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City Council

Reporter's Notebook: Campaign promises

Leaders join the crowd… Saturday’s Women’s March on Austin saw massive crowds, including several City Council members, pack the streets of downtown. Spotted on the sidewalk of Congress Avenue was Council Member Pio Renteria, who gamely posed for at least…

City discovers problem with homestead districts

Since 2007, Austin has attempted to create several homestead preservation districts in low-income areas in order to fund more affordable housing and help people living below the poverty line stay in their homes. However, only one – District A –…

Council agrees on six 'outcomes' to work toward in 2017

City Council wants to make 2017 all about outcomes. During a two-day “retreat” led by a group of government management consultants at the AT&T Conference Center last week, Mayor Steve Adler and his 10 Council colleagues came up with six…

Council hopes to reform committees – again

City Council still does not know what to do about its committees. Despite reforms enacted last March aimed at making them operate more smoothly, Council members mostly agree that the four-member panels that they voted to put in place as…

2016: Adler's very big year

The past year was definitely a banner one for Mayor Steve Adler, who started 2016 by calling for it to be “the year of mobility.” He was probably not thinking about transportation network companies Uber and Lyft leaving town in…

Alter wants Austinites to be 'captains' of city's growth

Compared to City Council Member Sheri Gallo, the lifelong Austinite whom she is replacing on Council, Alison Alter is definitely a newcomer to the city. But these days, a person who has lived in town for five-and-a-half years is barely…

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Tovo concentrates on homelessness, affordability

For Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, 2016 was a year she made progress on issues related to the homeless, affordable housing, and uncovering and fighting discrimination and retaliation within the ranks of city employees. In the Austin Monitor‘s year-end conversation…

Troxclair has opinions

This year, District 8 City Council Member Ellen Troxclair welcomed her first child. She also saw her fair share of accomplishments (and frustrations) within City Hall in 2016. Troxclair counted “making some progress on the Homestead Exemption” among her accomplishments…

Pool looks at a good past year in the "last bastion"

City Council Member Leslie Pool is happy with her sophomore year. “We did some important, amazing stuff,” said Pool. “It’s really been a good two years.” Pool, who easily retained her District 7 seat this past November – winning nearly…

Zimmerman: "I'm out of here"

If City Council Member Don Zimmerman is unhappy about losing the seat he has held for two years, he’s not showing it. After losing re-election to Jimmy Flannigan – the same candidate he beat to earn his spot on the…

Flannigan brings new perspective on behalf of Austin's northwest suburbs

Two years after losing narrowly in a runoff election to City Council Member Don Zimmerman, Jimmy Flannigan easily prevailed in a rematch with the incumbent. What changed? “Winning elections is luck and timing,” said Flannigan during an interview with the…

Kitchen hopes for longer budget process, shorter meetings in 2017

After two years in office, City Council Member Ann Kitchen, who represents District 5’s long stretch of South Austin, is happy with what she has accomplished for her district and the city but says that Council could stand to improve…

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