On Friday afternoon, attorney Bill Aleshire filed suit on behalf of a voter against the city of Austin over language City Council adopted to describe the proposition on the November ballot related to CodeNEXT or any other rewrite of the city’s Land Development Code. The suit was filed with the Texas Supreme Court for Allan […]
November 2018 elections
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: District 8 candidate Rich DePalma
This week, City Council candidate Rich DePalma sits down with Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard to explain why he is seeking the District 8 seat. Hear his reasons for running and more below, where the entire show has been embedded. Austin Monitor Radio is produced in partnership with KOOP 91.7 FM. The Austin Monitor’s work […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council faces legal action over wording of two ballot initiatives
Supporters of two ballot initiatives are threatening legal action against the city of Austin over ballot language that they claim City Council crafted to mislead voters. Just after midnight on Friday, Council approved language for 11 separate propositions that voters will have the opportunity to approve or reject in November. One of those is a […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: District 1 candidate Reedy Spigner
This week, City Council candidate Reedy Spigner joins Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to talk about why he’s running for the District 1 seat, and to explain what issues he hopes to tackle if elected. It’s all embedded below, so go ahead and listen now: Austin Monitor Radio is produced in […]
Posted inElections
Battle over housing policy defines District 3 race
Growth, gentrification and CodeNEXT are at the center of the race for City Council District 3. Most of the district is made up of neighborhoods on both sides of the Colorado River that are east of Interstate 35. However, the district boundaries also snake out to grab a large chunk of South Central Austin, including […]
Posted inElections
Fourth candidate enters race for District 8
Frank Ward, 36, threw his hat in the ring for the District 8 City Council seat on Monday with the endorsement of the current occupant of that seat, Council Member Ellen Troxclair. Troxclair, the only Republican on the dais, recently announced that she would not run for a second term. Ward joins three other candidates, […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: District 1 candidate Vincent Harding
This week, former Travis County Democratic Chair Vincent Harding sits down with freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to talk about why he’s running for City Council and explain what issues he is hoping to tackle for District 1. The whole thing is embedded below for your listening convenience. The Austin Monitor’s work is […]
Posted inElections
Mayor’s race outraises all others
Mayor Steve Adler and his chief opponent, former Council Member Laura Morrison, by far outraised the candidates in all the other races, as shown by the campaign finance reports filed on Monday. Of course, the mayor’s race is traditionally the most expensive, and this year will be no exception. Adler, who started his re-election effort […]
Posted inCity Council
Troxclair decides not to seek re-election
Council Member Ellen Troxclair, the lone conservative on City Council, announced Wednesday that she would not be seeking re-election to her District 8 seat. Troxclair was elected as part of the first group of Council members elected from districts, and she represents the southwest part of the city. In a press statement, Troxclair characterized her […]
Posted inCity Hall
Campaign for city audit says it has enough signatures for referendum
Organizers of a petition to require an audit of city government announced Wednesday that they had gathered enough signatures to put the question before voters this November. A statement released by Citizens for an Accountable Austin, the group that has led the petition drive, said that the group had gathered more than 30,000 signatures, far […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Arts, music supporters eye bond money to assist existing creative spaces
Leaders in Austin’s arts community appear to be in favor of using $12 million in proposed bond money to help existing creative businesses in purchasing their current spaces before they can be priced out or forced to move because of redevelopment. That was the focus of discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Austin Music Commission, […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: History lessons
Fighting for your government seems to run in families… With Independence Day looming on the horizon, not much was happening at the July 3 Zoning and Platting Commission meeting. In the spirit of patriotism, and to make everyone’s journey to City Hall worth their time, Jim Duncan, the vice chair of the commission, took the […]