Independent Audit — On the November 2026 Ballot | Save Austin Now
On the November Ballot

The City of Austin spends $6 Billion a year with no public audits. This November, you can change that.

Over 21,000 Austinites put the Independent Audit on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Sign up below and we'll make sure you never miss an update between now and Election Day.

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“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
Our Track Record

Austin Keeps Winning With Us.

Two citywide victories, decided by double-digit margins. With your help, we make it three on November 3 — and this one becomes permanent law.

2026 On Ballot
– days to go

The Independent Audit

Recurring, public, independent audits of every dollar City Hall spends — put on the ballot by 21,000+ Austin voters.

Certified for the Nov 3 Ballot
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63% to 37%

Prop Q

Stopped the largest cost-of-living tax hike in Austin history — a 20% spike City Hall tried to pass in a single year.

WON 63% – 37%
58% to 42%

Prop B

Restored safe, shared public spaces — parks, trails, and sidewalks — by overturning unregulated camping.

WON 58% – 42%
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
The Problem

Austin's Spending Is Out of Control

Austin's city government spends far more per resident than comparable cities — and the bill lands on your rent, your taxes, and your cost of living. This November, we make independent, public audits of every dollar the law.

$6,560
spent per resident — nearly 2× Dallas
🚨 Nearly 2x more than Dallas
$6,560
Austin
Texas' largest city
$3,992
Dallas
Similar population
$3,505
Denver
Much larger city
$3,158
Los Angeles
Austin suburb
$3,105
Round Rock
Texas' 2nd largest
$2,650
San Antonio
Hill Country suburb
$1,890
Boerne
City government spending per resident, adopted budgets.
What's on Your Ballot

The Audit makes City Hall show its waste, open its books & earn every tax hike.

Thanks to more than 21,000 Austinites, this City Charter amendment is officially on the November 3, 2026 ballot. A YES vote requires a recurring, independent review of Austin City Council's billions in spending, performance, and staffing — and it must identify savings that exceed the cost of the review itself.

Just Get Updates ↓ See how the audit works
Certified for the ballot by the Austin City Clerk. No gimmicks — independent audits written into the City Charter.
What This Amendment Does Lowers Cost of Living
Before Tax Increases
Independent Review Required
Council can't call a tax-rate increase election unless a full audit has been completed in the last year.
Net Impact
Savings > Cost
The contractor must commit to finding annual or multi-year savings that exceed their own fee.
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    Independent professionals, competitively selected by the City Auditor — not City Hall.
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    Forensic accounting to reveal fraud, waste, conflicts of interest, and weak internal controls.
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    Full transparency: all drafts, data, and findings are public information by law.
Why This Matters

Austin can't become more affordable without honest numbers.

The cost of City government directly affects the cost of living. This amendment requires the City to benchmark its spending, staffing, and outcomes against what residents and businesses can actually afford — and against similar Texas cities — instead of asking for more taxes without proof of efficiency.

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Independent, professional analysis
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.
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Forensic review of spending
Every fund, department, and enterprise is in scope. The audit examines capital assets, revenues, and expenditures and flags waste, fraud risks, and weak controls.
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Performance & accountability
The City and its contractors must be measured on workload, costs, and outcomes — with payment and oversight tied to clear performance metrics.
Our Philosophy

Our Vision for Austin

Since 2020, Austinites have delivered a clear message at the ballot box: affordability, accountability & basic competence are not partisan ideas — they are the minimum standard for a city that wants to stay livable.

Restoring order with compassion Prop B proved Austin rejects ideological homelessness policy ▾
When City Council de-regulated homeless camping & panhandling, it surrendered public spaces, parks, trails & roads. Over 100,000 Austinites from every background saw that purported compassion without structure collapses into disorder. Prop B was a statement that public safety & public spaces must come before ideology — proof Austin will take hard, grown-up positions when City Council will not.
Putting affordability at the center Prop Q proved Austinites are done being overtaxed ▾
When City Hall pushed the largest cost-of-living tax hike in Austin history — 20.2% in a single year, 10× the rate of inflation — we answered with a decisive 63–37 rejection. Families, renters, owners & small businesses made it clear: living in Austin shouldn't require paying some of the highest taxes in the country. Residents will say no to new taxes until there is unmistakable proof of efficiency & value.
Turning wins into permanent oversight This November, the Independent Audit makes accountability permanent ▾
Prop B restored basic order. Prop Q defended affordability. The Independent Audit completes the arc by writing truth into the Charter itself: independent reviews of City Hall's spending, staffing, efficiency & performance on a regular schedule — findings public, and city government required to prove value before asking residents for more money. 21,000+ Austinites put it on the November 3 ballot. Now we pass it.
Donate to Keep Winning →
The Road to November

Our Momentum

Each step built on the last, and the through-line is clear: Austinites will defend public order, protect affordability, and demand honest numbers. Now it all comes down to November 3, 2026.

The launch Prop B petition drive proves citizens can act without City Hall Campaign Launch ▾
Residents from every part of Austin collected signatures to restore basic standards for public spaces. The campaign proved ordinary citizens could organize, build coalitions, and put an issue on the ballot without waiting for City Hall.
First victory Prop B wins — Austin restores order to public spaces Won 58 – 42 ▾
Austin voted to overturn unregulated camping, restoring the expectation that compassion requires order — and that neighborhoods, parks, and public places belong to the whole community.
Biggest win yet Prop Q wins — the record tax hike is stopped cold Won 63 – 37 ▾
When City Hall advanced a record cost-of-living tax hike, Austinites said no — 109,373 votes against. A decisive result with a clear signal: before asking for more, city government must show it is using what it already has wisely.
The next fight 21,000+ signatures put the Independent Audit on the ballot Certified ▾
Residents delivered more than 21,000 signatures — well past the 20,000 required — and the Austin City Clerk certified the Independent Audit charter amendment for the November ballot. Transparency and efficiency are now one vote away from being the default.
November 3, 2026 Austin votes — we finish the job together On the Ballot ▾
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and early voting runs October 19–30. Vote YES to make independent, public audits of City Hall's spending and performance the law — permanently.
Donate to Finish the Job →
How It Works

Legally required oversight of City Council.

The Independent Affordability & Efficiency Initiative isn't a one-time audit. It's a recurring, legally required process that forces the City to measure what matters: affordability, wasted spending, & real-world performance.

Regular audits of all $6B Required before any tax increase Whole government in scope
1
An independent firm performs the audit
Within 120 days of passage, the City Auditor must run a competitive process to choose a qualified independent outside auditor.
2
Full affordability & efficiency review
The auditor benchmarks Austin against peer cities, analyzes staffing and management structures, and identifies spending that can be reduced or eliminated.
3
Forensic accounting & transparency
The auditor performs forensic analysis highlighting fraud, conflicts of interest, and waste. Every draft and data set is public information — no hidden reports.
4
Results: savings and accountability
The audit costs $0 net. The auditor is legally required to find savings exceeding their fee. The City uses findings to manage departments and contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions

What Austin residents are asking.

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 amendment will appear on your ballot as a City of Austin charter amendment proposition — the proposition letter is assigned when Council orders the election.
What exactly does this amendment do? ▾
It adds a new section to the City Charter requiring a recurring, independent Affordability & Efficiency Initiative. The Initiative examines all City funds and departments, including capital assets, revenues, expenditures, and key performance metrics — and it must identify savings greater than its own cost.
How does this protect taxpayers before taxes go up? ▾
The City Council is prohibited from ordering a maintenance-and-operations tax rate increase election unless an Initiative has been completed within the previous year. In other words, City Hall must show its work before asking voters for more money.
Is this 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 has to cooperate with the Initiative? ▾
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 will this review happen? ▾
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.
This November, put independent oversight into Austin's Charter.
Vote YES on the Independent Audit — and chip in so every Austinite hears about it before early voting (Oct 19–30) and Election Day (Nov 3).
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Over 9,000 Donors ★ >140,000 Followers ★ Over 200,000 Votes ★ Over 100,000 Petition Signatures Since 2021 ★ Over 1,000 Volunteers ★