Who we support and why

Land use and labor

Rich Heyman

For Austin City Council, District 9

• Three decades on Austin neighborhoods and land use. He can read a development agreement and tell you what it actually permits, not what the press release claims.
• The $5.6 billion convention center fails his own standard. He backs economic development built on community wealth building, local autonomy and resilience, not Austin's reliance on the whims of Wall Street. Billions for a hall nobody asked for does not clear that bar.
• Began as a labor organizer before teaching at the University of Texas. Worker protections are not a late addition to his platform.
• Running to stop displacement, keep public assets public, and open up City Hall.

If you want a proven fighter who isn't afraid to push back on a bad deal, Rich might be the candidate for you.

Infrastructure and mobility

Katie Kam

For Austin City Council, District 9

• Seven years inside the City of Austin as a planner, then a civil engineer with a UT PhD, and a former Austin ISD science teacher. She runs her own engineering practice and has spent years negotiating with developers over their plans, so she reads a development application the way the applicant does.
• Opposes the convention center expansion, the project 76 percent of surveyed Austin voters opposed and the council approved anyway.
• Wants to expand mobility without widening highways.
• Focused on protecting Austin's music and arts identity and the historic character of its neighborhoods.

If you want an expert who worked inside the city and has the receipts on wasteful spending, Katie might be the candidate for you.