The Austin City Council’s lone conservative, Ellen Troxclair, announced today that she will not run for re-election for her District 8 seat in November.
Troxclair, who represents Southwest Austin, called the decision not to run an “incredibly difficult one.”
In an emailed statement, Troxclair said she was proud to have served as "a voice of reason" and "a fiscal watchdog" on the Council and said the city's taxation and regulation had led it down an "unsustainable path."
“It is heartbreaking to watch a city that I love race to become a place where the average person cannot afford to live,” Troxclair said.
In 2014, Southwest Austin voters elected Troxclair as the inaugural District 8 council member as the city moved from a council structure of six at-large representatives to a 10-district, geographically representative one. Prior to that she served as chief of staff to State Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs). She currently manages a residential real estate firm.
“I look forward to supporting someone in this election who will continue to provide common-sense, fiscally responsible leadership by focusing on lowering property taxes, reducing traffic, and providing more efficient and effective city services,” Troxclair said.
So far, Paige Ellis, Bobby Levinski and Rich DePalma have filed with the city to run for the District 8 seat.
