MOVE Texas has been involved in the races for Austin City Council to get your candidates on record about their stances on climate initiatives in Austin. While there was initial plans to host a forum, this idea has evolved to make sure voters have valuable information with adequate participation from candidates, and has included multiple touch points for candidates to be involved. We have landed here for candidates, on a rolling basis through the end of Early Voting, to submit their responses to our climate questionnaire. We asked and they answered. (If not now, hopefully soon!) Find out your city council candidates climate positions using our guide below!
| Questions as received by candidates: |
| Austin Energy owns one-third of the Fayette Power Plant in La Grange, Texas. The plant emits high volumes of coal ash on a daily basis, polluting both our waterways and air, making the coal plant one of the largest polluters in the state. Closing Austin’s portion of the coal-burning Fayette Power Plant is an important step to achieving carbon-reduction goals outlined in Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan which are due in 2030. As a de facto Austin Energy board member, will you commit to phasing out the use of fossil fuels, including the Fayette coal plant, and ensuring that Austin Energy invests in enough renewable energy, batteries and other clean energy resources to serve its customers no later than 2035? |
| In September 2021, Austin City Council adopted the Austin Climate Equity Plan. The plan includes the bold and aggressive goal of equitably reaching net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 with a strong emphasis on cutting emissions by 2030. Will you support a climate bond in 2025 to provide funding to implement the Austin Climate Equity Plan? |
| Project Connect, Austin’s plan to expand public transit was recently hit with a lawsuit that may prevent the plan from being funded. If the lawsuit prevails, would you support putting a new Project Connect bond proposal that includes rail on the ballot for 2025? |
| While weatherization plans are currently available to Austin residents, a large number of folks are still unaware of those opportunities, or how to sign up for them. Would you support funding for door-to-door outreach to increase participation among low-to-moderate-income residents in free weatherization programs, as well as state and federal energy efficiency and electrifications programs? |
| The Austin Circular Economy Program encourages the reuse, repair and recycling of all materials in order to keep materials in use for as long as possible, reducing the need to take new resources from the planet. Would you support additional staff and funding to scale up circular economy programs and implement a comprehensive sustainable purchasing policy for the city? |
Mayoral Race
Carmen D. Llanes Pulido
Kathie Tovo
Added context for question 4: “I have long supported weatherization programs and have led various initiatives related to expanding their use. I would first need to consider—with stakeholders—whether door to door is the best way to reach individuals rather than through places of worship, community organizations, etc.”
Added context for question 5: “I support creating a sustainable purchasing policy. Before I consider additional funding or staff, I would need to analyze whether existing program and staff could absorb this work.”
District 7
Mike Siegel
Adam Powell
District 10
Ashika Ganguly
