By Bill Oakey – October 31, 2025

I woke up this morning to a strange article in the Austin American-Statesman. It laid out some final perspectives and analysis on Prop Q. Two things really stood out. One was the assumption that if you are a Democrat, you must be in favor of Prop Q. Nothing could be further from the truth! The Travis County Democratic Party wound up with a tie vote on endorsing Prop Q. The party chairman cast the deciding vote, much to the great disappointment of many Precinct Chairs who voted. They preferred a “No Endorsement” outcome.

The other fallacious assumption in the Statesman article was that if you live in West Austin, you must be wealthy, and therefore Prop Q supporters can count on your vote. Well, I live In Tarrytown, and I’m certainly not wealthy. On my daily walks for the past few weeks, I have run into quite a variety of total strangers. I have yet to encounter a single one who supports Prop Q. They were all adamantly opposed to it. Their reactions were tinged with emotion.

A Tale of Two Different Mindsets

This section is best described with a final Prop Q poem and a pair of divergent images. I’ll start with the poem:

The Prop Q messaging is in high gear
That fateful Election Day is almost here
Those big dollar donors with a “vote yes” conviction
Should think about the renters who might face eviction

If you are a student, cut out of your classes
You are in big trouble if Prop Q passes
Hustle on down and cast your vote
Then go back to class, or get an ice cream float

If you’re busy on Tuesday, thinking you might not show
Just close up your laptops and giddy-up go
With Council members sipping drinks on distant shores
We must have every vote, including yours

Let’s stamp out Prop Q like smoldering embers
And send a strong message to those City Council members
Clear across Austin, in all the polling places
Let’s all come together, with defiant smiling faces!

Musical Accompaniment for This Blog Piece

1. “Distant Shores” – Chad and Jeremy