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Budget
Why do so many Austin-area school districts have budget deficits?
Lee esta historia en español At an Austin ISD school board meeting back in March, Trustee Candace Hunter shared a sobering message. “There is no rescue coming. There’s no one coming to save us. It’s only going to get worse,” she said.…
Budget • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Jun 21, 2024
Commissioners urge Council to increase public safety budgets
Members of the city’s Public Safety Commission voted unanimously on Monday to recommend that City Council adopt a budget this summer that will support needs outlined by representatives of the Austin Fire Department, Austin-Travis County EMS and the Austin Police…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Jun 5, 2024
Red River music venues push Council on funding expected from February resolution
Leaders of the Red River Cultural District are pushing City Council members and staff to carry out a February resolution that was intended to secure annual funding to help planning and marketing efforts for the downtown cluster of live music…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • May 15, 2024
Austin ISD plans to cut at least $30 million from its next budget
The Austin Independent School District is working on ways to cut its $60 million budget deficit in half during the next school year, while trying to limit the impact it will have on classrooms. Austin ISD is one of the…
AISD • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Apr 29, 2024
City budget writers outline some rate increases
For Austin, like most other Texas cities, property taxes are its single largest source of revenue for the General Fund. The second-biggest revenue source is sales taxes, as explained by Budget Officer Kerri Lang at Tuesday’s City Council work session.…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Apr 23, 2024
Budget deficit looms over city this year and beyond
The city of Austin is facing a $3.5 million deficit for the current year, with a much larger deficit – more than $13 million – projected for Fiscal Year 2025, which starts on Oct. 1, 2024. That’s the bad news…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Apr 17, 2024
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Parks Dept. looks to move forward with new, scaled-back Dougherty Arts Center
The replacement for the deteriorating Dougherty Arts Center will move forward in a phased approach, without the underground parking called for previously by City Council, in an attempt to dramatically reduce the cost of the new facility. During the Tuesday…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 20, 2024
Music Commission's $3M budget request includes HAAM funds, marketing program
The Music Commission has asked the city for just over $3 million in the next budget to expand some existing programs and provide added economic and medical assistance for local musicians. At Monday’s meeting, the commission unanimously approved six requests…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 6, 2024
County commissioners prepare for a complicated budget season
Each year, the Travis County Planning and Budget Office presents its budget guidelines for the upcoming fiscal year to the Travis County Commissioners Court, furnishing the court with important data and forecasts while launching talks about further planning efforts. On…
Budget • By Nick Erichson • Mar 5, 2024
HAAM seeks $500K in next year’s city budget to fund local musicians’ insurance
Health Alliance for Austin Musicians is seeking ongoing support from the city and possibly Travis County to cover the costs of subsidized health insurance coverage for more than 2,000 local musicians annually. Tonight’s Music Commission meeting will feature a presentation…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 4, 2024
Budget ‘headwinds’ could force tough Council decisions headed into summer
City Council members received an early look at some of the difficult budget decisions they could face this summer thanks to an expected decline in sales tax revenue and the end of federal funding related to the American Rescue Plan…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 29, 2024
Commissioners pass health district tax increase but plan increased scrutiny
On their second attempt, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted 4-1 to approve a tax increase and 3-1 to approve the 2024 budget for the county health care district. The votes increase the tax rate to 10.07 cents per $100…
