Cynthia Soliz Withdraws From the Austin ISD District 9 Runoff, and Pamela Mathai Takes the Seat
Soliz said she could not ask a district cutting $265 million to spend up to $350,000 electing her. Mathai, who tied her at about 43%, is expected to be sworn in Thursday.
AUSTIN — The Dec. 12 runoff for Austin ISD's districtwide District 9 seat is off. Cynthia Soliz withdrew from the race Monday night, clearing the way for Pamela Mathai to take the at-large trustee seat, Austin Current reported. Soliz, an Austin ISD parent and education attorney, announced the decision in a video posted to Facebook, and the reason was money — the district's, not her campaign's.
"I personally cannot ask that $350,000 be spent on an election for me," Soliz said in her statement, as Austin Current reported. "It is not something I can ask the students of AISD to forfeit for an election." Austin ISD told her a runoff would cost between $240,000 and $350,000, FOX 7 Austin reported; the district told Austin Current it has spent between $208,500 and $362,000 on individual runoff elections over the past 12 years. The district cut more than $205 million from its budget this year and has announced plans to cut another $60 million.
The race she is leaving was a genuine tie at the top: Mathai and Soliz each drew nearly 43% of the vote, with Kirk Becker third at 14%, in an election where AISD counted 324,585 ballots in the trustee races. Mathai, an AISD parent and former educator endorsed by outgoing District 9 Trustee Arati Singh, told Austin Current she is eager to work with the new board members on special education and dual-language programs.
Mathai is expected to be sworn in on Thursday, when Jessica Neufeld, Sarah Dille and Laurie Solis — the winners of the three other board seats on the ballot — also take office. The board they join faces a possible state takeover and the next round of budget cuts, which is precisely the arithmetic Soliz said she could not add to.
