Josh Rosenblatt

For the first time in memory, the Austin City Council on Monday failed to pass an annual budget on first reading. Instead, after nearly five hours of discussion, debate and amendment recommendations to the proposed FY2013 budget, Council voted unanimously to recess and meet again this morning. Staffers’ amendments to the budget were lengthy, the […]

At least one City Council member says she will most likely vote against an interim consent agreement with the developer of the Rio de Vida Municipal Utility District (MUD) when it comes before Council on Thursday. If Council doesn’t approve the one-year temporary agreement with TXI Operations, L.P., the 2,130-acre Rio de Vida MUD in […]

The City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee signed off last week on a proposal that would allocate a portion of the funds from a new Austin Energy weatherization program to the Austin Housing Repair Coalition in an effort to increase efficiency and coordination. The brand new Community Benefits Fund, which was approved as part […]

The Austin City Council voted Thursday to postpone approving a temporary agreement with the developer of a future municipal utility district (MUD) on the banks of the Colorado River to get more information from staff. If Council members vote against the agreement next Thursday, the Rio de Vida MUD will be dissolved on Sept. 1. […]

The Austin City Council’s Public Health and Human Services Committee recommended unanimously this week to grant $100,000 to the affordable-housing nonprofit Foundation Communities to provide permanent supportive housing in the city. The full Council will consider the measure at its Sept. 27 meeting. Tuesday’s vote came about four months after Foundation Communities lost a bid […]

Austinites interested in voicing their opinions to their elected officials, but who find it difficult to make the Austin City Council’s regularly scheduled citizens communications at noon on Thursdays, could have a chance on a Saturday this fall. At their work session on Tuesday, City Council members came to a tentative agreement to hold a […]

After a long week of debate and negotiation, the Austin City Council on Friday passed a $385 million bond package that would provide funding for more than 60 projects throughout the city, from library renovations and museum restorations to open-space acquisition and construction of affordable housing. Austinites will vote of the proposal this November.  The […]

After two hours of debate, Austin City Council members on Wednesday reluctantly passed on first reading a bond package that will go before voters this November. The nearly $385 million proposal – which would not require a tax increase – will most likely go through heavy revisions before a majority of Council approves it on […]

Austin City Council hit a roadblock Tuesday in its quest to put together a bond package to present to voters this November. With less than a week before the ballot has to be finalized, and with Council Member Bill Spelman off the dais indefinitely, Council members split their first-reading votes down the middle, 3-3, on […]

With a disagreement lingering among Council members about whether to ask voters to approve a bond package on the Nov. 6 ballot that would require a tax increase, Council Member Mike Martinez plans to unveil this morning a bond proposal that he believes satisfies many of the city’s most important funding needs without increasing Austinites’ […]

The City of Austin has hired two deputy chief animal services officers to help handle day-to-day operations at the Austin Animal Center. Chief Animal Services Officer Abigail Smith has been without deputies since May, when Ian Hallett left the city to take over the Hillsborough County Shelter in Tampa, Florida. Hallett’s former deputy, Chris Robles, […]

As City Council prepares to vote on a bond-package proposal to put before Austin voters this November, battle lines are being drawn around two main issues: 1) whether to push for a recommended proposal put forth by staff or by the citizens Bond Election Advisory Task Force; and 2) whether to sign off on a […]