Stories by Austin Monitor
City council asks feds for transportation dollars
The City Council on Monday unanimously approved a list of priority projects that could be funded through the federal transportation funding act (or SAFETEA-LU) this year. Every five years, the U.S. Congress funds a certain number of transportation projects.…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 14, 2009
CAMPO tinkering with its by-laws
The main topic at last night’s CAMPO Transportation Policy Board meeting – the possible approval of revised bylaws and operating procedures –is a subject that only a transportation policy wonk could love. The short version of this tale is that…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 14, 2009
Council votes to oppose single-member district bill
The City Council today voted unanimously to oppose a bill introduced in the state legislature by Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) that would force Austin to create single-member districts. The introduction of the bill caught Council Members by surprise,…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 13, 2009
Spelman, Martinez and Cole find fund raising easy
Former Council Member Bill Spelman raised a significant amount of money in his campaign for Place 5, despite running unopposed. Spelman collected just over $50,800 in the period ending March 30. Along with contributions from the political action committees…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 10, 2009
In cash on hand, its Leffingwell, McCracken, then Strayhorn
The big surprise when mayoral candidates turned in their campaign finance reports on Thursday was that the Carole Keeton Strayhorn fundraising juggernaut failed to materialize, and that with $80,000 cash on hand she lagged behind both Lee Leffingwell—who leads in…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 10, 2009
Riley leads Cavazos in fundraising, cash on hand
In Place 1, candidate Chris Riley has an edge in the fundraising department over Perla Cavazos. Riley reports raising $76,000 in the period ending March 30 and having generated more than $102,000 since the start of his campaign. His campaign…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 10, 2009
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City faces escalating shortfall in sales tax revenues
Austin’s sales tax collections fell 14.4 percent in February, continuing a downward trend that has lasted for several months and forced the City Manager to cut costs in the middle of the budget year. The city’s Budget Office had revised…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 9, 2009
City may not ask for maximum for new cops
Although the federal government is offering stimulus money that would fund 150 new police officers for the City of Austin, the city may decide to seek only enough money to hire 50 or 60 new officers. That’s because the grant…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 9, 2009
Bill would change Austin Council to single-member districts without vote
The Austin City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday morning to discuss legislative issues—including a bill by Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) that would require Austin to change the way it elects the City Council. Under SB…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 9, 2009
With loans, Leffingwell ahead of McCracken, Strayhorn in cash
Information gathered from the campaigns of mayoral contenders Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Brewster McCracken and Lee Leffingwell indicate that McCracken has raised the most money–nearly $237,000 since he began fundraising—but that Leffingwell has more cash on hand than either of his…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 9, 2009
Rhodes says city still saving money on recycling
Critics of the city’s recycling program continued to hammer at Solid Waste Services on Tuesday, calling on the city to renegotiate its contract with Greenstar, the private company hauling the cans, newspapers and plastic that Austinites recycle to San Antonio.…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Apr 8, 2009
Place 1 candidate Cavazos seeks to include more citizens in government
Although Perla Cavazos has lived in East Austin for more than 11 years, her route to Austin’s political scene did not go through the city’s neighborhood organizations. Instead, Cavazos’ decision to run for local elected office was spurred by her…
