Reader's Poll: Politics

City Department

Fire Department With last summer's drought and this year's tornado & flood TKO, it's no wonder Austin loves its firefighters and first-response emergency teams.1621 Festival Beach Rd., 477-5784

City Department Fire Department photograph by John Anderson

Community Program

La Cocina Allegre, Sustainable Food Center The Happy Kitchen provides nutritional info, shopping hints, and cooking tips as a public service. It won Critics Picks in '95 and '96. This is its first showing in the Readers Poll. Congratulations!434 Hwy 183 S., 385-0080

Community Program La Cocina Allegre, Sustainable Food Center photograph by Minh

Councilmember

Daryl Slusher The Slush man woneth. Could it be that you, our readers, feel that way because you read him here first? Seat jumpin' Gus Garcia was a very close second.499-2260

Eccentric (Local)

Max Nofziger Former councilmember and mayoral hopeful Nofziger beat out four-time champ Crazy Carl to win this soft spot in Austin's heart (head?) – now, what does that tell you?302-6702

Effort to Improve Environment

Save Our Springs The court decision to uphold S.O.S. seemed to steady Austin's enviro keel. Second-place Yellow Bike program colorfully addresses our auto-erotic car obsession and encourages alternative transportation.PO Box 684881, 477-2320

Effort to Improve Environment S.O.S. photograph by John Anderson

Lobbyist/Consultant

TIE: Mark Yznaga, Ann Richards

Behind nearly every major citizen initiative and progressive candidate in this town lies veteran political consultant Mark Yznaga, whereas after Richards lost the Governor's Mansion, she landed on a velvet cushion as a lobbyist for weapons makers, railroads, and the City of Austin.Mark Yznaga: 4811 Lansing, 447-7749; Ann Richards: Verner Liipfert Bernhard McPherson & Hand, 703-6000

Nonprofit Group

AIDS Services of Austin This relatively new category honors the labor-of-lovers of Austin's public service community. Congrats, ASA, and runners-up Sustainable Food Center, S.O.S., and Center for Battered Women.825 E. 53¹/2, 451-2273

Nonprofit Volunteer

MariBen Ramsey This ubiquitous activist-attorney donatesabout 20 hours of legal services a week to 20 different public service organizations.472-7764

Public Servant

Mike Denton Chairman of the Travis County Family Violence Task Force and the Director of Travis County Attorneys' Trial Division, Denton exemplifies what a good lawyer can be: compassionate, dedicated, and humane.473-9415

Rumor

Eric Mitchell Is... There were so many scattered votes in this category, but the curious common element in a great number of them was "Eric Mitchell" and what he supposedly is. Believe us, the list is too tedious to put here. Hmmmmmm.

Scandal (Local)

Eric Mitchell (pick one) Ah, Big E. There were many to choose from – we're guessing that most readers had his graceless concession speech in mind.

Texas Legislator

Glen Maxey Maxey and Barrientos trade this trophy every year or so, and with good reason: They're both strong local advocates who govern from the heart.PO Box 2910, 463-0552

Visionary (Local)

TIE: Max Nofziger, Jim Hightower

God loves a lefty, and so do you. A couple of them, apparently. Curious that Max swept the "eccentric" category, as well.Nofziger, 302-6702; Hightower, 1800 W. Sixth, 477-5588

News Story

May 27 Tornado It was nearly impossible to avoid being swept up by the drama of the tornado and the people left in its wake.