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Drop in poverty rate likely due to displacement

When the poverty rate in a city drops, many would consider it a cause for celebration. In Austin, however, where property value increases have outpaced family income growth for decades, that is not the case. City Demographer Ryan Robinson told…

New water tap rule causes cost, consternation

In the midst of what almost everyone agrees is a housing affordability crisis in Austin, planners and residential contractors have discovered a new rule that significantly increases the cost of retrofitting garages into apartments and building new granny flats. Longtime…

CTRMA hopes variable tolls change driving habits

An official with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority hopes that variable tolls on proposed express lanes on MoPac Boulevard will serve as an incentive to commuters to change their driving habits. CTRMA’s Rick L’Amie says Capital Metro buses and…

Downward oxygen trend a risk for salamanders

Barton Springs is the only known home to the endangered and federally protected Barton Springs and Austin Blind salamanders. Unfortunately, for these unique creatures, the level of life-sustaining dissolved oxygen in their ecosystem has dropped on average over the past…

Land Committee concerned over Zilker Park lanes

In response to pushback from members of the Land, Facilities and Program Committee last week, engineers said they are open to reconsidering the placement of elevated express toll lanes proposed as part of a MoPac South expansion plan. As the…

Travis Commissioners delay hiring administrator

The Travis County Commissioners Court put the brakes on hiring a new county executive of administrative operations last week after officials questioned whether the county’s current organizational structure was the most efficient. “We talked about how important it was to move…

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Reporter's Notebook: Decker Golf saga continues

Decker Golf proponents want Pool to recuse from issue . . . Two Colony Park neighborhood leaders who believe that the Decker Lake Golf development would benefit them and their neighbors have called on City Council Member Leslie Pool to…

Austin Monitor Radio: Mayor Steve Adler

Austin Monitor editor Elizabeth Pagano and publisher Mike Kanin talk with Austin Mayor Steve Adler as he marks his first 100 days in office. Sponsored by Kerbey Lane Cafe. Audio is embedded below.

Urban Forestry Board critical of USA Cycling report

Members of the Urban Forestry Board are highly critical of the methods used in a report by USA Cycling that claims the city, not the cycling organization, caused most of the damage done to 57 trees in Zilker Park during…

Zimmerman appointments given a rough ride

Following their rejection of two of Council Member Don Zimmerman’s nominees to city commissions, City Council members narrowly approved his appointment to the Historic Landmark Commission Thursday. However, they did not have to go through the painful process of removing…

Burnet Road case limps through second reading

With two months more experience under their belts, City Council took up its first zoning case for a second time. Though the results were nearly identical to the outcome in February, Council will take up the Burnet Road rezoning for…

US Fish and Wildlife concerned about SH 45 SW

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent letters to Mayor Steve Adler, Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt and others Wednesday, expressing concerns about the potential environmental impacts of the proposed State Highway 45 Southwest on the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan,…