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Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
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- City leaders evaluate surprising ideas for water conservation
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Stories by Jo Clifton
Mayor Adler praises Austin, warns against misinformation
Mayor Steve Adler told Austinites in his annual State of the City speech Monday that although Austin continues to be “a magical place,” there are those who seek to divide us through falsehoods as the city faces its major challenges:…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Aug 31, 2021
Auditors to look at Austin Energy's customer assistance program
Three members of the City Council Audit & Finance Committee want City Auditor Corrie Stokes to look into whether an Austin Energy program that offers bill relief to utility customers is helping the right people. According to a spokesperson for…
Energy • By Jo Clifton • Aug 20, 2021
Committee accepts critical city hiring audit
Members of the City Council Audit & Finance Committee delved into details of the city recruiting and hiring audit at yesterday’s meeting, questioning both the audit staff and Human Resources Director Joya Hayes. As noted in Wednesday’s Austin Monitor, only…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Aug 20, 2021
City not tracking its interlocal agreements
The city of Austin has entered into a multitude of interlocal agreements, with Travis County, local school districts and even the state of Texas, worth millions of dollars. Yet no one at the city knows exactly how many of these…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Aug 19, 2021
Audit: City failing to hire equal numbers of women
While the city has achieved its overall goal of hiring racial and ethnic minorities in numbers equal to the local population, only 39 percent of Austin’s Municipal Civil Service workforce are women, compared to 50 percent of the Austin-Round Rock…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Aug 18, 2021
Alter, Tovo find more funds for EMS
As a result of budget amendments provided by City Council members Alison Alter and Kathie Tovo, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services will gain a new deputy medical director and three paramedic practitioners beginning in November. In addition, three EMS division…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Aug 18, 2021
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Gas companies seek more cash from consumers
Texas Gas Service, as well as other utilities throughout Texas that provide natural gas to consumers and businesses, is asking the Texas Railroad Commission to allow it to put a surcharge on customers’ bills in order to pay for natural…
Resources • By Jo Clifton • Aug 17, 2021
Austin Public Health offers vaccine incentives
Austin Public Health is offering $50 HEB gift cards to people who receive Covid-19 vaccinations at APH community vaccination sites and fill out a survey afterwards. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations require two separate shots to be effective. Those…
Public Health • By Jo Clifton • Aug 10, 2021
City tax bills could go down for 2022
City Council’s decision to enact a 20 percent maximum homestead exemption will save the typical homeowner $33 on next year’s tax bill if Council members decide to go along with City Manager Spencer Cronk’s proposed 3.5 percent increase in the…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Aug 6, 2021
Alter finds funding for more EMS, fire services
When City Council Member Alison Alter heard that the Loop 360/Davenport Fire and EMS Station would not be opening in Fiscal Year 2022 as planned, she thought of how savings from that station could be used to help the Austin…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Aug 4, 2021
Springdale and 12th Street upzoning OK'd
At the urging of Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison, City Council approved a zoning request for 1200, 1202 and 1208 Springdale Road Thursday night, with all members voting in favor except Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who was off the dais.…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Aug 3, 2021
Council sets maximum tax rate
City Council took the first step toward setting next year’s property tax rate by voting Thursday to designate the maximum tax rate for Fiscal Year 2021-22 at 55.42 cents per $100 valuation. On a vote of 9-2, they followed staff…
