A new state law could lead to the firing of elected prosecutors who refuse to take on certain crimes like low-level pot offenses. Supporters of the law say these “rogue” prosecutors should be thrown out of office. Opponents say the law makes it difficult to effectively do the jobs prosecutors were elected to do. There […]
Local Government
Posted inTravis County
Travis County shows starkest child welfare inequities among large Texas counties
Black children in Travis County disproportionately are the subject of reports of abuse and neglect, investigated by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and removed from their homes, compared to white children. This is according to an Oct. 2 report by the Travis County Child Welfare Race Equity Collaborative analyzing DFPS data […]
Posted inCourts
Bee Cave residents sue city over proposed roadway
Citizens for the Preservation of the Brown Property, a nonprofit organization operating in Bee Cave, is gearing up for a court battle over the city’s action designating a 4-acre area near Little Barton Creek as a future roadway. The area is part of the 44-acre Brown Property, which the city purchased in 2017. Residents say […]
Posted inCourts
Hays County district clerk sues district attorney for ‘neglect of his duties’
The Hays County district clerk is suing District Attorney Kelly Higgins and asking that he be removed from office. Avrey Anderson claims Higgins demonstrated “intentional, corrupt failure and neglect of his duties” by refusing to prosecute cases of simple drug possession and low-level marijuana offenses, and where doctors have illegally treated transgender patients or performed abortions. “Allowing him […]
Posted inCourts
Judge declares city campaign contribution blackout period unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman on Wednesday declared an Austin regulation on campaign fundraising unconstitutional. The regulation prohibits candidates for City Council seats from seeking or accepting campaign contributions more than a year before an election. Pitman issued his ruling on a case brought by former candidate Jennifer Virden and one of her supporters, William […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Travis County judge rules Texas ‘Death Star’ law is unconstitutional
A Texas law that would have undone local laws was ruled unconstitutional by a Travis County judge Wednesday, days ahead of when it was slated to take effect. The law, referred to as the “Death Star” bill, would limit cities’ abilities to write laws that don’t conform with state laws that regulate transportation, agriculture, labor […]
Posted inCourts
City facing new legal challenge over Affordability Unlocked, other rules this week
The 18 plaintiffs who won a judgment against the city of Austin over its attempted rewrite of the Land Development Code in 2020 are going back to court this week. This time, they’ll attempt to overturn city regulations created in response to the need for more housing. Led by Frances Acuña, the group’s members have […]
Posted inDevelopment
Courthouse dining elevated: Veracruz All Natural contracts with county courts facility
Veracruz All Natural, which makes some of Austin’s most acclaimed tacos, will open an outpost downtown to serve the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility. The facility opened earlier this year, with about 2,247 square feet of real estate located on the first floor of 1700 Guadalupe Street. And its cafe space has been […]
Posted inPreservation
Travis County commissioners approve preservation plan funding for Sweatt courthouse
The Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse on Guadalupe Street could undergo historic restoration in the coming years with state funding assistance. Earlier this week, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to allocate $100,000 toward hiring a historic preservation architect to draft a preservation plan for the structure, which was built in the 1930s. […]
Posted inCourts
Federal court rules Austin’s short-term rental rules unlawful
Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra on Tuesday issued a ruling that overturns Austin’s short-term rental ordinance adopted in 2016. The plaintiffs, Robert Anding and his wife, Roberta, filed suit against the city after attempting to register one of their properties as a short-term rental. Because they did not occupy the property as their […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County to set pay raises for elected officials in line with all county workers
Travis County is in the preliminary stages of raising pay for its elected officials by 5 percent. The news came during the Tuesday session of the Travis County Commissioners Court. Todd Osburn, the assistant director of total rewards with the county, explained that this is just an initial step, and the pay raise is not […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County still slated to spend millions in 2021 ARPA funding
Travis County has until the end of 2026 to spend $146 million of federal funding it received two years ago, according to the Planning and Budget Office. On Tuesday, Dashiell Daniels with the county’s Planning and Budget Office told the Commissioners Court about the state of expenditures of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery […]