Bee Cave’s mayor and City Council members acted illegally last year when they voted to remove one of their members – Bill Goodwin – from the Council, according to a ruling from Travis County District Judge Lora Livingston. Livingston ruled in a final judgment against Mayor Kara King, Council members Andrea Willott, Jon Cobb, Andrew […]
Local Government
Posted inTravis County
County deliberates joining city to end homelessness
On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court discussed the cardinal question of how to allocate a considerable amount of money coming to the county from the American Rescue Plan Act. Much of the discussion centered on homelessness, and whether the county would join the city in its commitment to dedicate a meaningful portion of its ARPA funding […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Austin legislators fought hard for city, Franco reports
It was no surprise to City Council Tuesday when Brie Franco, Austin’s intergovernmental relations officer, described the recently concluded 2021 session of the Texas Legislature as “one of the most difficult sessions I’ve actually worked on in my over 20 years of doing this.” Franco praised the Travis County delegation’s efforts in gaining passage of […]
Posted inTravis County
Report depicts the state of poverty in Travis County
On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court fielded discussion from Health and Human Services on the state of poverty in Travis County. Rochelle Olivares, April Klein and Lawrence Lyman, the core informing team of the HHS Research and Planning Division, presented a report using data obtained from the 2019 American Community Survey five-year estimates. “The data is […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
With state change, Board of Adjustment could consider new hardships
A move by the Texas Legislature could change the way the city grants variances to the Land Development Code. The bill, House Bill 1475, would add another type of hardship for the Board of Adjustment to consider – the financial cost of complying with the code. Specifically, the bill would allow board members to consider […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Texas Legislature takes aim at parents and doctors of trans youth
Every once in a while, the monotonous, besuited cast of the Texas Capitol is overshadowed by the attention-grabbing hues of pride flags and the testimony of people showing up to ensure that their colors are seen and respected. And in mid-April, following the filing of House Bill 1399 and HB 68, Texas’ LGBTQIA+ community showed […]
Posted inLocal Government
Joint council mulls ‘once in a generation’ ARPA funding for region
The Commissioners Court joined City Council Tuesday to discuss the allocation of federal funding granted by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. Ralph Garboushian, a career municipal consultant, described the level of local funding from ARPA as “once in a generation.” While $424 billion of the $1.9 trillion total was directly distributed to individuals in […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Downtown Commission objects to proposed state rollback of city sound ordinance
The Downtown Commission is the latest city body to formally object to a proposed state law that would invalidate most of Austin’s noise ordinance and make it legal for bars and clubs to generate loud music until 2 a.m. seven days a week. The unanimous vote at last week’s meeting came after a presentation from […]
Posted inTravis County
Like Batman, county commissioners waive ethics for greater good
Last Tuesday, the Commissioners Court discussed the prospect of waiving a section of the county ethics policy for the purpose of granting Ascension Seton a contract for the right to aid Travis County in its vaccine distribution efforts. The county code in question, Chapter 33, Section 19, involves discretionary contracts – and specifically denies the […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Mayor, City Council express opposition to state legislation
Mayor Steve Adler and several City Council members expressed their frustration with the Legislature at Tuesday’s work session, after Intergovernmental Relations Officer Brie Franco described legislation aimed at curbing Austin’s authority to govern itself. Among Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s announced legislative priorities are bills to prohibit Austin and other cities and counties from hiring lobbyists […]
Posted inTravis County
Community development grant administrators gear up for 2021 projects
Travis County has received Community Development Block Grant funding since 2006 for the purpose of improving affordability, community facilities and revitalizing county neighborhoods. Last Tuesday, the Commissioners Court reviewed the CDBG funding annual action plan. “This public hearing is to receive feedback from the public as well as the Commissioners Court to inform the planning […]
Posted inCourts
Adler, Brown say they won’t back down as Paxton threatens suit
Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a letter to Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown Wednesday threatening a lawsuit if Austin and Travis County do not rescind rules devised by Austin’s health authority to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Those rules include the requirement that adults wear face masks when entering […]