An attorney representing District 6 candidate Don Zimmerman has threatened to sue The Austin Bulldog over last week’s story referring to alleged physical abuse of his daughter and subsequent court action giving Zimmerman’s ex-wife sole managing conservatorship of the child. Zimmerman’s attorney, Stephen Casey, also demanded that the Austin Monitor retract a Whisper concerning the […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inWhispers
South Austin Dems issue endorsements
More than 150 members of South Austin Democrats came to El Gallo Restaurant on South Congress Tuesday night to make their preferences known in races for the Austin City Council, Austin Community College board and the Austin Independent School District board. The group voted to endorse Mike Martinez for Mayor; Delia Garza in District 2, […]
Posted inPublic Safety, Uncategorized
McDonald announces retirement from city service
After 31 years of service to the city, Deputy City Manager Michael McDonald has announced that he will retire at the end of December. McDonald, who had a distinguished career in the Austin Police Department and served as the first African-American assistant police chief in Austin’s history, moved over to City Hall in 2002 to […]
Posted inWhispers
Martinez, Casar gain new endorsements
Environmental organization Clean Water Action announced Monday night that it was endorsing Mike Martinez for Mayor. David Foster, Texas Director for Clean Water Action, released the following statement: “Clean Water Action believes that Mike Martinez has accumulated the depth of experience working with city staff and the community to make him uniquely suited to lead […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council seeks answers on Bull Creek purchase
For citizens who want the city to buy about 75 acres of state land at Bull Creek Road and 45th Street, the most interesting part of today’s City Council work session agenda may well take place in executive session. That is where staff may describe what they have found while researching ways to fund purchase […]
Posted inResources
HHS Committee works to fund agency contracts
City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee continues to meet and discuss how to stretch a limited amount of money to fund contracts with Austin social service agencies for the next fiscal year. The panel made progress Wednesday but still has work left to complete a proposal for the entire Council. According to Council Member Laura […]
Posted inWhispers
Another look at cash in District 4
A couple of days ago when we wrote about the many candidates running for mayor and the 10 districts, we tried to include all those who had raised significant cash or had garnered enough endorsements to be called credible candidates. We failed to mention Marco Mancillas, one of eight candidates running for District 4. Mancillas […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
PAC spending plays role in City Council races
Although political action committees play a big role in the financing of campaigns nationwide and in Texas, they have not been very important recently in electing Austin’s mayor and City Council. While there is no evidence that that will change this year, some of the players who have an interest in the fate of their […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Proponents, opponents raise big bucks on Prop. 1
While the Let’s Go Austin PAC was touting its fundraising efforts, opponents were quietly raising money, too. As the Monitor reported Tuesday, the pro-Proposition 1 group said it raised $485,876 during the most recent reporting period. That brings the overall fundraising total to $559,121, according to PAC officials. After expenses, they report $290,724 remaining. The […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Cole, Martinez respond to Adler spending
With the release of Monday’s campaign finance reports, Council Member Mike Martinez and Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole got a look at the kind of money that mayoral opponent Steve Adler is raising and spending. Adler, a newcomer to politics, reported that he loaned his campaign $296,000 and spent more than $492,000. Combined with the […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Council candidates file campaign financial reports
(Monday was the deadline for all 78 candidates for Austin City Council to file their 30-day-out Contribution and Expenditure Reports with the City Clerk’s office. Here is a summary from the mayor’s race and all 10 Council districts. To save space, some candidates who did not raise significant amounts are not listed. Tyler Whitson and […]
Posted inWhispers
Adler, others loan campaigns money
All 78 candidates for the Austin City Council are required to turn in their most recent contribution and expenditure reports today. While certainly not definitive in winning an election, money does still make a difference. Exactly how much difference will not be clear until after the November election and possibly, the Dec. 16 runoff. Last […]