Austin is a cultural and economic hub of Texas (and arguably even the United States); however, in recent years, the city has proven incapable of managing critical issues that affect the safety and well-being of its residents. The city’s crime rate is still above 2019 levels, with murder, rape, and assault rates trending higher than the pre-pandemic era. “Defunding” the Austin Police Department in 2020 has strained officer morale and effectiveness, and though it has since been refunded, the Austin Police Department is still short over 300 officers.
Meanwhile, homelessness remains at crisis levels, with the city failing to address the root causes or provide effective solutions. The most recent estimates suggest that, “at least 6,235 people experienced homelessness in Austin or Travis County on a single day in May 2024.” Despite this, city hall continues to throw hundreds of millions at the problem while refusing to change their approach.
These failures are not mere statistics. They represent real people experiencing real hardship, be it by Austin’s residents, businesses, or almost 30 million annual visitors. The city’s leadership has embraced progressive, soft-on-crime policies that have undermined law and order and created an environment where public safety concerns abound. When a government fails so profoundly at its most basic functions, an alternative must be sought.
The proposal to bring state oversight through a Capitol District would be a necessary step to restore order and accountability to city. But more importantly, it’s an idea that promises to protect the state’s seat of government—a city whose livelihood depends very much on service to the state—and ensure that it is run effectively and responsibly.
A Capitol District would see the creation of a state-governed district to oversee and direct Austin city government. Austin would no longer function solely as a home-rule municipality. Rather, its powers and responsibilities would come under the purview of the state legislature, with appointed managers providing direction and responsible local governance.
The state, as a governing body, would have the power to enact policies that prioritize common sense governance, public safety, enforce laws, and reduce the crime and homelessness that has plagued Austin for far too long. Granting the state government oversight over the affairs of the municipality in which it is located would allow for swift, decisive action and the adoption of policies that reflect the values and beliefs of Texans across the state—things like personal responsibility, order, and public safety.
The establishment of a Capitol District holds the promise of restoring order and protecting citizens. Further, the idea of a Capitol District is not a new or novel concept. Until the 1970s, Washington, D.C. was governed by the United States Government. More recently, Mississippi enacted their own Capitol District, known as the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) in their seat of state government, Jackson, which is receiving strong support from the community.
Austin should be the shining light of Texas—a place of opportunity, safety, and prosperity—and as the seat of state government, Austin belongs to all Texans. It’s quite reasonable that Texans have a say on whether to allow Austin’s continued dysfunction to undermine the state’s progress, or to take decisive action and reinvigorate Austin in a way that is entirely impossible under the current system of government.