TRE Ballot Language Staying Put: KVUE reports the ballot language for the November 4 tax rate election will remain after the Texas Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit claiming the city failed to clarify in ballot item Proposition Q how revenue would be used long-term. If approved by voters, Austin homeowners would see an increase of around $25 per month in property taxes to pay for city services. Read more about Proposition Q in next week’s issue.
Homeless Shelter Contracts Nixed Following Data Mishaps: The city will stop working with Urban Alchemy, the nonprofit operating two Downtown emergency shelters, at the end of this month, the Austin American-Statesman reports. Austin Homeless Strategy Office Director David Gray wrote in a Tuesday memo that Urban Alchemy staff “improperly, and without permission” misreported data on when people entered and exited shelters. Nonprofit organization Endeavors will take over operations at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless and the Eighth Street Women’s Shelter.
Property Taxes Rise After Floods: KUT reports that Travis County’s property tax rates are rising 9.12% in response to the county zeroing out its savings with flood aid this summer. The average homeowner – someone with a home valued around $515,000 – will see about a $200 increase in 2026, bringing an expected $42 million for the county’s savings and natural disasters prep funds. Voter approval was not required for this increase due to emergency declarations from the state and federal governments following the July 5 flooding.
More Care, More Tax: Travis County commissioners also approved an $80 million budget increase for Central Health, Travis County’s hospital district, KUT reports, and an increased tax rate for local homeowners to cover the cost; the average homeowner is expected to pay about $64 more to Central Health. The tax increase is to combat federal budget cuts and increase the agency’s scope of care. Central Health expects to oversee more than 1.2 million clinical visits in the coming year.
Back to Exceptional Drought: The Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District has declared Stage III Exceptional Drought following a sharp drop in groundwater levels at the Lovelady monitor well in South Austin, to take effect October 1. This is only the second time the district has declared exceptional drought in 38 years, with the first in December 2023. It’s not a great sign for the trending health of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. Come October, a 30–100% reduction in pumping among the district’s well owners, water utilities, and municipalities, such as Buda and Kyle, will be required.
Pope Leo XIV Calls Out Musk: In his first media interview since being elected pope in May of this year, Leo XIV pointed out the disparities of income between the wealthiest of CEOs and the working class to Crux, a Catholic news outlet. Leo went on to specifically call out Texas transplant Elon Musk, who is now the wealthiest person alive and on track to becoming a trillionaire if Tesla hits an ambitious set of performance goals set by its board. The Austin American-Statesman reports that Tesla shares plunged 45% in early April, during the height of Musk’s unpopular reign running the Department of Government Efficiency, but got a boost after Musk purchased about $1 billion of Tesla stock on Friday.
The Voters Speak – and They’re Not Happy: A recent poll by UT’s Texas Politics Project revealed a decline in Texan voters’ approval for state leaders, Trump, and priorities set by the Texas Legislature, the Austin American-Statesman reports. The governor’s approval rating dropped 15% since January to an all-time low of 40%, while the president’s approval rating in Texas dropped to 43%, and the congressional map redistricting was not considered an important issue. Over half of the 1,200 registered voters polled described themselves as unhappy with the direction of the state.
Transparency on UTPD Dwindles: The Daily Texan reports the University of Texas quietly disbanded the UTPD Oversight Committee in April 2024. The committee included employees and students that were responsible for advising on UTPD incidents and community outreach. Committee functions have since been turned over to the Campus Safety and Security Committee, which has no formal oversight responsibilities. Interesting times on college campuses as new free speech policy gives UTPD direction to remove non-UT affiliates from campus during expressive activities.
McCaul Joins Wave of GOP Exits: U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul announced on Sunday he will not seek reelection in 2026. As former chair of the House Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs committees, McCaul said he is looking for a “new challenge” in national security and foreign policy. McCaul was frequently vocal on U.S. military support for Ukraine, views which often separated him from other Republican leaders in Washington. The 10th Congressional District covers Central Texas, including parts of northern Austin, Pflugerville, Bastrop, and Manor.
I-35 Expansion Lawsuit Latest: A district court judge heard a case on Wednesday, Sept. 10, that attempts to stop the expansion of I-35, claiming that the Texas Department of Transportation didn’t adequately evaluate how the project would affect air quality in Austin. The lawsuit was filed by Rethink35, Save Our Springs, and other environmental advocacy groups in Austin last year. The judge has yet to announce a decision on whether or not TxDOT committed a NEPA violation in moving the project forward.
Zero-Waste Goals Fall Flat: Austin is not on course to meet its goal of diverting 90% of waste away from landfills and incinerators by 2040, the Austin Monitor reports. A city audit released Monday found that the 2024 diversion rate of 37% was less than the rate achieved 10 years ago, at 39.81%. Austin Resource Recovery, which picks up trash, compost, and recycling, is “not prioritizing” the goal and does not share effective messaging, auditors wrote.
More Help for Harm Reduction: Travis County is increasing harm reduction funds from last year’s $400,000 to a $525,000 investment, splitting the funds between LifeWorks, Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, and Vivent Health, reports The Austin Monitor. The county declared an overdose crisis in 2022, but has worked aggressively to address the crisis, including dedicating resources toward countywide support services like Narcan distribution. In 2024, the county saw a decline in overdose deaths for the first time since the crisis was declared.
Strap in for COTALAND: FOX 7 reports that a new family-friendly amusement park, Circuit of the Americas’ COTALAND, is expected to open sometime in 2026 featuring more than 30 rides, including five roller coasters.
Quote of the Week
“Instead of lowering the temperature, Trump is spiking it. We should be united in rejecting violence, but this partisan, one-sided approach only adds fuel to the fire.”
– U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett
This article appears in September 19 • 2025.