Democratic House Rep. Dawnna Dukes of Austin was already in hot water at the start of the legislative session. She had walked back a promise to resign and, soon after, was indicted. But Travis County Democrats say she then failed to do a major part of her job: show up. According to Community Impact, she’s […]
Local Politics
Posted inLocal Politics
Water conference raises open meetings questions
An attorney for the nonprofit League of Independent Voters of Texas warned the Texas Water Development Board on Sunday that the agency was in jeopardy of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. However, by the end of the day Monday, it appeared that the agency and the nonprofit had reached an accommodation. The board is […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: Harvey Kronberg of the ‘Quorum Report’
The Quorum Report‘s Harvey Kronberg joins Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to chat about the upcoming Texas legislative session. Post is embedded below: [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/303971565″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inLocal Politics
Candidates commit to challenging Dukes
State Rep. Dawnna Dukes was sworn in to her 12th term of office to represent much of Eastern Travis County on Tuesday, despite an announcement from Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore that her office plans to present evidence to a grand jury that the veteran Democrat abused her office. Dukes has been dogged by […]
Posted inLocal Politics
With 100,000 potential voters, Austin tech groups flex political muscle
Imagine 100,000 dormant, unengaged voters just waiting to be drawn into the Austin political scene. That’s the potential that a pair of local technology groups see in the Austin tech community, which they hope to get involved in the local and state political scene in the coming years so they can shape policy to favor […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Activists seek to ‘reboot 10-1’
Several activists who led the charge to create single-member City Council districts have begun a campaign aimed at further reform. On Wednesday night, a group of just over 30 people gathered at Austin Energy headquarters on Barton Springs Road to hear the details of a plan dubbed “Reboot 10-1.” The meeting was organized by Linda […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Cole, Deshotel likely candidates for Dukes’ seat
On Monday morning, as soon as Austin state Rep. Dawnna Dukes shared her plans to retire in January, the buzz began about who would run for her District 46 seat. The Quorum Report carried the news of Dukes’ plan to retire on Jan. 10, the beginning of the next legislative session. She told the Quorum […]
Posted inTransportation
CAMPO votes to reduce Travis County representation on key panel
Travis County residents will have a smaller voice in regional transportation planning after a vote on Monday that County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said for her was “a dark night of the soul.” The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Policy Board approved a streamlining of the Technical Advisory Committee, reducing its membership from 33 to […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Democratic DA pick talks cross-party maneuver
The Democratic nominee for Travis County district attorney is vigorously defending her decision to offer a Republican judge potential control of the office’s embattled Public Integrity Unit. Margaret Moore told the Austin Monitor that she is convinced that 450th District Court Judge Don Clemmer, regardless of his party affiliation, “is an outstanding person” and a […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Victorious Prop 1 PAC prepares for next battle
Dozens of supporters of the homespun political action committee that brought two multibillion-dollar global corporations to heel last May held a victory party of sorts in Central Austin last week. According to the invitation, the Our City, Our Safety, Our Choice PAC event was nominally about raising money for a new battle as the PAC’s […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Poll may reflect Council vulnerability
According to a poll conducted for the Austin Monitor, a majority of those polled in City Council Member Don Zimmerman’s district — 52 percent — approve of how Council handled the Uber/Lyft election issue. At the same time, 51 percent said they would vote to re-elect their Council member, who was not mentioned by name […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Austin Monitor Radio: Matt Mackowiak
Travis County GOP Vice Chair Matt Mackowiak joins Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about the organization’s controversial new chair, and the question of how it could remove him. Show is embedded below. Sponsored by Austin Water. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/255419080″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]