It’s been just over a year since Mayor Steve Adler took office, and on Tuesday night, he delivered his second “State of Our City” address to a packed Zach Theatre. The speech was different in tone than the one given last May, which remained focused firmly on the future. Though Adler praised his fellow City […]
Mayor Steve Adler
Mayor of the city of Austin, elected in November 2014
Posted inCity Council
What the TNC discussion may say about Adler’s leadership
Given that it’s in a government building, the painting that hangs outside Mayor Steve Adler’s office is a bizarre choice. It’s a portrait of a cat – its head crowned in what looks like a steel headdress, with an ornate keyhole at its center. Behind the cat’s head, canoes full of sushi float atop a […]
Posted inTransportation
Adler unveils new TNC proposal
Mayor Steve Adler on Sunday revealed that he has been working with a representative of Lyft, one of the transportation network companies that has been backing an initiative on the May 7 ballot to prevent the city from enforcing mandatory fingerprinting for TNC drivers. Adler said he has been discussing with attorney Michael Whellan, who […]
Posted inCity Council
TNC petition is valid, and Adler has a new idea
Almost as quickly as City Clerk Jannette Goodall could say that the Ridesharing Works for Austin petition signatures were valid, Mayor Steve Adler announced that he had a new idea to add to the litany of concepts already proposed for how to govern transportation network companies in Austin. Council was already set to hear public comments at 6:30 […]
Posted inCity Council
Council member fears lawsuits over new ordinance
It’s no secret that on Tuesday, Austin’s city clerk is expected to tell City Council that she has validated at least 20,000 signatures on a petition to change an ordinance governing transportation network companies. And, it’s clear that her announcement will trigger a requirement for Council – within 10 days – either to adopt Ridesharing Works […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Transportation, Uncategorized
Little clarity in TNC debate
Where there was once a clear path for City Council to revise rules for transportation network companies, there is now a plethora of possibilities. Council voted last month to require fingerprinting background checks of TNC drivers, and it is set to lay out a system of incentives and disincentives for the companies at its next meeting, Jan. […]
Posted inCity Council, Elections
Ridesharing supporters quickly surpass signatures needed to push for ordinance change
Ridesharing Works for Austin has collected 65,103 signatures on a petition to change a city ordinance requiring that drivers be fingerprinted – which could force either a new City Council vote or a city-wide election. The political action committee opposes rules that Council adopted in December that would require drivers of transportation network companies like Uber, Lyft and […]
Posted inHousing
Oracle: when a tech company expands in Austin
Demolition, it seems, follows Robin Wilkins. Wilkins, 54, moved into the Lakeview Apartments on South Lakeshore Boulevard after another apartment building she was living in was slated to be torn down. She stayed for five years, paying no more than $720 a month for a two-bedroom apartment. Nonetheless, throughout that stay she knew the fate […]
Posted inCity Council
Mayor Steve Adler says it was a very good year
One year into his term, Mayor Steve Adler says there are so many things to do that being the top elected leader of the city requires his attention 18 hours a day. He took one of those hours – on a Sunday – to talk with the Austin Monitor about 2015 and some of his […]
Posted inCity Hall
Sunset proposal sparks power struggle at City Hall
Those well-versed in the language of passive aggression may have recognized City Council’s work session discussion about a new city departmental review process for what it was: a fight. During Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Steve Adler brought up the new Office of Performance Measurement, which was described in a memo from City Manager Marc Ott last […]
Posted inAustin
Mayor, community leaders unveil new facility for the homeless
A $14.6 million facility combining housing and services for Austin’s chronically homeless is expected to break ground in Central East Austin early next year with the support of Mayor Steve Adler, the Downtown Austin Alliance, various nonprofit organizations working to end homelessness and several prominent community leaders. The 40,000-square-foot Housing First Oak Springs facility will […]
Posted inElections
Adler proposes dark money ordinance
Mayor Steve Adler, who was the subject of dark money attacks during his campaign for mayor in 2014, is proposing an ordinance to deal with the problem. Members of the City Council Audit and Finance Committee discussed the matter Wednesday and voted unanimously to forward Adler’s resolution to the full Council for its consideration. That […]