(Community Matters)
Today is City Council election day. Polls opened at 7am. Please vote to reelect Randi Shade.
When I spoke to judges on the last day of early voting – their turnout had been very low. Turnout will likely be less than 7% of eligible voters. As we’ve recently been reminded in Donna Howard’s race (which she won by 4 votes) every vote counts.
Why Randi? She’s the best. Seriously, the former UT Student Body President, Harvard Business School grad, high-tech startup entrepreneur, wife, and mom of two young children weighs all perspectives & opinions and makes her decisions based on what’s best for Austin’s long term interests balanced with today’s needs. Randi (and her wife, Dell executive Kayla Shell) is active in their Clarksville neighborhood association and she’s first-hand aware of the need to balance neighborhood and economic development interests. I was especially proud of the balance she struck in supporting the water treatment plant which ensures adequate drinking water for our next 50 years – she simultaneously required substantive progress, metrics and timelines for enhanced water conservation plans.
Even the recent email controversies provided a candid glimpse. As the Austin American Statesman noted, “Austin City Council Member Randi Shade can be blunt. She described a few people as “nuts” and “two-faced” in e-mails last year. But other e-mails reveal her as warm, deeply engaged in her work and frank about issues facing the council, such as a plan to build a $500 million-plus water treatment plant.” Nevertheless, after reviewing hundreds of emails, the AAS and others describe Randi as thoughtful, fair, productive and great for Austin.
Randi’s replaced Betty Dunkerley as the council member with real business experience capable of weighing all interests, facilitating consensus and promoting what’s in our best long term interests.
Please join me and Steven in voting for Randi Shade.
Appreciatively,
Eugene
(p.s., we also support Chris Riley & Laura Morrison for reelection. Randi has a tight race)
Quotes I pinched from her website: http://www.randishade.com/
•”Randi’s voting record and political career have proven her commitment to serving the best interests of Austin citizens and businesses.”- Tim League
• “One of the most caring and intelligent public officials I know.”- Steve Taylor
• “I’m supporting Randi because of her integrity, leadership, commitment and positive attitude.”- Christopher Bjornson
•”Randi is thoughtful, smart, sensible and willing tackle tough isues. “- Thomas Meredith
• “She is most responsive to community needs.”- Eliezer Langer
• “She continues to make a difference in Austin”- Suzanne Newberg
• “I know Randi, her beliefs, and her temperament. We need leaders who are more like her, who are focused on results. She has proven she wants to move Austin forward.”- Jennifer Goldman
• “Randi listens to all sides of an issue.”- Alice Glasco
• “Randi is an innovative, progressive leader who thinks straight and ‘calls ’em as she sees them. She’s visionary and pragmatic, great skills that we need!”- Sandy Dochen
• “Randi is a committed leader with business sense and an Austin state of mind”- Bobbie Barker
• “Randi is doing a great job! She’s an important voice to have on the Council at this critical time for our city.”- Alison Unger
• “Randi is smart, ethical and knows how to get things done!”- Selisse Berry
• “She collaborates, listens, and thinks important issues• through.”- Diane Beckham
•”Randi is good for Austin!”- Deb Bauer
• “Randi listens to all points of view, posesses a good analysis of data, and has our city’s best interest in mind.”- Greg Bourgeois
•”She’s a common-sense problem-solver, a consensus builder, and a principled decision-maker”- Mark Strama
• “Randi is a straight-thinking consensus-builder that is gridlock’s worst enemy.”- Mark Aitala
• “She’s in touch, passionate, smart and knows how to make it work, all with a great sense of humor!”- Marion Cimbala
•”She uses fairness and common sense as her guiding principles.”- Douglas Plummer
•”Randi is fair, brainy, credible, and effecctive.”- Ted Whatley
•”I trust her!”- Teresa Perez-Wiseley
Community Matters 