A political action committee supporting Mayor Kirk Watson has raised more than $238,000 but spent less than $2,900 so far, according to a report filed with Austin’s Office of the City Clerk. One of the major contributors to the Austin Leadership PAC is Brandywine Operating Partner, which donated $10,000 to the PAC. Brandywine has been […]
Office of the Austin City Clerk
This city department provides access to city documents, ensuring compliance with records-retention laws, and facilitating City Council’s legislative process.
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 Council
New rules for addressing City Council ‘postponed indefinitely’
At the beginning of Thursday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Kirk Watson announced that a plan to cut back on public input had been “postponed indefinitely.” Many speakers criticized rules originally proposed by City Clerk Myrna Rios, and they expressed hope that such restrictions would not come back at any time. Drawing particular condemnation: a plan […]
Posted inElections
Lawsuit challenging city decision on Fair Campaign money fails
A Travis County judge has denied a temporary restraining order request from two City Council candidates who claim they were wrongly disqualified from receiving public campaign funds. District 3 candidate José Velásquez and District 5 candidate Ryan Alter filed the request in the 455th Civil District Court on Monday morning. The suit claimed they were […]
Posted inElections
Only Silva and Guerrero to get Fair Campaign money
The city’s Law Department has decided that only two runoff candidates – Daniela Silva in District 3 and Linda Guerrero in District 9 – are eligible to receive money from the city’s Fair Campaign Finance Fund. That means each of them will receive half of the $66,126.54 in the fund, or $33,063.27. Guerrero and Silva […]
Posted inElections
Which candidates will receive the city’s Fair Campaign money?
Runoff candidates who followed the rules for receiving disbursements from Austin’s Fair Campaign Finance Fund are expecting to receive thousands of dollars to help them in the Dec. 13 runoff election. Those candidates include Daniela Silva and Linda Guerrero and possibly José Velásquez, Zohaib Qadri and Ryan Alter. Silva and Velásquez will be competing in […]
Posted inCity Hall
City backtracks, now says people can testify by phone at public meetings
The proverbial phone line had been cut. Now, it’s being restored. Over the summer, the city of Austin said residents would no longer be able to phone in to public meetings as they’d been doing during the pandemic. The change was allowed after Gov. Greg Abbott suspended parts of the Texas Open Meetings Act, which […]
Posted inCity Council
Conduct of meetings is going to change – and change again
Just as Austin’s most civically engaged citizens – including some new to the process – have gotten used to phoning in their comments on the City Council agenda, the rules are changing. In addition, Council will be considering new rules for participation once it learns what options are available. In March 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott […]
Posted inCity Hall
Unions line up to oppose ‘strong mayor’ plan
Fifteen community leaders, including nine representing labor unions, have written to Andrew Allison, the chair of a political action committee behind a suite of proposed charter amendments that would remake Austin city government, asking him to end his campaign to institute a so-called strong mayor form of government. The PAC is called Austinites for Progressive […]
Posted inCity Hall
City works out logistics to allow boards and commissions to meet virtually
After nearly a month of meetings being on hold, City Council voted last Thursday to temporarily waive a local ordinance requiring a quorum of board or commission members to be physically present in order for a meeting to take place. The dozens of city boards and commissions may now resume their regular schedules with a […]
Posted inElections
Austin city clerk challenges convicted felon’s eligibility to run for City Council
Lewis Conway Jr., a candidate for Austin City Council who has a felony record, may not be able to run after all. Austin City Clerk Jannette Goodall sent Conway an email Friday challenging his eligibility and asking for documents showing that he had been pardoned or “otherwise released from the disabilities” resulting from his conviction. […]
Posted inElections
Politics, money at play even in polling places
The Dec. 13 runoff between incumbent City Council Member Sheri Gallo and challenger Alison Alter will cost the city about $470,000, according to City Clerk Jannette Goodall. That amount accounts for about 50 percent of the cost of the joint city/Austin Community College runoff. Travis County is running the elections, so Goodall must work with […]