Mayor Kirk Watson has expressed serious concerns about a proposed affordable housing project within the flight path of Austin’s airport and has suggested changes that will prevent such development in the future. In a post on the City Council Message Board, Watson wrote, “Placing an affordable housing project in an area that would have a […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inPolice
Public lines up to oppose police contract
The Austin City Council sat through hours of speeches from the public on Tuesday, mostly from citizens who oppose the proposed five-year contract with the city’s police union. A few spoke in support, but the vast majority of the 236 speakers said they were opposed to the $218 million contract and wanted Council to instead […]
Posted inElections
Ethics complaints won’t be heard before Election Day
As voters flocked to the polls on the first day of early voting, the city’s Ethics Review Commission decided it would postpone considering complaints about Mayor Kirk Watson and challenger Doug Greco accepting more than the allowed amount from non-Austin residents. City code limits the amounts candidates can receive from non-city residents on the theory […]
Posted inWhispers
Early voting took off with a roar on Monday
Early voting started on Monday, with long lines at many locations and just over 6 percent of registered voters in Travis County (or 46,646 people) showing up to cast ballots. From the Travis County Clerk’s website, it appeared that the polling place at the University of Texas still had a lot of eager voters standing […]
Posted inWhispers
Plaza dedicated to Austin icon Pat Crow
Family and friends of the late Pat Crow, including many of the public officials she helped to elect, gathered Friday at the Old Bakery and Emporium to dedicate the plaza to her. Crow, who died in 2017, was a political activist before she became an operative in 34 political campaigns. She was victorious in 30 […]
Posted inElections
West side District 10 candidates do not agree on much
There are just two candidates running for the District 10 City Council seat: Marc Duchen and Ashika Ganguly. While both have lived in West Austin for a number of years, Duchen, 46, has a longer track record. Duchen has an MBA and has served on the board of his homeowners’ association as well as the […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin airport expecting a huge surge on Monday
We’re expecting another big weekend in Austin, with SEC football fans coming to see the Georgia Bulldogs vs. the Texas Longhorns on Saturday and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Sting and Eminem entertaining visitors Friday through Sunday. Workers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, known as AUS, are expecting another record-breaking crowd. (Airport spokesperson Lesly Ramirez told […]
Posted inElections
PACs raising funds for Watson, Greco, others
A political action committee supporting Mayor Kirk Watson has raised more than $238,000 but spent less than $2,900 so far, according to a report filed with Austin’s Office of the City Clerk. One of the major contributors to the Austin Leadership PAC is Brandywine Operating Partner, which donated $10,000 to the PAC. Brandywine has been […]
Posted inElections
Incumbent Mackenzie Kelly faces Krista Laine in D6 race
Council Member Mackenzie Kelly and her lone challenger, Krista Laine, will go head to head in the Nov. 5 election. Kelly touts her credentials as a promoter of all things public safety, while Laine says she will do better for the district in that area as well as others. One factor favoring Laine is that […]
Posted inWhispers
Watson, Tovo host early vote parties
Mayoral candidate Kathie Tovo and Mayor Kirk Watson are both advertising parties to get their supporters excited about voting. And Tovo is hoping to add more money to her campaign fund. Tovo has announced a “pre-election bash” at Batch Kolaches at 3220 Manor Road on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. She’s calling […]
Posted inAustin
Council OKs contract for new academy to train ‘workforce of the future’
City Council on Thursday approved a $5 million contract with Workforce Solutions Capital Area to start and manage the Austin Infrastructure Academy for 12 months. In addition to job training, the contract with Workforce Solutions includes the provision of child care services and job placement assistance for mobility and infrastructure related positions. Council approved the […]
Posted inTransportation
Report highlights need for future airport audits
The city’s Aviation Department faces a variety of risks, particularly related to insufficient staffing, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor. Auditor-in-charge Kathie Harrison told the Council Audit & Finance Committee on Wednesday that the three top risk areas facing Aviation include contract and vendor management, asset management and maintenance and […]