Austin
Tuesday, August 3, 2021 by Jonathan Lee
City Council
A Council resolution floats safety-minded changes on Sixth Street. Some are more controversial than others.
In response to a recent spate of violence on Sixth Street, City Council unanimously passed a resolution Thursday that sets out to tackle long-neglected safety problems in the area. If the proposed changes in the resolution come to fruition after…
Friday, July 30, 2021 by Jo Clifton
Budget
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…
Wednesday, July 28, 2021 by Jonathan Lee
City Council
Council may abandon designated campsite strategy
City Council members Paige Ellis and Natasha Harper-Madison have announced that they will not support designated campsites for people experiencing homelessness, casting doubt on the viability of a strategy Council adopted in May. “After a week of extremely difficult conversations,…
Monday, July 26, 2021 by Jonathan Lee
City Hall
Some board and commission meetings may stay virtual
Will the future of city board and commission meetings be in-person or virtual? Based on discussion at Wednesday’s Audit and Finance Committee, perhaps both. The committee decided to further study the feasibility of allowing hybrid or entirely virtual meetings after…
Monday, July 26, 2021 by Amy Smith
City Council
Wanted: More residents to participate in city redistricting hearings
Austin commissioners charged with redrawing the boundaries of 10 City Council districts clearly have their work cut out for them. For one, they’re obligated to hold public hearings in each of the 10 districts, yet the first two forums drew…
Friday, July 23, 2021 by Jonathan Lee
Budget
Police spending proves top concern in first budget comment session
Community members weighed on the city manager’s preliminary budget proposal Thursday before a mostly in-person City Council – the first in-person meeting since the beginning of the pandemic. A vast majority of speakers criticized the proposed police spending, arguing that…
