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Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
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Most Popular Stories
- Parks Board recommends vendor for Zilker Café, while voicing concerns about lack of local presence
- Office slowdown sparks new downtown housing ambitions
- City leaders evaluate surprising ideas for water conservation
- Audit: Economic official granted arts, music funding against city code
- Downtown Historic Resource Survey eyes seven new districts eligible for designation
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Stories by Jo Clifton
District 2 race features four new faces
When Delia Garza, who has represented City Council District 2 for the last six years, starts her new job as Travis County attorney in January, there will be a fresh face in the seat representing Southeast Austin. All four of…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Oct 9, 2020
Money flows into quiet races for Council
All Austin City Council candidates are required to file a campaign finance report 30 days before the election. Most of the candidates for the Nov. 3 election filed their reports Monday or a few days before. Despite the pandemic, there…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Oct 7, 2020
Audit: Ex-employee stole $1.3 million from city
Randall Whited, a former employee of Austin Public Library, stole at least $1.3 million from the city by purchasing printer toner with a city credit card and reselling it online, according to an investigation released by the Office of the City…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Oct 6, 2020
Staffers explain how Covid relief funds were disbursed
This summer, City Council rushed to provide economic relief to small businesses and nonprofits shouldering the burden of closures during the first few months of the Covid-19 pandemic. On Thursday, as they ratified a contract with the Better Business Bureau…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 5, 2020
Questions arise about how BBB administers grants
At Tuesday’s City Council work session, Mayor Steve Adler asked Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, the acting director of the Economic Development Department, to explain what went into the selection of the Better Business Bureau to administer nearly $26 million in federal emergency…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Oct 1, 2020
Austin gets ready for Texas Legislature
When Texas legislators return to the state capital in January they can expect to face a $4.6 billion budget deficit, according to a prediction from Comptroller Glenn Hegar. The deficit is a result of the pandemic and associated economic decline,…
Texas State Legislature • By Jo Clifton • Sep 30, 2020
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Neighbors nervous about Shady Lane upzoning
The owners of 914 Shady Lane in the East Austin neighborhood of Govalle have asked City Council to grant zoning for their four-acre property that will allow construction of townhomes and condominiums as well as some neighborhood commercial uses. The…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Sep 29, 2020
Large complex on S. First to replace Mercury Hall
Despite protests from neighbors and a valid petition against the zoning change, City Council voted 9-2 on Sept. 17 to rezone a 0.847-acre lot at 3504 S. First St. to allow for construction of a three-story apartment complex, a five-story…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Sep 28, 2020
Auditors seek change in reporting of minor violations
The City Council Audit & Finance Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend a change in city regulations that will allow the Office of the City Auditor to refer “de minimis” or small-scale violations of city code related to misuse of…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Sep 24, 2020
Audit cites lax city oversight of Mexic-Arte Museum
The city has not done the work needed to develop and oversee its agreements with the Mexic-Arte Museum, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor. Auditors reported finding a number of contract monitoring weaknesses, raising questions about…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Sep 23, 2020
Schlotzsky's PUD wins first round approval
City Council voted 7-4 on first reading last week to approve zoning that would allow a 96-foot tower on the property at 218 S. Lamar, the home of a closed Schlotzsky’s restaurant. Leading the dissent was District 5 Council Member…
Planning • By Jo Clifton • Sep 21, 2020
Convention center expansion moves forward
After a long day considering various different topics, City Council voted 10-0-1, with Council Member Leslie Pool abstaining, to authorize staff to move forward with negotiations to purchase two expensive blocks to the west of the Austin Convention Center for…
