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City Council
Tovo reflects on a year of challenge and success
As she looks back on 2019, Council Member Kathie Tovo can count some major victories, including passage of her expansive resolution directing enhancements to a lengthy stretch of downtown parkland leading up to Palm School, direction to begin creation of…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 26, 2019
Casar proud of victories in 2019, ready to prove value of progressive policy again in 2020
Council Member Greg Casar began the year defending several of the city’s workers’ rights ordinances at the 86th legislative session while pushing for adoption of Affordability Unlocked at City Council. Senate Bill 15 was known for its attack on the…
City Council • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 23, 2019
Kitchen optimistic about work begun in 2019 but committed to finding real solutions
From where Ann Kitchen sits, 2019 was a productive year at City Hall. After years of stagnation on major issues from homelessness and transportation to our clunky land use code, the Council member says the city buckled down this year…
City Council • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 23, 2019
Fiscal questions on revenue caps, transit plan remain with Flannigan after 2019
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan likes to refer to himself as the “fiscally responsible progressive” on the Council dais, pushing for ambitious action supported by the operational discipline needed to make sure money isn’t wasted. In that light, he said 2019…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 23, 2019
Harper-Madison looks back on lessons and growth in first year on Council
Looking back on her first year representing Austin’s District 1 seat on City Council, Natasha Harper-Madison said her early motivations for running for office were largely personal. She wanted to address issues specific to her district and its people rather…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 20, 2019
Delia Garza recalls 2019 as a good year
The year 2019 has been a good year for Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza. The former firefighter pushed hard for new fire stations for her District 2 constituents, and she got a great birthday present on June 5 when the…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 20, 2019
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Renteria appreciates slow but steady progress to affordable, equitable city in 2019
As he did in 2019, Council Member Pio Renteria will continue working to create a more integrated, walkable and resilient city in the next year. “Historically, Austin is a city that has been segregated, and we’re trying to change that,”…
City Council • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 20, 2019
Council members support using hotels to house homeless, but are wary of locations and quick timeline
Austin City Council members say they’re concerned about the timeline, placement and funding strategy for a plan to expand efforts to buy and retrofit hotels to house homeless Austinites. Last month, Council OK’d a plan to buy the Rodeway Inn…
City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 4, 2019
Neighbors win Open Meetings suit again
Once again, the city of Austin finds itself on the losing end of a legal battle over public information. Last week, the 14th Court of Appeals sided with the Lake Austin Collective, which sued the city for failing to give…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 2, 2019
Austin OKs plan to buy and retrofit a motel to house homeless
The Austin City Council unanimously passed an $8 million plan to buy and repurpose the Rodeway Inn in South Austin to house people transitioning out of homelessness. The motel could house at least 87 people. Billed as a more proactive…
City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Nov 15, 2019
New worries arise over tax increment financing
Council members approved a resolution Thursday directing the city manager to bring them a plan for financing two Capital Metro Red Line rail stations in north Austin, one at McKalla Place and one at the new Broadmoor development. However, several…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Nov 15, 2019
Austin abandons South Austin shelter as it prepares to buy hotels to house the homeless
Austin is no longer pursuing a 100-bed shelter in South Austin and could opt instead to provide housing in motels for homeless Austinites. The move comes after a suggestion from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, the nonprofit that coordinates Austin and…
