On Tuesday, activist and local immigration attorney Jose “Chito” Vela announced his campaign for Austin City Council, District 4. The seat, which is currently held by Greg Casar, includes large parts of north Austin along North Lamar Boulevard and nearby neighborhoods both east and west of I-35.
“As an immigration attorney, I work with people every day who are struggling to stay in Austin. We must be a welcoming city for working class people, not a playground for the wealthy,” Vela said. “Austin’s growth continues to bring challenges and we must invest in our local infrastructure. The recent approval of light rail along North Lamar is a major step forward and a tremendous opportunity for our city. As a council member, I will closely monitor this project to make sure it is on time and on budget. Austin must also prepare for climate change driven challenges, such as flooding, freezes, drought and blackouts. We must harden our grid and protect our citizens, especially the most vulnerable.”
Vela is the former board chair of Workers Defense Project and is a partner in Walker Gates Vela, a law firm dedicated to serving immigrants. Vela is also a former City of Austin Planning Commissioner and volunteered as president of the PTA at Blanton Elementary.
“Our city’s popularity has brought challenges in the areas of affordability and traffic, but the people of Austin remain positive, engaged and involved. We are tolerant and open. We value knowledge and education. We defend our environment. We seek justice and equity. These are the values I want to take into the Austin City Council.”
Vela is the first to officially announce a plan to seek the D4 seat. If he were to win, he would serve the remainder of Casar’s term through 2025. Casar is stepping down to make a run for the 35th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
