For Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, 2016 was a year she made progress on issues related to the homeless, affordable housing, and uncovering and fighting discrimination and retaliation within the ranks of city employees. In the Austin Monitor‘s year-end conversation with her, Tovo also cited moving forward on the sobriety center, a long-sought goal for […]
Kathie Tovo
First elected under the former at-large system of Austin City Council, Tovo currently represents District 9.
Posted inPreservation
Council debates building demolition in Old West Austin
City Council delayed a decision on a contentious historic preservation case Thursday after a property owner promised that he would not seek a permit to tear down the structure in the next week. Zach Armstrong, who is seeking to demolish a fourplex he owns at 1618 Palma Plaza in Old West Austin, assured Mayor Steve […]
Posted inPreservation
Proposal would revamp historic commission rules
Recent events at the Historic Landmark Commission – which resulted in the panel’s failure to act either to begin the historic zoning process for a property or to allow a demolition permit to move forward – have highlighted a need for change, according to Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo. Mayor Steve Adler agrees, but he […]
Posted inCity Hall
Discrimination, retaliation cases climbing
During the past three years, the number of allegations related to harassment, discrimination and retaliation received by the city auditor’s investigative unit has more than doubled, according to data released by the Office of the City Auditor this week. However, because investigating those types of allegations is not part of the office’s defined role in […]
Posted inCity Council
Tovo, Garza to help fund downtown toilet project
Downtown Austin has scores of restaurants, bars and shops, but what it does not have is strategically located public toilets. That deficiency has proved problematic for any number of people, including the homeless and late-night visitors on the streets after bars have closed. City Council passed a resolution back in January citing the need for […]
Posted inPlanning
Tovo pushes alternatives in lieu of fees-in-lieu
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo is pushing ahead in her efforts to steer the city’s density bonus programs in a new direction. Near the end of last year, she initiated a staff review of the current programs, suspecting that there was room for improvement. Neighborhood Housing and Community Development staff members presented their findings to […]
Posted inCity Council
City commissions move closer to gender balance
In Austin’s first election featuring geographic, single-member districts, voters sent seven women and four men (including the mayor) to the new 10-1 City Council, making the capital of Texas the first major U.S. city governed by a majority-female elected body. The new Council has also come closer to achieving gender parity on citizen commissions, the […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Reach for the czars
It’s a dog-eat-chicken world… In comments to City Council during citizens communication Thursday, the city’s top anti-dog demagogue, Robert “Crocodile” Corbin, described the Austin Animal Center’s “no kill” policy as “destructive to humans, animals, the environment and our finances.” He reminded them of a previous story he had recounted to them “about a large, old […]
Posted inTipSheets
Reporter’s Notebook: Music and moments of vindication
Which genre do you live in?… In case you missed it, the city’s district music summits kicked off this weekend with the punk/alternative summit in District 2. Even if you didn’t go, there are nine summits left to catch, each of which offers a genre’d opportunity to weigh in on the Austin Music and Creative […]
Posted inCity Council
Mayor Pro Tem Tovo reflects on an “interesting” year
As the sole returning member of City Council, Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo is able to offer a unique perspective on the past year. Tovo was re-elected to represent Central Austin’s District 9, which includes downtown, and was later elected mayor pro tem by her fellow Council members. “It’s been an interesting year,” said Tovo. […]
Posted inRoads
Austinites sound off on MoPac South
Austin-area elected officials, advocates and community members gathered at Austin High School on Monday for a forum on the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority’s proposed MoPac South tolled expansion. The event revealed a general dissatisfaction and frustration with the available options. “The best of these proposals don’t provide a direct benefit to Austin High or […]
Posted inAustin, Budget, City Council
Council staff proposal up in the air ahead of vote
Despite committee efforts and new cost projections, a conversation among City Council members Tuesday revealed that they still have some work to do on a proposal to increase staffing and resources for the mayor and Council offices ahead of a vote Thursday. “We’re two months, already, past January,” said Mayor Steve Adler, urging his colleagues […]