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Quote of the Day
“I believe we have before us a Band-Aid budget, a budget that has Band-Aid solutions,” she said. I just want to make sure we take time to unmask all of the changes that have been made as part of this proposal.”
— Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, from Council takes first crack at proposed budget
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Planning Commission recommends Hudson Yards-esque development on South Congress
From Miles Wall:
In their more than 110-page report recommending the project, city staff cited benefits like transit access, walkability, a proportionately large number of affordable housing units and the project’s sustainability features, including plans to clean up and restore the section of Bouldin Creek that runs through the property as features that satisfy that requirement.
Bar-going Austinites may be happy to learn that Ego’s will likely be preserved through a part of the plan that will offer low-cost rent for some of the retail space on the property, which Iannacone said would allow for “the next incarnation” of the beloved dive, which has been serving patrons since 1979.
“I wanted there to be a place where you could get a $5 beer,” Iannacone said.
Council takes first crack at proposed budget
From Amy Smith:
City Council kicked off its budget process Tuesday with a closer look at the city manager’s proposed $6.3 billion budget and the prospect of a tax rate election in November.
Mayor Kirk Watson has already stated that the maximum tax rate the Council sets on July 31 is likely to trigger an election due to the state’s 3.5 percent cap on property tax revenue. Lower than expected sales tax revenue, anticipated federal funding cuts and the end of pandemic relief funds don’t help the city’s financial situation.
Still, even with Austin’s $33 million deficit, City Manager T.C. Broadnax has presented Council with a balanced budget, made possible by transferring $14.1 million from the city’s reserve funds and shifting funds in other departments.
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An Austin Animal Center under any other name…
The city of Austin will rename several of its departments starting Oct. 1 as part of a broader effort to simplify and clarify city services for residents. Under the proposed budget, all departments will adopt a standardized naming convention beginning with “Austin,” including both longstanding agencies like Austin Energy and newly renamed entities such as Austin Communications and Engagement, formerly the Communications and Public Information Office.
Among the more substantive changes, the city’s cybersecurity and IT operations, which were previously split between the Information Security Office and the Communications and Technology Management Department, will be consolidated into a single department: Austin Technology Services. The Austin Animal Center and the city’s Office of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment will also become formally recognized as standalone departments under the names Austin Animal Services and Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment, respectively.
In total, eight departments are receiving name changes to better reflect their purpose, according to city staff. The changes are intended to align with updates in the City Code and will be formally adopted with the 2026 budget.
— Chad Swiatecki
Public Safety Commission seeks to expand participation with diverse perspectives
At their meeting last week, the Public Safety Commission continued an ongoing revision of their bylaws. The commission is expanding the list of city departments it works with to include Austin Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Office of Violence Prevention, the Forensic Science Center, and the Homeless Strategy Office.
Appointees also discussed strategies to include non-voting members from the city’s other commissions and Quality of Life Groups. Their goal is to include input from seniors, immigrants, various cultural and ethnic groups, queer Austinites, folks with disabilities, and others who may have unique perspectives on public safety.
A final version of the bylaws will return to the commission later this summer before advancing to the City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee.
— Mina Shekarchi
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Elsewhere in the News
CultureMap reports that Austin is still a good bet for first-time homeowners.
KUT is helping to spread the word that Travis County could use more volunteers to help with post-flood cleanup.
And, fans of water ice will be saddened to learn that Jim-Jim’s is closing after this summer season.
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