City Council Member Ann Kitchen is the first member of the 10-1 Council to win re-election unopposed. “I was surprised,” Kitchen said of her lack of opponent in this year’s election. “But I was certainly happy about that. I’m pleased that the folks in the district trusted me enough to continue in a second term.” […]
City Council
Posted inCity Council
Flannigan reflects on ‘crazy, crazy year’
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan believes City Council had a lot more to deal with in 2018 than it should have. Council welcomed a new city manager, found new chiefs for the police and fire departments, engaged in an extended dispute with the police union over oversight and pay, and tried and failed to overhaul the […]
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Pool proud of progress at all levels in 2018
Leslie Pool doesn’t restate Tip O’Neill’s legendary adage “All politics is local” when looking back at 2018 and ahead to 2019. Still, when reviewing the policy and on-the-ground actions that have mattered to her the most, the small neighborhood moves get as much time as the larger issues that have grabbed headlines. The District 7 […]
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For Garza, D2 growth brings services and focus on land use
There’s a blown-up map of Southeast Austin in the office of District 2 Council Member Delia Garza, with multicolored overlays providing a look at the total scope of residential and commercial development in progress in the area. There are dozens of them, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise since low property values east of […]
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Renteria looks at 2018 and beyond
As he starts his second four-year term at City Hall, District 3 Council Member Pio Renteria says he plans to concentrate on affordable housing in the coming year, just as he did in 2018 and the three previous years. Fresh off a runoff victory against his sister, Susana Almanza, Renteria told the Austin Monitor he […]
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Greg Casar optimistic but ready to fight in 2019
Council Member Greg Casar has a lot of good things to say about 2018. “In January we laid out a set of goals,” he said, referring to his staff. “We accomplished all of the big priorities.” “Even though we’re under state leadership that is hostile to those sorts of goals, I think that the community […]
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Council ponders ways to make meetings shorter, less confusing
As part of its ongoing efforts to make government more efficient and productive, City Council is discussing potential changes to how meetings are run. The conversation was kicked off by the city’s CFO Elaine Hart, who highlighted a number of ways Council could make things easier for the city employees who staff Council meetings. The […]
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City’s federal housing funds in jeopardy
The city of Austin could lose a significant amount of federal funding if President Trump follows through on his threat to shut down the federal government on Dec. 21. Various national publications reported Trump making the threat if Congress refuses to authorize $5 billion for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. At about the same […]
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Should the city move to a two-year budget?
Every week that City Council holds a Thursday meeting, Council members meet Tuesday for a “work session” to discuss items that they plan to vote on at the meeting. In recent months, however, Council has also begun setting aside an hour during some work sessions for a broad conversation about how to make city government […]
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Minimum lot sizes: A roadblock for affordable housing?
Last week, Austin voters approved a record-busting $250 million for affordable housing, but a discussion during Thursday’s City Council meeting showed that building new housing isn’t simply a matter of having enough money. At issue is a small piece of vacant land that the city owns at 3000 Funston St., just east of MoPac Expressway […]
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Ellis picks up important endorsements
Paige Ellis, the top vote-getter in the Nov. 6 race for City Council District 8, announced Tuesday that her two Democratic opponents in the race, Rich DePalma and Bobby Levinski, had endorsed her. Ellis will face Republican Frank Ward in the runoff on Dec. 11. In a news release, Ellis said, “During the course of […]
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Council seems ready to OK biosolids contract
The latest chapter in the city’s quest to sign a new contract for handling biosolids at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant appears to be nearing its end after two and half years of struggle. With Council Member Alison Alter leading the charge at Tuesday’s work session, Council appeared ready to finally approve a new […]