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Central Health board considers improvements to reaching target communities
Members of the Central Health Board of Managers turned their attention Wednesday to how well the organization is doing at finding those who need health care and other services in a number of areas throughout East Austin. The discussion came…
Public Health • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 16, 2024
Austin exploring new ways to look at water quality
A discussion at the most recent meeting of the Environmental Commission revealed that the city is in the process of creating a new way to explain and track how policy decisions impact water quality in Austin. Since 1994, the Watershed…
Water • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 16, 2024
Council OKs raising property tax, adding funds for homeless services in new $5.9 billion budget
Austin taxpayers will see an increase in their property tax bills next year, but not so much that it will require their approval. Taxpayers will be charged $0.4776 per $100 taxable value, with a homestead exemption of $154,000 for homeowners…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Aug 15, 2024
Parks, pools, trees – and dogs – get a boost in new city budget
The new city budget City Council passed Wednesday delivered good news for parks and park lovers with the creation of a land acquisition fund, improved parks maintenance, additional funding for tree-planting projects and a dog park in Southwest Austin. Additionally,…
Budget • By Amy Smith • Aug 15, 2024
Music Commission wants STR taxes to increase Live Music Fund awards
The Music Commission wants to increase funding for the Live Music Fund from its current $4.5 million total, and could push for hotel taxes from short-term rental sites as a funding source. At last week’s meeting, the commission received an…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 15, 2024
County commissioners approve tax rate election to raise $75M for child care
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to place a tax rate increase on the November ballot that could generate $75 million per year to improve child care services throughout the area. If approved, the money would be used to…
Bonds & Propositions • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 14, 2024
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Commissioners advance program to provide legal counsel at bail hearings
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to move forward on implementing a program to provide legal representation to arrested individuals during magistration, when a judge determines probable cause for arrest and sets bail. Commissioners will first need to authorize…
Courts • By Amy Smith • Aug 14, 2024
Intake at animal center continues to outpace adoptions
Animal intake at the Austin Animal Center continues to surpass the number of adoptions, according to a presentation at an Animal Advisory Commission meeting Monday. In July, the center took in 932 animals while 769 animals were adopted, according…
Austin • By Dylan Ebs • Aug 14, 2024
Animal advocates re-up calls for the closure of the Austin Aquarium
Animal rights advocates are calling for the Austin Aquarium to shut down. The new push comes after a high-level resignation at the aquarium’s parent company – and years of controversy surrounding the strip mall-based aquarium. In late 2013, the Austin Aquarium…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 14, 2024
Animal Services Office turns to outside boarding to address shelter crowding
The Animal Services Office has recently resumed use of third-party boarding facilities to handle space constraints and crowded conditions at Austin Animal Center. A memo published last week from Don Bland, chief animal services officer, gave City Council an update…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 13, 2024
Council budget requests include weatherization expansion, despite Austin Energy reservations
City Council has many possible budget amendments to consider this week. Although city staff has made clear that the city’s growth has not been sufficiently robust to support many expensive changes to the city’s budget, Council will still move forward…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Aug 13, 2024
Commission drills down on what disannexation could mean for area water quality
Though the city’s current water quality monitoring system has been in place for an impressive 30 years, changes at the state Legislature mean a change at the city level as well. Andrew Clamann, who works for the Watershed Protection Department…
