Tell Kitchen You Care!

District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen

Photo by Ryan Magsino on Unsplash

Council Member (CM) Kitchen has not taken action to address systemic racism in our City. Without hearing from you, CM Kitchen will not speak up for meaningful change. As constituents of City Council District 5, we must stand together to show CM Kitchen we care. By signing the Petition, tell CM Kitchen to take the following actions, now:

  1. Fund Real Solutions: Tell Kitchen to return APD to 2013 budget levels now, and to fund real solutions that address the root causes of poverty and crime. Since 2013, the APD budget has ballooned by 32% over inflation, which is an increase of $105,000,000. Meanwhile, Austin has failed communities of color by neglecting to invest in affordable housing, employment opportunities, and public health. We in District 5 refuse to throw money at a broken system. We believe that real solutions require people-centered services that keep all communities safe and thriving.

  2. Hold Police Accountable: Tell Kitchen that City Manager Cronk must replace APD Chief Manley and his team, immediately. If Cronk refuses, terminate Cronk and replace him with a city manager accountable to Black and Brown Communities. Chief Manley and his executive team have overseen the police killing of Michael Ramos and the violent police suppression of peaceful protests. Throughout Manley’s watch, APD has discriminated against people of color at all levels. We in District 5 have lost faith that Manley can lead a department that cares for the lives of Black and Brown Austinites.

  3. Demand Justice for Michael Ramos, Saraneka Martin, Brad Levi Ayala, and Justin Howell: Tell Kitchen to demand that the officers responsible for the death of Michael Ramos and the injuring of Saraneka Martin, Brad Levi Ayala, and Justin Howell be prosecuted. Similar acts of violence are endemic in the Austin Police Department. We in District 5 demand that Ann Kitchen call for full investigations of the officers responsible for these violent acts and racial discrimination at APD, including asking for assistance of the Travis County District Attorney and from the United States Department of Justice.


Petition by

To: District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen
From: [Your Name]

Dear Council Member Ann Kitchen,

As constituents of City Council District 5, we care. We stand in solidarity with Black and Brown communities in Austin and ask that action must be taken now to address systemic racism in our City. As our representative, we need you to use your voice and power to make change now. We in District 5, are asking for:

We are asking for you to fund real solutions: APD funding must be returned to 2013 levels immediately. The APD budget has ballooned over the past seven years, while affordable housing, employment opportunities, and public health resources have been underfunded. We in District 5 believe that real solutions require people-centered services that keep all communities safe and thriving.

We are asking for you to hold police accountable: City Manager Cronk must replace APD Chief Manley and his team, immediately. If Cronk refuses, terminate Cronk and replace him with a city manager accountable to Black and Brown communities. We in District 5 have lost faith that Manley can lead a department that cares for the lives of Black and Brown Austinites.

We are asking for you to demand Justice for Michael Ramos, Saraneka Martin, Brad Levi Ayala, and Justin Howell: Michael Ramos was killed by Austin police in April. Saraneka Martin, Brad Levi Ayala, and Justin Howell sustained serious injuries after “less-lethal” rounds were shot into crowds of protestors. We in District 5 call for full investigations of officers responsible for this violence and other acts of racial discrimination at APD.

As constituents of District 5, we care and are committed to realizing meaningful, long-lasting change in our City. More can be done and it is time to act now.