30 Oct District 6 City Council Candidates: Similarities, Differences, and Big Ideas

The race over the District 6 city council seat is quickly shaping into one of the most interesting contests of the November election cycle. Located in far northwest Austin, District 6 is arguably the city’s most conservative, as is evident by the candidates who have tossed their hats into the ring. Of the six people running, only two do not identify with the Republican party – Matt Stillwell and Jimmy Flannigan. Both have identified themselves as strong environmental candidates, and perhaps because of their seeming similarities, the debate between them has intensified into a bruising battle.

However, one issue in which Flannigan and Stillwell both agree is the importance of establishing a safe and secure water supply for the city of Austin. In their questionnaire responses, they both called attention to the fact that District 6 is the only one that touches both Lake Austin and Lake Travis, and includes the Mansfield Dam and Water Treatment Plant #4. Flannigan called for a two-pronged approach in dealing with Austin’s water crisis, suggesting that the city should continue conservation efforts and expand in-place reusable water systems, while at the same time building out its purple pipe infrastructure.

Stillwell directed his focus toward xeriscaping and policy changes that square with Austin’s environmental realities, by promoting an end to heavily-watered turf grass lawns. He also called for a policy that prioritizes conservation, and requires it, before spending money to find new sources of water. Stillwell tied this belief into his anger over Water Treatment Plant #4, writing that it should be mothballed as soon as possible.

In keeping with their devotion to water conservation, both Stillwell and Flannigan also called for a change in Austin Water’s business model. “The Water Utility must be audited and restructured to accommodate a new business model of providing less product and still producing a healthy dividend to the city,” Stillwell said.

Flannigan got a little more specific in his recommendations for changing the way Austin Water is run, writing that the utility needs to be restructured so that the connection between water rates and the cost of infrastructure is separated. “We cannot continue to encourage people to use less water and then ask them to pay more for the privilege,” Flannigan said.

Major Disagreements – Climate Change and Rooftop Solar

The only other candidate from District 6 to answer any of the environmental questionnaires was Don Zimmerman, who immediately set himself apart from Stillwell and Flannigan on nearly every issue. When asked what his strategy was for mitigating the impending effects of climate change, Zimmerman shot back, writing that the question was, “typical of the idiotic statement of extremists who promote a political agenda with junk science.” He continued on to say that, “God's natural power over the universe is immeasurably greater that the power of corrupt governments and industries combined.”

Zimmerman carried this overarching resentment of government power and bureaucracy throughout his answers to all of the environmental questionnaires, especially as they applied to Austin Energy. He wrote that he would like to break up the “Austin Energy cartel” and replace it with competitive electric providers, and said that, “arbitrary goals of unsustainable, unaffordable "renewable" power are typical of the ignorance and arrogance of city government bureaucrats who put a misguided political agenda ahead of the needs of Austin residents.”

Needless to say, Stillwell and Flannigan have expressed a dramatically different approach in dealing with climate change and Austin Energy. Both have said that they strongly believe in the science of climate change and that Austin Energy should remain council controlled and city-owned.

They also both expressed their general support for the city’s renewable energy goals, but differed on the details regarding the best way to transition Austin Energy to a renewable future. Flannigan called particular attention to Austin’s recent solar contract that promises to supply the city with solar power from west Texas at a record-breaking low price for the next 25 years. He said the purchase, “is proof positive that we can build our clean energy assets without having to make great sacrifices in cost.” He went on to write that, “we can continue to set aggressive goals while keeping an eye on affordability,” but warned that this can only be achieved if the most cost-effective sources of renewable energy are utilized. Requiring a certain amount of energy to come from rooftop solar, Flannigan said, is worrisome if there are more cost-effective resources elsewhere.

This is an area where Flannigan and Stillwell clearly differ. Stillwell, on the other hand, has been a strong advocate for rooftop solar, looking to Germany as a potential model for Austin to emulate. “Germany this year went over the 50 percent mark in energy produced from rooftop solar, and I believe that is a path Austin would be wise to follow,” Stillwell said.

Environmental Regulations and Zero Waste

Another area in which the candidates from District 6 set themselves apart from one another is Austin’s zero waste initiatives. District 6 is the only one that has seen the city’s bag ban enter into the public discourse, with several candidates making it the focus of their campaigns. “I do NOT support the illegal and misguided ban on single use bags,” wrote Zimmerman in his questionnaire. “My focus will be on "problem bureaucrats", the extremists who will violate state law for their political agendas,” he said.

Stillwell has come out in strong opposition to these attacks on the city’s bag ban, writing that the ban is working and that it’s “ridiculous” that the ban is even an issue in the race. Flannigan, took a slightly softer approach, writing that while he doesn’t think the ban should be overturned, he would prefer that future ordinances follow a pattern of encourage and reward instead of require and punish. This is just one of the ways Flannigan has tried to differentiate himself from Stillwell in the campaign. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Flannigan identifies himself as an environmentalist who knows how to work with the business community. About the bag ban, Flannigan wrote that it would have been preferable to, “allow the community to find their own solutions to some of these problems and help sort out which materials have the most compatible alternatives.”  Stillwell took up a far different tone, writing that, “of course cities should have the ability to enact restrictions that curb waste and debris, the bag ban is working.”

Big Ideas: A collection of the candidates' most unique plans for Austin

From Flannigan – separate the connection between rates and infrastructure at Austin Water.

From Flannigan – Rethink the validity of a 2 percent cap on annual energy rate increases. “It should be tied to comparable market forces or inflation,” Flannigan wrote. “No economic metric rises at a consistent percentage over a decade.”

From Flannigan – There should be more transparency in the ways that the city spends the transfers from Austin Energy into the general fund.