Local activist group holds “No Way on A” rally against Prop A

AUSTIN, Texas - Members of Undoing White Supremacy Austin performed a choreographed dance at Mueller Lake Park on Saturday to protest Proposition A and encourage people to get out and vote.

The event was part of an ongoing protest against police violence that began in the summer of 2020. UWSA members have since been involved in the reimagining public safety efforts in Austin. They believe Prop A would, essentially, be a step back.

"It’s not necessary and it’s bad budgeting," said Sandra Molinari, who attended the rally. "It would force the city to hire approximately 600 new officers to the tune of approximately $90 million a year for the next few years, when we don’t need that many police officers, when we already have a completely refunded APD budget in the last year or so and it would force the city to cut other, critical services."

Those in support of Proposition A say those claims are false.

"This is a scare tactic," said Cleo Petricek, co-founder of Save Austin Now, in an interview with FOX 7. "It’s completely possible for one of the wealthiest cities in the country to have a fully staffed police department and a fully staffed fire department, parks and libraries."

If passed, Prop A would require that APD employs at least two sworn police officers for every 1,000 Austin residents, mandate additional training for officers and increase pay or paid time off for police officers who speak one of the five most common non-English languages.

For more information on Prop A, click here. 

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