The lack of City Council work session meetings in recent weeks appears to have played a large role in the postponement of a trio of programs pushed by the Economic Development Department that had been up for a vote at last week’s full Council meeting. The three programs in question were: a place-based economic incentive […]
City Hall
Posted inCity Council
Council urges cutting PFAS from firefighting equipment
On a unanimous vote Thursday, City Council adopted a resolution urging the city’s Fire Department to eliminate PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) from the city’s firefighting equipment, noting that the substance is dangerous not only to firefighters but also to the environment. Council Member Mackenzie Kelly was the lead sponsor of the resolution. As the […]
Posted inCity Council
Council delays vote, opts to fine-tune incentive program for creative spaces, legacy businesses
City Council plans to take the next two weeks to fine-tune the guidelines for a proposed place-based economic incentive program aimed at creative spaces, legacy businesses and community needs such as child care providers and grocery stores. Thursday’s meeting featured presentations on an assortment of new programs from the Economic Development Department, with the place-based […]
Posted inCity Council
Council could decide ‘agent of change’ noise dispute issue, after nearly a decade of debate
This week, City Council could end nearly a decade of waiting and staff work to settle disputes between music venues and new developments moving into all areas of the city. Today’s Council meeting will include a proposed ordinance change concerning sound assessments for new residential and hotel buildings, which since 2015 have been at the […]
Posted inTipSheets
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 9.12.24
Today, City Council will meet once again for its regular Thursday meeting. And we, in turn, have once again read through the agenda and compiled a list of the items that caught our eye. After years of debate, an “agent of change” is back. Council will consider changes to the code today that would put […]
Posted inAustin
Animal Advisory Commission considers banning glue traps in Austin
Bats are under attack by glue traps used in the city, advocates for Austin’s bats say. “I would love to see glue traps banned from being sold and used in Austin,” says Austin Bat Refuge’s executive director, Dianne Odegard. The Animal Advisory Commission discussed Austin’s use of glue traps as a form of pest control […]
Posted inAustin
Hotels nearing agreement on tax plan to provide homelessness services funding
City leaders expect a long-in-coming new hotel tax that could provide money for homelessness services to be ready for final City Council approval within the month. On Monday, the Austin Business Journal reported that the proposed Tourism Public Improvement District tax levy has reached one of the needed thresholds with local hoteliers, with a second […]
Posted inCity Council
City Council condemns anti-immigrant Senate Bill 4
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed one of its most extreme anti-immigrant laws yet: Senate Bill 4, which gives law enforcement the ability to arrest and hold people suspected of having entered Texas illegally. As the law’s enforcement still hangs in the balance, pending Department of Justice and ACLU of Texas lawsuits, the city of […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit finds low pay, telework policy among drags on the city’s worker retention rate
A recent audit by the Office of the City Auditor found the city’s efforts to retain employees are falling short, with compensation, career progression and telework policies standing out as problem areas. With a turnover rate that peaked at 11.77 percent in 2022, the need for more effective and strategic retention policies has become critical. […]
Posted inTipSheets
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 8.29.24
Today, City Council will convene to hold its regular Thursday meeting and, to celebrate the occasion, we’ve put together a collection of things that caught our eye while reading through the agenda. Behold! In February, Council approved a new density bonus program, DB90, to replace VMU2, which was eliminated by a court ruling. Now, DB90 […]
Posted inAustin, Elections
Texas Supreme Court to decide whether Austin has a charter election this year
The Supreme Court of Texas has accepted a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Save Our Springs Alliance lawsuit against the city of Austin regarding alleged violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act. If the court agrees with the plaintiffs that the city violated the Open Meetings Act in setting a charter election […]
Posted inBudget
Central Health sends 2025 fiscal year budget to Travis County for final approval
Central Health leadership gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a $884 million budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The budget will go before Travis County commissioners for a final vote in September. As Travis County’s public hospital district, Central Health is tasked with funding health care for low-income and indigent residents, primarily through tax revenue. The […]