocating year round, from grassroots up to elected officials and candidates, and energizing a broad middle-of-the-road constituency focused on accountability and outcomes to combat political and ideological extremism.
OUR GOALS
Serve as watchdog on local and municipal fiscal issues.
Hold elected leaders and their policies accountable.
Organize a broad-based effort to rein in extremism.
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Advocate & build a middle-of-the-road consensus on key fiscal and civic issues.
Investigate and inform the public on “pocketbook” issues.
Support/oppose local candidates based on the above platform.
ADVOCACY
Educating - from Grassroots to Elected Officials
PARTNERSHIP
Working with like-minded groups & communities
ISSUE RESEARCH
Ensuring that All Voices
are Heard
SUPPORT
Advancing responsible candidates and policies