Local governments need to look at their non-taxed property and sell it back into private hands if it is underused, according to Sarah Eckhardt, Democratic candidate for Travis County Judge. Eckhardt told a property tax town hall audience Friday that this would put money back into local government coffers through both the sale of property […]
Beth Cortez-Neavel
Beth Cortez-Neavel is a contributing reporter covering Travis County for the Austin Monitor. Beth works in words, data, photography and radio. She's a long-time Austinite living in the District 1 area.
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Travis County developing first electronic/paper ballot voting system
The Travis County Elections Office is developing a new dual electronic and paper ballot voting system with an estimated price tag of $8.1 million. Despite County Commissioners’ cost concerns, County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir, who is heading the effort, said Tuesday that it’s not the price tag that matters. The concern should be about getting other […]
Posted inLocal Government, Transportation
Travis County approves accessible parking awareness campaign
In an attempt to cut back on the 2,100 citations issued for violating parking reserved for the disabled by the Pct. 5 Constable’s Office last year, the Travis County Commissioner’s Court unanimously gave the go-ahead for a countywide accessible parking awareness campaign. Precinct 5 includes downtown and surrounding areas as well as West Austin. The […]
Posted inLocal Government
Travis County finances for July 8, 2014
Here’s the Monitor’s weekly rundown of Travis County fiscal action for the second week in July. County-approved expenditures totaled $1,954,884.90 this week. $176,700 to increase the amount paid to Kiewit Building Group for the Executive Office Building HVAC Upgrades Project. The increase in contract amount will go to additional electrical work and lobby improvements. The total contract sum now […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Resources
Travis County renews affiliation with water policy resource group
Travis County Commissioners voted last week to continue participation in a Central Texas organization formed originally to purchase a section of small water utilities from the Lower Colorado River Authority. The vote came after the expression of some concern over the partnership at last Tuesday’s court session. The county passed a resolution in February 2013 […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics
Travis County financial report for July 1, 2014
For the week of July 1, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved the following expenditures, for an estimated of $1,270,123.29. $230,941.73 to increase the amount paid for four different county roadway construction improvements for Comanche Trail, Mellow Lane, Sendero Verde and Maha Loop Road. Within the past 12 months, the county has already spent $935,588.02 on the HMAC Overlay […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Public Safety
TravCo sees dramatic rise in child welfare cases, associated costs
Travis County spent $2,466,295 in private attorney’s fees during FY 2013 due to the rising number of child abuse and neglect legal cases filed in the region. According to a joint report conducted by the County’s Justice and Public Safety Divisions, the number of cases has grown rapidly over the past six years. Due to […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Travis County Commissioners approve Growth Guidance Guide
After voicing their concerns Tuesday afternoon, members of the Travis County Commissioners Court approved by a 3-1 vote the next step for a land, water and transportation plan that’s been two years in the making. The County’s Transportation and Natural Resources Department developed the Growth Guidance Plan. The plan is meant to guide the decisions […]
Posted inLocal Government
Travis appraiser says high-end residences could be undervalued
Concerns over the local property tax process continued to surface Saturday afternoon at an informational forum. There, Travis Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler said that, in addition to wide concern that commercial property is undervalued, there is also a potential for high-end residential housing to be undervalued. City Council District 1 candidate Ora Houston hosted the […]
Posted inLocal Government
Travis County fiscal picture for Tuesday, June 24
Each week the Monitor reports on Travis County spending habits. From here on out we’re changing it up a bit. Moving forward, we’ll be giving you the weekly expenditures, gained revenue and grant monies received. We hope this gives you a fuller picture of week-to-week fiscal action. For the week of June 24, 2014 […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Resources
Council presses Austin Energy for details of proposed new building
Austin Energy staff walked through their proposed plan to build a high-priced East Austin headquarters Monday morning. The proposed plan has come under criticism by City Council members and commercial real estate brokers, who are worried about the added burden to the taxpayers and the high cost of construction. The plan, budgeted at $58.9 […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council gives go ahead to develop North Central Corridor Plan
The Austin City Council voted unanimously last week to let city staff begin planning updates to portions of Burnet Road and Anderson Lane in a venture unlike any the city has never embarked on before. Under the North Central Austin Corridor Plan, the city’s Planning Commission would first research the area surrounding Burnet Road […]