At Thursday’s City Council meeting, after hearing complaints from two attorneys that a proposed ordinance would violate state law and the city charter, Mayor Kirk Watson announced that the item would be withdrawn. The proposed ordinance would govern petitions for initiatives, referendums and recall of City Council members. After hearing about problems with the proposed […]
city charter
The city’s written grant to govern
Posted inCourts
Judge’s order halts Nov. 5 charter election
Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble on Thursday ordered the city of Austin to eliminate 13 proposed charter amendments from the Nov. 5 ballot because City Council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act in setting a hearing on the proposed charter items. Other items on the ballot, such as Council races, are not impacted […]
Posted inAustin, Elections
Texas Supreme Court to decide whether Austin has a charter election this year
The Supreme Court of Texas has accepted a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Save Our Springs Alliance lawsuit against the city of Austin regarding alleged violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act. If the court agrees with the plaintiffs that the city violated the Open Meetings Act in setting a charter election […]
Posted inCourts
Save Our Springs Alliance files another lawsuit against City Council over Open Meetings Act
Claiming that City Council has again violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Save Our Springs Alliance on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking to block the city’s placement of 13 proposed charter amendments on the November ballot. It is the second lawsuit this year the SOS Alliance has filed against Council alleging violation of the […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council formally authorizes November election with 13 proposed charter amendments
City of Austin voters will face a loaded ballot in November, with 13 charter amendments to be decided as well as a full slate of political races to elect a mayor and five City Council members. City Council last week ordered a Nov. 5 general election, which will include a special election for the proposed […]
Posted inCity Charter
Charter changes might include city attorney appointment
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 […]
Posted inCity Charter, City Hall
Judge rules that city is violating open meetings law and the city charter
A second Travis County judge ruled Tuesday that the city of Austin is violating the Texas Open Meetings Act as well as the city charter in allowing people who wish to speak to City Council only two minutes, regardless of how many items they want to address. District Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle ruled in favor […]
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 […]