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Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
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Stories by Jo Clifton
Voters soundly reject Prop A throughout city
Austin voters resoundingly rejected Proposition A on Tuesday’s ballot, which became clear as soon as Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir released the early vote numbers. With more than 85,000 early votes cast, more than 67 percent of early voters said…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Nov 3, 2021
Pflugerville area voters making decisions about EMS service
Travis County commissioners Jeff Travillion and Brigid Shea are urging voters they represent in Pflugerville and its extraterritorial jurisdiction to vote in favor of two propositions on today’s ballot that would expand the geographic boundaries of Travis County Emergency Services…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Nov 2, 2021
Audit finds fault with city's tech purchase system
City procedures for purchasing technology are not coordinated, timely or sufficiently clear and do not ensure that city resources are secure and protected, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor issued this month. Auditors also said…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Nov 1, 2021
Committee reviews homelessness spending report
As previously reported, City Council issued 47 resolutions, ordinances and other directions related to assisting the city’s homeless population between September 2018 and May 2021. The result was a budget of $179 million for homelessness assistance between 2019 and the current…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Oct 28, 2021
Audit finds golf chief accepted favors from employee
The superintendent for the Parks and Recreation Department’s golf complex accepted favors from an employee he directly supervises, according to a recently released investigative report from the Office of the City Auditor. After receiving an allegation that Nick Smitham, the…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Oct 27, 2021
Attorney raises questions about wording of Prop B
No sooner had we explained the ins and outs of Proposition B on the Nov. 2 ballot when attorney Bill Aleshire came along and attempted to show that the ballot language is misleading and may not give the city the…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Oct 21, 2021
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Council gives initial approval to denser zoning on S. Lamar site
Last Thursday, Council gave first reading approval to rezoning of about 3 acres of land close to the intersection of South Lamar and Menchaca. Developer John Warnock promises to provide 10 percent of an estimated 450 apartment units to renters…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Oct 19, 2021
EMS union joins firefighters in opposing Prop A
The political action committee for the Austin EMS employees union has voted to join the Austin Firefighters Association PAC and AFSCME Local 1624, the civilian employees union, in opposing Proposition A on the November ballot. Save Austin Now, the PAC…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Oct 15, 2021
How much would more remote participation cost the city?
Since March 2020, when Gov. Greg Abbott suspended certain requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act to allow city officials to hold virtual meetings, the public has been allowed to participate by phone. Austin residents have participated in remote testimony…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 7, 2021
Prop B: City to vote on East Austin parkland swap
Austin voters will have a chance in the Nov. 2 election to authorize the city to trade nine acres of city-owned parkland for at least 48 acres of waterfront property that will complete the existing John Treviño Park. The nine-acre…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Oct 5, 2021
Council OKs annexation for Bull Creek site
With Council members Alison Alter and Kathie Tovo opposed, City Council on Thursday approved the annexation of a 25-acre site at 11213 FM 620 and ensured the administrative approval of redevelopment of a wastewater lift station close to the headwaters…
Planning • By Jo Clifton • Oct 4, 2021
Suit over land use rules set for argument at Court of Appeals
More than a year and a half after Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer ruled in favor of neighborhood plaintiffs and overturned Austin’s efforts to enact a new Land Development Code, the case will be heard by the 14th Court…
