Opinion: Is Austin Energy Committed to Sustainability and Affordability? Its Rate Proposal Raises Doubts.

Opinion: The rate hike is bad for consumers and runs counter to the city's climate goals

"...Austin Energy's rate increase proposal should shock many in the Austin community...."

July 15, 2022 Column by Kaiba White

Council Tackles Property Tax Rate, 4700 Riverside, Gun Violence

Wheels in motion for upcoming adoption of FY 2020 budget

"...on Thursday, Aug. 22 to increase Austin’s property tax rate to the maximum allowed under current state law without..."

Aug. 23, 2019 News Post by Austin Sanders

Big, Contentious Austin Energy Rate Hike Finally Arrives at Council

Power for the people?

"...a big ask: It wants to change its base rate structure for the first time since 2017. Back then,..."

Nov. 25, 2022 News Feature by Lina Fisher

Texas Legal Abortion Rate Drops Post-HB 2

The rate of legal abortion fell 13% since House Bill 2 took effect

"...2013 to the same time period in 2013-14, the rate of legal abortions dropped 13% – a reduction of..."

July 23, 2014 News Post by Mary Tuma

Point Austin: Whose Budget?

The council asks for a new budget, and Futrell delivers the same old bill

"...last quarter. At that time, Futrell had estimated the "effective" tax rate – the rate that would bring in..."

Aug. 4, 2006 News Column by Michael King

Naked City

Sparks fly over property tax rate

"...8, setting public hearings for the proposed property tax rate. New "truth in taxation" laws require public hearings any..."

Aug. 12, 2005 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Property Tax Time

Choosing a reasonable tax rate, what the voters say, and important dates

"...The property tax rate can't be finalized yet, as it is dependent upon..."

June 25, 2010 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Toby Futrell's Budget

The staff-proposed city budget goes to council, with both breathing and wiggle room

"...downturn." The budget as proposed is "balanced" at the effective tax rate – 39.85 cents per $100 of assessed..."

Aug. 4, 2006 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Balance the Budget (In Three Years) in Five (Not-so-Easy) Steps

It will take both unpleasant tax hikes and spending cuts to balance the city budget -- and not until 2006

"...Step 2: The effective rate..."

May 30, 2003 News Feature

Council Proposes “Austin Affordability Action Plan”

Looking for ways to balance the budget

"...policies are already in place, but on others – flat-rate budgeting, deregulating transportation – Council and Austinites remain quite..."

March 3, 2017 News Feature by Michael King

Let the Battles Begin!

The new city budget promises less is less.

"...time in nearly a decade, and raising the property-tax rate for the first time in six years -- still..."

Aug. 8, 2003 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

That Figures

City Manager Jesus Garza introduces a budget that focuses on roads, utilities, and cops, and skates around a needed tax increase.

"...the budget of the Austin Police Dept. And crime rates in Austin -- never that high to begin with..."

Aug. 18, 2000 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

The Budget's Downhill Slide

"...expenditures$459.39$461.00$494.87$517.23 Revenues$445.96$461.00$465.75$482.98 Deficit($13.43)($0.00)($29.12)($34.25) Beginning Balance$41.33$29.56$29.56$0.44 Ending Balance$29.56$29.56$0.44($33.81) Assumed tax rate0.45970.49280.52690.5269 Nominal EffectiveEffectiveNominal City Manager Toby Futrell proposes to balance..."

Aug. 8, 2003 News Feature

Dollars Down to Earth

1995-96 City Budget Shoots for Balance

"...city's growth is expected to continue at a 3.5-5.5% rate. If figures from the Texas Employment Commission and the..."

Sept. 8, 1995 News Feature

Boom and Gloom

Austin's Budget Struggles to Keep Up

"...The new budget whispers some answers. The property tax rate will go up two cents, the transportation fee on..."

Aug. 22, 1997 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Budget Stretch Run

City money season at full speed – and the dollars are chasing the needs

"...Aug. 22, 29: Budget, tax rate, and utility rate formal public hearings..."

Aug. 2, 2013 News Feature by Michael King

Beside the Point: Taxing Effectively

Debate should focus on meeting community needs, not arbitrary numbers

"...Ditto for the tax rate, but lest we forget, there's still the none-too-little matter..."

Sept. 8, 2006 News Column by Wells Dunbar

Austin Taxes

Too high, too low, just right -- or all of the above?

"...tells me.) But there's no arguing that Austin's tax rate isn't high enough to cover what the city spends;..."

Aug. 8, 2003 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Beside the Point

The budget circus rolls into town

"...raising the property tax above her proposal of the "effective rate" (39.54 cents – lower than last year, but..."

June 15, 2007 News Column by Wells Dunbar

Austin @ Large: Austin at Large

The city may go where it feared to tread last year -- tax hikes, layoffs, and cutting public safety budgets.

"...why, because of my impolitic opinions about Austin's fiscal strategy, I could never join Daryl Slusher (here) or Laura..."

Feb. 28, 2003 News Column by Mike Clark-Madison

City Counciling: City Budget Preview

Not great, could be worse

"...is predicated on increasing property taxes to the "rollback" rate – a jump from 42.09 cents per $100 of..."

April 30, 2010 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Beside the Point

Council ponders where to set the property-tax rate, and which health care package should cover city employees and their partners

"...fact – Austin's low ad valorem, i.e., property tax, rates. As the city manager's presentation reflected, the 1993 rate..."

June 2, 2006 News Column by Wells Dunbar

Point Austin: Budget Time

Running all the numbers, we have to pay for what we need

"...pay increases, required personnel additions.) That makes for an effective $2.2 million deficit before they've even considered adding a..."

June 9, 2006 News Column by Michael King

City Budget: Open Season on 'Vacancies'

Council has little thirst for raising property taxes

"...the regular meeting to address the proposed property tax rate, which Council decided a week ago, following perfunctory deliberation,..."

Aug. 23, 2013 News Feature by Michael King

City Hall Hustle: Discount Government, Part II

Historically low city tax rates bite back in the longer run

"...council's financial sage, noted Austin's "abnormally low" property tax rate is "too low ... to support a city this..."

Sept. 11, 2009 News Column by Wells Dunbar

The Chips Are Down

Budget balancing picks up speed – and it's anything but fun and games

"...input on two very touchy topics: the eventual property-tax rate and prospective pay for city employees, especially the most..."

June 26, 2009 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Jesus Saves

With the city facing its biggest budget crunch in a decade, city manager Jesus Garza has begun to make some tough financial choices.

"...capital investment, limited growth in services, keep the tax rate low. "We've attempted to be strategic in what we..."

May 25, 2001 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Mission, Not Accomplished

The city's draft budget is on the table, and the cuts just keep on coming

"...even with a (marginal) property tax increase to the effective rate, without an average 5% across-the-board cut to all..."

June 18, 2004 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Naked City

After months of talking about it, City Manager Toby Futrell finally makes official her proposal to bridge the city's $57 million budget gap.

"...her intent to propose a property-tax hike to the effective rate (the amount that leaves the average tax bill..."

Aug. 1, 2003 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

The Budget Battles, Round 3

Will Wynn proposes permanently shuttering libraries, parks, and other facilities to devote scarce resources to the ones that are left.

"...delayed two years until we might have money to operate them. Wynn's push to go further is not exactly..."

Aug. 29, 2003 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10     NEXT ›    18 »