Austin
Friday, May 29, 2020 by Chad Swiatecki
City Council
Council members stake out priorities for federal Covid-19 aid ahead of vote next week
City Council will vote next week on the plan for spending federal money devoted to pandemic relief, anticipating significant changes from the initial outline presented by staff on Thursday.During a special meeting dedicated to allocating federal dollars – much of…
Friday, May 29, 2020 by Andrew Weber
Austin
Austin leaders encourage peer pressure to get folks to wear face masks and avoid crowding spaces
Austin and Travis County officials are urging people to wear face coverings and to avoid large gatherings as the city and the state reopen for business.If that refrain sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve heard the song and it bears repeating,…
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 by Nina Hernandez
Budget
Staffers offer a preview of FY 2020 budget
The Austin Health and Human Services Committee heard a budget update Tuesday morning that included news of how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the city.“We were projecting a balanced budget for FY 21,” Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo…
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 by Marisa Charpentier
Austin
Water parks, adult sports programs, mall food courts can reopen this month
Water parks, recreational sports programs for adults, driver education programs and food-court dining areas in malls can reopen this month with certain occupancy restrictions and health protocols, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday.Water parks can open at 25 percent occupancy starting…
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Hotel taxes forecast to fall by $36M, leading to expected deficit in city arts funding
With the city projecting a $36 million decrease in Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue because of lower hotel bookings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, arts funding for the current budget year is expected to see a $1.5 million shortfall.The Arts Commission…
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 by Nina Hernandez
Austin
Austin History Center chronicles the pandemic
The Austin History Center is a treasure trove of posters, books, photographs, and records from across the city’s history. And while the center is currently shuttered due to Covid-19, it is still doing the work of collecting records of the…
