Austin Monitor Radio, Show 9

Monitor Publisher Mike Kanin, reporter Liz Pagano and the Austin Chronicle‘s Michael King talk Austin City Council elections. Warning: This show includes some very early (and reluctant) prognosticating.

Supporters jam hearing on SH45 SW environmental impact statement

Supporters of the State Highway 45 Southwest toll road project showed up in the of hundreds Tuesday night at a Texas Department of Transportation public hearing on the project’s draft environmental impact statement. While vocal opponents of the project –…

Charles Schwab wants $3.6 million tax rebate for Austin expansion

The Austin Chamber of Commerce urged Travis County Commissioners to enter an $8.5 million economic incentive agreement with Charles Schwab Corp., the San Francisco-based banking and brokerage corporation, at Tuesday’s regular session. The company is seeking $3.6 million in tax…

Landmark Commission initiates Red River house over owner's objection

Against the wishes of the homeowner, plans to designate a familiar Red River Street house a historic landmark are moving forward. However, the owner wants to demolish the familiar red and white house at 3805 Red River Street, Historic Landmark…

AURA accuses Project Connect of funding political ads for urban rail

Project Connect’s ubiquitous summer media spots about its proposed urban rail project have drawn fire from the transit activist group AURA, which calls the ads unethical. The group says the ads are a political advertising campaign funded by taxpayer dollars.…

Aquifer district staff critical of SH45 SW environmental study

The staff of the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is expressing strong doubts about the science and data behind a proposed environmental impact statement for State Highway 45 Southwest. In their review, district staff calls the information in the…

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Rights commission recommends source of income as protected class

After hearing stories from low-income residents about how they were vilified while trying to use housing vouchers, the Austin Human Rights Commission last night backed a recommendation to make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against people based on the…

Proposed Travis County budget would hike average tax bill by $46

Next year’s tax bills would be $46 higher for the average homeowner, an increase of about $3.83 per month, according to the preliminary Fiscal Year 2015 Travis County budget posted Monday afternoon. Overall Travis County spending is set to increase…

City asks TxDOT to stop SH45SW environmental impact statement

City Manager Marc Ott has asked the Texas Department of Transportation to withdraw its current draft environmental impact statement of State Highway 45 Southwest and suspend its technical review. In making the request, Ott cited three “pending critical environmental studies,”…

Planning Commission recommends small Montopolis condo complex

A proposal for a modest Montopolis condominium complex cleared the Planning Commission last week, despite concerns by a member of a local neighborhood association. Simon and Ronaldo Brown-Valdez are seeking a zoning change from SF-3 to SF-5 for their property…

Neighborhood group considers opposition to city transportation bonds

Some members of the politically powerful Austin Neighborhoods Council are threatening to withhold support for Austin’s $1 billion Strategic Mobility Plan unless it is significantly changed. Those behind the plan want the U.S. Department of Transportation to freeze federal matching…

Ingle accuses Land Development Code panel member of ethics violation

Neighborhood activist Mary Ingle heightened the controversy around the city’s Land Development Code rewrite process Thursday by alleging that a member of the committee working on the rewrite has violated city ethics rules. In a sworn complaint, Ingle alleges that…