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Music Commission wants STR taxes to increase Live Music Fund awards

The Music Commission wants to increase funding for the Live Music Fund from its current $4.5 million total, and could push for hotel taxes from short-term rental sites as a funding source. At last week’s meeting, the commission received an…

Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 15, 2024

County commissioners approve tax rate election to raise $75M for child care

The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to place a tax rate increase on the November ballot that could generate $75 million per year to improve child care services throughout the area. If approved, the money would be used to…

Bonds & Propositions • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 14, 2024

Commissioners advance program to provide legal counsel at bail hearings

The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to move forward on implementing a program to provide legal representation to arrested individuals during magistration, when a judge determines probable cause for arrest and sets bail. Commissioners will first need to authorize…

Courts • By Amy Smith • Aug 14, 2024

Intake at animal center continues to outpace adoptions

Animal intake at the Austin Animal Center continues to surpass the number of adoptions, according to a presentation at an Animal Advisory Commission meeting Monday.   In July, the center took in 932 animals while 769 animals were adopted, according…

Austin • By Dylan Ebs • Aug 14, 2024

Animal advocates re-up calls for the closure of the Austin Aquarium

Animal rights advocates are calling for the Austin Aquarium to shut down. The new push comes after a high-level resignation at the aquarium’s parent company – and years of controversy surrounding the strip mall-based aquarium. In late 2013, the Austin Aquarium…

Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 14, 2024

Animal Services Office turns to outside boarding to address shelter crowding

The Animal Services Office has recently resumed use of third-party boarding facilities to handle space constraints and crowded conditions at Austin Animal Center. A memo published last week from Don Bland, chief animal services officer, gave City Council an update…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 13, 2024

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Council budget requests include weatherization expansion, despite Austin Energy reservations

City Council has many possible budget amendments to consider this week. Although city staff has made clear that the city’s growth has not been sufficiently robust to support many expensive changes to the city’s budget, Council will still move forward…

Budget • By Jo Clifton • Aug 13, 2024

Commission drills down on what disannexation could mean for area water quality

Though the city’s current water quality monitoring system has been in place for an impressive 30 years, changes at the state Legislature mean a change at the city level as well. Andrew Clamann, who works for the Watershed Protection Department…

Water • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 13, 2024

Central Health board questions UT contracts in light of DEI firings

Central Health leaders signaled they may seek to curtail or end contracts with the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School over objections to the university’s firing all staff involved in diversity, equity and inclusion programs in April. At last week’s…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 12, 2024

Historic zoning remains in limbo as commission continues to ponder east side building's complicated past

The fate of a century-old storefront at the corner of East 12th and Comal streets remains up in the air, with debate over its merits as preservation-worthy intensifying at the city’s Historic Landmark Commission. 1500 E. 12th St. landed on…

Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Aug 12, 2024

Travis County wrestles with equity in last phase of its hybrid work pilot

At its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Travis County Commissioners Court heard an update on one of its most successful initiatives of the last few years: the countywide teleworking policy. After the pandemic forced workers home, Travis County won a…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Aug 12, 2024

New ruling clears the way for public comment at City Council work sessions

Thursday morning, Mayor Kirk Watson kicked off a planned budget work session in an unusual way.  “Late yesterday, we received a copy of a court order related to one of the lawsuits and, as a result of that, we are…

Courts • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 9, 2024

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