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.
Austin’s innovative SXSW spirit went all the way to the White House last week for SXSLawn, an event inspired by our very own famous festival. Earlier this year, President Obama spoke at SXSW here in Austin and was so inspired by what he saw that he
One of the EcoNetwork’s main goals this fall is to educate the public about the importance of local elections. The past few weeks, we’ve shared with you information about how to determine which City Council district you live in, how to register to vote, and
Election season continues, and as promised, here at the Austin EcoNetwork, we are keeping things local. Over the next several weeks we’ll be sharing all the info you need to make an educated vote in this year’s local election. Because the truth is, local elections matter
It’s that time of year again. Election season is upon us and here at the Austin EcoNetwork, we want to make sure that you are informed about the candidates and issues at the local level. The presidential election is of course, important. But too often, we
After months of negotiations and meetings, the City of Austin has a budget. Last week, City Council approved a $3.7 billion budget for the 2016/2017 fiscal year, which begins on October 1st. The general fund (which pays for police, fire, libraries, parks, etc) is $970 million.
The dream of an Austin to San Antonio rail line appears to be dying, at least in its current form. The Lone Star rail line has been in the planning stages since 2003 and has received money and support from cities and counties up and
What’s going on with that transportation bond everyone was talking about back in June? Now that City Council is returning from its summer recess, things are heating up again, which means that now is a time for an update. If you remember, at the end
City Council has moved forward with Mayor Steve Adler’s $720 million bond proposal to improve mobility in Austin. Last month, by a vote of 8 to 3, City Council expressed approval of the mayor’s plan and directed city staff to prepare the exact language that
We’ve all heard that voter turnout in local elections isn’t great… but how low is participation, really? That’s the question we try and answer with our latest Civics 101 video, “What’s the Matter With Voter Turnout?”. In this video, we use visual demonstrations (and beer)
After a multi-month application process, Austin has lost the US Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge. Back in March, Austin was chosen as one of seven finalists for a $50 million grant to support technology-driven mobility solutions, electric vehicles, and other carbon-emission reduction strategies. The winning city is Columbus,
Will Austin have a transportation bond election this November? That is the question City Council is quickly trying to answer as it comes up against an August deadline for putting a proposal on the ballot. Last month, Austin Mayor Steve Adler released the details about his
Austin Mayor Steve Adler continues to advocate for his Mobility Bond proposal. Last month, the mayor first announced his $720 million bond proposal at a meeting of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, calling for the funding of smart corridors along North and South Lamar, Airport Boulevard, Guadalupe, Riverside, Burnet,