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Travis County
Eckhardt offers the city Palm School in exchange for expo center, hotel tax
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt says that she and her colleagues on the Commissioners Court are willing to give away the Palm School to the city of Austin. But they want a couple of big things in return. In a…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Nov 20, 2019
Exit Eckstein: Travis County's retiring lobbyist reflects on his battles at the Legislature
After 11 years, Deece Eckstein is calling it quits as Travis County’s top lobbyist. He recently told members of the Commissioners Court that he will retire from his position as the intergovernmental relations officer at the end of the year.…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Nov 18, 2019
Travis County leaders defend bail practices
For years, Travis County leaders have touted the county’s progressive bail policies, which allow a large percentage of the accused to get out of jail without posting a cash bond. Each person who is booked into jail on a charge…
Public Safety • By Jack Craver • Nov 1, 2019
Commissioners debate future of Palm School property
Four months after voting to put in place restrictions on the Palm School property that would prevent the main building from being redeveloped, members of the Travis County Commissioners Court continue to display differences of opinion about the property’s future.…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Oct 9, 2019
Commissioners approve landfill changes over TDS objections
On Tuesday the Travis County Commissioners Court opted to readopt changes to a county ordinance regulating landfills despite pushback from an influential local waste management company. Representatives of Texas Disposal Systems told commissioners that ordinance changes the commissioners approved last…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Oct 3, 2019
Travis County's public defender office is officially funded
Travis County is in the home stretch of its yearslong effort to establish a public defender office for low-income adult defendants. On Thursday the Texas Indigent Defense Commission OK’d a four-year grant to establish the office in the county –…
Travis County • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 30, 2019
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Despite high arrest rate, county leaders give high marks to jail diversion program
A majority of criminal defendants who participated in a county pilot program aimed at getting people with mental illness out of jail and into treatment were rearrested within a year of their release. Yet, many involved in the criminal justice…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Aug 29, 2019
County to advocates: Don't just tell us where to spend, but where to cut
With revenue caps on the horizon, members of the Travis County Commissioners Court have the unenviable task of telling groups calling for increased funding of critical services, from social programs to law enforcement, that there simply may not be the…
Budget • By Jack Craver • Aug 21, 2019
Travis County increases support for child care
Funding authorized Tuesday by the Travis County Commissioners Court will provide day care for 92 low-income children. The $285,000 funding was recommended by county staff to address a growing number of children on the waiting list for federal child care…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Aug 16, 2019
City, county look to private investors to help on homelessness
Travis County commissioners are cautiously optimistic about the county’s participation in a multi-jurisdictional program aimed at helping some of the county’s most destitute residents. The program, Pay for Success, is a collaboration between the county, the city and a number…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Aug 12, 2019
Commissioners approve 'pause' on economic incentives
Looking ahead to years of belt-tightening due to property tax limits put in place by the state, Travis County leaders say the county may not be able to afford offering tax incentives to companies to create jobs locally. The Commissioners…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Aug 2, 2019
Travis County commissioners give themselves pay raise
The Travis County Commissioners Court moved to significantly increase salaries for itself and other top elected officials over the vociferous objections of one of its members. On Tuesday, the court voted 4-1 to approve setting aside money in the upcoming…
