Mayor Kirk Watson returns to the word “stability” frequently when discussing the moves and decisions inside City Hall in 2024 and what residents want headed into 2025. For Watson, stability and predictability come in the form of things like the five-year contract the city reached with the Austin Police Association. There was also the hiring […]
Kirk Watson
Former State Senator Kirk Watson represented District 14 and was first elected to the Texas Senate in 2006, as a Democrat. He served as mayor of Austin from 1997 to 2001.
Posted inTransportation
A campaign is underway to rename Austin’s airport after LBJ
Could Austin’s gateway to the world be renamed after a Texas political titan? Yes, if the LBJ Foundation has anything to say about it. The Austin organization has quietly begun a campaign to rename Austin-Bergstrom International Airport after President Lyndon Baines Johnson – a shrewd politician from the Hill Country whose mixed legacy includes helping pass […]
Posted inParks
City Council puts controversial Zilker Park Vision Plan on hold
City Council will not move forward this month with a controversial plan to revamp Zilker Park, Mayor Kirk Watson said Monday. The announcement comes after Council members Paige Ellis, Ryan Alter and Zo Qadri released a joint statement saying that while there’s some consensus around the Zilker Park Vision Plan, there are other elements that […]
Posted inPolice
Wait, so, what’s going on with DPS patrols in Austin?
The city of Austin has ended its agreement with the Texas Department of Public Safety to have state troopers supplement citywide police patrols. Mayor Kirk Watson and interim City Manager Jesús Garza decided to end the partnership Wednesday, after a couple of incidents involving troopers earlier this week. But state police are still going to […]
Posted inCity Council
Mayor expresses opposition to amphitheater, parking garages in Zilker Park Vision Plan
Mayor Kirk Watson on Tuesday expressed strong opinions about the Zilker Park Vision Plan, particularly areas of the plan that have already caused controversy. Watson wrote in his “Watson Wire” email that he was opposed to putting a proposed 5,000-seat amphitheater on the Great Lawn, which would replace the aging Hillside Theater. The mayor wrote, […]
Posted inTransit
Project Connect could be on the ballot again this November
Austin’s mayor is adopting a new strategy against a Texas bill that threatens to derail the city’s voter-approved transit expansion: Get the legislation passed as quickly as possible with overwhelming support in the Texas House and Senate. The approach seemed shockingly counterintuitive to some Project Connect advocates who would prefer Austin try to slay the […]
Posted inHousing
HACA shifts voucher allocation to let housing groups assist homeless
The Housing Authority of the City of Austin has shifted 300 of its housing vouchers to be more available to those experiencing homelessness, in a move aimed at helping the city reduce the number of people in chronic need of housing. Last week, HACA announced the change to convert the 20-year vouchers, which equate to […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin receives $2 million in federal funding for drug overdose prevention efforts
After a spike in the number of fatal drug overdoses last year, Austin is getting $2 million in federal funding for prevention programs, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced Tuesday. The money will be used to hire more peer-recovery coaches and for a public awareness campaign. City officials said this is the first time Austin has received […]
Posted inCity Council
Mayor Watson and others reveal staff appointments
Mayor Kirk Watson told the Austin Monitor Monday that he has hired his chief of staff as well as a number of other new employees. Colleen Pate, who left her position as chief of staff for the Austin Chamber of Commerce to come to the city, will continue to have that title. Before joining the […]
Posted inCity Council
Watson reflects on his mayoral campaign: ‘A new beginning’
As Mayor-elect Kirk Watson prepares to assume his third term, he’s chosen to stick to his campaign messaging: He wants to cut down on the red tape involved in the development process, work across the ideological spectrum and play the role of elder statesman for the city. “I want to start this term governing from […]
Posted inElections
Kirk Watson, who first led the city two decades ago, is elected mayor of Austin again
Lee esta historia en español By a razor-thin margin, Austin voters chose Kirk Watson as the city’s next mayor, electing him to navigate soaring housing costs and contentious fights playing out over how to build for the city’s growing population. Watson squeaked out a win with just 886 more votes than his opponent, state Rep. Celia Israel, […]
Posted inElections
Former Texas state Sen. Kirk Watson running for Austin mayor
Former state Sen. Kirk Watson, who served as Austin mayor from 1997 to 2001, announced Tuesday he is launching a bid for his old job. “It’s official, I’m running to be the next Austin mayor!” Watson posted on Twitter. “Austin is special, but we’re facing a lot of challenges ahead. By working together, we can […]