"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:32
Last night, we attended a candidate forum between Frank Ward and his Adler-endorsed opponent for the open seat in district 8.
Ward is running as the only voice of dissent on council. In a city where the local government is putting increasing levels of burden on the community, somebody needs to speak for those who are paying the bills. Otherwise, the city hall special interests won't even have to explain their actions. As Ward asked: "Does the council even need to meet if all major votes are passing 11-0?!?"
Ward's opponent, meanwhile, will be a rubber stamp for Adler. She hasn't met a problem that government spending can't solve. She even defended city's the CodeNext process [Note: The process, not the product]. Yikes!!!
On cue, council's current voice of dissent illustrated what principled opposition can accomplish:
Troxclair is referring to a program she shamed council into passing last year. The program creates entry-level employment opportunities for Austin's homeless population. The only reason it passed was because of the presence of someone who thinks differently.
Bottom Line: There are any number of reasons to support dissent on council. Intellectual diversity ensures a voice for those who aren't city hall special interests. At a minimum, it's a hedge against groupthink. Early voting begins Thursday....
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