The Travis County Commissioners Court says the Texas Department of Transportation has ignored their concerns about the impact of Interstate 35 expansion on the health of Austin residents. “We specifically asked TxDOT to do a number of important studies – environmental and air-quality studies – affecting public health. And they didn’t. They ignored them, basically,” […]
Travis County Commissioners Court
The legislative body for Travis County. It includes representatives from the four Travis County Precincts, as well as the County Judge. The County Judge serves as the chair of the Court.
Posted inBudget
Commissioners pass health district tax increase but plan increased scrutiny
On their second attempt, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted 4-1 to approve a tax increase and 3-1 to approve the 2024 budget for the county health care district. The votes increase the tax rate to 10.07 cents per $100 valuation. With rising home values, this will add about $56 to an average home’s yearly […]
Posted inBudget
Commissioners question health care district contingency fund, postpone budget vote
The Travis County Commissioners Court took no action on the county health care district’s proposed budget and tax increase Tuesday after repeatedly questioning the wisdom of the district’s $379 million contingency fund. The controversial fund grew rapidly in recent years as the health care district, which serves low-income residents and is known as Central Health, […]
Posted inDevelopment
Courthouse dining elevated: Veracruz All Natural contracts with county courts facility
Veracruz All Natural, which makes some of Austin’s most acclaimed tacos, will open an outpost downtown to serve the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility. The facility opened earlier this year, with about 2,247 square feet of real estate located on the first floor of 1700 Guadalupe Street. And its cafe space has been […]
Posted inPreservation
Travis County commissioners approve preservation plan funding for Sweatt courthouse
The Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse on Guadalupe Street could undergo historic restoration in the coming years with state funding assistance. Earlier this week, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to allocate $100,000 toward hiring a historic preservation architect to draft a preservation plan for the structure, which was built in the 1930s. […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County to set pay raises for elected officials in line with all county workers
Travis County is in the preliminary stages of raising pay for its elected officials by 5 percent. The news came during the Tuesday session of the Travis County Commissioners Court. Todd Osburn, the assistant director of total rewards with the county, explained that this is just an initial step, and the pay raise is not […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County still slated to spend millions in 2021 ARPA funding
Travis County has until the end of 2026 to spend $146 million of federal funding it received two years ago, according to the Planning and Budget Office. On Tuesday, Dashiell Daniels with the county’s Planning and Budget Office told the Commissioners Court about the state of expenditures of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery […]
Posted inDevelopment
County approves Travis Club development, despite community objections
The Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday passed a motion approving an initial phase of the Travis Club development, a 1,047-acre property – featuring golf course lots, a marina and more than 500 housing units – that is slated for construction at the intersection of Bee Creek Road and Thurman Bend Drive. This was despite […]
Posted inElections
Travis County voting advocates fight for more access for students
University voting advocates on Tuesday took to the Travis County Commissioners Court to advocate for equitable voting access on college campuses on and before election day, specifically at St. Edward’s University and Huston-Tillotson University. Advocates – mostly from voting rights group Texas Rising – included students from the University of Texas and Huston-Tillotson. They urged […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County to look at cost-of-living adjustments and pay increases for in-person workers
Travis County commissioners recently discussed whether the county can increase pay for its non-remote workers, as well as the possibility of cost-of-living wage increases. Todd Osburn of the county’s compensation office on June 27 briefed the Travis County Commissioners Court on several compensation issues. Also up for discussion: holiday pay and a program that would […]
Posted inPlanning
County gives final OK for millions toward low-income housing at Juniper Creek
The Travis County Commissioners Court on June 27 approved a measure funding an affordable housing contract for Foundation Communities, a nonprofit provider of affordable housing and subrecipient of the Juniper Creek development contract. The money is sourced from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, and the amount awarded is “not to exceed” $6.5 […]
Posted inPublic Health
Incarcerated Travis County residents at drastically higher risk of accidental overdose death
People who have been incarcerated in Travis County die of accidental overdoses at drastically higher rates than the overall population, according to new data. On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court held a news conference in conjunction with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office and county public health experts to address a new report released by […]