Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, already bursting at the seams, will see its largest-ever expansion start to take final shape after a City Council vote. For travelers, the decision will lead to more gates, more terminal space and possibly higher ticket prices. Council’s action on Thursday gives airport staff the green light to finalize a long-term deal with […]
Austin City Council
The Austin City Council is the body with legislative purview over the City of Austin. It offers policy direction, while the office of the City Manager implements administrative actions based on those policies. Until 2015, the body contained seven members, including the city’s Mayor, all elected at-large. In 2012, City of Austin residents voted to change that system and as of 2015, 10 members of the Council are elected based on geographic districts. The Mayor continues to be elected at-large.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
‘Party’ at city hall shorted Council-required payouts to musicians
When Paul Uribe was asked by a local event promoter to perform with his band Mariachi Capital at the Party At The People’s House mini-festival at city hall in late June, he was so taken by the event’s anti-hate crime intent that he discounted the group’s normal rate of $100 per musician, per hour rate […]
Posted inCity Council
Council rejects resolution to target youth homelessness funding
A resolution aimed at prioritizing youth homelessness funding failed at City Council on Thursday following extended debate over budget process and policy flexibility. Staff from the Homeless Strategy Office expressed concern that the proposal, even softened from its original form, could restrict their ability to adjust investments based on the needs shown by real-time data […]
Posted inParks
Council will delay Zilker Café vote to reconsider ban on alcohol sales
Four years after public outcry nixed a proposal to allow alcohol sales at Zilker Café, City Council now appears willing, if not eager, to permit the use. At Tuesday’s work session, Council members questioned whether the vendor up for approval at Thursday’s meeting could generate sufficient revenue without beer and wine sales, which the city […]
Posted inCity Hall
Staff to deliver recommendations for city boards and commissions in October
The city will present preliminary recommendations next month about whether to consolidate or eliminate several of its advisory boards and commissions, marking the first use of a formal evaluation framework adopted earlier this year. The results will be shared at the Oct. 15 meeting of the Audit and Finance Committee. They are based on a […]
Posted inCourts
Former candidate sues City Council over tax election ballot language
A former 2024 candidate for Austin mayor has filed suit against City Council over the November ballot language proposed to increase the city’s property tax rate. Last week, Council approved a $6.3 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on October 1. That budget includes a tax rate five cents higher than the […]
Posted inBudget
Council passes budget, triggering tax rate election
After a long and often procedurally-confusing meeting that stretched into the better part of two days, Council passed a $6.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026 based on a tax rate 5 cents above the state cap, triggering a tax rate election this November. Should Austinites approve that tax rate, the average homeowner’s property taxes […]
Posted inBudget
Duchen tries (but fails) to raise Austin Energy bills
Council Member Marc Duchen opposed or abstained on the majority of his colleagues’ amendments to next year’s city budget and voted against the overall budget. However, did try to raise Austin Energy’s income by proposing to increase its rates and fees. His proposal would have added up to $63 million in revenues. Neither the Mayor […]
Posted inBudget
Austin spends millions on overtime pay for police officers. The city is scaling that back.
For Austin’s fire, police and emergency medical professionals, overtime is just a fact of life. In the last budget year, overtime spending on those three departments was $84 million, according to city payroll data. But after years of ballooning overtime payouts, Austin is throttling back some of that spending, asking its fire and police departments […]
Posted inBudget
Council settles on tax rate election, with more amendments to come
After a marathon public comment session yesterday that lasted from 10am till 10pm, Council came to a consensus around a maximum 5-cent tax rate election (TRE) on top of the base budget, with more discussion on amendments to come today. Speakers were split between homeowners admonishing Council for past spending – and those specifically peeved […]
Posted inBudget
Council mulls budget priorities ahead of vote
As Austin City Council nears its Wednesday vote to approve a more than $6 billion budget, Council members laid out each of their spending priorities in a work session Thursday, landing on many points of consensus. Council members added their proposed amendments to the budget as laid out by City Manager T.C. Broadnax in July, […]
Posted inBudget
As state considers further constriction, Council wrestles with how high to go on tax rate election
Ahead of Thursday’s comprehensive budget discussion, there is almost no question that a tax rate election to fund essential city services will be on the ballot come November. At least nine City Council members have expressed support for some level of one, and Council’s Audit and Finance Committee voted unanimously to hold a tax rate […]