SCHOOL BOARD

Kristin Ashy and Zachary Price are facing off for the position on the Austin ISD Board of Trustees representing District 4, which includes Anderson and McCallum High Schools. Julie Cowan, who previously occupied the position, is not seeking reelection.

“Seeing my term on the AISD Board come to an end is bittersweet,” Cowan said. “While I look forward to a less hectic pace of life and spending more time with my family, I will miss the exciting work and opportunities this service has offered. … AISD staff and District 4 principals have become friends over the last four years, and I will definitely miss the opportunity to work with them on a regular basis.”

Ashy is 45 years old, went to Crockett High School and now has two children in AISD. She serves on the Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee. Her platform includes making mindful budget cuts to address the budget deficit, providing full-day pre-K to all AISD families and carrying out the recommendations made in the Facility Master Plan to modernize schools.

“Campaigning has been really fun,” Ashy said.”I have attended several meet and greets getting to know more people within District 4 with more scheduled for the next several weeks. … I’ve enjoyed meeting many people from both the Anderson and McCallum vertical teams. Many people want to know more about our state’s education funding system, commonly referred to as ‘Recapture,’ about how the Facility Master Plan can address overcrowding in District 4, and how the Board of Trustees will address the $30 million shortfall in the budget.”

Cowan, who appointed Ashy to the FABPAC, has endorsed her.

“[Ashy] thinks critically, communicates well and is willing to collaborate with others,” Cowan said. “Kristin is also a parent with two children in AISD schools, has volunteered in multiple capacities at her kids’ schools, has an education background and is a taxpayer. I think these are attributes that can serve her well as she represents District 4 on the AISD Board.”

Zachary Price is 20-year-old government major at the University of Texas at Austin, an Anderson graduate and has worked for Austin Partners in Education, Communities in Schools and at the Texas Legislature. His platform prioritizes mental health, preventing sexual assault and educational equity. His suggestions include setting up an online and anonymous reporting system for sexual assault and harassment and establishing an advisory body made up entirely of students. Price has been endorsed by several organizations, including Education Austin, The Austin Central Labor Council and Austin Young Democrats.

“I go and talk about these issues that no other current member of our school board, no other candidate is talking about, and I get fantastic responses from students, parents and community members and teachers,” he said. “Because at the end of the day, our schools are about our students. And if we’re not doing everything we can to provide a good community for them, somewhere where they feel safe, somewhere where they feel like there are resources in place in case they need them, then we’re failing.”

He wants voters to focus not on his age, but on his experience, policies and passion for the work the position entails.

“I may be young, but I am absolutely qualified to hold this position, and prepared to work day-in day-out to make our schools better,” Price said. “Young people are the most affected group by the policies the school board puts in place–why on Earth shouldn’t they get a voice in the process?”

CITY COUNCIL

In the city council race for District 9, Danielle Skidmore is the frontrunner to challenge incumbent Kathie Tovo. Skidmore is a transportation engineer and a special-needs parent. If elected, Skidmore would be the first openly transgender person to serve in elected office in Texas. Her platform includes improving housing accessibility and affordability, providing better public transportation and supporting urban density with infrastructure.

She also serves on Austin’s LGBTQ Quality of Life commission and fought against last year’s “Bathroom Bill” that attempted to prevent transgender people from using the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity, an event that she says inspired her to run for office. She has been endorsed by organizations including Friends of Hyde Park, Austin Young Democrats and the Austin Board of Realtors.

Tovo, also the mayor pro tem, has served on the Council since 2011. Prior to her service, she served on several city and AISD task forces and was the president of her local neighborhood association in addition to being a major voice in the movement to prevent AISD school closures. Unlike Skidmore, she does not favor urban density, instead advocating for preserving neighborhoods within District 9. During her terms, she has supported affordable housing, the new Sobering Center and the Austin Community Climate Plan. Organizations that have endorsed Tovo include the Austin Chronicle, Black Austin Democrats and Education Austin.

MAYOR

Laura Morrison is the front-runner to challenge incumbent Steve Adler, who was initially elected in 2015.

Adler was elected a Trustee of the United States Conference of Mayors in 2017 and was voted the “Best City Official” by the readers of the Austin Chronicle. During his term, he passed a paid sick leave measure, greatly reduced the number of veterans experiencing homelessness and is currently pushing for affordable housing legislature. Prior to becoming mayor, Adler worked in civil rights and eminent domain law for more than 30 years, served as a chief of staff in the state Senate for more than eight years and has been on various non-profit boards for about 20 years. Adler is endorsed by various organizations, including Education Austin, the Austin Chronicle and the Austin Central Labor Council.

Morrison served on the Austin City Council from 2008 to 2014, and prior to that she was an engineer and a program manager. She is also the former president of the Austin Neighborhoods Council. Her platform includes implementing affordable housing in every Austin zip code, reforming the school finance system and increasing public transportation and support for infrastructure. She has been endorsed by West Austin Democrats, Austin Environmental Democrats and the Greater Austin chapter of the National Women’s Political Caucus.

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