Austin District 6 Elects Krista Laine as New Council Leader, Promising Collaborative Solutions for Local Issues

Austin’s District 6 Welcomes a New Leader in 2025

AUSTIN, Texas – Big changes are ahead for Austin as Krista Laine is set to take the reins of the District 6 city council seat in 2025. In a decisive election on Tuesday, Laine unseated incumbent Mackenzie Kelly, capturing over 51% of the vote. This victory marks a significant shift for District 6, which has seen Kelly, a lone conservative voice, on the council since 2021.

Election Highlights

In the world of local politics, Austin’s city council operates on a nonpartisan basis. However, Kelly was known for her unique standpoint, being the only conservative vote amid a primarily liberal council. While she wasn’t available for a chat after the election results, she took to social media to express her thoughts, saying, “Really proud of the work we accomplished, but we came up short this time. Thank you to everyone who supported us.” She added a hopeful note, reminding her supporters that being down doesn’t mean being out: “Onward to the future!”

Krista Laine’s Vision

As Krista Laine prepares to step into her new role, her campaign focused heavily on community engagement and addressing pressing issues such as public safety, utility reliability, and homelessness in the area. Laine brings extensive experience in education advocacy; she’s the founder of Access Education RRISD, fighting for the needs of Round Rock ISD students, parents, and staff.

In her first interview after the election, Laine shared her vision for District 6, emphasizing the importance of collaboration to tackle 911 response times and unreliable utility services. “I’m suggesting to the community that we need to deliver solutions that work across these jurisdictional boundaries or we’re not going to get the improvement in 911 response time that we want,” Laine explained. She believes improving these services is crucial, not just for immediate needs but for the climate as well.

Addressing Homelessness Collaboratively

When it comes to the growing issue of homelessness, Laine emphasized cooperation as key. Rather than simply funneling more money into the issue, she suggested that the council should actively seek partnerships with nonprofits and different levels of government, including Travis and Williamson Counties. “We’ve had a large growth in the rate of homelessness, but we haven’t had resources come out to this district from the city of Austin,” she pointed out.

This aligns with the city’s recent $5.9 billion budget, which included efforts aimed at addressing homelessness through initiatives like the HOME Initiative. That plan, while debated, aims to allow property owners to build more on smaller plots, a move intended to help with Austin’s housing crisis.

Laine’s Approach to Housing

Speaking of housing, Laine is very aware of the surging costs in Austin. “One of the most important things that we can do around housing is streamline our regulations and then streamline the processes and efficiency of permitting and development services,” she stated. She believes that the city must also invest directly in affordable housing and consider repurposing city-owned land to meet the demand.

Laine further stressed the importance of collaboration across different governmental branches to secure the necessary funding for these initiatives. It’s clear that she has a comprehensive approach to addressing these critical local issues.

What This Change Means for District 6

When asked how she believes her leadership style differs from Kelly’s, Laine pointed out, “The voters made their choice clear.” She believes that her approach will be more solution-oriented. As she prepares to join the council, she’s already received a warm welcome from fellow members, and she feels ready to become a part of the solution-making process.

As Mackenzie Kelly’s term ticks down to its final moments, she will officially hand over the council seat on January 6, 2025. The city anticipates a fresh voice with new ideas to address the pressing concerns of its residents. Exciting times are ahead for Austin!