AUSTIN (KXAN) — Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he will not take the Austin assistant city manager job he was offered last week, according to a post on social media Tuesday.
Last week, Acevedo was offered the role of interim assistant city manager over the Austin Police Department, which was a new role that would report directly to interim City Manager Jesús Garza.
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In the social media post, Acevedo said he informed Interim City Manager Garza that he cannot take the position and “will pursue other opportunities.” He also said he will rejoin his family in Austin next week.
The decision comes after council members and local leaders questioned the choice to hire Acevedo for the newly created position with a $271,000 salary .
“Unfortunately, politics and power struggles have hindered our efforts to create real positive improvements for the people of the city,” he wrote on X. “I firmly believe that if we are to build a future together, we cannot afford to blame others and point fingers.”