Taylor Smith is the Deputy Director of Government Affairs for the Austin Board of Realtors. In this episode we discuss everything from protesting your property taxes and short-term rental rules to the Austin fire code.

The blue dot in a sea of red, the blueberries in the tomato soup, the blue-headed stepchild in a nuclear family of blondes – Austin’s progressive politics against Texas’ broader conservative backdrop often brings it to the forefront of many of today’s most pressing issues. From housing and transportation policy to local control and taxation, the City of the Violet Crown serves as a microcosm of the nation’s political discourse. Through conversations with local leaders and practitioners, the host, Sam Lee, aims to flesh out some of the most important issues facing Austinites today.

Miriam Shoenfield is a board member for Rethink 35, an organization dedicated to fighting the Texas Department of Transportation's plan to expand I-35. She can be found across social media platforms @MiriamSchoenf, and her organization can be found @rethink35_atx

The blue dot in a sea of red, the blueberries in the tomato soup, the blue-headed stepchild in a nuclear family of blondes – Austin’s progressive politics against Texas’ broader conservative backdrop often brings it to the forefront of many of today’s most pressing issues. From housing and transportation policy to local control and taxation, the City of the Violet Crown serves as a microcosm of the nation’s political discourse. Through conversations with local leaders and practitioners, the host, Sam Lee, aims to flesh out some of the most important issues facing Austinites today.

Greg Anderson is the current Director of Community Affairs for Austin Habitat for Humanity and an urban studies lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin. He previously served as the Policy Director for Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole. Greg can be found across social media platform @walkableaustin.