Laura Morrison

Imagine what it would be like to live in a place where there is excitement about the future, not anxiety. Imagine feeling confident that your children and their own families will be able to enjoy Austin’s prosperity, rather than be victimized by it. Imagine living in a city that manages its growth rather than letting its growth manage it.

City Hall’s failure to handle that growth has divided Austinites into winners and losers at the very time they need to come together. This community needs a mayor who will end this divisiveness and ensure everyone shares in Austin’s prosperity. In times like these, Austin needs a mayor who will fight for all of us, not just a select few.

For too many Austinites, that is not where we are now. But it can be. We can get there together. We have to get there together.

Affordability
CodeNEXT is not the answer to Austin’s affordability crisis—it will make the problem worse. Home prices have been rising for a long time, but they have skyrocketed in the last three years, locking new buyers out and displacing longtime residents who cannot afford their tax bills. Austin must develop a solution from the bottom up, not the top down. As mayor, Laura will look to each of the city’s 10 council districts for solutions that work for the people on the ground. It is time for truly affordable housing, and it is time Austin had it in every part of town.

Transportation
Austin is paralyzed by traffic. The 2014 referendum on light rail failed because it did not reflect the needs of the people who lived in the city at the time. It is time for leadership that collaborates with the community when it comes to transportation and mass transit, something Austin has never had before.

Smarter Spending
Austinites need to get more bang for their buck, and they can. As an example, Laura helped put together a program at the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) to save $50 million over 10 years by simply housing 250 of the neediest homeless people in Austin. That is a smart use of money, and Austin needs more programs like it. It is time for a careful evaluation of City Hall’s spending habits, a close look at the efficiency of its initiatives and staff, and better planning for use of the community’s tax dollars.

Community Wellness
The City of Austin needs to work harder to improve its residents' health and ensure they thrive. As mayor, Laura will attack this community's health disparities head-on, invest in systems that will end homelessness among families with children, and address gender- and ethnicity-based pay gaps in innovative ways.

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