The Public Safety Commission approved a broad resolution Monday calling on the city to raise its offer to the Austin EMS union to pay salaries comparable to what other EMS agencies are paying. EMS salaries should be equivalent to what the city is paying firefighters and police officers and what is offered in the private […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inEMS
New EMS chief outlines progress on collections
With a projected budget deficit by Fiscal Year 2027, any news about increasing collections from those who owe the city of Austin money, including the state of Texas, is good news for City Council. Robert Luckritz, who recently joined the city as chief of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, brought some of that good news […]
Posted inWhispers
Spillar announces his departure for a new job
After 14 years with the city, Austin transportation director Robert Spillar has announced that he’s taking a new job in the private sector. In a memo to department staff, Spillar noted that since he came on board, the Transportation Department has expanded from one person to 425 employees. Among his many accomplishments cited, the first was creating […]
Posted inAustin
Airport Hilton rebounds from pandemic losses
The Hilton hotel at Austin’s airport has made a significant recovery from the dark days of the pandemic, airport executives Tracy Thompson and Rajeev Thomas explained to the City Council Audit & Finance Committee Wednesday. During 2021, the Hilton’s occupancy rate was about 62 percent and the average daily room rate was slightly less than […]
Posted inCity Hall
Parks supervisor resigns during inquiry into ethics allegations
A Parks and Recreation Department supervisor has resigned after running afoul of two ethics regulations. The fact that his supervisor misinterpreted one of the regulations likely compounded the problem. According to an audit released by the Office of the City Auditor, Jonathan Pixler violated regulations relating to a conflict of interest and also used city […]
Posted inBudget
Economic rebound, spending efficiency point to rosier budget picture
The city’s immediate financial outlook is looking more optimistic due to a strong rebound in sales tax collections, increased development, and City Council and city management’s efforts to slow the growth of city cost drivers over the last three years, according to Budget Officer Kerri Lang. However, city budget writers are also anticipating a budget […]
Posted inCourts
City wins digital billboard battle at Supreme Court
On a vote of 6-3, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Thursday that the city of Austin’s regulations prohibiting digital billboards and other off-premises digital signs are content-neutral and therefore do not violate the First Amendment. Reagan National Advertising and Lamar Advertising Company sued the city in a Travis County District Court after attempting to get […]
Posted inWhispers
Canally selected as interim leader of transit partnership
On Wednesday, the board of directors of the Austin Transit Partnership chose Greg Canally as interim executive director. Canally, the agency’s current CFO and chief development officer, will take over May 2 from Randy Clarke, Capital Metro president and CEO, who has been serving as ATP’s first executive director. In a news release, Veronica Castro […]
Posted inLand Development Code
VMU changes not happening anytime soon
Without taking a vote, City Council members decided during Tuesday’s work session that they would postpone Thursday’s vote on the most recent proposals to enhance affordability options within the zoning category known as Vertical Mixed Use, or VMU, and the new category VMU2. Mayor Steve Adler proposed a discussion at Council’s work session on May […]
Posted inCity Hall
Staff proposes continuing security guard contracts
City Council has been urging city staff since at least 2012 to hire more security guards as city employees, while city management and financial officers have pointed out the difficulties of doing so. Once again this week, Council will be considering contracts with five security guard companies. The item authorizes negotiation and execution of five […]
Posted inTransit
Austin Transit Partnership to seek new executive director
The board of directors of the Austin Transit Partnership, the entity formed by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city to design and build the Project Connect transit system, will consider a resolution next week to launch the process of finding a new executive director for ATP. Randy Clarke, who is the president and […]
Posted inCity Council
Council candidates start getting ready for November
Although campaign season has not really begun, candidates have filed paperwork to run for every City Council seat officially up for election in November, as well as those not scheduled to be on the ballot. Mayor Steve Adler will have served for eight years when his term expires at the end of December and he […]