Proposition I: Independent Audit on the November 2026 Ballot | Save Austin Now
Countdown to Election Day

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

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Register to vote by Oct 5 Early voting Oct 19–30 Election Day Nov 3
Proposition I • On the November Ballot

The City of Austin spends $6 Billion a year without independent audits. This November, you can change that.

More than 21,000 of our Austin neighbors put the Independent Audit — now officially Proposition I — on the November 3, 2026 ballot. See why it matters, check your registration, and help finish the job.

Your Next Step

Be ready to vote on November 3.

  • Vote YES on Prop I for recurring, independent reviews of City spending.
  • Keep the findings, data, and recommendations open to the public.
  • Help your neighbors know what is at stake before November 3.
Check My Registration → Donate to Help Pass Prop I →
See how Prop I works ↓

Watch: Why Austin Needs Prop I

“I want local government that lives up to our city. Save Austin Now has given us a non-partisan way to hold it accountable for exactly that.”

Austin Resident
The Problem

Austin's Spending Needs a Hard Look.

Austin's city government spends far more per resident than comparable cities, and local families pick up the tab through taxes, rent, and the daily cost of living. Prop I would give Austinites a regular, independent look at where the money goes and would make the findings public.

$6,560
spent per resident — about 64% more than Dallas
Our Track Record

Austin Voters Made These Wins Possible.

Neighbors from every part of town organized, signed, and voted for safe shared spaces, responsible taxes, and honest numbers. Now Prop I carries that same practical work to the November 3 ballot.

2026 Prop I

Prop I: The Independent Audit

More than 21,000 Austinites — above the 20,000 required — signed to put recurring, public reviews of City spending on the ballot. The amendment is officially Proposition I on the November 3 ballot.

PROP I • ON THE NOV 3 BALLOT
63% to 37%

Prop Q

109,375 Austinites voted against a 20.2% one-year tax increase, stopping it 63–37 and sending a clear message: show the value before asking for more.

WON 63% – 37%
58% to 42%

Prop B

Neighbors from every part of Austin organized, gathered signatures, and voted 58–42 to restore safe, shared parks, trails, and sidewalks.

WON 58% – 42%
What's on Your Ballot: Prop I

A YES on Prop I would make City Hall open its books, show its work, and identify savings before calling a tax-rate increase election.

The Independent Audit is officially Proposition I on Austin's November 3, 2026 ballot.

Read what a YES vote on Prop I requires
More than 21,000 Austinites signed to put this City Charter amendment on the ballot. A YES vote requires recurring, independent reviews of City spending, staffing, and performance — and requires the firm to identify savings greater than its fee.
Check Voter Registration See how Prop I works
The amendment is officially Proposition I. Independent oversight, written into the City Charter if voters approve it.
What Prop I Does Helps Lower the Cost of Living
Before Tax-Rate Increase Elections
Independent Review Required
If approved, Council could not call a tax-rate increase election unless a full review had been completed in the last year.
Required Result
Savings Identified > Fee
The contractor must identify annual and multi-year savings that exceed its fee.
  • Independent professionals selected through open competition by the City Auditor — not by City Council.
  • Forensic accounting to flag waste, fraud, conflicts of interest, and weak controls.
  • Public by law: drafts, data, and findings stay open to Austinites.
Why This Matters

Austin won't get more affordable until the numbers add up.

What City Hall spends lands somewhere — in rents, taxes, and the everyday cost of living. Prop I would require Austin to compare spending, staffing, and results with peer Texas cities and with what local families and businesses can afford before asking voters for more.

Outside experts — not City insiders
The City Auditor must hire an outside firm with a track record of this exact work — independent of City Hall and selected through open competition.
Follow every dollar
Every fund, department, and enterprise is in scope. The audit examines capital assets, revenues, and expenditures and flags waste, fraud risks, and weak controls.
Measure results, not promises
The City and its contractors must be measured on workload, costs, and outcomes — with payment and oversight tied to clear performance metrics.
What We Believe

A Practical Vision for Austin

Since 2020, Austinites have sent a clear message at the ballot box: public order, affordability, and accountable government are not partisan. They are the basics of keeping Austin a place our neighbors can afford to call home.

Restoring order with compassion Prop B showed Austin wants compassion with common sense
Austin voters backed a practical standard 58–42: compassion works best with safe, shared public spaces and clear expectations. Prop B showed that neighbors across Austin can come together around common sense.
Putting affordability at the center Prop Q showed Austin wants value before higher taxes
When City Hall proposed a 20.2% one-year tax increase, Austinites rejected it 63–37. Families, renters, homeowners, and small businesses sent a straightforward message: before asking for more, show that the money already collected is delivering real value.
Turning wins into permanent oversight Prop I would put independent oversight in the Charter
Prop B addressed shared public spaces. Prop Q defended affordability. Prop I would take the next practical step: recurring, independent reviews of spending, staffing, efficiency, and performance, with the findings public. More than 21,000 Austinites signed to put Prop I on the November 3 ballot. Now Austin voters decide.
Donate to Help Pass Prop I →
How It Works

Legally required oversight of City Council.

See the four requirements in Prop I

Prop I — the Independent Affordability & Efficiency Initiative — is not a one-time audit. If approved, it would create a recurring legal process for measuring affordability, waste, and real-world performance.

Regular reviews of all $6B Before any tax-rate increase election Whole government in scope
1
City Auditor selects an independent firm
Within 120 days of passage, the City Auditor must run a competitive process to choose a qualified independent outside firm.
2
Review affordability and efficiency
The firm benchmarks Austin against peer cities, analyzes staffing and management structures, and identifies spending that can be reduced or eliminated.
3
Follow the money and publish the work
The review includes forensic analysis of fraud, conflicts of interest, and waste. Every draft and data set is public information.
4
Identify more savings than the review costs
The selected firm would be required to identify annual and multi-year savings greater than its fee. The City could use the findings to improve departments and contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions

Questions from Austin Voters.

When is the vote, and how do I make sure I can vote?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and early voting runs October 19–30. Make sure you're registered to vote at your City of Austin address by October 5. The Independent Audit will appear on your ballot as Proposition I (Prop I).
What exactly does Prop I do?
If approved, it would add a new section to the City Charter requiring a recurring, independent Affordability & Efficiency Initiative. The Initiative would examine all City funds and departments, including capital assets, revenues, expenditures, and key performance metrics — and would be required to identify annual and multi-year savings greater than the contractor's fee.
How would Prop I protect taxpayers before a tax-rate increase election?
Prop I would prohibit the City Council from ordering any tax-rate increase election unless an Initiative had been completed within the previous year. In other words, City Hall would have to show its work before asking voters for more money.
Is Prop I just another internal audit?
No. The standard audit function remains separate. This Initiative uses external professionals, selected by the City Auditor, to conduct a broader, deeper review focused on affordability, efficiency, performance metrics, and forensic accounting.
Who must cooperate with the Prop I review?
The City Manager, all City departments, contractors, and component enterprises must promptly provide any information requested. Interfering with the Initiative or its independence is expressly prohibited under the Charter language.
Will the findings be public?
Yes. All drafts received by the City Auditor and all information gathered by the contractor are public information. Residents can request and review the work at every stage.
How often does Prop I require a review?
The Initiative must be repeated and completed every five years, at minimum, or more often if needed to support tax-rate elections or other requirements in the Charter.
On November 3, vote YES on Prop I.
Put recurring, independent oversight into Austin's Charter — and chip in so neighbors across the city know what is on the ballot before early voting, October 19–30.
♥  Donate to Help Pass Prop I Check Voter Registration
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On the November Ballot

Stay Informed.

Over 20,000 Austinites put our City Hall Audit on the Nov 3 ballot. Get the campaign and election updates you need before Austin votes.

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What is on the ballot: a recurring, independent review of City Hall spending with public findings, public data, and recommendations Austin residents can see.