Born in Laredo, Texas in 1946, Robert Barnstone was elected to represent District 5 on the City Council of Austin, Texas in June, 1988. Of a Latino background and fluent in both Spanish and English, Barnstone attended St. Joseph's and moved to Austin in 1968 to attend the University of Texas. There he received his B.A. in economics and history in 1970. Barnstone also earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Austin City Council, Barnstone, a self-employed real estate developer, served as the president and owner of the Barnstone Company and T.E.O. Corporation, companies closely involved with urban planning and development. His activities included the Congress Avenue Task Force (1982-1983), Downtown Austin Partners, Congress Avenue Beautification Committee (1985), Town Lake Park Alliance (1985), and the American Institute of Architects' Austin Chapter Design Awards Juror (1989).
Throughout his career, Barnstone focused on issues surrounding the Hispanic community and government spending in Austin. He worked on Mexican-American economic development programs as a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Opposition to backdoor deals and lobbying, as well as support for cutting municipal spending, characterized his city council term and subsequent mayoral campaign. Borrowing from his background in real estate development and architecture, Barnstone participated in boards and commissions involved with the Avante Plaza, Laguna Gloria Art Museum (LGAM), the Austin Convention Center and Visitor's Bureau (Civic Center) and Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. Despite this background, however, Barnstone voted against plans in June 1990 to develop the Barton Creek Watershed area. Barnstone sat on the Austin City Council until 1991, concluding with an unsuccessful Austin mayoral bid. He was defeated by former county commission Bruce Todd. Barnstone published articles on economics, business and planning in Texas Monthly, the Austin American-Statesman and other publications.
Robert Barnstone was married to freelance editor Anne Bauer, with whom he had three children, Mateo, Anatole, and Gabriella.
From the guide to the Austin (Tex. ). City Council. Robert Barnstone Records AR. 1992. 009., 1951-1991, 1988-1991, (Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, )
