Daily Newsletters

City Council voted to approve ballot language that is clearly aimed at defeating the proposed “strong mayor” charter amendment.

Council's new conservative member is sending mixed messages on homelessness strategy.

Hopefully more transit priority lanes are coming after the ones on E. Riverside.

Mackenzie Kelly says she wants to clear up "misconceptions" her constituents have about the proposed hotel purchase. Her colleagues give her the benefit of the doubt.

Council compromises on mayor pro tem. A new administration could bode well for local public transit.

Council's new conservative member pushes to delay a shelter in her district.

If one had to mount a defense of Austin’s regressive …

At this time at least, the effort is largely backed by one entrepreneur and those close to him.

The left is scared of the right. The right is scared of the left. So they both oppose strong mayor.

Is the state really going to take over APD?

Pool withdraws her support and Alter throws her hat in the ring.

South Austin is getting four new lanes & an upper deck. And Dems sweat runoffs in Northwest Austin.

Council approves a SIF ordinance. They're supposed to pay for growth. But what kind of growth?

The centrist Dem backs the Republican with far-right ties over Flannigan.

Statesman announces union drive & tensions simmer at Planning Commission over David Chapel Baptist Church rezoning.

And city staff wants to keep a parking lot owned by David Chapel Baptist Church zoned single-family.

The city goes for drainage over housing.

City staff is asking Council to move forward on a proposed project that will turn the former site of HealthSouth at 1215 Red River into a major mixed-use development.

Once again, the Statesman is relying on a very faulty data source to draw very wobbly conclusions about the city's minority populations.

A right-wing motor gang briefly detains Council Member Jimmy Flannigan.

Like any other amenity, high-quality public transit can lead to increased property values nearby. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do it.

The city continues to use an antiquated definition of "transit corridor" to deny density.

The idea of getting freight traffic off I-35 is not new.

Five days ago TxDOT kicked off a one-month public …

One of the major benefits of Prop B will be the completion of the Big Loop -- 30 miles of urban trail.

A NeverTrumper endorses Flannigan over Kelly and Pooja Sethi backs Alter.

With an urbanist Council member leading the way, the city has a chance to develop the far east side right.

Some on Council and at Cap Metro argued that Prop B would undermine Project Connect. The election proved them wrong.

The pandemic claims the life of Austin's fifth transit worker.

The elections probably didn't change land use politics in Austin.

17 affordable units in the trash due to a valid petition.

A group of prolific GOP donors try to make a play in three Council races.

The Convention Center expansion shuts the door on reforming the deeply unjust way we use tourism taxes.

While D10 may still be friendlier to conservatives than most other parts of Austin, the national GOP has undoubtedly suffered a setback here due to Trump's unpopularity among educated suburbanites. This is definitely the kind of place that has drifted blue as the GOP has increasingly become the party of the white working class.

Traffic has returned, but is still below pre-pandemic levels. But we can't count on this being permanent.

There's a potential to get a great new social services building ... perhaps for free! But Capitol View Corridor restrictions stand in the way.

The governor is hoping more Austin-bashing will keep the Lege in GOP control.

Everybody seems to agree that housing for the poor is more important than parking lots. Can we also agree that housing for the middle class is also more important than parking lots?

A slew of proposed changes to city government aimed at making it more democratic & accountable.

What are the main appeals that the Project Connect campaign is making to voters?

Council members have been floating APD budget cuts. In some cases, it's hard to know what the actual savings will be from a specific cut. But here's what city budget staff said yesterday in a meeting with the Council Public Safety Committee.

It looks like there is a consensus on City Council in support of a few big cuts to the APD budget. But there is also hesitancy about pushing forward with major restructuring of the department before the September budget deadline, especially considering the apparent resistance from feet-dragging from city staff.

Affluent homeowners against "gentrification," Part 1000.

There's talk of evidence that strong mayor systems are less efficient. But I have yet to see it.

A set of proposed changes to the charter could make Austin elections more democratic.

Leslie Pool has an opponent! Well, this is …

Alter ahead, but facing a strong challenge from Sethi in West Austin

Incumbent District Attorney Margaret Moore was …

Garza wins! And Garza wins! Stinging rebuke to …

With all the chest-beating from Council about reimagining public safety in Austin, why did the city manager respond with something that changes almost nothing? Because he's calling their bluff, or at least what he perceives as a bluff. He doesn't believe they're as dedicated to transformational change as they have said.