Tag Archives: city budget
Reporter's Notebook: At what cost
Where’d you go, Harper-Madison?… After District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison filed her mid-year campaign finance report in July, it turned out that she raised $3,695 in campaign funds in January, February and March and spent $3,589. As Council members…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Aug 19, 2019
Updated: Cronk proposes $4.2 billion budget, more help for homeless
“This year, our mission is to build on these successes while at the same time bracing our city’s budget against the future impacts of the state’s decision to lower the cap on local property tax revenue growth,” City Manager Spencer…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Aug 5, 2019
Watching Legislature, city delays financial forecast
Without final action on the property tax bill moving through the Texas Legislature, Austin budget planners are holding off on presenting the city’s financial forecast to City Council. At this point, however, legislative watchers expect final passage of SB 2,…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • May 3, 2019
Parks and Recreation lacks $2.4 million in funding, potentially faces more cuts
As the question of property tax caps continues to loom in the state Legislature, city departments are wrestling to pare down their budgets in anticipation of what management expects to be a $51.7 million gap in funding for the entire…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 26, 2019
Access to health care, transit among top budget priorities for Austin seniors
With the city paying closer attention to the needs of its fast-growing senior population, staff and commissions involved in issues for the aging are hearing a lot of familiar concerns heading into the early stages of budget talks. An emphasis…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 19, 2019
Public safety departments cite $3.5M in unmet needs
At Monday’s Public Safety Commission meeting, commissioners unanimously voted to send a memo to City Council recommending an additional $3.5 million in funding for the 2020 fiscal year. The money would fund initiatives including a $10,000 raise for future police…
Budget • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 3, 2019
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Should the city move to a two-year budget?
Every week that City Council holds a Thursday meeting, Council members meet Tuesday for a “work session” to discuss items that they plan to vote on at the meeting. In recent months, however, Council has also begun setting aside an…
City Council • By Jack Craver • Nov 29, 2018
Many, but not all, development fees to climb
Last year, Rodney Gonzales, director of Austin’s Development Services Department, asked Council to fund an additional 50 employees to increase his department’s efficiency in dealing with a multitude of permits, reviews and inspections. Council killed the plan by postponing it.…
Development • By Jo Clifton • Sep 18, 2018
Cuts to arts groups brings call for changes to funding mechanism
Local arts groups facing dramatic cuts in their funding levels from the city could get some relief this budget year, and possibly an earlier heads-up in future budget years if their funding allocations appear headed for a decrease. The city’s…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 18, 2018
Reporter's Notebook: The meatloaf index
Don’t tell your constituents… During a Cap Metro board meeting at the Austin Convention Center attended by City Council members, transportation consultant Jeffrey Tumlin bemoaned the current state of transportation planning in most American cities, which prioritizes minimizing “vehicle delay…
Reporters' Notebook • By Elizabeth Pagano • Sep 17, 2018
City boosts spending on homelessness, but advocates still disappointed
The Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget approved by City Council on Tuesday includes a $3.4 million increase in funding for homelessness services. City staff estimates that the new funds come on top of more than $26 million in annual city spending…
Budget • By Jack Craver • Sep 13, 2018
Mental health team faces funding crisis
Mental health professionals accompany police officers to all SWAT calls in Houston and Seattle, but Austin’s Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, which operates alongside the Austin Police Department, does not accompany officers on high-risk calls, such as when a weapon is…
