Although “the current state of our city is anxious, troubled and hurting,” Mayor Steve Adler said during Wednesday’s State of the City address, the city has “a once-in-a-century opportunity to no longer be bound by who we were a year ago. Some greater power has reinvented us all.” For Adler, now is the time to […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inCity Hall
Audit accuses parks department leaders of waste
The Office of the City Auditor released a report Tuesday accusing Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly McNeeley and Assistant Director Liana Kallivoka of giving another employee a “special privilege,” improperly using more than $22,000 worth of sick leave and wasting $39,000 of city funds. Both McNeeley and Kallivoka strenuously defended their actions in continuing payments to a […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Subdivision change initiated to help homeowner
Council Member Kathie Tovo and her staff have been trying for more than a year to help two constituents in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood solve a complicated subdivision problem that prevents them from building an addition to their 486-square-foot home. A divided City Council took one step forward in providing a remedy for them at […]
Posted inCity Council
Council OKs short contract to clean up homeless camps
Ten people signed up to tell Council on Wednesday they were opposed to awarding a three-year contract to Relief Enterprise of Texas Inc. for “removal of debris and cleanup services under bridge overpasses, under bridges, and in the transportation right of way.” Austinites addressing Council said they had witnessed employees of the contractor acting in […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council approves condemnation of Bull Creek property
With the exception of Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, who was off the virtual dais, Council unanimously approved filing eminent domain proceedings to acquire what the city describes as the final piece of property needed to complete the Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt from Loop 360 to Canyon Vista Middle School. The property owner, David Kahn, opposes […]
Posted inDevelopment
Owner resists city plans for eminent domain to complete Bull Creek Greenbelt
David Kahn, the owner of 11-plus acres of scenic property along Bull Creek in Northwest Austin, will be calling in today to oppose a proposed City Council decision to file eminent domain proceedings to acquire the land to complete the Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt. Neighborhood advocates are expected to support the purchase, while people who […]
Posted inElections
Rodriguez concedes, calls for unity, Eckhardt headed to Texas Senate
Eddie Rodriguez announced Monday that he was opting out of an uphill battle for the Senate District 14 seat against former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt. Instead, Rodriguez said he would focus his efforts “on winning a Democratic majority and promoting an aggressive, progressive agenda in the Texas House.” Rodriguez, who has served in the […]
Posted inWhispers
City to seek new demographer
Ryan Robinson, who served as the city of Austin’s demographer from 1995 until the present, has retired after 30 years of service to the city. Jerry Rusthoven, Robinson’s boss, said Robinson had planned for some time to retire when he hit the 30-year mark on July 1. Rusthoven said the city is certainly going to […]
Posted inWhispers
Don’t expect recall on November ballot
Last fall, the group Our Town Austin, led by activist Sharon Blythe, announced its intention to recall Mayor Steve Adler and the five City Council members not up for reelection in November: Natasha Harper-Madison, Pio Renteria, Ann Kitchen, Paige Ellis and Kathie Tovo. Petitioners were collecting signatures in January and February, but that became much […]
Posted inWhispers
Public Citizen, landowners sue Railroad Commission
Two landowners and the Texas branch of the watchdog group Public Citizen filed suit Thursday against the Texas Railroad Commission over the commission’s decision to waive certain rules for oil and gas drillers. As a result of the waiver, rules that require the industry to plug oil wells and remediate oil and gas waste pits […]
Posted inWhispers
New candidates on the radar
In 2016, District 4 Council Member Greg Casar swept to reelection victory with 61 percent of the vote. He had two opponents: Gonzalo Camacho, who got 23 percent of the vote, and Louis Herrin III, who got just 16 percent of the vote in the predominantly Hispanic district. Now the 2020 race is beginning to […]
Posted inWhispers
District 2 candidate forum tonight
City Council District 2 candidates David Chincanchan and Vanessa Fuentes will have their first opportunity to participate together in an online forum tonight from 6-7 p.m. Hosting the forum are leaders from the Dove Springs and Del Valle neighborhoods. Ana Aguirre of the area’s neighborhood plan contact team and Pat King of Del Valle have organized the […]