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Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
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Stories by Jo Clifton
East side cold storage zoning put on ice
At the urging of Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, City Council agreed last Thursday to postpone consideration of a zoning change for an industrial property at 6215 1/2 Johnny Morris Road that might serve as a cold storage facility. The 14-acre…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Dec 8, 2020
Council delays HealthSouth vote but OKs Red River Street fee waiver
City Council members will have one more week to think about whether they want to choose a design team made up of Aspen Heights Partners, Civilitude, Studio Balcones and STG Design to redevelop the former HealthSouth tract at 1215 Red…
Development • By Jo Clifton • Dec 4, 2020
Downtown court not moving to east side
Last month, when City Council Member Pio Renteria expressed his dismay about staffers’ proposal to relocate the Downtown Austin Community Court to 1719 E. Second St. in his district, instead of downtown, other Council members agreed with his request to…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Dec 3, 2020
Audit cites ethics violations by employee, supervisor
An investigation by the Office of the City Auditor has concluded that Alex Perez, a project coordinator at Austin Energy, violated city ethics regulations by making official decisions affecting a company owned by members of his family. In addition, auditors…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Dec 3, 2020
New SAVES programs face uncertain funding
The city has started nine programs in nine months to help local Austin businesses survive the pandemic. On Thursday, City Council will consider final program guidelines for three more programs providing relief for child care providers, local music venues and…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Dec 2, 2020
Hinojosa tries again for inclusionary zoning
State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, is trying once again to repeal the state law that prevents Texas cities from using an affordable housing tool known as inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning programs allow cities to require developers to provide housing for…
Housing • By Jo Clifton • Dec 1, 2020
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Commission reprimands PAC that opposed Prop A
The city’s Ethics Review Commission voted unanimously last week to send a letter of reprimand to one of the political action committees that opposed Proposition A on the Nov. 3 ballot. Local Democratic consultant Mark Littlefield filed 12 separate complaints…
Local Politics • By Jo Clifton • Nov 24, 2020
Split commission rejects complaint against Garza
The ethics complaint against Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza will not move forward to a final hearing after receiving the thumbs-up from just five members of the city’s Ethics Review Commission. A majority of the commission, or six members, was…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Nov 20, 2020
City faces challenge in managing software licenses
The city does not have complete information on what software licenses it has or how much those licenses are costing, according to a report from the city auditor’s office. Auditors reported Wednesday that the city spent $7.4 million in Fiscal…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Nov 19, 2020
Commissioners take next step toward permanent telework
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with a scope of services for a consultant to advise them on a plan to have 75 percent of eligible employees to do their jobs by teleworking on a…
Travis County • By Jo Clifton • Nov 18, 2020
Residents may be able to reject herbicide
City Council approved contracts on Thursday with Asplundh Tree Expert, Davey Tree Surgery and Wright Tree Service to manage vegetation around Austin Energy lines after Council Member Ann Kitchen added some direction to staff about a previously unknown aspect of…
Environment • By Jo Clifton • Nov 13, 2020
Renteria opposes East Austin location for court
Council Member Pio Renteria expressed dismay at Tuesday’s work session over the Downtown Austin Community Court’s planned relocation to East Austin. Renteria told his colleagues he had just found out about the proposal to lease 30,000 square feet of office space at…