As with all my responses, I'm basing everything on my last stint in my beloved Austin, 89-93--I thought that allowing the rape of Barton Springs was about the lowest I've ever seen politics stoop. I almost couldn't breathe when I realized that MacMoRan was going to get away with it. That's about all I know, since (sadly) I'm NOT much of a politico.

SOS ( http://www.sosalliance.com ) is a good place to get caught up on the Barton Springs scene. The endangered salamander was just ordered back on the endangered species list by Judge Bunton.

Thanks! I appreciate it, since Austin politics is the LAST thing anyone talks about here (we have a pretty nutty scene going on in Big D).

I'm talking Kircher for Mayor! He's the cyberspace nerd's best friend! I'm hoping he'll make it down to talk to KVET's Sammy and Bob. Just got off the phone with him. His website is http://readthis.com/Ted4Mayor Why Vote for Ted for Mayor? First, I offer my sincere thanks to you for taking the time and effort to visit my web site and give consideration to the serious issues facing Austin, its citizens and those chosen to be trusted with leadership and decisions. Remember, it is still government of the people, by the people and for the people. I decided to become a candidate for Mayor for several simple and obvious reasons. First, anyone paying the least bit of attention to the City Council and Channel 6 can easily conclude that this city is not a group of people, rather, it has changed into a people of groups. Recall the issues: East Austin feeling like a separate city and possibly wanting to be one, the helmet law, closure of Southwest Parkway, changing citizen participation rules at city council meetings, the telecommunications ordinance, traffic, capitol metro, the list goes on. The point being: Why is it when town hall meetings are held, 90% of the time 90% of the people are against City Council decisions? We need someone to bring the city back together again, and that is me, Ted Kircher. If we fail at this single point now, then as Austin grows, we will continue to splinter into self-interested geographic areas or groups. This is not a way for a successful American city to grow in the 21th century. Another reason I decided to run for Mayor of Austin is my background. I have a proven hi-tech record as a successful business person with over thirty years experience in the computer industry. I also belong to numerous hi-tech citizen organizations. Since a significant population of Austin's citizens are in this industry and contribute a significant amount to Austin's tax and fee revenue, and, since none of the existing City Council Members or Mayor have business and technical leadership skills to represent Austin in this global industry, we need someone who can, and I want to be this person. I believe Austin needs and deserves a Mayor who is in fully in tune with information age technologies, not only to encourage growth in that business sector by representing the city, but is able to apply this technology to raise the skill levels of all deserving and motivated citizens in the city. We need a leader who understands the new jobs emerging related to Internet, web, multimedia and telecommunications and how these jobs are the environment friendly and telecommuting based jobs that Austin must attract. Austin is ideally poised at the threshold of the information age to be a leader in this rapidly expanding marketplace. If fact, I expect to be the first of a line of Mayors with the capability of not only guiding Austin to fully exploit the latest technology base, but also with the capability of promoting our city in the rapidly expanding global marketplace. As a resident of Austin, I too pay taxes while experiencing the cost of living rapidly increasing. We simply do not need to grow Austin into another San Francisco or Boston where urban and sub-urban housing prices continue to skyrocket, not to mention that taxes and fees including sales, property and government imposed are too high. Austin's clock is ticking and we have goals to achieve, strategies to form, plans to execute and results to measure, but we have to do it together. It is time to act now! I am not left and I am not right, rather, I am what is correct for Austin. No other Mayoral candidate has the abilities I possess to provide the leadership to achieve these goals. In short, Austin is not just a little city any more, and it will need strong and knowledgable leadership to achieve the economic, quality of life and environmental goals outlined at this site. Have an open and creative mindset as you read these pages and understand that this is the Austin '97 Election Central - you will rarely see these hard issues addressed by other candidates or in the media. Austin's problems are more than fixing potholes! In closing, I challenge each and every one of us make these issues visible by asking other candidates their positions. Thanks for visiting, understanding and sharing my views. And I ask you for your support, vote Ted Kircher for Austin's '97 Mayor. PS: My message will also be communicated via other electronic means - on TV (Channel 6, ACAC Channel 16, ..) and voice radio. See my Campaign Events section for the latest schedule. Sincerely, Ted Kircher