Outgoing Austin city council member Randi Shade kicked off this morning’s city council meeting with a goodbye speech in front of a packed council chamber. It’s her last day on the dais, after losing last Saturday’s runoff election.
“I can say without a doubt that this job is tough and it is filled with grays for most of us it's never as simple as being pro-growth or pro-neighborhood, pro-development or pro-environment, pro-public safety or pro-civil rights,” Shade said. "During my time here at city hall I have never cast a vote or voiced an opinion for any other reason than to do what I thought was best for Austin. Austin is my home just as it is your home."
Shade’s challenger, Kathie Tovo, won the runoff for the council Place 3 seat with 56 percent of the vote. She'll be sworn into office next week.
"I want to wish Kathie Tovo the very best in her new role. She and I shared a unique experience that only we can know and it wasn't always a pleasant experience but it was important," Shade said.
One of Shade's final votes could be on whether to endorse a subsidy deal for the planned Formula One racetrack under construction in southeast Travis County. The council is scheduled to vote on the matter today. An endorsement would clear the way for Formula One to get $25 million in subsidies from the state.
