Latest Headlines for Saturday, August 15
Thursday, August 13, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Budget
Austin cuts 5 percent of police budget, promises to cut more over the next year
Austin is immediately cutting $20 million from the city’s police budget – and council members are vowing to make bigger reductions in the coming year.“I think this is without a doubt the most significant change in Austin’s public safety priorities…
Friday, August 14, 2020 by Ryan Thornton
Elections
Council orders transit election, $460M active transportation bond for November ballot
City Council is giving voters an opportunity to transform the city’s mobility infrastructure on Nov. 3 with a tax rate election for a $7.1 billion investment in a mass transit rail system, and a $460 million active mobility bond.Voters will…
Friday, August 14, 2020 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
City seeks diversity in applicants tasked with redrawing Council district map
Just over six weeks ahead of the application deadline, the Office of the City Auditor is seeking candidates from Latino and other minority groups interested in helping to create the city’s next City Council district map.Applications for the Independent Citizens…
Friday, August 14, 2020 by Nina Hernandez
Development
Springdale Farm project earns variance from Planning Commission
At its Tuesday meeting, the Planning Commission passed an environmental variance for 755 Springdale Road. The applicant, StoryBuilt, has sought the change for more than a year, but the case failed to clear the Environmental Commission earlier this summer due to concerns…
Thursday, August 13, 2020 by Jo Clifton
Politics
Precinct chairs ready to elect new county judge
With former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt taking her seat in the Texas Senate, and no name on the November ballot for Travis County judge, the duty of selecting that nominee falls on the 136 Democratic precinct chairs who normally…
Thursday, August 13, 2020 by Ryan Thornton
Transportation
Council floats competing active transportation bond options
Between the transportation portion of the 2018 bond and the $720 million 2016 mobility bond, the city has over $200 million allocated for planned safe mobility projects like protected bike lanes, sidewalks and urban trails. Almost all of that money,…
