January 27, 2012 After several thousands of pages of reading, scores of meetings, and hours of deliberation, I can offer the following starting points for discussions on the Austin Energy proposed rate design. Please see below for background details. Thanks, Bill Revenue Requirement Studies Reduce revenue to cover only projected operating losses this year [...]
The American Society of Criminology recently announced that Austin City Council Member Bill Spelman will receive the Society’s 2011 award for Outstanding Article in the Field of Criminology for 2010. Spelman, who is also a professor of urban policy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at theUniversityofTexasatAustin, will travel toWashingtonD.C.this week to attend the [...]
Last week Bill released some figures charting the projected growth of water bills over the next five years. Here’s another way of looking at that same information. This first chart shows bills increasing by about 25% under the Austin Water Utility proposal compared to an 11% bill increase adjusting for inflation (as projected by the [...]
Bill is working on an analysis of projected five-year water rate increases and has asked City staff to review it. At the Council’s next budget work session he will lead a discussion of it with them. Please take a look and let us know if you have thoughts. To take a look at Bill’s analysis, you [...]
Update: Council unanimously passed the budget resolution at its April 21st meeting. Budget work sessions discussion started up yesterday (May 10th) with in depth conversations about the Water Utility and Solid Waste Services. Check out our most recent post on increasing water bills — an analysis that came directly out of yesterday’s discussion. Earlier: This [...]
It’s that time again! Come to Flipnotics on Barton Springs Road on Friday May 7th from 2:30 to 4:00 if you want to chat!
Austin Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, City Council Member Bill Spelman and Mayor Lee Leffingwell announced today that they will introduce a resolution at the May 13th City Council meeting directing the City Manager to limit employee travel to Arizona and to present a plan to the Council for terminating business and investment relationships with [...]
I’m looking to nominate someone to the Austin Airport Advisory Commission. If you are interested in general aviation and/or advocating for ABIA’s customers (ie, a frequent nationwide/international flyer based in Austin) please consider serving your community. You can apply online.
Because next week is spring break, I am moving the next regularly scheduled community office hours to April 2, 2010. We’ll be meeting up with folks that day at the Thunderbird Cafe on Manor Road. I hope to see you there.
We’ve had a great response to our first rounds of community office hours. I’ve met with folks from all over the city every other week for the last few months and I’ve enjoyed getting out of the office and into the neighborhoods. I’m happy to say that we’ll be continuing this practice for foreseeable future. [...]