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Council postpones salary debate until next week

On Thursday, City Council temporarily backed away from a plan that could have members voting to reduce their own salaries. Council members voted 11-0 to postpone action on the resolution until their Jan. 29 meeting. The resolution directs the city…

Who Are the Powerful People in Your Neighborhood?

This story comes to us courtesy of our City Hall reporting partners at KUT. As you might have heard, and most probably have felt, Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. But how it should handle that…

Austin Monitor Radio: Isabelle Headrick on Source of Income

Isabelle Headrick of Accessible Housing Austin joins Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about the City of Austin’s Source of Income discrimination ban. Program is embedded below. Sponsored by Kerby Lane Cafe.

Competing Hyde Parkers: Won't You Be In My Neighborhood Association?

This story comes to us courtesy of our reporting partners at KUT. For a city of nearly a million people, many big decisions in Austin tend to be influenced by a self-selected few. Lots of small recommendations by neighborhood associations…

Commissioners ponder best date for bond election

Travis County Commissioners began a series of discussions Tuesday to determine the best schedule to fund and build the proposed new $294 million Civil and Family Courthouse building. The main decision will be whether to go to Travis County voters…

Zoning lesson raises questions for new Council

With single-member districts up and running, myriad changes are on the horizon at City Hall. Tuesday, some clues about how city staff will tackle the nuts-and-bolts of the transition emerged in what was a largely uneventful mock City Council meeting.…

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Subcommittee meeting on ADUs canceled

A meeting of the Planning Commission Codes and Ordinances Subcommittee was canceled Tuesday because not enough members showed up. Voting members James Nortey, Jean Stevens and Nuria Zaragoza along with ex officio member Jeff Jack waited 30 minutes after the…

Despite PAC reports, some campaign facts unclear

The political action committee that funded an attack ad against consultant David Butts has filed a campaign finance report showing contributions from former Texas Monthly publisher Mike Levy and Bryan Hardeman, owner of Continental Automotive Group. Levy and Hardeman contributed…

Explainer: What it cost to run for Council in 2014

Each week the Explainer offers a closer look at stories we have been following. This week examines the relative costs of getting elected to Austin City Council in 2014. The 2014 Council election was, of course, the most expensive in city…

Council members consider cutting their own pay

On Thursday, as one of their first official acts as an elected body, City Council members will consider taking an action that could reduce their salaries. Specifically, the resolution on Thursday’s agenda directs the city manager to change the current…

City orders study on bag ban that state may toss

Amid concerns that state leadership will take steps to limit city ordinances such as Austin’s plastic bag ban, the Zero Waste Advisory Commission has instructed city staff to study the ban in time to send the results to the state…

GOP wants to restore Secure Communities program

A recent agreement between the City of Austin and Travis County over booking services at the county jail could be in jeopardy if congressional Republicans succeed in reversing President Obama’s executive orders on immigration policy. House Republicans voted out a…

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