AUSTIN, Texas — The Save Our Springs Alliance (SOS) filed a new lawsuit on Monday, aiming to remove a slate of Austin charter amendments from the Nov. 5 ballot.
The lawsuit filed in the Travis County 98th District Court alleges the Austin City Council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when it authorized the election because all of the amendments were approved as one item, rather than individually.
The environmental nonprofit claims that in doing so, the council did not meet public participation and public notice requirements.
This election, the council wants Austinites to have their say on 13 changes to the city’s charter. Some of the proposed changes include raising the threshold of signatures required to recall a council member and removing language from the city charter stating the council should meet weekly.
SOS Executive Director Bill Bunch and Joe Riddell, a former staff attorney for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, are part of the group suing the city.
“Most of the proposed Charter Amendments would further reduce city hall transparency and accountability,” Bunch said in a media release.
“The Austin City Council is becoming lawless, and this lawsuit is another example of their arrogant disdain for transparency. Mayor Watson and the council majority are undermining democracy with violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act,” said Bill Aleshire, a former Travis County judge and attorney for the plaintiffs.
The city provided the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
“Following a lengthy and robust charter amendment process that included multiple opportunities for public input, we are aware of the lawsuit that SOS filed today that challenges the Aug. 14 charter amendment election ordinance. The city stands by the process used.”
If the SOS lawsuit is successful, the charter amendments would not make it onto this year’s ballot, as Monday is the last day to call for an election.
