After a near fatal bike accident 17 years ago, Austin chose a different path and has worked to make life better for people in Los Angeles.

Austin has always been a problem solver in business, in government and nonprofits. The results show it.

●      The problem: barely 1 in 5 California public schools had a full time arts and music program.

Austin’s solution: He authored and led a coalition to pass Proposition 28, adding $1 billion annually for arts and music in our public schools, without raising taxes.

●      The problem: 1 in 4 children need glasses, but many kids in low-income communities don’t have them, causing them to fall behind in school.

Austin’s solution: He founded and oversees Vision to Learn, a nonprofit that provides children in low income communities with free eye exams and glasses – more than 600,000 kids across the country and 200,000 in LA now have the glasses they need to succeed in school and in life.  

●      The problem: Only 20% of LA’s 3rd graders were reading at grade level.

Austin’s solution: As Superintendent of LA Schools, he created the Primary Promise program that added reading and math specialists in K-3 classrooms, leading to dramatic increases in reading and math skills. More than 20,000 kids who were struggling became proficient readers.

●      The problem: The Covid pandemic created an unprecedented crisis in LA’s public schools where 84% of students are from families living at or below the poverty line.

Austin’s solution: As Superintendent, he created and ran the largest food relief program in the nation, providing more than 140 meals to children and their families. Schools provided every student with a free computer and internet access. LA’s students had the biggest gains of any large school district in the country.

How is it that Austin gets so much done?  Glad you asked.  Let’s start with his upbringing.  The son of a public school teacher mom and immigrant dad who worked on the factory floor, hard work and learning are in his DNA.  A father of four, he and his wife raised four kids in LA while Austin built a successful business from scratch, with employees and clients all over the world.

Why Austin for mayor?

Our city faces a leadership crisis and our city government is adrift. City Hall spends billions to solve problems that only get worse.  LA’s unemployment rate is the highest of any major city, and jobs are disappearing. LA’s housing shortage is among the worst in the nation, and rents are unaffordable. The cost of utilities are up $1,223 a year, and city services have been cut.  Broken sidewalks, street lights, streets and fire hydrants have become the norm. Nothing will change if we don’t change how we run LA.  

Austin is ready.

Experienced. Innovative. Caring. He gets things done.

He will never accept the Trump administration’s assault on our values and our neighbors.

Targeting people based solely on the color of their skin is unacceptable and un-American. Austin understands LA’s diversity is our strength -- and will defend and protect our community.

Sign up for updates.  And look for Austin in your neighborhood.  

Let’s get LA back on track!

<li>The problem: The Covid pandemic created an unprecedented crisis in LA’s public schools where 84% of students are from families living at or below the poverty line.

Austin’s solution: As Superintendent, he created and ran the largest food relief program in the nation, providing more than 140 meals to children and their families. Schools provided every student with a free computer and internet access. LA’s students had the biggest gains of any large school district in the country.</li>

 </ul>

Austin’s solution: As Superintendent, he created and ran the largest food relief program in the nation, providing more than 140 meals to children and their families. Schools provided every student with a free computer and internet access. LA’s students had the biggest gains of any large school district in the country.

How is it that Austin gets so much done?  Glad you asked.  Let’s start with his upbringing.  The son of a public school teacher mom and immigrant dad who worked on the factory floor, hard work and learning are in his DNA.  A father of four, he and his wife raised four kids in LA while Austin built a successful business from scratch, with employees and clients all over the world.

Why Austin for mayor?

Our city faces a leadership crisis and our city government is adrift. City Hall spends billions to solve problems that only get worse.  LA’s unemployment rate is the highest of any major city, and jobs are disappearing. LA’s housing shortage is among the worst in the nation, and rents are unaffordable. The cost of utilities are up $1,223 a year, and city services have been cut.  Broken sidewalks, street lights, streets and fire hydrants have become the norm. Nothing will change if we don’t change how we run LA.  

Austin is ready.

Experienced. Innovative. Caring. He gets things done.

He will never accept the Trump administration’s assault on our values and our neighbors.

Targeting people based solely on the color of their skin is unacceptable and un-American. Austin understands LA’s diversity is our strength -- and will defend and protect our community.

Sign up for updates.  And look for Austin in your neighborhood.  

Let’s get LA back on track!