The political action committee co-founded by a former member of the Downtown Commission wants the mayor and City Council to answer questions about the planned expansion of the Austin Convention Center, it announced in a news release last week. Laura Cantu-Templeton, co-founder of the City Accountability Project PAC, has submitted 10 questions to all 11 […]
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Pilot program aims to narrow gaps in Austin’s digital divide
A pilot opportunity from the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission aims to support the city’s digital inclusion program by resourcing new computer labs around the community. At the commission’s May 24 meeting, Chair Nehemiah Pitts described how he initially came across the partnership opportunity when he met contacts from the N50 Project, a coalition of […]
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‘Austin American-Statesman’ staff strike over low pay
Members of the Austin American-Statesman’s labor union went on strike Monday because of an ongoing contract dispute with the newspaper’s parent company, Gannett. Nicole Villalpando, who covers health care for the Statesman and serves as the union’s vice chair, said she and some of her other colleagues have to work other jobs. “We have about […]
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Panelists eye affordability pains in music, EMS, hospitality sectors
Leaders from two of Austin’s most prominent economic sectors – housing and hospitality – see passage of a new Land Development Code and eliminating the tipped minimum wage for restaurant staff as two long-needed steps to address increasing affordability concerns across the city. Last week, the LBJ Presidential Library’s Future Forum panel discussion looked at […]
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Annual count shows small drop in Austin’s homeless population
Data from the city’s first point-in-time count of the local homeless population in three years show a slight decrease in the total number of people living without shelter, with laws against camping in public causing a sharp decrease in the number of unhoused people in the downtown core. Austin’s Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) released […]
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Tourism Commission seeks answers on stalled hotel tax to fund homeless services
The Tourism Commission wants to take a hard look at the lack of progress on, and new considerations involved in, the long-discussed taxing district that could see large hotels contribute a new tax levy toward costs associated with homelessness. Next month, the commission will receive a presentation from Scott Joslove, a former commission member and […]
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City’s animal commission OKs cat educator
The Animal Advisory Commission unanimously approved a motion for a second permanent position for community cat public health educator last Monday. The Community Cats program in Austin helps the thousands of free-roaming cats in the city remain healthy and safe in their natural homes – whether that is outdoors or in a house. The program […]
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Austin in line for billions in tech, transportation, clean energy funds from feds
The message to local developers and real estate professionals on Wednesday was clear: Austin is in the mix for tens of billions of dollars in federal money that will continue to transform the area and attract newcomers for decades. Panelists for the Urban Land Institute Austin discussion on federal funding up for grabs for Central […]
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Arts, music commissions to renew push for short-term rental tax collections
It appears arts and music advocates will likely ask City Council to reach an agreement with short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and begin receiving millions of dollars in uncollected hotel taxes that could in part benefit the local creative community. Both the Music Commission and Arts Commission have in the past year asked the […]
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Drained from emergency debris collections, Austin Resource Recovery prepares for a squeeze this budget cycle
As it continues to pick up the pieces of Winter Storm Mara, Austin Resource Recovery is preparing to weather financial challenges thanks to the $20 million relief effort. Four months out from budget season, Director Ken Snipes and Finance Division Manager Victoria Rieger stopped by the Zero Waste Advisory Commission last week to begin charting […]
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Complaint from deaf traveler at Austin airport sparks changes to TSA policy
A recent complaint concerning the Transportation Security Administration’s treatment of a deaf passenger at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport prompted changes in the ways the agency treats travelers with accessibility needs. Topher Avila, who is deaf, told the Airport Advisory Commission at its Feb. 8 meeting that he was stopped by a TSA official during a recent […]
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Chamber partnership looks to strengthen connection to startup community
The Austin Chamber of Commerce has extended its reach to become directly involved with launching startups in the city, bringing the business incubator Founder Institute Austin into its offices downtown. The one-year pilot program allows the institute, which has chapters in 200 cities and 100 countries, to hold in-person courses in Austin for the first […]