This November, Austin voters will have plenty to ponder as they look at the city’s portion of the ballot. Every Austin voter will have a chance to vote on mayoral candidates, and voters in Districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10 will be choosing a City Council member to represent them for the next four […]
Charter Review Commission
Posted inCity Charter
Council hears proposed changes to city charter for November ballot
City Council on Tuesday officially received the Charter Review Commission’s proposed revisions to the city charter, along with some additional staff-proposed changes. Council members limited their questions to the administrative items brought by staff because the commission’s nine recommendations will return to Council on May 2 for discussion and will be considered for action later […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Charter Review Commission sends its recommendations to Council
The Charter Review Commission has wrapped up its evaluation of possible charter revisions relating to petition requirements, among other items, and has submitted its final report to City Council with nine recommendations. Council will ultimately decide which items will be placed on the November ballot. In its 2023 resolution creating the commission, one of Council’s […]
Posted inCity Hall
Charter Review Commission suggests more transparency in petition process
The city’s Charter Review Commission continues to take a close look at the petition process in Austin in anticipation of putting changes on this November’s ballot. At the most recent meeting, commissioners discussed a new “letter of intent” that aims to add transparency to a process that is somewhat shrouded in secrecy until signatures are […]
Posted inCity Hall
Proposed changes to the city’s ethics commission falter
A proposal to reenvision the city’s ethics commission as an independent entity appears to be on ice at the Charter Review Commission after a motion to form a working group to look into the issue failed without any support. Commissioner Betsy Greenberg, who made the motion to form an ethics commission working group, presented her […]
Posted inCity Charter
Charter Review Commission continues to wrestle with petition process
As the Charter Review Commission works to prepare its recommendations to City Council, a discussion at the most recent meeting showed that its members are still struggling with what changes they will recommend for the city’s petition process. Currently, any citizen or group can get their suggested policy change on the ballot by collecting 20,000 […]
Posted inCity Charter
Council OKs creation of charter review commission
City Council on Thursday approved a resolution authorizing creation of a 2024 Charter Review Commission with an emphasis on studying whether the city should change the number of signatures required for submitting a proposed ordinance to voters for adoption. Council Member Ryan Alter authored the resolution. His co-sponsors included Mayor Kirk Watson and Council members […]
Posted inCity Charter
Ethics Review Commission weighs in on potential charter changes
In the midst of discussions about soccer stadiums, CodeNEXT and the 2018 bond, the Charter Review Commission is asking citizens to consider one more thing: changes to the city charter. At its June 13 meeting, members of the Ethics Review Commission tweaked the proposed charter change language and recommended that City Council consider implementing their […]
Posted inCity Charter
Should the auditor’s office be exempt from municipal civil service?
Having an independent auditor’s office is integral to running a city where checks and balances fulfill their intended function. Independence, however, is not always easy to maintain, and in Austin, the Office of the City Auditor is working to balance its autonomy with still allowing its employees access to city-based benefits. On March 5, Jason […]
Posted inElections
Austinites may soon be able to directly support candidates through voucher donations
When it comes to political campaigning, it’s no secret that Austin has funding inequalities. Some fear these funding inequalities have fostered a lack of engagement among voters that has helped lead to the city’s notorious low turnout at the polls. Responding to the statistics, City Council charged the Charter Review Commission with determining the most […]
Posted inCity Hall
Commission considers an independent watchdog agency for Austin
Saying that it is time for Austin to have a full-time watchdog, a task force tasked with proposing changes to the city charter is considering ways to establish an independent ethics agency. Currently in Austin, oversight of campaign finance filings and enforcement of city ethics rules are split up between four different entities: the city […]
Posted inCity Hall
Charter Review Commission wants another vote on Council-appointed city attorney
Austin is one of only 6 percent of Texas home-rule cities with a city attorney who is unilaterally appointed by the city manager, with no input from City Council. As a result, critics contend, there is a lack of accountability for the city’s top legal official. They argue that Austin would be better off following […]