Irene Hill-Thompson’s home housed parties, politics and home cooking. Now it’s a historic landmark.
Austin City Council
Posted in
Five Things
Inside Austin’s watchdog office: How city audits shape policy and expose failures
Audits, advice and investigations: City Auditor Jason Hadavi talks about what it means to be the prying eye into city government in this Q&A.
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Growth & Development
Austin leaders planned Dog’s Head for months. Neighbors had 57 hours to act
Austin City Council ultimately voted in late May to annex a portion of Travis County north of the airport to boost local tax dollars.
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Government
‘This isn’t easy for me’: Austin mayor says delaying bond election is financially responsible move
Mayor Kirk Watson opposed moving forward with a 2026 bond election, arguing Austin should rebuild public trust before taking on more debt.
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Government
After secret vote on new gas plant, Austin City Council approves emissions limits
Austin City Council has approved guidelines for how a new natural gas “peaker plant” will be built and operated. Council members say the rules will help reduce emissions and harmful local impacts from the facility, the future location and cost of which remains unknown. Gas peakers are natural gas power generators that can start up […]
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Government
Austin City Council moves to crack down on unregulated, high-speed electric bikes
Austin leaders are looking at stricter regulations for the high-speed e-motorcycle, popular among children and at the center of a growing number of complaints.
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Government
Austin estimates it could cost up to $1.2 million to rename Cesar Chavez Street
The City of Austin estimates it could cost up to $1.2 million to rename Cesar Chavez Street. The cost includes paying for new street and highways signs, and the public engagement process. It does not include helping businesses deal with the name change. Businesses would be responsible for those costs once the change happens. Cesar […]
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Government
Austin City Council orders review of contracting process
After decades of weak contract oversight, a comprehensive review looks to ensure the city gets what it’s paying for.
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Government
Austin City Council’s private vote on peaker units draws transparency backlash
When the Austin City Council approved Austin Energy’s plan to buy new natural gas “peaker” units last week, council members voted behind closed doors, an unusual move that sparked backlash from environmental advocates and government watchdogs who accused city leaders of shielding a controversial public decision from scrutiny. Because the city operates Austin Energy, state […]
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Growth & Development
Austin takes another stab at density bonus program promoting affordable housing construction
Austin approved another density bonus program aimed at boosting affordable housing, while critics warn of neighborhood impacts.
