Local Politics
Commissioners delay Central Health appointments
Travis County Commissioners, after finding out there were almost 40 applicants to choose among, decided Tuesday to bring the two new members of the court into the process to help fill two vacancies on the Central Health board of managers. Based…
Local Government • By Mark Richardson • Nov 26, 2014
Council approves 2016 social services contracts
The Austin City Council approved the next round of the city’s social services contracts Thursday, apportioning far less money than most agencies said they needed to serve their clients. For Fiscal Year 2016, the city received requests for more than…
City Council • By Beth Cortez-Neavel • Nov 25, 2014
Austin, Travis get ready for 84th Texas Legislature
With the specter of dealing with a Texas Legislature that has become even more conservative — if that is possible — with the Nov. 4 election, the City of Austin and Travis County reviewed and approved their respective legislative agendas…
City Hall • By Mark Richardson • Nov 24, 2014
Reporter's Notebook: Rules are rules
A no-endorsement endorsement, and other missives from the campaign trail . . . Austinites for Equity, a political action committee for the local AFSCME organization, has supported numerous progressive and Democratic candidates. So observers were surprised when they noticed a…
Elections • By Austin Monitor • Nov 24, 2014
Obama immigration plan may end city-county tiff
It may have taken an executive order, but President Barack Obama seems to have headed off a dispute between the City of Austin and Travis County. The long-standing controversy involving Sheriff Greg Hamilton’s participation in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s…
Local Politics • By Mark Richardson • Nov 21, 2014
Real estate reform comes from Bull Creek process
City Council members Thursday quietly passed a resolution that instructs Austin City Manager Marc Ott to “forward to Council any written communication received by the City Manager from the State of Texas, or any agency of the State of Texas,…
City Hall • By Michael Kanin • Nov 21, 2014
Subscribe to our newsletter
Council split on new deal for Austin Pets Alive!
City Council members Tuesday continued to debate a potential extension of a contract for Austin Pets Alive! to operate a facility at the Town Lake Animal Shelter. The extension would also include additional leeway for the organization to make needed…
City Council • By Michael Kanin • Nov 19, 2014
Austin Council meetings run far later than peers'
A report from Office of the City Auditor staff appears to corroborate what many Austin City Council observers have long lived: that the city’s Council meetings are much lengthier than those of their peers. The data, presented by Assistant City…
City Council • By Michael Kanin • Nov 19, 2014
Commissioners get $294 million courthouse budget
Travis County Commissioners heard a report Tuesday that the budget to construct the proposed new Civil and Family Courthouse comes in at $294 million. After asking their consultants some pointed questions about how they arrived at that amount, they passed…
Bonds & Propositions • By Mark Richardson • Nov 19, 2014
Ott: Staff readying large-event recommendations
As part of next year’s budget process, city staff will bring forward a set of recommendations that could change the way the city deals with fees and permits for Austin’s many special events. In what could mark something of a…
Local Politics • By Michael Kanin • Nov 18, 2014
Commissioners to hear budget for new courthouse
Travis County Commissioners are set to hear a report today on the planned Civil and Family Courthouse project, but there have been protests about the project’s proposed $294 million budget even though the report has yet to be made public.…
Bonds & Propositions • By Mark Richardson • Nov 18, 2014
Monitor Poll: Adler's lead over Martinez increasing
A poll commissioned by the Austin Monitor shows that 56 percent of voters said they would likely vote for mayoral candidate Steve Adler, compared to 35 percent who said they would vote for his runoff opponent, City Council Member Mike Martinez.…
