Keeping an eye on local government
Get updates on happenings in and around Austin, Texas with The Austin Independent.
Topics include Land Development Code, Local Elections, the Presidential Election, Corona Virus updates and more
Most Recent Entry
Neighbors Seek to Avoid Destruction of NW Austin Apartment Complex – After Council Removes a Key Tenant Protection
The Acacia Cliffs apartment complex on Hart Lane in Northwest Austin defies several Austin political/governance precepts that get repeated often by members of the “progressive” cohort. First of all Acacia Cliffs is a high density affordable housing development in NW...
Other Cities to Austin: ‘”How the hell are you doing this?’”
“I can tell you for certain that Austin, Texas is in the vanguard of the national housing discussion and cities all over this country right now have been looking to us for ideas about how they address their own affordability challenges. Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas,...
Local Boy Wreaks Havoc – On Nation and His Own Company – Plus J.D. Vance Echoes Chito Vela
It’s really difficult right now, and maybe not wise, to stay focused exclusively on local issues, even for a locally focused publication like this one. So let’s look in again on our semi-local guy who’s making it big in the second Donald Trump administration. I’m of...
José Garza Claims He Doesn’t Have to Comply With Law That Other Texas DAs Have Followed For 50 Years – Another Missed Deadline to Indict Found
In our last story we talked about how Travis County District Attorney José Garza appeared to say that he knew of no other cases where accused violent criminals had gotten out of jail because his office failed to indict within 90 days as required by state law. It had...
The Buck Doesn’t Stop At Travis DA’s Office – Eckhardt Has “Grave Public Safety Concern” as Murder Suspects Released – Judges Speak Out – Should Dems Reflect?
Travis County District Attorney José Garza is off to a really rough start in his second term, which began January 1. He’s embroiled in controversy because two alleged murderers were released on $1 and $100 bonds when Garza’s office failed to indict them within 90...
Chito Vela’s Premature Victory Lap – Plus Congressional Staff Workweek Update
Austin ended 2024 making national news for drops in the price of housing. For instance, in an otherwise gloomy (but realistic) December 4 report on the national housing situation, NPR reporter Jennifer Ludden cited Austin as her one positive example: After the host...
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