The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority’s ability to build new toll roads may be temporarily stymied by opposition from state leaders, but the agency is keeping busy with major ongoing projects. While the great majority of its spending is on expanding roadway capacity for cars, CTRMA Executive Director Mike Heiligenstein emphasized the millions the agency […]
Travis County
Posted inTravis County
Travis County leaders urge vigilance on flooding
Heavy rains over the past two weeks have not resulted in major residential flooding, but at least one death appears to be linked to flooding and government officials are urging residents to avoid certain waterways and to be on high alert for flooding if another storm hits. On May 8, one man was found dead […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 5.14.19
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The entire agenda is available on the Travis County website. 10. Consider and take appropriate action on legislative matters, including: A. Update on legislative […]
Posted inUncategorized
Tax wranglers may once again sue appraisers
Once again a battle is brewing between firms seeking to help property owners lower the appraised value on their property and the Travis Appraisal Review Board. The issue boils down to scheduling of hearings with no regard for the fact that an individual tax consultant can only attend one hearing at a time. On Thursday, […]
Posted inTravis County
Commissioners Court makes move on public defender’s office
Travis County took a crucial step toward creating a public defender’s office when the Commissioners Court voted 4-1 Tuesday to submit an application for state funding to set one up. The commissioners made the move after months of debate among defense attorneys, judges and criminal justice reform activists about what the new office should look […]
Posted inTravis County
Revenue caps loom over discussion of public defender’s office
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt warmly welcomed a proposal to establish a county public defender’s office, saying it was imperative that Travis County join the vast majority of major urban jurisdictions in providing attorneys to represent criminal defendants who can’t afford to hire one. “Certainly this is the civil rights issue of our time,” Eckhardt […]
Posted inTravis County
County considers matching Austin with $15 livable wage
Between the tax revenue ceiling regaining momentum at the state Legislature and ongoing affordability concerns, Travis County is looking for a way to increase its livable wage for county employees before the imminent property tax caps take effect. Todd Osburn, compensation manager of the Human Resources Management Department, told the Commissioners Court on Tuesday that […]
Posted inTravis County
County to acquaint itself with puzzling Pretrial Services
Despite its ongoing effort to keep Travis County defendants connected to their communities and out of jail whenever possible, the county Pretrial Services Department has not always been included in the county’s many recent discussions about reducing jail population and growing jail diversion strategies. As became clear during its annual report to the Commissioners Court […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County already has a public defender’s office – for juveniles
Amid the contentious public debate over the creation of a public defender’s office in Travis County is an oft-neglected fact: Travis County already has a public defender’s office. It just doesn’t serve adults. The Travis County Juvenile Public Defender, founded in 1971, was the first such program in the country, according to Kameron Johnson, who […]
Posted inTravis County
Indigent defense work group gets new chance to find common ground
Yielding to the expertise of Amanda Woog, chair of Travis County’s indigent legal services work group, the Commissioners Court swiftly appointed two private defense attorneys to the group during its voting session Tuesday afternoon. Local attorneys Paul Quinzi and Michael Watson will be filling the empty spots left on the panel last month when both […]
Posted inTravis County
Eckhardt delivers State of the County address
Like the Wonder Woman mug of tea sitting on the podium before her, County Judge Sarah Eckhardt says Travis County is filled to the brim. With an unprecedented number of infrastructure projects in line for construction, a contentious array of criminal justice reforms on the horizon, a quickly unraveling climate crisis, and an aggressively spartan […]
Posted inTravis County
County indigent defense grant still on the table
Austin is currently the largest city in the country with no traditional public defender office. Travis County wants to change that, but efforts so far have been unraveled by personal and political disagreements within the Indigent Legal Services work group, the advisory panel put together in late December to guide the process with regard to […]