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Most Popular Stories
- Despite safety concerns, Council OKs new buildings above Shoal Creek
- Texas lawmakers finalize bill limiting property owners’ right to protest new homes nearby
- A multi-family rezoning at the rugged edge of Northwest Austin
- As Acacia Cliffs rezoning is approved, Critics say Council has sold out on its affordability commitments
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Budget
By slim margin, Council approves an 8 percent homestead exemption
In a vote that pitted representatives of the city’s lowest-income districts against their colleagues, City Council members Wednesday narrowly approved an 8 percent homestead exemption — an increase of 2 percent over last year’s exemption. To a resident with a…
Budget • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jun 30, 2016
Council sets stage for last-minute homestead exemption debate
City Council has scheduled one final meeting this month in order to take another crack at fulfilling a key campaign promise many members made during the 2014 elections. Wednesday afternoon’s special called session will feature the third-reading vote on a…
Budget • By Caleb Pritchard • Jun 28, 2016
Budget process could calm employees' fears
At the end of a very long City Council budget work session last Wednesday, Mayor Steve Adler asked his colleagues to weigh in on a budget process proposal that he, Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo and members of the city’s…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Jun 7, 2016
Fire Department to seek new stations
Wednesday was the 100th birthday of the Austin Fire Department, so, naturally, the members of City Council had to sing “Happy Birthday” to AFD Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr during their work session. Kerr noted that the department started with 27…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Jun 6, 2016
Chief praises assignment change for detectives
Although the president of the Austin Police Association has criticized the department’s decision to deploy detectives from their usual assignments to work patrol shifts for three weeks each on a rotating basis, Police Chief Art Acevedo told City Council during…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Jun 2, 2016
Tough choices ahead on human services spending
After hearing from the Health and Human Services Department on Wednesday about the community’s many needs, several City Council members had questions, but only Council Member Delia Garza said she would like to add to the upcoming budget the $8.3…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • May 19, 2016
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Adler urges caution on budget
Despite Austin’s robust economy, City Council is facing budget season with difficult decisions ahead. Because of commitments made by Council when members voted on the current budget, there’s little room in the 2017 budget for increased spending or further property…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • May 5, 2016
Council kicks off budget season
At its budget season opener on Wednesday, City Council heard again of Austin’s two cities: one that suffers from widening economic divisions and another that is “an economic star.” “This is extraordinary growth,” economic consultant Jon Hockenyos told Council members…
Budget • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Apr 28, 2016
Council explores reducing transfers from utilities
Members of City Council moved ahead Thursday on two initiatives aimed at scrutinizing the role that Austin’s two public utilities play in funding basic city services. Early in the day, the Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee, which is composed of…
Budget • By Jack Craver • Feb 26, 2016
Troxclair wants to cut utility transfers
Wading into the affordability debate with a new tactic, City Council Member Ellen Troxclair is proposing to cut transfers from the Austin Water utility to the city’s General Fund. On Wednesday, members of Council’s Public Utilities Committee unanimously approved forwarding…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Feb 19, 2016
Budget chiefs still see financial picture as rosy
A trio of city financial managers told the Austin Monitor this week that Austin is still doing well financially, and, due to conservative fiscal planning at the city, Austin Energy and Austin Water both closed out 2015 with greater than…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Jan 29, 2016
Does Austin spend enough on parks?
The Parks and Recreation Department is growing. And, though the department’s funding is much larger now than in past years, department leaders say Austin isn’t spending nearly enough on parks to keep the city competitive with other parks systems across…
