It is very unusual and problematic that this deal is getting rushed past the parts of the checks and balances for local government such as the city commissions, neighbors associations, unions, environmental impact analysis, or any other avenues of public review. 

This is suspicious. And this process is what should worry every Austinite, whether you support this development or not.

News flash :The things that made Austin desirable were not built by supply-side housing policy. It was the people who built this city, especially in historical East Austin.

The traditional ways people used to stay informed — picking up a newspaper, catching the local TV news — have gotten harder.

Austin has over 90 citizen advisory bodies.The city council is in the middle of consolidating or dissolving many of them. Which raises an uncomfortable question…. were they ever really listening?

Gurgaon is not a failure by conventional metrics. By GDP, corporate density, or real estate valuations, it is a roaring success. That's precisely what makes it a cautionary tale for cities like our Austin. What started out as a dream of affordability and growth is now an unlivable urban chaos and health hazard.

District 3 was deliberately drawn as a Hispanic voter opportunity district. About 60% of its residents identify as Hispanic or Latino. That wasn't accidental. The borders were crafted to group together a community that had historically been politically fragmented and steamrolled.