After initial push, city’s effort to eliminate Confederate names loses momentum

In the midst of the July 2020 protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, the city of Austin passed a resolution committing to remove or rename all city-owned assets, such as streets and buildings, that have names commemorating the…

Austin • By Willow Higgins • May 3, 2022

Commission urges city to raise EMS pay

The Public Safety Commission approved a broad resolution Monday calling on the city to raise its offer to the Austin EMS union to pay salaries comparable to what other EMS agencies are paying. EMS salaries should be equivalent to what…

EMS • By Jo Clifton • May 3, 2022

Parks board homes in on outreach efforts as plans for Zilker march forward

The city’s Parks and Recreation Board tackled two separate presentations on the future of Zilker Park at its last meeting. Both presentations focused on outreach and questions of how to make moving forward with any plan a more equitable proposition. Currently,…

Parks • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 3, 2022

Dirty Martin's among a cluster of businesses slated to be forced out by light-rail line

When Austin voters approved the largest expansion of public transit in the city’s history, they signed up for higher property taxes to help pay for it. But now another cost of Project Connect is coming into focus: the loss of…

Planning • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • May 2, 2022

County to add paid parental leave for employees, but will it be enough?

Tomorrow, the Travis County Commissioners Court will take action on a paid parental leave policy for all county workers, but with multiple policies still to choose from, the magnitude and impact of how they decide remains uncertain. While county staff…

Travis County • By Seth Smalley • May 2, 2022

Council endorses changes to East 11th and 12th street development regulations

Before a troubled history of urban renewal and disinvestment led the city to declare the areas blighted, 11th and 12th streets were once thriving corridors in East Austin’s Black community. Now, the city is shepherding land use changes along the…

Planning • By Jonathan Lee • May 2, 2022

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Funding gaps, underground parking price tag plague DAC project

The team behind the Dougherty Arts Center replacement project unveiled design plans for the Butler Shores facility to a room full of applause this past Monday. However, the mood following a parallel reveal at the Design Commission was not quite…

Planning • By Kali Bramble • Apr 29, 2022

Mixed-use project with affordable units coming near Mueller, pending rezoning  

The Planning Commission Tuesday supported a rezoning request for a 143-unit, mixed-income, mixed-use development near the Mueller neighborhood.  The rezoning concerns two tracts: a 1.2-acre property at 2015 E M. Franklin Ave., home to Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In, and…

Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • Apr 29, 2022

New EMS chief outlines progress on collections

With a projected budget deficit by Fiscal Year 2027, any news about increasing collections from those who owe the city of Austin money, including the state of Texas, is good news for City Council. Robert Luckritz, who recently joined the…

EMS • By Jo Clifton • Apr 29, 2022

The value of your Travis County home has gone up a lot. That doesn’t mean your property taxes will.

People who own property in the Austin area recently received new valuations from the local appraisal district. This number, known as your appraised value, estimates what your property would currently sell for in Austin’s record-breaking housing market. The appraisals are…

Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Apr 28, 2022

Austin Energy’s proposed rate increase would hit lower-use residential customers hardest

Austin Energy recently launched a public input process to collect feedback on a proposal to increase its base rates by 7.6 percent. The city-owned utility says the price hike is necessary to balance a $48 million shortfall between its costs…

Energy • By Emma Freer • Apr 28, 2022

Airport Hilton rebounds from pandemic losses

The Hilton hotel at Austin’s airport has made a significant recovery from the dark days of the pandemic, airport executives Tracy Thompson and Rajeev Thomas explained to the City Council Audit & Finance Committee Wednesday. During 2021, the Hilton’s occupancy…

Austin • By Jo Clifton • Apr 28, 2022

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