Elizabeth Pagano

As expected, the Austin City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution that will involve them with the school budget crisis, although just how they will be able to help AISD remains unclear.   “What happens to the schools happens to the City of Austin,” said Mayor Lee Leffingwell. “We want to do what […]

City Council continues to work on its new work sessions, openly struggling with how to conduct the meetings that are held in a hot, cramped room on Wednesday afternoons. Last week, Mayor Lee Leffingwell ran through the agenda, inviting comments on items from Council members. This week, he shifted gears.   “Rather than plod through […]

With a recent surge in applications for Municipal Utility Districts, known to friend and foe alike as MUDs, the city is considering changing its policy on how it deals with them. Austin Water Utility’s Bart Jennings briefed Council last week on the proposed policy.   Until recently, the city had received few applications for new […]

City Council took steps towards approving a new sound ordinance at yesterday’s work session. Approval of the ordinance — expected today — will allow South by Southwest to serve as a sort of testing ground before larger changes are made. The ordinance would amend the City Code as it relates to temporary event permitting.   […]

The joint subcommittee of the Urban Transportation and Downtown commissions met Monday afternoon in an attempt to come to some conclusions following a flood of angry survey responses. Most of the subcommittee’s discussion centered on two hot button issues in the survey: extended meter hours for on-street parking and downtown valets.   Public opinion, as […]

For the City of Austin, the Austin Technology Incubator is like money in the bank   ATI Director Issac Barchas spoke with In Fact Daily about his agency’s recent report to the Austin City Council and the future of the incubator.   Last year, ATI received about $620,000 from the city and Austin Energy, which […]

City Council unanimously authorized a contract for new gang tracking software for the Austin Police Department by a vote of 7-0 on Thursday. The new software will allow the city of Austin, Travis County, and the Austin Independent School District to create a common system to track and document gang members.   Opposition to the […]

Council has approved a resolution authorizing an application for up to $2 million in Brownfield Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) Grant funds and up to $8 million in Section 108 Loan Assistance Program funds, both aimed at funding inner city revitalization.   The city plans to use the federal funds to aid four businesses in the Saltillo […]

The Parks and Recreation Board took steps to increase the amount of open space required by the city this week. The board voted 7-0 on Tuesday to recommend changes to Chapter 25 of the city code, the chapter concerning requirements for open space in private developments.   Currently private open space is required for multi-family, […]

Austin Independent School District Superintendent Meria Carstarphen met with Austin’s League of Women Voters last night, answering questions about the recently released work of the Facilities Master Plan Task Force and the dire numbers released from the state last night.   “When I went into my board meeting (Tuesday night) and had my little proposal, […]

As the fight around the proposed closing of nine area schools heats up, the Friends of Barton Hills Elementary have gathered their resources to release a formal response refuting the findings of Austin Independent School District’s Facility Master Plan Task Force. In it, they offer a litany of complaints about inaccurate, missing, and artificially manipulated […]

Even though they do not see eye to eye on every issue, Council members Laura Morrison and Sheryl Cole are good friends. So, last night, it was no great surprise to hear Cole praising Morrison as Morrison announced her bid for re-election to the City Council.   Cole told more than 200 supporters gathered at […]