The city’s 2026 Bond Election Advisory Task Force has decided against pursuing a climate-focused bond election in 2025, opting instead to incorporate climate-related projects into a broader 2026 general obligation bond election. The decision followed discussion about funding availability for bond elections in consecutive years, the public engagement process for a 2025 election and the […]
Elections
Posted inElections
Austin’s Ethics Review Commission dismisses complaints against Siegel and Faddis without prejudice
Two complaints about alleged campaign finance violations were dropped at a special called meeting of the city’s Ethics Review Commission, but they could be filed again in the future. Adam Haynes, a former member of the Planning Commission, filed the complaints, the first of which was against Mike Siegel, the recently elected City Council member […]
Posted inElections
January reports show who’s got the money to run again
On Jan. 15, months after votes from the November election were tallied, all City Council members and candidates filed reports showing how much they had in their campaign bank accounts as of Dec. 31. Mayor Kirk Watson is clearly the big spender from the November City Council ballot, having spent more than $1 million to […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Task force delays decision on possible 2025 environmental bond package
The Bond Election Advisory Task Force has postponed making a recommendation on a potential 2025 bond election focused on environmental projects, citing the need for additional preparation and clarity from city staff. The decision to table the discussion until February came during the task force’s Monday meeting, where members expressed uncertainty about the scope of […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
City moving ahead with adjusted scope, schedule for mobility projects funded in 2016
The city expects to move forward with $146 million in construction projects on major vehicle corridors in 2025, with improvements to Burnet Road and Slaughter Lane expected to go to bid as the next steps using funding from the 2016 mobility bond package. Other efforts planned to move forward include bike and pedestrian improvements along […]
Posted inElections
Laine, Ganguly to see no penalties for ethics violations over election filings
The Ethics Review Commission found that two candidates in last year’s City Council elections violated the city’s financial disclosure requirements, but commissioners opted to not pursue penalties for either infraction. At Wednesday’s meeting, the commission held final hearings for two similar cases: a complaint filed by new District 10 Council Member Marc Duchen against his […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
City management cautions against 2025 bond election
A 2025 bond election would reduce available funding for a comprehensive bond election in 2026, according to a memo from Assistant City Manager Robert Goode sent to City Council through City Manager T.C. Broadnax. The memo offers reasons that Council should not have a bond election this year, citing the history of bond consideration and […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Bond task force sees timelines, budget constraints for possible elections in 2025 and 2026
The Bond Election Advisory Task Force will have to decide by very early 2025 if the city should move forward with a possible climate change and sustainability bond package next fall, in a process and timeline that would see no community input or engagement in the proposal that would be put before voters. At a […]
Posted inElections
After a close race, Bledsoe and Siegel share perspectives on runoff results
After what looks to be a narrow victory in Saturday’s runoff election, Mike Siegel will serve as the next representative for North Austin’s District 7. Cinching the win over opponent Gary Bledsoe by around 200 votes, Siegel will be the second Council member to represent the area since the creation of the current district representation […]
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Ethics commission dismisses Watson and Greco cases and sets hearing on two other complaints
The city’s bruising election season comes to an end Saturday with a runoff in the District 7 City Council race, but the Ethics Review Commission’s work continues as it considers another round of the season’s ethics violation complaints. So far, the commission has dismissed two complaints and agreed to move forward with final hearings on […]
Posted inElections
Ethics complaints filed against Siegel, AURA
An ethics complaint has been filed against Mike Siegel, who is running to take the District 7 City Council seat in the Dec. 14 runoff. Adam Haynes also filed an ethics complaint against a major urbanist group that has been campaigning for Siegel. The complaints were first reported Wednesday in The Austin Bulldog. Haynes supports […]
Posted inElections
Voters will choose Austin ISD school board trustee to represent entire district in runoff election
Voters living within Austin ISD’s boundaries will elect a new school board member after none of the six candidates running for at-large position 8 got enough votes to win the Nov. 5 election outright. Fernando Lucas de Urioste and Lindsey Stringer, the two candidates with the most votes, face each other in the Dec. 14 runoff election. De […]