The first proposed fare changes for the Capital Metro bus system in 23 years have caused quite a stir. The transportation authority is holding public meetings to make their case and hear rider comments. (They are June 11, 6pm at Austin Community College South Austin Campus, 1820 W. Stassney; and June 12, 6pm at Austin City Hall; and June 27, noon, Capital Metro Administration Offices, 2910 E. Fifth.) Several fare options are under discussion, but it's possibly useful to look at the one-way bus trip costs in some other cities, and see how Austin compares. Obviously, every system is different, but it's still a somewhat useful yardstick. Austin: 50 cents, one-day pass $1
Austin (proposed Fall 2008): 75 cents, one-day pass $3
San Antonio: $1, express $2, one-day pass $3.75
Dallas DART: $1.50, one-day pass $3
Houston Metro: $1 local, one-day all zones $3.50
Portland Trimet: $2.05, seven-day pass $20
New Orleans RTA: $1.25, one-day pass $5
New York City Transit: $2, express $5, one-day pass $7.50

In a lose-lose situation, Mayor Will Wynn has been dragged into the Place Four council race mud-slinging about the mythical Green Home Tax. In an email sent out this morning called "Setting the Record Straight", without naming names he dismantles Cid Galindo's last few campaign fliers (although, to be fair, he could also be savaging the claims made by the Austin Board of Realtors and the Statesman editorial board). One interpretation is that Wynn is clarifying exactly what the proposed energy efficiency ordinance means. Another is that he's stamping on the increasingly histrionic claims that it's a point-of-sale imposition requiring full weatherproofing and gerbil-powered cooling systems. The discussion among the 28-member Energy Efficiency Retrofit Task Force, Wynn points out, is about voluntary programs to increase energy efficiency, and still months away from any recommendations (and not, as the Statesman claimed on Monday, "looking at the idea of requiring home sellers to make energy upgrades before the sale could be completed.") Not that Laura Morrison has run a squeaky-clean campaign: Using Cid's father's Republican background against Cid in print ads has left a bad taste in a lot of mouths (who says the sins of the father cannot be visited upon the son?). As for conflict of interests (her other anti-Cid platform), what happens if Morrison's much-vaunted McMansion ordinance ever comes up again, or the Austin Neighborhood Council gives testimony? So why lose-lose for Wynn? Say nothing, incorrect statements go uncorrected. Say something, and he's painted as pro-Morrison. Either way, someone makes political capital of him. Wynn's letter in full after the break.

Last night, the Continental Club played host to a fundraiser for local burlesque performer (nay, superstar) Cardinal Cyn. She broke her leg back in March, and as is the Austin way, her fellow burlesque performers and some bands did what they do for sweet charity, to help get her back performing and walking without crutches again. But a thought: If earlier this year the Texas courts had not thrown out the surcharge on ill-defined 'sexually oriented businesses" then, because there was some underwear on display, $5 of the $8 recommended donations would have been ripped straight out of her hand as a state-imposed 'fee'. Mercifully, the law that introduced the "Titty Tax", House Bill 1751 from Rep. Ellen Cohen, D-Houston, didn't pass the small test. A badly written law and, as was finally proven in court, an unconstitutional tax on content, it passed through the legislature only because it went through the House Ways and Means Committee. If it had gone through the Senate Finance and House Appropriations committees as it should have, it would have been rejected because their tax experts would have picked up on it. Instead, the Comptrollers Office was left scrabbling on how to create collection rules for an uncollectable tax, the state was left with a bloody nose, and yet again, proper medical care and sexual assault programs go unfunded. Newsdesk wishes Cardinal Cyn a speedy recovery. And that the legislature actually starts funding worthy programs from the tax base, rather than try to impose morality taxes.

Hey, you want to do something really unique? Something that truly sets you apart from the crowd and identifies you as an individual? One of the elites who runs our city? Then go vote. A paltry 7,786 Austinites have cast ballots in the City Council run-off election between Cid Galindo and Laura Morrison thus far, along with 267 mail-in ballots. That's less than 2% of registered voters. If turnout follows its usual early voting/election day split, then about 28,000 of us will decide the future direction of this city of more than 700,000. Early voting ends today at 7pm at most locations, but earlier at some. Take advantage of the convenience of early voting today – you may vote early at any location, but on Election Day (June 14), you will be required to cast your ballot in your neighborhood precinct. And if you don't vote, then don't bitch when either Morrison or Galindo turns out to be a really terrible council member. UPDATE: Final early total (including mail-in ballots received): 9,921

With all the attention concentrating on whether the Clintonites would get on board the Obama Express (if the response at the Texas Democratic Party Convention is anything to go by, the answer is yes), it may have been forgotten that the Republican nomination is not actually settled. U.S. Congressman Ron Paul is still in the race, and his supporters have not all happily jumped on the S.S. McCain yet. The Texas GOP has just won a legal battle with Paulites over how they operate. Last week, visiting Judge Tom Sullivan ordered that, to comply with Texas election law, the GOP had to selected its permanent convention chair before doing any business, and he granted the Paulites a temporary restraining order. The Paulites said not doing so meant debate from the grass roots was suppressed because valuable convention time was swallowed up in this process. But this morning Judge Roberta Lloyd threw the TRO out, saying that her court had no jurisdiction. Spokesman Hans Klingler called this the "litigious cajoling of a disgruntled few." But this was no minor party members: the TRO was sought by big-time Paul boosters Wharton County GOP chair Debra Medina and former Harris County Republican Party chair Gary Polland. What made this schism even deeper is that Polland had been talked about as a potential replacement for the retiring Sen. Kyle Janek. "It's a pretty sad day when we have to go to court to resolve our GOP differences," Polland said.

When Texas Democratic Party chair Boyd Richie yelled out "Harris County? You're next!" to this weekend's convention, he was looking at candidates like Joe "Thundersticks" Jaworski. Running in Senate District 11 against Sen. Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, Jaworski is another part of the Democrats' plan to do in the greater Houston area what they did in Dallas County in 2006, and produce a near-clean sweep in a supposedly Republican enclave. "We have a zeal that we have not seen in our adult life," Jaworski said, "and it is bringing out people that have felt oppressed and just decided 'why bother voting?'. Well, not anymore!" But why Thundersticks? Jaworski (as in "grandson of Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski") is a pretty mean drummer. Good enough for The Bad Precedents, the House (and Senate) band of Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco? As he proved at his post-convention party Saturday night at the Austin Club with a rousing rendition of Honky-Tonk Woman, maybe so. But would this mean forcing Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, out from behind the drums? "Maybe they could become a two-drum line-up," said Jaworski, "Like the Grateful Dead." OK, but you can argue amongst yourselves who gets to be Mickey Hart.

Re-live the Texas Democratic Party Convention (or see what you missed) on the party's YouTube channel.

The press cadre has its own little area off to one side of the Texas Democratic Party state convention (there's power strips and wireless and everything!) but this means sprinting down front-of-stage to get any photo opps. Check out the image gallery from the scramble and other events.