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- Firefighters to seek firing of Chief Baker
- Office slowdown sparks new downtown housing ambitions
- Parks Board recommends vendor for Zilker Café, while voicing concerns about lack of local presence
- City leaders evaluate surprising ideas for water conservation
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City Hall
Council moves forward with income pilot program
City Council members attending Thursday’s meeting approved a $1.1 million pilot program to study the impact of providing $1,000 a month to 85 families for a year, with an emphasis on families facing eviction. Mayor Pro Tem Alison Alter voted…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • May 6, 2022
Guaranteed income pilot program likely moving forward today
Despite the misgivings of at least two City Council members, some members of the public and criticism from the Austin American-Statesman editorial board, Council seems poised to move forward today with a contract to set up a guaranteed basic income…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • May 5, 2022
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 5.5.22
Hello, and welcome to another pre-cap of today’s City Council meeting. We’ve picked out a few things that might be interesting today, but as usual, you can find the entire agenda online. At its last meeting, Council postponed a guaranteed…
TipSheets • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 5, 2022
Lobby ordinance needs revision to cover virtual meetings
City auditors have found that, while the city’s registered lobbyists are largely complying with city regulations, there is one significant gap in the reporting requirements. Although lobbyists are required to report their in-person meetings, no such requirement exists for virtual…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • May 4, 2022
Resource Management Commission at stalemate over toxic materials resolution
Resource Management commissioners recently butted heads over a proposed resolution directing Austin Energy staff to facilitate a working group tasked with brainstorming how to dissuade builders from using toxic materials. The resolution ultimately did not pass, ending in a 4-4 tie…
City Hall • By Willow Higgins • May 4, 2022
After initial push, city’s effort to eliminate Confederate names loses momentum
In the midst of the July 2020 protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, the city of Austin passed a resolution committing to remove or rename all city-owned assets, such as streets and buildings, that have names commemorating the…
Austin • By Willow Higgins • May 3, 2022
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Airport Hilton rebounds from pandemic losses
The Hilton hotel at Austin’s airport has made a significant recovery from the dark days of the pandemic, airport executives Tracy Thompson and Rajeev Thomas explained to the City Council Audit & Finance Committee Wednesday. During 2021, the Hilton’s occupancy…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Apr 28, 2022
City's affordability crisis threatens to price out creative class
Leaders in the region’s entertainment and sports event industries see problems ahead if the city can’t address affordability problems that are forcing artists and working-class audiences to relocate to nearby suburbs. Pointing to the rising cost of living, transportation and…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 28, 2022
Student-led civics project comes to life with passage of food equity resolution
Students with the St. Edward’s University Civics Lab celebrated the fruits of their labor this past Wednesday, as City Council members geared up to pass a resolution that would connect public transportation infrastructure to food equity initiatives. The resolution, which…
City Council • By Kali Bramble • Apr 27, 2022
EDC waiting on TIRZ formation while moving ahead with cultural trust funding proposals
The city’s economic development corporation is moving ahead with evaluating proposals from creative groups vying for some of the $16.9 million in cultural trust funds for creative spaces, but its role in helping manage development south of Lady Bird Lake…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 27, 2022
Parks supervisor resigns during inquiry into ethics allegations
A Parks and Recreation Department supervisor has resigned after running afoul of two ethics regulations. The fact that his supervisor misinterpreted one of the regulations likely compounded the problem. According to an audit released by the Office of the City…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Apr 27, 2022
Economic rebound, spending efficiency point to rosier budget picture
The city’s immediate financial outlook is looking more optimistic due to a strong rebound in sales tax collections, increased development, and City Council and city management’s efforts to slow the growth of city cost drivers over the last three years,…
