Erin McGann, a challenger to two current City Council members vying for the District 9 position, made her stance clear as early as possible on Monday night. The forum in the Ballot Boxing series was sponsored by the Monitor with partners KUT, the Austin Chronicle, KXAN and Univision, and hosted at KUT’s Studio 1a. “I’m the only candidate […]
Local Politics
Posted inLocal Politics
Cole, Martinez respond to Adler spending
With the release of Monday’s campaign finance reports, Council Member Mike Martinez and Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole got a look at the kind of money that mayoral opponent Steve Adler is raising and spending. Adler, a newcomer to politics, reported that he loaned his campaign $296,000 and spent more than $492,000. Combined with the […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Biscoe grudgingly delays medical examiner project
County Commissioners, pushing to build a new Travis County Medical Examiner’s office to replace the current cramped and outdated facility, ran into a speed bump in moving the process forward Tuesday. Commissioners Court was set to approve a $2 million contract to design a new facility for the county when Commissioner Ron Davis, at the behest of […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Council candidates file campaign financial reports
(Monday was the deadline for all 78 candidates for Austin City Council to file their 30-day-out Contribution and Expenditure Reports with the City Clerk’s office. Here is a summary from the mayor’s race and all 10 Council districts. To save space, some candidates who did not raise significant amounts are not listed. Tyler Whitson and […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council initiates ‘Private Party’ code amendments
City Council members Thursday OK’d a set of code amendments that, when finalized, could carve out a bit of extra technical leeway for some private events, particularly parties that happen in the West Campus area. Final language is due back Nov. 20. Council Member Chris Riley, who brought the item forward, explained its impact. “We […]
Posted inLocal Politics
At forum, most District 7 candidates reject rail
Seven of the eight candidates at Thursday’s District 7 City Council forum came out against November’s $600 million bond proposition to help fund a rail initiative. The Monitor co-hosted the forum along with the Austin Chronicle, KUT, KXAN and Univision. The forum featuring candidates vying to represent the North Austin gave them a chance to […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council gives Ott written criticism, pay raise
As part of an item that also gave City Manager Marc Ott a raise on Thursday, City Council members took what Mayor Lee Leffingwell characterized as the unusual step of offering a set of written criticisms of Ott. The criticism, offered via a document penned by Council Member Bill Spelman, summarized a “frank but cordial […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Reporters Notebook
Hey, it’s our med school, so it must be our sky bridge … Central Health is all for the proposed sky bridge between the new medical school at Seton Medical Center and an associated parking garage, as long as there’s some flexibility in the planning process. At Wednesday night’s regular meeting of the Central Health […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Teaching hospital skybridge remains an issue
City Council members expressed concerns over the addition of a skybridge to plans for a new Seton Teaching Hospital on Red River Street. Council Members Laura Morrison and Chris Riley both wondered how the feature would fit in with broader plans for the area. Morrison cited a recommendation made by a working group of the […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members still skeptical about SH45 SW
City Council members raised several questions during Tuesday’s work session about the effectiveness and environmental sensitivity of the Texas Department of Transportation’s recommended route for State Highway 45 Southwest. The conversation took place as part of a joint briefing by the Transportation and Watershed Protection departments on a report that Council requested in a May […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Local Politics
Quarry sale headed back to City Council
Though theatrical, the public offer to buy a Cedar Park quarry for almost $1 million more than its appraised value didn’t find any takers Tuesday at the City Council Audit and Finance Committee. Last Thursday, a representative of the current tenant offered to buy the land at 15700 Anderson Mill Road for $5 million, just […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Ballot Boxing District 8, complete video
The complete video from the Ballot Boxing District 8 event is posted below, courtesy of our partners at KXAN.