The Daily Hustle: 1/10/11

Brrr! Brrr! Brrr! Brrr!

With apologies to Gucci Mane, the Hustle is thawing out from winter hibernation to bring the heat to all things City Council.

Today, we’re getting into campaign season kick-off with a couple re-election party announcements, plus a couple other things we missed.

Tomorrow, Randi Shade is jumpstarting her Place 3 re-election run with a party in South Austin. No big surprise that Shade is first out the gate, following early (and so far, wishful) rumors of a challenge from the left, motivated by Shade's WTP4 swing vote. (So far, the only challenger the file in any race is friend of the Hustle Josiah Ingalls, boding well for incumbents … and exceedingly poorly for an invigorated electorate.)

Shade’s party is happening Tuesday, January 11, at Mercury Hall. It’s followed one week later by Laura Morrison’s Place 4 kick-off, Tuesday, January 18, at Nuevo León. Chris Riley hasn’t yet announced his campaign jump-off yet.

… What else has been happening? The would-be bane of 2009’s mayoral elections – expanding paid parking hours Downtown – is making the appropriate board and commission rounds. The proposals, including extending Downtown pay parking from 5:30pm to midnight, comes before a meeting of a joint subcommittee of the Urban Transportation Commission and Downtown Commission Jan. 11, 6pm, at City Hall, then to the Downtown Commission’s meeting at City Hall, January 19, 5pm.

The Hustle hears early reviews are largely negative … except from the valet parking community. Interesting! You can read more here, and let your feelings be known in a city-sponsored survey here.

What the hell else is happening?

On the city calendar: City Council’s Comprehensive Planning and Transportation Committee meets in City Hall’s Council Chambers, 2pm.

The Board of Adjustment/Sign Review Board meets in Council Chambers, 5:30pm.

The Waterfront Planning Advisory Board meets in the Boards and Commissions room at City Hall, 6pm.

The Joint Committee of Environmental Board and Parks Board meets in the Parks and Recreation Department Board Room, 200 S. Lamar, 6:15pm.

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