1
/
• °
" • . • . o
,~*'ll, fJf ,~:,
by Buck Rindy
The Rise of the Lunatic Middle
Councilln perhaps the most amazing maneuver in Austin's political history., the City_
accomplished the impossible in last week s bond election--they created
a coalition of northwest Austin conservatives and UT student pinkos. Having
in an attempt to convert its right-wing foes, the Council proceeded to
its left-wing friends. The result was .predictable. $16"2 million umrth of
Water-sewer bonds, were squashed under an nominious avalanche of votes.
It makes you wonder who is crazy
who is sane...That is to say, who
in Austin polities today who most
perceives reality? Appar-
it is not the Austin Establish-
banks, the real estate
the Chamber, the contrac-
whole lovable collection of
who have lost almost every
election in this county in
last three years. The Establish-
heartily endorsed the bond
and sewer bonds above
was flushed down the drain
election day. The true victors of
contest election were the dread
," who were portrayed
and G/t/zen as utter
but whose arguments proved
to a majority of the city's
Also losing face was City Manager
Davidson, whose staff prepared
defended the bond proposals.
Platoons of city officials paraded
before the tv cameras to assure the
public that the multi-million dollar
bond issue would cause no tax or
utility rate increase. They also stoutly
defended the huge bond program as
"necessary for existing needs."
Start'm,g with some innocent "green
slime, which was reputed to leak out
of septic tanks in far northeast
Austin, city spokesmen rapidly
escalated the civic horrors that would
result from the defeat of the water
and sewer projects. By the end of the
campaign city officials were conjuring
up lurid visions of Niagras of raw
sewage cascading down local creeks.
Apparently the public was uncon-
vinced. Joe Riddell, a young attorney
who (horror of horors!) looked like a
long-haired hippie, kept popping up to
cast doubt on the city's financial
estimates. Bond opponent Ken Mc-
cont. on page 4
