Leslie Pool remembers high, low points of 2019

District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool is proud of the contributions she and her colleagues made toward helping the homeless in 2019, calling it “a pretty amazing year.” Still, she thinks some things could have been done better. For example,…

Ellis looks at District 8's place in transit, homelessness issues in reviewing 2019

Ask Paige Ellis about one of the first lessons she learned as a new City Council member and her answer is immediate: patience. The old adage that the wheels of government turn slowly takes on a whole new meaning for…

Tovo reflects on a year of challenge and success

As she looks back on 2019, Council Member Kathie Tovo can count some major victories, including passage of her expansive resolution directing enhancements to a lengthy stretch of downtown parkland leading up to Palm School, direction to begin creation of…

Casar proud of victories in 2019, ready to prove value of progressive policy again in 2020

Council Member Greg Casar began the year defending several of the city’s workers’ rights ordinances at the 86th legislative session while pushing for adoption of Affordability Unlocked at City Council. Senate Bill 15 was known for its attack on the…

Kitchen optimistic about work begun in 2019 but committed to finding real solutions

From where Ann Kitchen sits, 2019 was a productive year at City Hall. After years of stagnation on major issues from homelessness and transportation to our clunky land use code, the Council member says the city buckled down this year…

Fiscal questions on revenue caps, transit plan remain with Flannigan after 2019

Council Member Jimmy Flannigan likes to refer to himself as the “fiscally responsible progressive” on the Council dais, pushing for ambitious action supported by the operational discipline needed to make sure money isn’t wasted. In that light, he said 2019…

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Harper-Madison looks back on lessons and growth in first year on Council

Looking back on her first year representing Austin’s District 1 seat on City Council, Natasha Harper-Madison said her early motivations for running for office were largely personal. She wanted to address issues specific to her district and its people rather…

Delia Garza recalls 2019 as a good year

The year 2019 has been a good year for Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza. The former firefighter pushed hard for new fire stations for her District 2 constituents, and she got a great birthday present on June 5 when the…

Renteria appreciates slow but steady progress to affordable, equitable city in 2019

As he did in 2019, Council Member Pio Renteria will continue working to create a more integrated, walkable and resilient city in the next year. “Historically, Austin is a city that has been segregated, and we’re trying to change that,”…

Conservation district denies rehearing request on Needmore well permit

The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District denied a request at its Dec. 12 meeting from the Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association for a rehearing of the Needmore Water LLC permit. In July, the district’s board of directors granted the Needmore…

Community court touts data showing sharp drop in recidivism among clients

The city’s Downtown Community Court on East Sixth Street has released data showing a drastic reduction in recidivism among its clients, thanks to the social services and case management the court offers. The analysis of data from the 2018 fiscal…

HLC says Pemberton Heights home no longer deserves historic status

Remodeling the exterior of a historic home requires care, attention to detail – and a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Landmark Commission to sign off on the proposed design. Failing to involve the commission can have financial consequences on…