Texas representatives discussed voter suppression and affordability on Monday in a new conversation series from the LBJ School of Public Affairs.  

Evan Smith, LBJ professor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune, moderated the conversation featuring Texas Representatives John Bucy, Gina Hinojosa and Sheryl Cole. The Patman Center for Civic and Political Engagement organized the series in collaboration with Smith’s course at the LBJ School, Politics and Issues of the Moment. 

When Smith asked Bucy, vice chair of the Elections Committee, whether the strategy to boost voter participation is enough to win more Democratic seats, Bucy said Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are doing “everything they can” to suppress and intimidate voters. He referenced Abbott’s August announcement that he cleared out one million people from Texas voter rolls. Bucy said this is a “normal process that happens all the time,” but that Abbott used it as a tactic to scare voters into believing something is wrong.

“The election process is safe,” Bucy said. “Don’t be deterred by these individuals that are trying to scare you from participating.”

Smith also brought up affordability, a topic familiar to most Austin residents. He asked Cole, former Austin mayor pro tem, if the government should streamline the process for developers with minimal government involvement in order to lower housing prices and other expenses. Cole said not all citizens want limited government involvement, referencing the 2019 “Shot Clock Bill” which aimed to accelerate the development process.

“A lot of those people have told me it got worse (after the bill),” Cole said. “A lot of the community is split because they said it’s not certain that if you go to the legislature, they’re actually going to make it better.”

According to KUT, nearly 48% of Austin renters in 2022 spent more than a third of their income on rent and utilities, and from 2020 through 2022, the average price of rent climbed 24%. With housing, utilities and groceries climbing in price, LBJ alumna Jennifer Perales, who attended the event, is left to fend for herself.

“I was laid off in July, so I’m giving myself until October to find something, then (I’ll) decide to move back to Houston, which I think is way more affordable,” Perales said. “I love Austin, but I also understand it’s not affordable for everyone.”