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Elections
Paxton sues Travis County over voter registration attempt
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Friday in an attempt to prevent Travis County from hiring an outside firm to find people eligible to vote who are not registered. The Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously last…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Sep 9, 2024
Ethics Commission complaints allege Mayor Watson and challenger Doug Greco violated campaign finance laws
Incumbent Kirk Watson and challenger Doug Greco may soon hit a snag in their respective bids for mayor, with the Ethics Review Commission investigating claims that both broke the same campaign finance law. The complaints, filed by former Commissioner Betsy…
Local Politics • By Kali Bramble • Sep 4, 2024
Texas Supreme Court to decide whether Austin has a charter election this year
The Supreme Court of Texas has accepted a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Save Our Springs Alliance lawsuit against the city of Austin regarding alleged violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act. If the court agrees with…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Aug 27, 2024
Council could OK task force to design bond package focused on climate change
Next week, City Council will consider forming a task force to design the city’s next bond package expected to go before voters by fall 2026. Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool has led on the resolution that calls for the creation…
Bonds & Propositions • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 23, 2024
Austin ISD is asking voters to approve a new tax rate to help fund pay raises, reduce deficit
The Austin ISD school board is asking voters to approve a higher property tax rate in November that would increase the district’s revenue by tens of millions of dollars. That money would be used to give more than 60 percent…
AISD • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Aug 21, 2024
Council formally authorizes November election with 13 proposed charter amendments
City of Austin voters will face a loaded ballot in November, with 13 charter amendments to be decided as well as a full slate of political races to elect a mayor and five City Council members. City Council last week…
Bonds & Propositions • By Amy Smith • Aug 19, 2024
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County commissioners approve tax rate election to raise $75M for child care
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to place a tax rate increase on the November ballot that could generate $75 million per year to improve child care services throughout the area. If approved, the money would be used to…
Bonds & Propositions • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 14, 2024
Ethics complaint alleges mayoral candidates received too much money from outside the city
A former member of the city’s Ethics Review Commission, Betsy Greenberg, has filed ethics complaints against Mayor Kirk Watson and one of his challengers, Doug Greco. In her complaints, Greenberg alleges that both candidates collected more money from outside the…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Aug 6, 2024
Who’s raising money? Campaign finance reports show some surprises
Earlier this week, the Austin Monitor reported on campaign finance tallies for Mayor Kirk Watson, his opponents and candidates for District 7 and District 4. Now it’s time to look at the other races and the surprising fundraising by City…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Jul 18, 2024
City candidates’ financial filings are in for the latest fundraising period
Monday was the deadline to file campaign finance reports for members of City Council and other candidates in the November election. No one was surprised last week when the Austin Monitor reported that Mayor Kirk Watson had raised more than…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Jul 16, 2024
Mayor reports big campaign fundraising numbers, but his challengers push on
Monday is the deadline for all City Council candidates to turn in their campaign finance reports for the period that ended on June 30. Politics watchers expect Mayor Kirk Watson to raise far more than his opponents as he has…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Jul 11, 2024
Mayor Kirk Watson slows timing for climate bond election
City Council members have been taking sides on the City Council Message Board over competing timelines for a climate bond election, and on Wednesday the proposal for a longer lead-up was left standing. The back-and-forth on the message board –…
