(This story is compiled from campaign financial reports from Austin’s Office of the City Clerk as reported by Jo Clifton, Elizabeth Pagano and Mark Richardson.) Mayor Political newcomer Steve Adler continued to raise more money than his two opponents during the past month, according to campaign financial reports filed with the City Clerk’s office Monday. […]
Austin Monitor
Posted inElections, Local Politics, Transportation
Reporter’s Notebook: Urban rail parking spaces
We’re saving extra parking spaces for the train … In a discussion about the value of a possible rail station at Austin Community College’s Highland Mall campus this week, Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty brought up an interesting question. Commissioners were discussing a nomination for the high-tech company Rackspace to the Texas Enterprise Zone Program, […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Reporters Notebook: Lawn renamed for Mathias
Council renames part of Auditorium Shores for Mathias … Council members voted 7-0 Thursday to name the east lawn of Auditorium Shores in honor of Vic Mathias, the former CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. The honor was proposed earlier this year, but the idea almost didn’t make it out of the starting […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Reporter’s Notebook: Council chamber progress
New Council Chambers taking shape … We just got a sneak peak at the refurbished City Council chambers and it is spectacular. That brand-new dais is carved ‘pecky Pecan,’ according to Bob Nagelhout, whose company designed and built the dais, matching podium and two rows of desks on each side of the center aisle for […]
Posted inDevelopment, Elections, Environment, Local Politics, Resources
Whispers Roundup: Keeping secrets badly
Whispers Roundup is a weekly column of items from our reporters’ notebooks. “We won’t say a thing to anyone – we swear!” . . . Despite a handful of speeches at Wednesday’s Austin Neighborhoods Council forum imploring the candidates to keep endorsements secret until Monday, a few of the winners have already let the cat […]
Posted inDevelopment, Elections, Local Government, Local Politics, Resources
Whisper Roundup: Accuracy a casualty in mayor’s race
Longtime readers of the Austin Monitor and its predecessor will remember Whispers as a column of information about what is really going on at City Hall, Travis County and the myriad other entities we cover. With our recent changeover to a new publishing format, Whispers became more difficult for our readers to find, so we […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Austin City Council financial reports for June 26, 2014
As we have with Travis County, the Monitor will offer more detail with our weekly city fiscal reports.) The Austin City Council approved the following estimated expenditures June 26, 2014, for an estimated amount of more than $100,000,000. $15,000,000 for a 36-month contract to Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline, LLC to provide Austin Energy with continued natural gas transportation […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Austin City Council spending for June 12, 2014
Here is a detailed look at expenditures Austin City Council authorized on June 12, 2014: · $477,592 of rebates were authorized for energy efficiency improvements; $131,100 to CWS Allandale-McKinney, LP (Austin Midtown Apartments); $123,680 to CWS Brushy Creek, LP (The Marquis at Brushy Creek Apartments); $136,712 to Gables Residential (Central Park Apartments); and $86,100 […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Resources
Travis County Commissioners Court spending for June 17, 2014
Here is a detailed look at how much money Travis County Commissioners spent this week: · Approved $36,000.00 for a proposed interlocal agreement with Pflugerville Independent School District to pay for half the cost of a traffic signal at the intersection of Gattis School Road and Priem Lane. · Approved $1,107,685.00 for a 25 […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Resources
Travis County Commissioners Court spending for June 10, 2014
Here is a detailed look at how much money Travis County Commissioners spent last week: · Approved $4,938.54 for three different cash security agreements with Gehan Homes, Ltd. for sidewalk repair in Pct. 1. · Approved $720.00 for a cash security agreement with Highland Homes, Ltd. for sidewalk repair in Pct 3. · Approved […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council meeting going strong well past midnight
Despite severe weather Thursday night that left thousands of Central Texans without power, Austin City Council members were still in session with several major items still on the agenda shortly after midnight. The Monitor will have coverage of these issues in Monday’s edition.
Posted inLocal Government
Travis County Commissioners Court spending for June 3, 2014
Here is a detailed look at how much money Travis County Commissioners spent this week: •Approved $1,489,967.60 for reimbursement to United Health Care for claims paid for participants in the Travis County Employee Health Care Fund for May 16-22. •Approved $32,468.37 for the county auditor and treasurer to reimburse county employees who have completed […]