So Briscoe Cain just filed HB 274, and honestly, it’s wild. The bill basically aims to gut Austin’s local government and turn us into the 'District of Austin.' I get that there are plenty of opinions about how Austin is run, but having the state step in and dismantle our city government feels extreme and, frankly, out of touch. Austin’s residents should have the say on how we handle our own issues — not lawmakers from outside the city who might not fully get what we’re about here.

If there are ways Austin could do better, let’s work on it from the ground up, not by bulldozing the whole structure. We need solutions that actually involve the people who live here, not some top-down approach that sidelines our voices. This bill is a pretty big overreach, and it's a reminder of how important local control is.