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.
Summary Election Day is on November 4th and early voting lasts from October 20th to October 31st. Action Box Don’t forget to vote! In the second video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focus on mental health first response
Summary Election Day is on November 4th and early voting lasts from October 20th to October 31st. Action Box Don’t forget to vote! In the first video in our series explaining what Prop Q will fund (if passed), we focus on parks. For a deeper
Summary Election Day is November 4th and early voting lasts from October 20th to October 31st. Action Box Vote in the election! Love Prop Q? Hate Prop Q? This is your chance to make your voice be heard. If you live in Austin, you’ll see
Summary In November, Austin voters will decide whether or not to fund a property tax increase to pay for homelessness services, parks maintenance, and more. Action Box Vote in the upcoming TRE election! Early voting starts on October 20th. Did you know there’s a very
Next week, Austin City Council will vote on a new budget for next year… and it’s seeming likely that this budget will also involve something called a TRE (or a tax rate election). A TRE allows a city to raise property taxes above a
Summary On August 13th, Austin City Council will vote on a new budget for next year. Action Box If you have thoughts on the budget, contact your Council member and tell them what you think! Click on the badge above for a list of all
Summary Giving feedback on the city’s budget can seem intimidating. That’s why we’ve put together this helpful little guide. Action Box Share your thoughts on the city’s budget with your Council member! Click the badge above for a list of upcoming town hall meetings. So,
Summary Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax just released his draft budget proposal for next year. Here’s what’s in it… Action Box Have opinions about this budget? Click the badge above to learn how to share your thoughts with your Council member. Passing the budget is
Summary Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax just released his draft budget proposal for next year. Here’s how you can share your thoughts before a final version is approved by City Council Action Box Make a plan to attend your City Council member’s budget town hall…
Summary Here in Austin, you pay property taxes to five different local government agencies. Action Box If you’re curious what your property tax bill might look like next year, click the badge above to visit TravisTaxes.com. To prepare you for the city’s annual budget season,
Summary The city’s Homeless Strategy Office recently presented a plan to City Council to address our city’s homelessness crisis in a more holistic way. Action Box Want to learn more about the city’s homelessness plan? Click on the badge above to explore the entire presentation
Should the City of Austin build caps over I-35? That’s the question Austin City Council has to decide on May 22nd. To dive deeper into the details and learn more about the debate over this issue, host Amy Stansbury sat down with Julio Gonzalez Altamirano,