Council adds 2nd district plan to mix

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Austin City Council is one step closer to having two possible representation plans added to the November ballot.

On Tuesday in the council work session, members voted 5-2 to add an 8-2-1 representation plan to the November ballot. This item would have eight council member districts plus two at-large council members and the mayor.

Council members Bill Spellman and Mike Martinez voted against the 8-2-1 plan. Spellman said during the discussion that "If we put two single-member districts (plans) on the ballot, it will fail."

The second single-member district plan, known as the 10-1 plan, will be discussed at Thursday's meeting. The council will vote on whether or not to add this plan to the November ballot.

Austinites for Geographic Representation, a group pushing for the plan that would have all ten council members represent a district, petitioned to have the 10-1 plan on the ballot.

The 8-2-1 plan passed on its second reading and will have to be discussed again on Aug. 7.

Mayor Lee Leffingwell favors giving the voters a choice between the two representation plans at the next election.