Endorsements

Here's a recap of our endorsements for the May 1 Austin City Council elections. For the full text of the endorsements, which appeared in last week's issue, see http://www.auschron.com.

Place 1: Daryl Slusher

Place 3: Jackie Goodman

Place 4: Beverly Griffith

We urge you to re-elect these three incumbents to the Austin City Council. After years of bickering and meandering in council chambers, we believe the current mayor and council have provided real leadership and vision.

Jackie Goodman can at times be overlooked, but don't be fooled by her mild manner. If it weren't for the battery of issues she has worked on, such as the formation of the Citizens Planning Committee a few years ago, the doorway to Austin's planning future might never have been unlocked.

Beverly Griffith has been the lone voice of loyal opposition to this council. She's taken heat for it, but the fact that she asks us to think about issues is not a bad thing. Nor is her so-called single-issue"green space" agenda. It's refreshing to see someone hammer away at what will be tomorrow's big issue, particularly in the city center.

Daryl Slusher has been the strongest environmental force on council -- as when he was the lone vote two weeks ago against the Forum PUD deal. Slusher has had a strong first term, and impressed even his opponents, we expect, with his thoroughness and attention to detail.