Steve Adler’s Year in Review

Mayor Adler encouraging voters to support the 2016 Mobility Bond during Election Day voting on Nov. 8, 2016 (photo by John Anderson)

Mayor Steve Adler isn't letting the year end without polishing his annual apples. In a press release Wednesday, he listed some 45 "accomplishments for 2016," under the five categories. We won't list them all, but here are a few selections. Your call on the merits. The whole list is available on the mayor's blog, www.mayoradler.com.

Year of Mobility

• Crafted $720 million Smart Corridor mobility bond package that will decrease congestion on major arteries and increase safety

• Voted on CAMPO to prioritize overpasses on Loop 360, drawing down $204 million from Texas Trans­portation Commission to add to $46 million passed in mobility bond

• Despite departure of incumbent ridesharing companies, Austin gained multiple transportation network companies operating at scale with a real choice for fingerprinted drivers

Affordability

• Reached settlement in Austin Energy rate case, saving ratepayers $42.5 million

• 2% increase in homestead exemption to 8%, saving owners of a median home $22.95 a year

• Cut tax rate for second year in a row

Public Safety

• Voted for Sobriety Center

• Voted to fund police body cameras

• Voted to fund work that will address the rape kit backlog

Reform & Progress

• Passed Secret Money Ordinance, increasing accountability and transparency in Austin elections

• Continued C40/Climate Progress

Spirit of East Austin

• Created Task Force on Institu­tion­al Racism & Systemic Inequities

Sustainability

• Reached settlement in Austin Energy rate case, financing the shuttering the coal-fired Fayette power plant in 2022

• Represented Austin at C40 Cities Summit on Climate in Mexico City