The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Latest Headlines for Monday, April 14

Austin ISD gets $41 million from the Education Department. What happens if the agency closes?

When Christy Fox thinks about why federal funding is important to Austin ISD, she thinks about who those dollars support: staff typically working with the district’s most vulnerable students. “I think about the human behind it,” she said, “because these…

Panelists talk pipelines, batteries and other answers to Austin’s energy demands

Austin’s fast-paced growth and the increasing energy demands of large industries like data centers and advanced manufacturing are pushing the region’s energy infrastructure toward a critical juncture, according to experts who spoke at the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s recent Infrastructure…

Austin requires all homes to have working air conditioning

Ahead of Austin’s scorching summer months, City Council members adopted a property maintenance code Thursday that requires all homes in the city to have functioning air conditioning. The new rule does not require property owners to have central air conditioning. But…

Council OKs next steps in planning improvements to Sixth Street district

With early data suggesting the area’s safety can continue to improve, City Council approved a detailed resolution Thursday directing city staff to pursue a wide-ranging set of improvements and operational changes aimed at encouraging daytime activity in the Sixth Street…

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport announces new flight service while anticipating capacity cuts

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has announced new flights starting this month while anticipating capacity cuts with the softening economy’s effect on travel demand. Jason Alexander, Austin’s deputy chief of airport affairs, gave a briefing on air service updates to the Airport…

Austin has only weeks to decide where to put parks over I-35

Austin must decide within just a few weeks whether to commit hundreds of millions of dollars to installing support structures on Interstate 35, or give up the chance to build parks over the highway. City Council has until May 31…

Subscribe to our newsletter

Transportation panel looks at regional needs as affordability pushes Austinites out

Austin’s leaders are looking for answers to transportation needs as rapid growth pushes housing and job centers farther from the urban core, straining an already overburdened transportation system. At a recent infrastructure summit hosted by the Austin Chamber of Commerce,…

TipSheet: Austin City Council, 4.10.25

Today’s Austin City Council meeting looks to be a rather tame affair, but we’re staying tuned nonetheless. As usual, the entire agenda is posted online, but we’ve read through and made our best guesses at what might be worth a…

The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

City facing a $33 million deficit for 2026

Given current conditions, the city’s budget analysts are projecting a $33 million shortfall in the city’s General Fund in Fiscal Year 2026, with that number increasing to $79.9 million by FY 2030. City Council heard the bad news from City…

Public Safety Commission hears updates on APD staffing, wildfire readiness and EMS simulation lab

On Monday, the Public Safety Commission heard a quarterly report from the Austin Police Department, an update on wildfire readiness from the Austin Fire Department, a briefing on the Austin-Travis County EMS Simulation Lab, plus an update on the 2026…

Infrastructure panelists ponder tactics for stretching Austin’s existing water supply

Facing limited prospects for new water sources, Austin officials are advancing a broad strategy centered on water reuse, conservation and storage to meet the city’s long-term needs. At a recent infrastructure summit hosted by the Austin Chamber of Commerce, water…

front of City Hall

City looking to fill in gaps after spending or encumbering all ARPA funds

The city has spent or encumbered a total of $188.5 million that it received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act. According to a memo to the mayor and City Council, the city met the Dec. 31,…

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

Nonprofit spotlight: Four questions for American Gateways

American Gateways ensures access to the justice system for low-income immigrants. We serve 23 counties in Central Texas and provide high-quality legal representation and accurate information about what is happening in our immigration system. What is the mission of American…