Laura Helle
MN · Austin City Council Member, Ward 1
Austin City Council member for Ward 1 and housing director at Three Rivers Community Action, who earlier served on the city Planning and Zoning Commission. Her priorities are more housing and a growing economy, plus safer streets and neighborhoods.
Where Laura Helle stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (1 record), Public Safety and Crime Control (2 records)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (4 support · 5 oppose), Public Infrastructure (4 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Voted against renewing for two years an agreement letting the Lansing landfill send leachate to the city sewer plant, amid PFAS concerns. It passed 5–2.
November 20, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 4 support · 5 oppose
Cast the lone vote against a MnDOT construction agreement for a pedestrian bridge and sound wall after city costs rose. It passed 6–1.
April 6, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved a resolution supporting a new local sales tax to pay for a new Law Enforcement Center. It passed 6–0.
January 20, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a voluntary employee separation incentive worth up to $20,000 per person. It passed 3–2.
October 6, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against setting a 7.5% tax levy, saying the council did not know how it would get there. It passed 4–3.
September 15, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against cutting the proposed 2024 tax levy to $8,622,000; that failed 4–3. The council then set an $8,752,000 levy, a 5.66% increase.
September 18, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a noise wall paid 90% by the state, 5% by the city and 5% by nearby owners. It passed 4–3.
May 1, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to give $10,000 toward a whitewater park feasibility study. It passed 5–2.
March 6, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to pay $50,000 in added on-call firefighter wages from the fire PERA fund. The motion carried.
August 19, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against rejecting new funding requests from the county fair board, welcome center and historical society. The rejection passed 4–2.
August 20, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 2 support
Moved a resolution supporting a new local sales tax to pay for a new Law Enforcement Center. It passed 6–0.
January 20, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to pay $50,000 in added on-call firefighter wages from the fire PERA fund. The motion carried.
August 19, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 4 support · 1 oppose
Cast the lone vote against opposing a support letter for southern Minnesota passenger rail. She said strong cities offer options beyond cars. It passed 3–1.
November 18, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a noise wall paid 90% by the state, 5% by the city and 5% by nearby owners. It passed 4–3.
May 1, 2023Opposes Public Infrastructure
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to give $10,000 toward a whitewater park feasibility study. It passed 5–2.
March 6, 2023Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against dropping a planned sidewalk link through phase 1 of the Nature Ridge development. It passed 4–2.
September 8, 2020Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Seconded a motion to build street project 19106 with full costs assessed to nearby owners; it failed 2–5. She then cast the lone vote against canceling the project.
April 1, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Track record — General
General · 15 records
Voted against the city's 2026–2028 base pay structure for employees. It passed 4–2.
May 18, 2026
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a 2026 budget plan that used employee attrition and early separation. It passed 5–2.
December 1, 2025
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved adoption of the point-of-sale sewer and sump pump inspection ordinance for home sales. It passed 5–1.
July 21, 2025
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to repeal MetroNet's cable franchise ordinance, saying delay gave the city no leverage. It failed 2–5.
July 15, 2024
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to adopt a new structure for the Grow Austin business incentive program. It passed 4–2.
March 4, 2024
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against building southwest street project 24101 without sidewalks. It passed 5–2.
February 20, 2024
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against backing growth to 36 police officers while budgeting for 34. She asked about adding non-officer staff instead. The motion failed 4–3.
June 5, 2023
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Cast the lone vote against building street project 23103 without new sidewalk. It passed 5–1.
March 20, 2023
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a variance for up to 1,500 square feet of solar panels, saying she wanted to uphold the Planning Commission. It passed 5–2.
November 16, 2020
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against putting off a backyard chicken ordinance until 2021. She said people wanted more self-reliance during the COVID pandemic. Tabling passed 5–2.
July 6, 2020
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a 5% increase in 2020 street assessment rates. It passed 4–2.
January 6, 2020
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Moved to deny rezoning 1500 7th Avenue NW for a car lot, as the Planning Commission advised. Her motion failed, and the rezoning passed 5–2 over her vote.
November 4, 2019
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against a proposed snow parking ordinance, calling it overkill for one bad winter. It failed 3–4.
September 3, 2019
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Voted against freezing city employee pay changes until a pay study was put in place. The motion passed 4–3.
June 5, 2017
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Abstained from a vote on a city gift to the Austin Area Commission for the Arts, citing her job there. The council recommended the gift 6–0.
January 3, 2017
Source: ci.austin.mn.us
Past race Laura Helle ran in:
- City Council Member Ward 1 · November 3, 2026 · Austin city, Minnesota · incumbent