Zimmerman: "I'm out of here"

If City Council Member Don Zimmerman is unhappy about losing the seat he has held for two years, he’s not showing it. After losing re-election to Jimmy Flannigan – the same candidate he beat to earn his spot on the…

Flannigan brings new perspective on behalf of Austin's northwest suburbs

Two years after losing narrowly in a runoff election to City Council Member Don Zimmerman, Jimmy Flannigan easily prevailed in a rematch with the incumbent. What changed? “Winning elections is luck and timing,” said Flannigan during an interview with the…

Kitchen hopes for longer budget process, shorter meetings in 2017

After two years in office, City Council Member Ann Kitchen, who represents District 5’s long stretch of South Austin, is happy with what she has accomplished for her district and the city but says that Council could stand to improve…

Casar cites work on labor issues for 2016

Greg Casar was re-elected to his District 4 City Council seat in November with only token, underfunded opposition – and that fact did not even make it onto the list of highlights he shared with the Austin Monitor. From his…

Renteria's issues: affordability, protecting tenants

For District 3 City Council Member Pio Renteria, Council’s big accomplishments, and his own, revolve around housing affordability in 2016. That includes passage of a tenant relocation ordinance with provisions to protect mobile home park residents and funding of affordable…

Houston eyes community engagement in 2017

Before taking a look back over the past year, City Council Member Ora Houston wanted to make one thing crystal clear. “I consider myself a public servant, not a politician,” she said. “So I don’t talk like, I don’t do…

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Housing, public health priorities for Garza in new year

City Council Member Delia Garza describes Council’s past year as “productive.” Specifically, Garza is pleased to report that she has begun to tackle some of her priority issues in earnest (all while handily winning re-election to the District 2 seat…

CTRMA board bristles on SH 45 SW, MoPac South projects

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority board of directors bucked its agreeable reputation on Wednesday by reining in a recommendation to give Executive Director Mike Heiligenstein millions in discretionary spending powers on one project while also asking pointed questions about…

Feds clear county's path to new old courthouse

Travis County is one step closer to claiming ownership of a historic federal courthouse in downtown Austin. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rejected homeless advocacy group Front Steps’ bid to take control of the U.S.…

Animal Services to take community-centered approach to lost pets

In some parts of Austin, runaway pets are likely to stay lost. That’s what an analysis by the city’s Animal Services Department has found. While roughly one animal for every 100 residents gets brought into a shelter citywide, three ZIP…

BoA backs city in 'structural trellis' case

A bid to change the way the city allows homes to be attached to each other fell short at the Board of Adjustment’s most recent meeting, despite widespread skepticism toward the central idea that an arbor is a “structural element.”…

At Travis County, CTRMA's park-and-ride proposal hits another pothole

The Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday pitched a second strike against an elaborate plan to build eight new transit-oriented parking lots along Central Texas toll roads. County Judge Sarah Eckhardt’s decision to defer action on the proposal put forward…