On today’s episode we speak with Sherri Greenberg, a professor of practice and fellow of the Max Sherman Chair in State and Local Government at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

She and Bingham Group CEO A.J. discuss different local governance structures and their implications on civic engagement.

BACKGROUND

In July, Austinites for Progressive Reform launched with, among other initiatives, a call to adopt a mayor-council form of government, i.e. a strong mayor system. This would transfer the city manager’s duties to the mayor.

The city of Austin is currently run under a council-manager system, with power and authority to set policy resting with the city council. The council in turn hires a nonpartisan manager who runs the city (including hiring and firing personnell). The city of Houston is the only major Texas city with a strong mayor system.

Austinites for Progressive Reform is currently gathering signatures for a city charter amendment (Austin’s constitution) vote in May 2021.


ABOUT GUEST:

Sherri R. Greenberg is a professor of practice and fellow of the Max Sherman Chair in State and Local Government at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and she is the Graduate Advisor for the LBJ School Master of Public Affairs Program. Additionally, she serves as Research Director of the Future of Work for Good Systems, A University of Texas Grand Challenge.

Greenberg is the Chairperson of the Board of Managers of Central Health, a member of the Austin Convention Enterprises Board of Directors, a member of the City of Austin Regional Affordability Committee, and a member of the City of Austin Housing Investment Review Committee.

Greenberg has served as a senior advisor to Austin Mayor Steve Adler. She was a Texas state representative from 1991 to 2001, and she chaired the House Pensions and Investments Committee and the Select Committee on Teacher Health Insurance.

Her teaching and research interests include: technology policy, urban and state issues, public engagement, housing, transportation, health care, public finance, and campaigns and elections. Her recent publications are “Smart Cities: Serving the Outskirts”; Housing + Social And Economic Mobility.

LINKS:
University Texas Page -> https://lbj.utexas.edu/greenberg-sherri

Austinities for Progressive Reform -> https://www.austinprogress.org/amendments

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