AUSTIN — Fastest growing city, best place to live and thriving economy are just a few ways to describe Austin.
The City of Austin has held these titles so it comes as no surprise that every four years candidates are chomping at the bit to run for mayor. This 2018 election season is no different.
RELATED: City of Austin Mayoral candidates
Austin Mayor Steve Adler is facing six opponents. His six challengers include the following candidates:
- Travis Duncan is a musician and new to politics.
- Alan Pease is a Vietnam veteran and businessman.
- Gus Pena is a veteran and community activist.
- Todd Phelps is a small business owner and musician who ran for Mayor in 2014.
- Alexander Strenger is a pedicab driver and author.
- Laura Morrison is a former Austin City Council Member. She served two terms on the Austin City Council from 2008 until 2014, was endorsed by sitting city council member Ora Houston and, like many of the other candidates, has been critical of Adler's leadership, particularly when it comes to Austin's two biggest challenges: affordability and traffic.
"There are things that are on the table that this, that he could have been leading on to address some of these issues, such as The People's Plan and really working on anti-displacement measures and putting them into place immediately," said Morrison. "And instead, it's just another task force, it's just more talk."
Morrison argues Austin's challenges have gotten worse during the past four years since she was last on council.
Mayor Adler on the other hand said those past councils should have done more.
"I wish the things we're doing now were things councils had done five years ago and 10 years ago, 15 years ago. It would have been less expensive. It would have worked better, but it didn't happen," he said.
Adler cites the largest mobility bond in Austin's history. Millions of dollars moved into affordable housing programs and social advances among his accomplishments. If re-elected, Adler said he will have two main focuses.
"We need to have a high capacity transit system in this city. We're growing too big. People need to be able to move around this city with more choices than we have now, more options," said Adler.
"When that happens, it's going to help us a lot with affordability," he added. "We have to preserve the people, the artist, the communities that are in danger in our city right now."
For all the good titles Austin has, the city has some that aren't as flattering such as most economically segregated city in the country, traffic woes and unavoidability. Now it's up to voters to decide which of the seven candidates should lead the charge in solving those problems.