Election Day is always something of a high-water mark for your Monitor team. Each cycle we pour resources into coverage of the campaigns. This year, of course, was multiplied by two major factors: the switch to 10-1 and the amount of candidate interest that went with it (for not the last time in these pages, […]
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Posted inCourts, Housing, Local Politics, Uncategorized
City Council advances source of income ordinance
City Council members took another step toward prohibiting housing discrimination based on source of income Thursday, passing an ordinance on second reading that amends the city code. The ordinance includes language that offers an exemption to property owners who do not directly or indirectly own more than four dwelling units and do not use a […]
Posted inResources, Uncategorized
Code violators may get administrative hearings
The Code Department may soon have a new tool to enforce city code, if an ordinance passes at today’s City Council meeting that would create an administrative hearing process for certain violations. Code Department Director Carl Smart told Council members at Tuesday’s work session that he hopes the new procedure will help to streamline the […]
Posted inTransportation, Uncategorized
Council still far from agreement on TNC ordinance
City Council members demonstrated Tuesday that there is still considerable disagreement about the finer points of an ordinance that would temporarily legalize transportation network companies in Austin, despite its approval on first and second readings, with a final reading on Thursday’s agenda. The conversation at this week’s Council work session revolved almost exclusively around Council […]
Posted inPublic Safety, Uncategorized
McDonald announces retirement from city service
After 31 years of service to the city, Deputy City Manager Michael McDonald has announced that he will retire at the end of December. McDonald, who had a distinguished career in the Austin Police Department and served as the first African-American assistant police chief in Austin’s history, moved over to City Hall in 2002 to […]
Posted inTransportation, Uncategorized
Report: Drivers delayed 26 million vehicle hours
If you think you are spending a lot of time sitting on Austin’s roads going nowhere, you are right. In fact, you are contributing to the city’s 26 million vehicle-hours a year of traffic delays, according to a Texas A&M report. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Policy Board reviewed the latest congestion report […]
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Publisher’s Note: One Year/One Month
A note from Monitor publisher Mike Kanin: As of last Wednesday, it has been one year since we acquired what was formerly In Fact Daily from the Austin American-Statesman. Somehow, the occasion got a little lost. This probably had something to do with the fact that it was a City Council week. It might also […]
Posted inUncategorized
A note from your editor
Hello, I’m Liz, and I’m editor-in-chief now. A lot of you may already be familiar with me — I’ve been writing for the Monitor (and In Fact Daily) for about four years. I’ll still be doing that, because otherwise it would look weird to spend all of my Tuesday nights at the Planning Commission. But […]
Posted inElections, Uncategorized
District 9 forum focuses on affordability
The three City Council candidates vying to represent Austin’s most central district focused on issues of affordability and housing during Thursday night’s forum. The City of Austin presented the event in partnership with the Ethics Review Commission and the League of Women Voters. Aside from affordability and housing, moderator Frances McIntyre presented questions to District […]
Posted inDevelopment, Uncategorized
Council to mull purchase of Bull Creek property
City Council members will discuss whether to purchase the state-owned property at 45th Street and Bull Creek Road at 9:30 a.m. today. Council Members Laura Morrison, Kathie Tovo and Bill Spelman are sponsors. With Mayor Lee Leffingwell a definite no and Council Member Mike Martinez seeming to lean that way, the votes of Council Members […]
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Publisher’s Update
Morning All. Here’s a quick update about our progress on the Web side of things: We continue to hear from folks who have trouble logging in using the new system. The good news is that, for the strong majority of those experiencing this issue, a simple reset of your account appears to clear things up. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Hello seersucker, goodbye summer
Though City Council slogged through a lengthy agenda at its Thursday meeting, there was time for a bit of festivity and to make a fashion statement. “In the normal world, it’s devastating if you show up wearing the same outfit as somebody else. And I’ve been very careful that didn’t happen. But it was just […]