In 2015, Austin’s City Council passed a Resolution which directed the City Manager to “evaluate the impact of existing city policies and practices on racial equity.” This directive was used to justify the creation of the Equity Office of Austin in 2016, as well as hire Brion Oaks as Chief Equity Officer along with three other staff members.
So far, the activities of this office have been internal to city government. It ostensibly evaluates city initiatives to make sure they don’t upset social justice orthodoxy. Initiatives analyzed by this office include bond proposals, zoning practices, and most recently, the naming of city property.
In a memorandum delivered to city council on July 26, Oaks, in his capacity as Chief Equity Officer details every city monument, memorial, street, and building that should, in his view, be re-named in order to avoid offending people.
The memorandum can be read in its entirety here, but some of its boldest calls to action include re-naming Barton Springs, Burnet Road, Lamar Boulevard, Littlefield Street, Bouldin Creek, and Stephen F. Austin Drive.
Because of the far-leftists’ opposition to Stephen F. Austin, they support renaming the entire City of Austin. Such a change would likely cost taxpayers millions of dollars due to the logistical difficulties of changing any city’s name, much less one of the largest cities in the country.
Taxpayers should demand that local elected officials stop funding the fancies of far-left activists and lower the property tax burden often used to fund these kinds of childish projects.
