Volstead Lounge
Prop. 1 Endorsement Questionable
RECEIVED Tue., Oct. 18, 2011
Dear Editor,
With its endorsement of county bond Proposition 1 [“November Props & Bonds,” News, Oct. 14], 96% of which is dedicated to road projects outside the city, the Sierra Club has once again fallen for the siren song of the road lobby. If we continue to follow Sierra Club endorsements, we’re going to end up with an Austin which is more congested and more polluted, where sprawl out into the county continues to be subsidized by city residents.
With its endorsement of county bond Proposition 1 [“November Props & Bonds,” News, Oct. 14], 96% of which is dedicated to road projects outside the city, the Sierra Club has once again fallen for the siren song of the road lobby. If we continue to follow Sierra Club endorsements, we’re going to end up with an Austin which is more congested and more polluted, where sprawl out into the county continues to be subsidized by city residents.
Philip Russell
[Editor's note: It's not clear how Philip Russell calculates his 96% figure, since many of the road and related projects in Proposition 1 include bike and pedestrian aspects, and Travis County indeed carries primary responsibility for infrastructure outside city limits. Moreover, since Proposition 2 encompasses parks and conservation projects also outside city limits, any percentage calculation should presumably include both propositions.]
