• City Manager Marc Ott has launched Accelerate Austin, using bond money to jump-start construction on $69.1 million in road projects ahead of schedule and creating an extra 300 jobs.
• Gov. Rick Perry says he’ll reject the federal stimulus money for the state’s unemployment-insurance program. Maybe that will get him some desperately needed votes from the business community. In the latest poll, he’s trailing his 2010 election opponent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison 37%-29%.
• Capital Metro is indefinitely delaying the start of its commuter rail line after two train operators went onto the wrong stretch of track; the agency will still hold kickoff festivities on Saturday, March 28.
• No City Council meeting this week – it’s still reeling from its controversial approval of additional funds for the Downtown Austin Plan. See “Downtown Austin Plan: Why Do It?.”
• Leading economic indicators: Sales-tax returns for the city slipped again in January, falling some 14%. As retail sales across the country plummet and with mall anchors like Dillard’s closing poorly performing stores, Austin’s struggling Highland Mall has taken on the appearance of a ghost town. See “Ghost Mall? Retail Bagpipes Sound a Dirge for Highland Mall.”
• The Republican National Convention firebomb trial took another turn Tuesday when David McKay (pictured) switched his plea to guilty after the U.S. attorney in the case asked for immunity for co-defendant Bradley Crowder. With a guilty plea, McKay avoids a retrial.
• The world gasped in outrage on news that employees at American International Group – the ones that cooked up convoluted insurance scams on mortgages, firing the economic crater – would receive millions in bonuses.
• Due to a clerical error, the Senate had to push back its final vote on the voter ID bill to Tuesday. Meanwhile, legislators on both sides of the dome are convinced that there will be at least one special session, in order to deal with the federal stimulus package. See “Voter ID’s Sails Will Lose Wind in House” and “Special Session Especially Likely?” for more.
• SXSW Interactive has come and gone, loosening its suffocating stranglehold on this city’s bandwidth. Film keeps rolling, while Music gets amped up.
Quote of the Week
“The Latino community is not stupid. You can’t call us fat, ugly and stupid for a year and then ask us to go to the prom with you. It’s just not going to happen.” – Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, quoted in The Dallas Morning News on how the voter ID bill will cost the GOP Hispanic votes
This article appears in March 20 • 2009.