Stories by Jack Craver
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 by Jack Craver
Budget
County to advocates: Don’t just tell us where to spend, but where to cut
With revenue caps on the horizon, members of the Travis County Commissioners Court have the unenviable task of telling groups calling for increased funding of critical services, from social programs to law enforcement, that there simply may not be the…
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 by Jack Craver
Elections
Travis County asks voters to approve future hotel tax for expo center
Travis County isn’t giving up on getting a taste of the hotel tax.On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court voted to put a measure on the November ballot that, if approved, would authorize the county to levy a 2 percent tax on…
Friday, August 16, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
Travis County increases support for child care
Funding authorized Tuesday by the Travis County Commissioners Court will provide day care for 92 low-income children.The $285,000 funding was recommended by county staff to address a growing number of children on the waiting list for federal child care subsidies…
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 by Jack Craver
Health & Human Services
Despite sparse data, county court moves forward on mental health jail diversion program
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to enter into an agreement with Integral Care, the local mental health authority, aimed at getting criminal defendants with serious mental health problems out of jail and into treatment. The agreement will expand…
Monday, August 12, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
City, county look to private investors to help on homelessness
Travis County commissioners are cautiously optimistic about the county’s participation in a multi-jurisdictional program aimed at helping some of the county’s most destitute residents.The program, Pay for Success, is a collaboration between the county, the city and a number of…
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 by Jack Craver
Budget
Facing revenue caps, Travis County ponders how to raise employee pay
With lean years ahead due to state limits on property tax revenue, the Travis County Commissioners Court is grappling with how to effectively and responsibly boost pay for county employees.On Tuesday, the commissioners discussed what they would like to do…
Monday, August 5, 2019 by Jack Craver
Austin
Travis County, city of Austin ramp up census efforts
Travis County and the city of Austin are mounting an aggressive effort to make sure the 2020 U.S. census count is as complete and accurate as possible.The county and city are collaborating by jointly funding a temporary position “to energize…
Friday, August 2, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
Commissioners approve ‘pause’ on economic incentives
Looking ahead to years of belt-tightening due to property tax limits put in place by the state, Travis County leaders say the county may not be able to afford offering tax incentives to companies to create jobs locally.The Commissioners Court…
Thursday, August 1, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
Travis County commissioners give themselves pay raise
The Travis County Commissioners Court moved to significantly increase salaries for itself and other top elected officials over the vociferous objections of one of its members.On Tuesday, the court voted 4-1 to approve setting aside money in the upcoming budget…
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
Travis County approves final application for public defender’s office
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court gave final approval to an application for state funding to set up a public defender’s office.While there are a couple of details that the court hopes to nail down in the coming days,…
Friday, July 26, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
Travis County eyes hotel tax to renovate expo center
The Travis County Commissioners Court made a move Tuesday that could put it in direct competition with the city of Austin for millions of dollars of future revenue from hotel stays.The three commissioners present voted unanimously to ask county staff…
Wednesday, July 24, 2019 by Jack Craver
Budget
County unveils $1.19 billion preliminary budget
Travis County budget staff unveiled the preliminary draft of the county’s 2019-20 budget Tuesday. This year’s budget is particularly important since it’s the last one the Commissioners Court will approve before tough new restrictions on property tax revenue kick in…
Thursday, July 18, 2019 by Jack Craver
Transportation
Travis County approves long-range transportation plan
At long last, Travis County has a long-range transportation plan. The Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt the Travis County Transportation Blueprint, which lays out a vision for infrastructure in unincorporated parts of Travis County over the next quarter-century.Today…
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
Despite property tax limits, Travis County remains committed to public defender’s office
The Travis County Commissioners Court took another step Tuesday toward creating the county’s first public defender’s office. The court voted 4-1 to provide additional information to a state agency that is considering providing a multimillion-dollar grant to the county to…
Friday, July 12, 2019 by Jack Craver
Planning
County approves new Steiner Ranch evacuation route over neighborhood opposition
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a new emergency route to help residents of Steiner Ranch escape the community in the event of wildfires.The 600-foot road, known as Route B, will connect Flat Top Ranch Road…
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 by Jack Craver
Austin
Eckhardt proposes land swap with city for Palm School
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt is willing to give the city of Austin the historic Palm School building. But she wants a lot in return.In a July 3 letter addressed to Mayor Steve Adler and City Council, Eckhardt proposed a…
Monday, June 24, 2019 by Jack Craver
Budget
Despite revenue caps, Travis County moves ahead with pay hikes
Travis County government spending has not increased much in recent years. Expenditures over the past two years, when the Commissioners Court voted to increase property tax revenue by 6 percent and 5 percent, have been unusually high. The court has…
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 by Jack Craver
Public Safety
Travis County changes course on electronic monitoring
The electronic monitoring business just got a little bit more competitive in Travis County. The Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to abandon its practice of allowing only a single company to provide tracking devices to those accused or convicted of…
Monday, June 10, 2019 by Jack Craver
Public Safety
Why does one company get all of Travis County’s electronic monitoring business?
In recent years, Travis County has seen an increase in the number of people released from jail on bail on condition that they wear some type of monitoring device, whether it tracks their location or detects the presence of alcohol.This…
Thursday, June 6, 2019 by Jack Craver
Travis County
County looks at increasing minimum wage
Generally, the city of Austin and Travis County view each other as partners, not competitors. However, when it comes to attracting and retaining talented employees, the two can’t help but compete.That’s why the Travis County Human Resources Department periodically analyzes…
