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 system say the program has been a success. For three and a half years, Travis […]
Travis County
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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 money to meet their demands. On Tuesday representatives from One Voice Central Texas, a coalition […]
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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 subsidies that are administered by a local workforce agency, Workforce Solutions. This year the federal […]
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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 of area nonprofits and health care providers. Under the model, Social Finance, a nonprofit that […]
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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 Court voted 4-1 Tuesday to stop accepting applications from companies seeking to participate in the […]
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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 budget that will allow pay to rise for commissioners by more than $16,000 – from […]
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Travis County approves final application for public defender’s office
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court gave final approval to an application for state funding to set up a public defender’s office. While there are a couple of details that the court hopes to nail down in the coming days, the only important decision remaining rests with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. The state […]
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Travis County eyes hotel tax to renovate expo center
The Travis County Commissioners Court made a move Tuesday that could put it in direct competition with the city of Austin for millions of dollars of future revenue from hotel stays. The three commissioners present voted unanimously to ask county staff to explore putting a referendum on the ballot this November that would commit a […]
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Despite property tax limits, Travis County remains committed to public defender’s office
The Travis County Commissioners Court took another step Tuesday toward creating the county’s first public defender’s office. The court voted 4-1 to provide additional information to a state agency that is considering providing a multimillion-dollar grant to the county to set up the new office. The court voted in May to apply for the grant […]
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County looks at increasing minimum wage
Generally, the city of Austin and Travis County view each other as partners, not competitors. However, when it comes to attracting and retaining talented employees, the two can’t help but compete. That’s why the Travis County Human Resources Department periodically analyzes how county employees’ compensation compares to their peers working for the city and other […]
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Travis County to establish first ‘strategic plan’
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to begin formulating a long-range strategic plan to guide county policies and budgeting practices for years to come. The executives in charge of the county’s eight major departments have put in place strategic plans governing their own agencies, but this is the first time that the Commissioners Court […]
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Many parents at risk of losing their children look to Travis County’s Office of Parental Representation
Low-income criminal defendants aren’t the only people Travis County is required to provide with legal representation. Parents at risk of losing custody of their children are also afforded assistance at no cost from the county Office of Parental Representation. OPR, which was established in 2009, represents parents who have had their children removed from the […]