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City Hall
City working toward enhanced library cards as a form of ID
The city of Austin has begun working on a way to use a souped-up library card as a form of identification, which is a service that would be particularly helpful for those who might not have an official ID, like…
Austin • By Willow Higgins • Jul 1, 2022
City-funded study examines disparities in minority business contracting
A disparity study aimed at examining the effectiveness of Austin’s women and minority business enterprise procurement program found it to be largely successful. But while the program – intended to create more opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms – has had…
City Hall • By Samuel Stark • Jul 1, 2022
Music Commission wants Council to 'expedite' Live Music Fund activation
The Music Commission plans to push City Council and staff to speed up the deployment of the Live Music Fund, which was approved by City Council in fall 2019 but is not scheduled to be distributed until next July. At…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 30, 2022
Austin ISD approves $1.9 billion budget – but nearly half of that money will go to the state
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted 7-2 early Friday to adopt a nearly $1.9 billion budget for the upcoming academic year. School board president Geronimo Rodriguez Jr. noted it was the first balanced budget trustees have passed since 2017. Austin…
Budget • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Jun 24, 2022
Austin moves to prepare for climate disasters
City Council passed a resolution at its June 16 meeting to create a disaster preparedness guide and toolkit for the city. The guide, which will be part of the city’s climate response efforts, will instruct residents on how to create local resilience…
City Council • By Veronica Apodaca • Jun 24, 2022
Austin endorses tax exemption for menstrual products
City Council members approved a resolution Thursday endorsing the removal of sales tax for menstrual products and diapers. As the resolution states, “Menstrual products and diapers are necessary to daily life for millions of Texans, and these taxes create an…
City Council • By Veronica Apodaca • Jun 23, 2022
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Study points to transportation, education needs for disabled community
Preliminary findings from a quality-of-life study for Austin residents with disabilities suggest the city needs to improve transportation options, expand educational opportunities and improve communications with the larger disabled community. Last week, at a combined meeting of the Mayor’s Committee…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 21, 2022
Amid affordability crisis, Austin could hike hourly minimum wage for city employees to $22
Low-wage city employees could see their pay go up to $22 an hour in October. City Council on Thursday unanimously approved raising the minimum wage for city workers as Austin’s affordability crisis worsens. “$22 is not a lot,” Council Member Vanessa…
City Council • By Skye Seipp, KUT • Jun 17, 2022
As employees return, complaints of fraud increase
Allegations of fraud, waste and abuse by city employees declined during 2020 and 2021 as a large number of employees worked from home. Brian Molloy, chief of the integrity unit at the Office of the City Auditor, told City Council’s…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Jun 16, 2022
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 6.16.22
Today Austin City Council members will meet for the last time prior to their annual summer break. Because they won’t have a regular meeting again until July 28, there’s a lot of pressure to get things done, which usually translates…
TipSheets • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jun 16, 2022
Council likely to tweak rules for public speakers
City Council informally decided during Tuesday’s work session to change one of the rules for City Council meeting speakers. Starting at the July 28 meeting, speakers who sign up to address Council remotely about non-zoning items will be allowed to…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jun 15, 2022
Shelter leader gets vote of no confidence from commission
The city’s Animal Advisory Commission has passed a vote of no confidence in Don Bland, chief animal services officer and the director of the Austin Animal Center. At Monday’s meeting the commission voted 8-1, with two abstentions, to approve a…