Austin’s Human Rights Commission is pushing City Council to take the bold move of condemning the president of the United States and banning official use of his company’s products and services. At its meeting on Monday, the commission voted 8-2 to condemn actions taken by both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Commissioners […]
City Hall
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TipSheet: Travis County, 1.24.2017
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The County Clerk’s office hosts a copy at its website. 3. Approve proclamation supporting reproductive choice in healthcare. (Judge Eckhardt & Commissioner Shea) Monitor’s Take: In this age of President Donald […]
Posted inThe Code
Downtown commissioners hear about live music reforms
A proposed reform that would set new parameters for live music venues and their neighbors is still on pace for a City Council vote this March following scrutiny by the Downtown Commission last week. Alex Lopez, deputy director of Austin’s Economic Development Department, trotted out the so-called “agent of change” proposal before the body on […]
Posted inCity 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 one photograph. He linked up at the Capitol steps with Council colleagues Leslie Pool, Alison […]
Posted inCity Council
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 – has been completed and funded. District A, which includes parts of Council districts 1, 3 […]
Posted inAustin
For Austin tech Trump means uncertainty, mixed with opportunity
On issues ranging from immigration to support for clean energy technology to the future of media, the coming Donald Trump presidency brings a whole lot of uncertainty and possibly some opportunity to the tech scene in Austin. That was the prevailing logic Wednesday at the Austin Tech Alliance’s panel discussion “Trump’s Impact on Tech in […]
Posted inCity Hall
Austin Water official resigns under cloud
The program manager for Austin Water’s Public Information & Marketing Office resigned in late December after an investigation by the Office of the City Auditor concluded that he had accepted a gift or favor from a city contractor and wasted city money in payments to that contractor. Auditors found that the employee, Jason Hill, “asked […]
Posted inAustin
Mayor sees collective effort in revitalizing east downtown
Just before the new year, Mayor Steve Adler wrote a lengthy post on the City Council Message Board, titled: “Possible solution to downtown puzzle.” He later said it wasn’t so much a puzzle, but that there were a lot of pieces involved. What he’s referring to is a snaking spine of green space, commercial areas […]
Posted inCity Council
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 desired outcomes for Austinites that Council’s every move should aim to produce. Council’s work should […]
Posted inCity Council
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 part of the new 10-1 Council system are not working as intended. Council members were […]
Posted inAustin
Has Austin’s booming population finally peaked?
For years, we’ve been hearing about how Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Thousands of people move here each year, but recent reports show that some of the factors that draw people to the city – like good jobs – aren’t growing quite as fast as they used to. And it […]
Posted inAustin
Will Trump’s vow to cut funding for sanctuary cities affect Austin?
In a windowless office in a Northwest Austin thrift store, past several racks of high-end used clothing, Todd Logan pored over a list of names. “We had about 84 folks we were helping through our housing program,” he said. Logan is the director of client services at Project Transitions, a nonprofit that provides medical care […]