Tag Archives: City of Austin Anti-lobbying ordinance
Ethics Review Commission OKs pandemic-era changes to lobbying ordinance
The Ethics Review Commission last week voted unanimously to recommend changes to the city’s lobbying rules. The rules ensure phone calls and video conferences are properly recorded as appearances before a city official. The changes to City Code Chapter 4-8…
City Hall • By Nina Hernandez • Jul 5, 2023
Lobby ordinance needs revision to cover virtual meetings
City auditors have found that, while the city’s registered lobbyists are largely complying with city regulations, there is one significant gap in the reporting requirements. Although lobbyists are required to report their in-person meetings, no such requirement exists for virtual…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • May 4, 2022
Council approves changes to anti-lobbying ordinance
Early Friday morning, City Council approved what supporters described as a temporary solution to an ongoing battle between Texas Disposal Systems and other waste contractors over city lobbying rules. The measure approved by Council makes a few small changes to…
City Council • By Jack Craver • Jun 18, 2018
Committee fails to endorse lobbying rules changes
The City Council Audit and Finance Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to forward changes to the anti-lobbying ordinance proposed by the city staff to the full Council, but did so without a recommendation. Three members of the committee, Mayor Pro…
The Code • By Jo Clifton • Apr 30, 2018
The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Dumpster contract headed to Council, hung up on lobbying ordinance rewrite
As City Council continues to debate the policies associated with the anti-lobbying ordinance, Austin solid waste contracts are beginning to expire with very little recourse for renewals. The latest casualty is city-owned facilities’ dumpster collection services. On Feb. 14, Austin…
Resources • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 27, 2018
Alter: Council is letting garbage company rewrite lobbying rules
City Council Member Alison Alter said Tuesday that her colleagues were allowing one company to rewrite city lobbying rules, suggesting that an ongoing rewrite of the Anti-Lobbying Ordinance was largely the result of bullying by Texas Disposal Systems, a waste…
The Code • By Jack Craver • Nov 8, 2017
Subscribe to our newsletter
Possible lobbying ordinance changes headed to Council
The Ethics Review Commission approved a series of recommendations for how to amend the city’s Anti-Lobbying Ordinance, portions of which have been criticized as too vague or unfair by solid waste and other contractors who regularly do business with the…
The Code • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 6, 2017
Council continues to wait on new lobbying rules
On Thursday, Council Member Leslie Pool, who has been leading efforts to make changes to the city’s Anti-Lobbying Ordinance, told her colleagues that stakeholders are close to reaching an agreement over new rules. “We’re achieving really good progress,” she said.…
The Code • By Jack Craver • Oct 20, 2017
The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Council to consider changes for waste disposal contracts
A series of recommendations made by a City Council working group seeks to address concerns from environmentalists and private waste haulers about how the city chooses the companies it pays to pick up and dispose of waste generated by its…
City Hall • By Jack Craver • Aug 7, 2017
Council OKs waiver of anti-lobbying ordinance
City Council on Thursday approved a temporary waiver of the city’s anti-lobbying ordinance for companies and individuals who wish to talk to the Council working group on solid waste issues. The vote was 7-1-1, with Council Member Ellen Troxclair voting…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Apr 7, 2017
Pool offers changes to lobby ordinance
When City Council Member Leslie Pool first proposed tightening up the city’s lobby registration ordinance last year, she encountered considerable resistance, especially from architects and engineers who said that the work they do when they talk to city officials is…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Aug 17, 2016
Talk with EUC chair ends consumer advocate bid
The city’s purchasing officer has disqualified the sole remaining bidder on a contract to act as the consumer advocate in Austin Energy’s upcoming rate review. City Purchasing Officer James Scarboro informed the mayor and City Council about the disqualification of…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Dec 3, 2015
The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
