Four months after raging floodwaters damaged and destroyed dozens of homes in the Onion Creek neighborhood in southeast Austin, city officials say it could cost between $80 million and $100 million to complete a buyout of homes in the flood plain and relocate the displaced families. Officials with the city’s Watershed Protection Department told […]
Local Politics
Posted inLocal Politics
Council approves process waivers for upcoming music festivals
Austin City Council members Thursday approved a set of process waivers that will allow Fun Fun Fun, Austin Urban Music, and Austin Reggae festivals to move ahead with their respective street closures in an expedited fashion. Festival organizers implied that the success of the events were dependent on the action. The measures each passed […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Staff proposes new data system for Human Resources department
City of Austin human resources staff told Council members Thursday that the department’s antiquated record keeping was responsible for a host of potential risks – many of which have been identified in various internal city audits. These issues included the potential of “rehiring high-risk employees due to a lack of system tracking,” delays in verifying […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council members considering mid-year budget adjustment
With more than a quorum’s worth of Austin City Council members angling to use roughly $14 million in 2013 budget surplus for various projects in piecemeal fashion, the group Tuesday signaled its desire to have a more comprehensive discussion about the matter. “If we’re going to talk about where our priorities lie, somehow, someway […]
Posted inElections, Local Government, Local Politics
As county grows so does campaign spending
As Travis County grows, so apparently does the amount of money required to run a campaign for County Judge. According to campaign finance reports filed this week, candidates Andy Brown and Sarah Eckhardt raised a combined $1.1 million since mid-2013 for the March 4 Democratic Primary. The hard-fought campaign – the first seriously contested […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council debates confidentiality of East 12th Street property sale
At Tuesday’s work session, Council Member Bill Spelman dove back into the issue of confidentiality in relation to a pending sale of land by the city’s Urban Renewal Board. Council members, who have limited options other than a straight thumbs-up or down over the purchase, postponed a vote on the matter last Thursday pending more […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
Leffingwell: Fixing transportation issues critical to Austin’s future
“Rail or Fail.” That was the message (that may become a bumper sticker) from Mayor Lee Leffingwell as he gave his final State of the City address yesterday. Though Leffingwell hit on many of Austin’s recent and continuing triumphs in his speech, he took the opportunity to address growing transportation problems in the city, […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
City Council meetings to move to Travis County this summer
The City of Austin is moving. The City Council, at least, will be moving up Lavaca Street to the Travis County building this summer while renovations take place in council chambers to accommodate a larger membership. The Travis County Commissioners Court chambers will serve, at least temporarily, as City Hall in August and September. […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Uncategorized
Council approves economic incentive deals for Websense, Dropbox
Austin City Council members Thursday approved nearly $700,000 in non-property tax based incentives in an attempt to lure two new tech firms, Websense and Dropbox, to Austin. The deal came on a 5-2 tally with Council Members Laura Morrison and Kathie Tovo voting against the measure. But the real money in these equations comes […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council efforts to block plan to move historic house could fall short
City Council members did what they could last week to thwart plans to move the historic Dabney-Horne House, but only time will tell whether it will be enough to keep the structure in place. The University Co-op has owned the property at 507 West 23rd Street since the mid-1970s, and the 1883 house was […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Uncategorized
Council members OK Websense, Dropbox incentive deals
Austin City Council members today approved nearly $700,000 in economic development incentives designed to lure Dropbox and Websense to the capital region. The agreements will come with stipulations for the creation of 540 new jobs and millions of dollars worth of leasehold and other expenditures. Of late, some Council members have expressed serious reservations […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
City Council approves limits on occupancy rates on first reading
After a very long night at its last meeting, the Austin City Council had taken definitive steps toward a reduction of maximum occupancy rates in single-family dwellings. Council voted on first reading to reduce the maximum occupancy from six unrelated persons to four in a vote of 6-1. Council Member Bill Spelman cast the […]