At its last meeting of the year Thursday, City Council approved two measures aimed at encouraging people to get out of their cars. One item, crafted by Council Member Delia Garza, instructs the city manager to put together a working group to consider a pilot program “that would address shifting modes of transportation by incentivizing […]
Jack Craver
Posted inCity Council
Council ponders ways to make meetings shorter, less confusing
As part of its ongoing efforts to make government more efficient and productive, City Council is discussing potential changes to how meetings are run. The conversation was kicked off by the city’s CFO Elaine Hart, who highlighted a number of ways Council could make things easier for the city employees who staff Council meetings. The […]
Posted inElections
Natasha Harper-Madison easily prevails in District 1
After finishing in a virtual tie in the general election, Natasha Harper-Madison easily defeated Mariana Salazar to become the next Council member for District 1 in East and Northeast Austin. Harper-Madison carried the low-turnout runoff election 72 percent to 28 percent, with 3,404 votes to Salazar’s 1,341. In a barroom packed with supporters at the […]
Posted inElections
Renteria bests sister Almanza again
Council Member Pio Renteria held on to his seat the same way he won it four years ago: by beating his sister. The incumbent representative of District 3, which covers much of Central East and Southeast Austin, easily won re-election in a runoff against sibling Susana Almanza, earning roughly 65 percent of the vote. Talking […]
Posted inTransportation
Vision Zero advocates look to Legislature to help reduce traffic deaths
In 2015, Austin hit a record high in road deaths: 102. In the two subsequent years, things have improved, with 79 and 76 people perishing in 2016 and 2017, respectively. By the beginning of December, 69 had died this year on Austin’s highways and roads. The improvement is not nearly good enough, said Laura Dierenfield, […]
Posted inHousing
After being stymied by Abbott, Council moves ahead on east side housing initiative
Hobbled by Gov. Greg Abbott in their attempts to create more homestead preservation districts that would set aside tax revenue for affordable housing in gentrifying areas, a number of City Council members are trying to maximize the impact of the city’s existing district. Council voted in 2007 to create the city’s existing homestead preservation district, […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Report: West Campus needs more lights
Two and a half years after the murder of a UT student spurred calls to improve safety in the West Campus neighborhood, campus safety advocates and city transportation officials say it’s time for the city to improve lighting in the area. Last year, the city hired a consultant to do a comprehensive study of existing […]
Posted inAISD
Austin teachers fear less planning time, increased class sizes
About two dozen teachers showed up to the Nov. 26 meeting of the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees to voice their concerns about a proposal floated by the district that would reduce the teacher-to-student ratio in middle schools and high schools. The current district staffing guideline for secondary schools is 29 students to […]
Posted inWater
Council approves 100-year water conservation road map
On Thursday, City Council unanimously adopted a plan to guide Austin’s water use for the next century. “This is a tremendous moment for Austin,” said David Foster, director of Texas Clean Water Action. “If we pass this plan, Austin will become the only major city to meet its water demand in the future without taking […]
Posted inWhispers
Council approves lease for Urban Roots in Southeast Austin
On Thursday City Council voted unanimously to lease a 9.4-acre parcel of city-owned property in Southeast Austin to Urban Roots, a nonprofit focused on getting young adults involved in urban farming. The organization offers various programs, including internships and fellowships, to teach young people how to grow and cook their own food. Council Member Delia […]
Posted inCity Council
Should the city move to a two-year budget?
Every week that City Council holds a Thursday meeting, Council members meet Tuesday for a “work session” to discuss items that they plan to vote on at the meeting. In recent months, however, Council has also begun setting aside an hour during some work sessions for a broad conversation about how to make city government […]
Posted inWhispers
In final remarks, Gordon bemoans AISD segregation
After being defeated by LaTisha Anderson in his bid for re-election to the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees, Trustee Ted Gordon delivered a statement about his thoughts on the future of the district. In recent months, Gordon has led a coalition of activists calling on the district to take major steps to reduce […]