The City Council Audit and Finance Committee accepted an audit from the Office of the City Auditor Monday that faulted the city’s processes in dealing with recommendations from the Citizen Review Panel to the chief of police. All the members of the committee present agreed that the public needs more information about the results of […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inWhispers
Troxclair testifies against paid sick leave law
District 8 Council Member Ellen Troxclair testified Monday as one of plaintiff’s main witnesses against the Austin ordinance requiring local businesses to provide paid sick leave for their employees. Troxclair, along with Council Member Ora Houston, voted against adoption of the ordinance in February. In April, several business organizations, including the Texas Association of Business, […]
Posted inWhispers
CodeNEXT court hearing rescheduled
Fred Lewis, one of the attorneys who filed suit on behalf of citizens seeking to put CodeNEXT on the November ballot, notes that the mandamus action that had previously been set for a hearing on Wednesday has been rescheduled to Monday, July 2, at 9 a.m. But if you had your heart set on some […]
Posted inPolice
Audit: Citizen oversight of APD flawed
Although the city’s Citizen Review Panel drafted numerous memos to the chief of police in an attempt to bring about change at the Austin Police Department, its efforts “did not create substantive change” within APD, according to a draft audit conducted by the Office of the City Auditor. Part of the problem, auditors noted, was […]
Posted inCity Council
Tovo seeks to keep rowing club at boathouse
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo wants to help the nonprofit Austin Rowing Club continue operating the city-owned Waller Creek Boathouse on Lady Bird Lake by instructing staff to extend the club’s contract rather than offer the boathouse for competitive bidding. Tovo and her co-sponsors, City Council members Leslie Pool, Ann Kitchen and Alison Alter, have posted […]
Posted inWhispers
CodeNEXT consultant John Fregonese dies
Planners and other people associated with the CodeNEXT effort were shocked to learn Monday that John Fregonese had died, and they passed this information on to the Austin Monitor. Fregonese and his associate, Alex Steinberger, were leading the effort to understand affordable housing and housing capacity as it interacts with land use regulations. Fregonese was […]
Posted inZoning
Council gives final OK to 4 East project
Utilizing both the density bonus program within the Plaza Saltillo Transit-Oriented Development and the CURE density bonus program, developer Tocayo Investments GP LLC and CC Third and Comal LP won the right to develop six properties on East Fourth Street to a height of 74 feet at last week’s City Council meeting. The 4 East […]
Posted inPolice
Divided Council rejects more pay for police
With only five members voting in favor of the motion, City Council rejected reinstatement of extra pay for certain police officers Thursday night, dashing the hopes of officers who work night shifts, for example. Passage of any ordinance requires six votes. Explanations about why that happened depend on who you ask. Council Member Delia Garza, […]
Posted inWhispers
Top job open at Economic Development
The city of Austin has officially started its search for a new director of the Economic Development Department. Kevin Johns, who served as director for eight years, stepped down in December. His LinkedIn profile indicates that he is now the CEO of Future Economies LLC. Upon Johns’ departure, Interim City Manager Elaine Hart named Rebecca […]
Posted inCity Council
Council raises homestead exemption to 10%
On a vote of 7-4, Council on Thursday approved raising the homestead exemption from the current rate of 8 percent to 10 percent for the coming year. The resolution’s sponsors included Council members Ellen Troxclair, Leslie Pool, Ann Kitchen and Ora Houston. Mayor Steve Adler and Council members Alison Alter and Pio Renteria joined the […]
Posted inWhispers
Rally today in support of police resolutions
City Council will be considering two resolutions aimed at reducing the Austin Police Department’s number of discretionary arrests and protecting the rights of local immigrants after their dinner break tonight. Council Member Greg Casar requested that the resolutions be considered in the evening because representatives from Grassroots Leadership, the Workers Defense Project and United We […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Council plays with ideas for soccer stadium
District 7 City Council Member Leslie Pool on Tuesday continued to try to convince her colleagues that they should not play ball with Precourt Sports Ventures, the folks who want to bring a Major League Soccer stadium to Austin. But most of her colleagues seem to be ready to give the Columbus Crew SC a […]