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Local government is important. It’s the branch of government that affects your life the most, and yet, many of us can barely remember the name of our mayor or City Council member. That’s why we break it all down for you in a way that’s clear, easy-to-understand, and even a little fun.  No PhD in poli sci needed!

 

New to The Austin Common? Here’s two ways we suggest learning more about local government:

#1 – Get yourself a copy of “A Beginner’s Guide To Local Government: Austin Edition.” 

#2 – Start reading our Civics 101 news stories, conveniently laid out for you below. 

CodeNEXT Draft
EcoBits
Amy Stansbury

An Austin Bargain

It’s finally here. After years of research, reports, and work the first draft of CodeNEXT has been released and was officially be revealed to the public on Wednesday. Since the draft itself is hundreds of pages long, there hasn’t been much of a response from the public yet,

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State of the City 2017
Blogs
Amy Stansbury

The State of the City is Changing

Change. That was the theme of Austin Mayor Steve Adler’s “State of the City Address,” which he delivered to a packed crowd at City Hall last Saturday. “But change – even in the form of growth – is not our enemy,” Adler said, encouraging Austinites

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I Voted Runoff Election
Civics 101
Amy Stansbury

Runoff Election Roundup

The results are in. Austin officially has a new City Council. Alison Alter beat out incumbent City Council Member Sheri Gallo in a runoff election last week to fill the final seat in City Hall. For those who aren’t familiar, Austin’s City Council has 10 seats

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I Voted Sticker
Blogs
Amy Stansbury

Did You Know? There’s An Election Today.

You might not know it, but Austin is in the middle of an election. Voter turnout during early voting was only 2.2 percent! Wait, didn’t we just have an election? What election is this? Yes, we did just have an election. On November 8th (when

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C40 Mayors Summit
EcoBits
Amy Stansbury

Who’s Fighting Climate Change? Cities.

Last year, Austin Mayor Steve Adler traveled to France to pledge Austin’s support for the historic Paris Agreement, the world’s first global accord on climate change. Last week, Mayor Adler went to Mexico to try and make good on that promise. With the Paris Agreement,

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Austin City Hall
Blogs
Amy Stansbury

What does the election mean for Austin?

Nobody needs to be told that this was a significant election season in America. At the national level, the campaigns were contentious, personal, and emotional. The results of that election and what they will mean for Austin and for the world, will surely be discussed

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District 6 Mural - Baked by Amys
2016 City Council Races
Amy Stansbury

Civics 101 – The Race for Austin City Council’s District 6

Choosing your City Council member is a big deal. This is the person who will represent you in City Hall for the next four years. They’ll make policies that will influence the city’s transportation infrastructure, affordability, environment, and your own neighborhood. That’s why it’s important

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District 2 mural - We love North Loop
2016 City Council Races
Amy Stansbury

Civics 101 – The Race for Austin City Council’s District 4

Choosing your City Council member is a big deal. This is the person who will represent you in City Hall for the next four years. They’ll make policies that will influence the city’s transportation infrastructure, affordability, environment, and your own neighborhood. That’s why it’s important

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2016 City Council Races
Amy Stansbury

Civics 101 – The Race for Austin City Council’s District 7

Choosing your City Council member is a big deal. This is the person who will represent you in City Hall for the next four years. They’ll make policies that will influence the city’s transportation infrastructure, affordability, environment, and your own neighborhood. That’s why it’s important

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Traffic Austin
Blogs
Amy Stansbury

Civics 101 – Transportation and Prop 1

What are the biggest issues facing Austin today? The most common answers to that question are transportation and affordability. Well, Prop 1 affects both of them. Which means that this is the big one. This is the issue of this local election season. So now’s

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District 2 Mural - Time Warner Building
2016 City Council Races
Amy Stansbury

Civics 101 – The Race for Austin City Council’s District 2

Choosing your City Council member is a big deal. This is the person who will represent you in City Hall for the next four years. They’ll make policies that will influence the city’s transportation infrastructure, affordability, environment, and your own neighborhood. That’s why it’s important

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