Stories by Jo Clifton
Voters overwhelmingly reject Proposition A
Updated: 10:21 p.m: Austin voters on Tuesday resoundingly rejected city Proposition A. With the final tally complete, more than 64 percent of those voting cast ballots against the proposition, which began as a reaction to the city’s decision to lease…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Nov 5, 2019
Council OKs tax credits for affordable housing
Council gave its blessing Thursday to an application for low-income housing tax credits issued through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, for the redevelopment of a 62-unit affordable housing project to be known as the Oaks on North…
Housing • By Jo Clifton • Nov 4, 2019
Audit: City water employees misused positions
Two employees of Austin Water misused their positions to generate business for a plumbing business owned by one of the employees, according to an investigative report issued Thursday by the Office of the City Auditor. That business owner/city employee, Rodney…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Nov 1, 2019
Two political action committees fight city Prop A
While any enthusiasm there might have been for the city ballot measure known as Proposition A has apparently dwindled, Anthony Precourt and his company are taking no chances. Austin TeamCo LLC, owner of Austin FC, gave the Austin United Political…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Oct 31, 2019
Austin Energy seeks change in rebate approvals
City Council authorized Austin Energy to pay $4.45 million for multifamily and commercial customer rebates during the current fiscal year, which started Oct. 1. But the utility may not be able to provide all the rebates authorized because some property…
Energy • By Jo Clifton • Oct 31, 2019
Wildfire audit update shows more work ahead
After hearing a new report from the Office of the City Auditor on Austin’s wildfire response efforts, Council Member Alison Alter said while the report lays out appropriate next steps for the city to take, those steps are probably not…
Fire • By Jo Clifton • Oct 24, 2019
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Cooper Lane condo zoning wins initial approval
After a long and contentious day dealing with questions of where the homeless may sit or lie down, and following the final vote on an equally contentious rezoning of property on East Riverside Dr., last Thursday Council gave first round…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Oct 23, 2019
Blythe starts PAC to unseat City Council
Sharon Blythe, best known around City Hall for her activism related to cemeteries, is hoping to unseat every member of City Council not currently slated to be on the ballot in November 2020. Blythe filed a document appointing herself treasurer…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 22, 2019
Pool asks whether city should sell Hilton property
More than 30 members of UNITE HERE Local #23 came to the Council meeting Thursday to show their support for an item on the agenda asking the board of Austin Convention Enterprises to rewrite its agreement with management of the…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 18, 2019
Flannigan attacks, Tovo responds
On Tuesday, in the midst of a lengthy Council work session about how to construct a revised ordinance to prevent homeless people from camping on sidewalks and rights of way, Council Member Jimmy Flannigan launched into an anecdote about how…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 16, 2019
Save Historic Muny District has a board of directors
The Save Historic Muny District, which represents those who wish to preserve the first integrated golf course in the South, now has a board of directors. The board includes Mary Arnold and Ken Tiemann, both longtime advocates for the Lions…
Parks • By Jo Clifton • Oct 15, 2019
Affordable housing takes a few steps forward
Housing prices continue to climb in Austin as more people move to the music and tech mecca of Texas. According to Zillow, the median home value in Austin is $372,200, while the median list price is $399,000. In adopting its…
