Austin News

David Chincanchan, running for the open Austin City Council District 2 seat, supports cutting police funding, repealing the homeless camping ban and a controversial rezoning plan.

Chincanchan also supports the $7 billion transit plan on today's ballot.

On his website, Chincanchan describes his years as serving as an activist and community leader, and has worked for numerous unions and Democratic entities. 

Austin News previously reported that Chincanchan supports cutting funding to the police as the city as seen its crime rate increase. Austin had 23 murders in June, up from 14 during the same month in 2019, a 64.9% increase.

Chincanchan supported the move when Austin City Council voted in August to cut the police department budget by one-third. 

On his campaign's Facebook page, Chincanchan called the vote “historic” and said it would free up funds for the homeless, early childhood education and mental health services, and a new office of violence prevention.

He also issued a statement on the protests that Austin Police Chief Brian Manley should resign and that "his resignation would allow our community to heal and move forward with the enormous task that now lies ahead of us."

Chincanchan also supports a controversial revamping of the city's zoning code, which critics indicate would increase gentrification, raise property taxes dramatically, hurt renters and eliminate single-family homes, Austin News previously reported. 

The current zoning code is “rooted in a segregationist, racist plan from 1928,” Chincanchan told the Austin Monitor. “Over the last several years, including in East Austin and including in Rainey Street, we have seen the effects of gentrification, we have seen displacement, we have seen real suffering, and in our community, we have seen flooding as well. All of those things that we want to address are happening under the current Land Development Code and so we should be clamoring for change.”

Under CodeNext, the proposed plan's name, a minimum of three homes would be allowed on residential lots and would cause land values and taxes to soar, said the group Community Not Commodity, reported Austin News.

Chincanchan also supports the $7 billion transit plan and supports a repeal of the homeless camping ban.