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Quote of the Day
“We’re doing environmental site assessment at this stage when you’ve already been demolishing what we have, and spending money to build a giant new one.”
— Save Our Springs executive director Bill Bunch, from Council OKs new convention center, as downtown opponents push petitions
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Council OKs new convention center, as downtown opponents push petitions
From Chad Swiatecki:
City Council has approved two measures related to Convention Center development. One item advances the multibillion-dollar reconstruction of the downtown Austin Convention Center, while the other enables the construction of a privately financed convention center and resort hotel near the Circuit of the Americas to qualify for state tax rebates.
Council voted to authorize an additional $25 million contract amendment for construction and project management services tied to the downtown center’s ongoing rebuild. The item includes funding for environmental site assessments and other pre-construction services.
Council also approved a land title transfer required under state law for the COTA-area project to be considered a “qualified project” eligible for state hotel occupancy and sales tax rebates.
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Council approves delay of proposed gas hike
As expected, the City Council on Thursday approved a 90-day delay of a rate increase proposed by Texas Gas Service to allow time for further consideration. Such a delay is permitted under state law.
In the meantime, the city has retained the law firm of Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend to provide legal assistance and possible intervention in the state Railroad Commission’s consideration of the case.
Addressing Council ahead of the vote, Paul Robbins, vice chair of the city’s Resource Management Commission, noted that the company’s proposal is the third rate increase TGS has requested in about a year. “It is my opinion that the company is asking for this rate increase now to preempt it as an issue in the upcoming franchise renewal next year,” he said. (TSG holds a franchise agreement with the city for right-of-way access and other provisions.)
“This [proposed increase] discourages conservation and hurts the poor,” Robbins continued, noting that he and members of the Resource Management Commission “would like to see a dollar per dollar match from company shareholders, transparency for program funding, development of an outreach program, and assurance that the funds collected from Austin would be spent in Austin.”
— Amy Smith
Council tweaks its meeting rules and posting deadlines
The City Council on Thursday approved a series of changes to its meeting rules and procedures, repealing a similar ordinance that took effect in 2024. Meeting agendas posted 13 days before the scheduled meeting will be labeled as draft agendas, while the final agenda will include a memorandum identifying which draft agenda items have been revised, withdrawn or proposed for postponement.
Additionally, registered speakers planning to supplement their testimony with an electronic presentation must submit the presentation to the city Clerk’s Office no later than 5 p.m. the day before the meeting.
Speaker Zenobia Joseph, who frequently includes a presentation with her testimony, called the rule burdensome because people wishing to present slides or photos with their testimony are basing their presentation on backup materials from staff, which is sometimes posted after 5 p.m. before the Council meeting.
— Amy Smith
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Elsewhere in the News
The Austin Chronicle has the (logical) story that right-wing crackdowns in Texas are helping to drive away academics.
Lake Travis is open for recreational use once again.
The Austin American-Statesman reports on a surge of post-flood mosquitos and drops the interesting trivia that they prefer type-O blood.
And, if you’re looking for updates on the legislative special session, of course the Texas Tribune has them, including word that the state is once again trying to restrict transgender people’s use of bathrooms.
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