On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a 100 percent property tax break to qualifying child care centers in the county. The decision comes close on the city of Austin’s heels; the city passed a similar break in January and was the first city in Texas to do so after the passage of […]
Travis County Commissioners Court
The legislative body for Travis County. It includes representatives from the four Travis County Precincts, as well as the County Judge. The County Judge serves as the chair of the Court.
Posted inTravis County
Travis County approves ambitious ‘Marshall Plan’ for northeast planning district
According to Travis County commissioners and staff, eastern Travis County has long been blighted. Lack of investment and economic opportunities along with displacement and systemic racism have left the area systemically impoverished. In 2024, after years of dilapidation in the area, Travis County and the city of Austin have set their sights on changing – […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Plumbing problems could cost the county $4 million
On Tuesday, a coalition of Travis County staff appeared before the Commissioners Court requesting funding for a derelict section of plumbing in the Travis County Jail. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office and Travis County Planning and Budget Office requested $150,000 for an “engineering assessment” of the scope of work necessary to repair the jail’s plumbing […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Travis County declares local disaster ahead of April 8 total solar eclipse
Lee esta historia en español Travis County declared a local disaster on Friday ahead of the April 8 total solar eclipse. The eclipse is expected to bring an influx of people to the area, putting a major strain on roads, emergency services and other needs. The declaration allows Travis County Judge Andy Brown to control and […]
Posted inTravis County
In a complicated budget year, county commissioners hear advice on employee pay
On Feb. 27, the Travis County Commissioners Court convened for a marathon nine-hour voting session. The agenda was packed with diverse motions, but dollars loomed especially large on the docket. Shortly before hearing the Travis County Planning and Budget Office’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget recommendations, the court heard a presentation from the Travis County Compensation […]
Posted inBudget
County commissioners prepare for a complicated budget season
Each year, the Travis County Planning and Budget Office presents its budget guidelines for the upcoming fiscal year to the Travis County Commissioners Court, furnishing the court with important data and forecasts while launching talks about further planning efforts. On Tuesday, Jessica Rio, Planning and Budget Office county executive, predicted an encouraging economic outlook for […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County celebrates shift to telework
The Travis County Commissioners Court last week received a briefing on a new “Telework Dashboard,” a web tool that reports on the impacts of the county’s ambitious push to build a 75 percent remote workforce. The test drive quickly became a victory lap as commissioners celebrated their sweeping labor gambit’s notable benefits to the environment, […]
Posted inCity Hall
City nixes $2M McKinsey homelessness study, signaling poor cooperation among partners
City Manager Jesús Garza has canceled a potential $2 million contract with consulting giant McKinsey & Company to perform an analysis of efforts to address homelessness by the city, Travis County, Integral Care and Central Health. Garza released a memo Thursday morning that suggested there was a less-than-ideal chance of the needed collaboration and financial […]
Posted inHousing
Travis County embraces proposed Burleson Studios project
On the heels of a difficult vote on an increasingly controversial initiative for a survey on homelessness, housing once again topped the agenda at the Travis County Commissioners Court on Feb. 6. The court considered two motions on Burleson Studios, a transitional housing initiative that’s a collaborative effort between Foundation Communities and the Texas State Affordable Housing […]
Posted inPublic Health
Questions abound over pilot program for mental health diversion
As City Council is set to consider authorizing negotiations on a contract that would include allocating $2 million for a mental health diversion pilot program, a lot of questions remain unanswered. On Tuesday, Mayor Kirk Watson started the work session discussion by asking Robert Kingham, administrator of the Downtown Austin Community Court, about how much […]
Posted inPublic Health
Partners unite in fight against opioid epidemic
On Thursday, the city of Austin, Central Health and community partners delivered presentations to the Travis County Commissioners Court addressing ongoing opioid crisis abatement measures in the greater Austin area. At present, major interventions include the distribution of naloxone (a lifesaving drug that can reverse opioid overdoses), overdose education, harm reduction services, pharmacological treatment and […]
Posted inAustin
Travis County turns down partnership with Austin to address homelessness
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court rejected a proposal to form an interlocal agreement with the city of Austin. The agreement would have put $400,000 toward a $2 million strategic analysis of local efforts to address homelessness. Commissioners chiefly objected to the city’s employment of consulting powerhouse McKinsey & Company as the project’s third-party […]