At a recent Texas Tribune panel called “The Next Mayor,” mayoral candidates Celia Israel and Kirk Watson got the opportunity to talk about the important issues facing Austin.
According to CBS Austin, each candidate got 30 minutes to talk about their platform and the issues, ranging from affordable housing to policing. The event was less a debate, and more of a panel discussion. Israel went first, and talked about affordable housing first.
Both candidates said that the permitting process was part of the issue when it came to affordable housing.
“When I say we need a pro-housing mayor and council, it’s not about me having a new title,” Israel said in a Sept. 28 Twitter post. “It’s about creating a movement around housing and affordability, so that I will be held accountable in January when I take the oath of office.”
Policing also came up in both of the candidates' time. Israel said that the police need to be held accountable, and Watson said that the focus should be on recruitment, supervision and transparency.
Austin’s current mayor, Steve Adler, will not seek reelection at the conclusion of his second term, according to The Texas Tribune. The mayor must step down after their second term unless they collect petitions from 5% of Austin residents, which Adler says that he will not do. In order to align the mayoral race with the presidential race, the mayor elected in November will only serve a two-year term.
Watson was the mayor of Austin from 1997 to 2001, and later served 13 years as a state senator, until 2020. He ran for attorney general in 2002 and lost to Republican Greg Abbott.
“I appreciate @TexasTribune for covering our race during #tribfest22 for all the fellow policy wonks out there,” Watson said in a Sept. 24 Twitter post. “Our city is at a crossroads, and I'm optimistic about our future.”
A resident of Austin since 1982, Israel has served in the Texas House since 2014, representing the north and northeast portion of the city. Israel was a founding member of the House LGBTQ Caucus and would be the first openly gay and Latina mayor of the city if elected.