Headlines / Quote of the Week
Fri., July 14, 2023
They're Baaaaaaaaaack
City Council returns July 20 from their annual summer meeting hiatus, where they will confront a daunting 189-item agenda. At the meeting, they are expected to pass a resolution directing staff to work on Land Development Code amendments that could allow up to three housing units in all single-family zones and reduce the minimum lot size required to build housing in those zones.
$18 Billion Handshake
Texas House and Senate leaders reached an agreement Monday for a proposed $18 billion property tax relief plan. House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick were at odds for most of the year over whether businesses or homeowners would get a bigger chunk of relief, and came to a compromise with a $12 billion reduction in the school property tax rate, raising the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000, and savings on franchise taxes for small businesses.
New Digs
This summer, Integral Care is relocating several existing programs to its new St. John facility, which will offer primary and mental health care for adults and children, counseling programs, wellness programs, a pharmacy, and referrals to community resources. The site will also serve as administrative offices for the agency and provide community meeting spaces.
Swim at Your Own Risk
A new study from Environment Texas has found that nearly every beach in Texas tested for unsafe fecal matter levels in 2022. Out of 61 beaches tested, 55 of them (90%) had unsafe levels on at least one test day; the study found the top five dirtiest beaches in Texas are in Nueces County, which encompasses Corpus Christi. Beach pollution tends to come from stormwater and agricultural production runoff, outdated sewage systems, and sprawling development, and causes nationwide an estimated 57 million cases of illness annually.
Net Zero Hero?
At the Electric Utility Commission's Monday meeting, Austin Energy outlined how it will be able to transition all of its energy generation out of natural gas to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. Retiring the Decker and Sand Hill plants by 2029 will constitute a "large net load increase" in the AE system that will require more power from ERCOT, which is "already stressed." Ultimately, AE told the EUC they need to build additional capacity to meet growing demand.
Money (That's What They Want)
After three hours of discussion, the city's Music Commission postponed until August a decision on whether to recommend that SXSW offer higher pay to the musicians who play the festival. SXSW currently pays $350 to bands and $150 to solo artists – lower rates, musicians argue, than at other festivals.
Moving on Up
Robert Kingham will be the next court administrator for the Downtown Austin Community Court, where he has worked as the court operations manager since 2017. DACC adjudicates low-level offenses like public intoxication and disorderly conduct; the court also offers intensive case management services to people experiencing homelessness. Kingham replaces Peter Valdez, a 22-year DACC veteran.
The Water's Fine!
Following 2022's staffing shortage, 1,000 lifeguards have been hired for the 2023 summer season, according to the Parks and Recreation Department. A pay increase, streamlined application process, and recruitment efforts all contributed to the boost in hiring, PARD said, and as a result, all 32 of the city's pools and 11 splash pads are now open and operational.
"I'm running against Ted Cruz because everything that we've seen in this state has been nothing but taking care of rich people while the poor people, the working class, get screwed over."
– State Sen. Roland Gutierrez on why he’s challenging the junior senator from Texas in 2024
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