Austin’s District 6 seat for City Council appeared to have been won by challenger Krista Laine, based on unofficial results from Travis and Williamson counties posted early Wednesday morning. Laine held a 704-vote lead over incumbent Mackenzie Kelly, according to the results, with the combined totals showing 13,953 votes for Laine and 13,249 votes for […]
District 6
District 6 covers the far northwest parts of the city, including the Anderson Mill, River Place, Avery Ranch, Riata and Robinson Ranch neighborhoods. The area is bisected east to west by SH 45/RM 620 and north-south by US 183 and RM 2222. The southern end of the district hugs neighborhoods along Lake Austin and the south shore of Lake Travis.
Posted inElections
Incumbent Mackenzie Kelly faces Krista Laine in D6 race
Council Member Mackenzie Kelly and her lone challenger, Krista Laine, will go head to head in the Nov. 5 election. Kelly touts her credentials as a promoter of all things public safety, while Laine says she will do better for the district in that area as well as others. One factor favoring Laine is that […]
Posted inCity Council
Mackenzie Kelly: ‘Hyper-focused on public safety’ in 2023
Over Mackenzie Kelly’s two years as City Council’s lone conservative, she has made a point of finding common ground with those she often disagrees with and avoiding the charged rhetoric employed by politicians at the state and national level. “That’s really been a mainstay of how I’ve conducted myself here, finding out what priorities other […]
Posted inCity Council
Mackenzie Kelly: A collaborative conservative among Democrats
Since the creation of the 10-1 City Council, the Council members who have represented District 6 in far Northwest Austin have stood out for one reason or another. The first two – conservative Republican Don Zimmerman, followed by progressive Democrat Jimmy Flannigan – were miles apart on the political spectrum yet similar due to their […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves District 6 hotel purchase for homeless
After hearing from scores of citizens, both in favor of and opposed to the purchase, City Council voted 10-1 Thursday to buy a hotel in far Northwest Austin for conversion to permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. The city will purchase Candlewood Suites at 10811 Pecan Park Blvd. for $9.5 million. District 6 […]
Posted inCity Council
Mackenzie Kelly: Ready to collaborate and communicate
Speaking to Mackenzie Kelly, it’s clear she’s touched by the early overtures from her new colleagues, who are already helping her adapt to her new post as City Council member for District 6. “They’ve been wonderful and kind and gracious, and for that I’m very thankful. When you run a campaign, it’s very different from […]
Posted inElections
Flannigan and Kelly showdown in District 6 forum
District 6 voters once again have a choice between two candidates: incumbent Jimmy Flannigan and challenger Mackenzie Kelly. In November, Flannigan won just over 40 percent of the vote and Kelly just over 33 percent. On social media and at campaign events, the rhetoric between the two candidates and their supporters has been heated, and […]
Posted inElections
Flannigan and Kelly to face off in December
District 6 is primed for a runoff between incumbent Jimmy Flannigan, who won just over 40 percent of the vote, and challenger Mackenzie Kelly, who earned just over 33 percent. Unlike other City Council districts, a significant portion of the far northwest district is conservative, as its electoral history illustrates. So it’s unsurprising that Flannigan, […]
Posted inElections
Three candidates challenge Flannigan in District 6 race
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan is facing three challengers – Jennifer Mushtaler, Mackenzie Kelly and Dee Harrison – to serve on Austin City Council’s District 6, which represents swaths of Northwest Austin. Flannigan has represented District 6 since 2017, when he defeated Council Member Don Zimmerman in the 2016 election. Flannigan said he was elected by […]
Posted inCity Council
Fiscal questions on revenue caps, transit plan remain with Flannigan after 2019
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan likes to refer to himself as the “fiscally responsible progressive” on the Council dais, pushing for ambitious action supported by the operational discipline needed to make sure money isn’t wasted. In that light, he said 2019 left him with a lot of questions and concerns for the coming years that can […]
Posted inCity Council
Flannigan reflects on ‘crazy, crazy year’
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan believes City Council had a lot more to deal with in 2018 than it should have. Council welcomed a new city manager, found new chiefs for the police and fire departments, engaged in an extended dispute with the police union over oversight and pay, and tried and failed to overhaul the […]
Posted inCity Council
After one year on Council, Flannigan having the time of his life
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan said his first year on the dais has been defined by “many, many, many little victories.” And that’s how city government is supposed to work, he insists. “Municipal issues are by and large about filling potholes and picking up the trash,” he said during an interview at his City Hall office […]