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.
In case you missed it, the Uber/Lyft issue is officially headed to an election on May 7th. Despite some last minute maneuvering by Mayor Steve Adler to pass a compromise agreement that would make fingerprint-based background checks voluntary and avoid an election, in the end, this
“…Austin has become a city where good ideas become real,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler to a packed crowd at the ZACH Theatre. Earlier this week he was at the theater to deliver his annual State of the City Address. Kind of like the president’s State
Earlier this month, Austin City Council continued to contemplate the possibility of putting a transportation bond on the ballot in 2016. The idea of paying for upgrades and/or expansions toI-35 have already been tossed around, as well as possible pedestrian and bike infrastructure upgrades. At a
Here’s an update on the ongoing Uber/Lyft debate in Austin – Last week, City Council passed an ordinance essentially in support of the Mayor’s new Thumbs Up plan. Developed with help from a team of techies across Austin, Thumbs Up was designed to be a
There has been a lot of buzz around town lately about a possible transportation bond on the ballot in November 2016. So far, no concrete details or plans have been released, but Mayor Adler has said that he is hoping for an upcoming bond election that
Amid the fiery debate and intense back-and-forth about ride-hailing apps in Austin, Mayor Steve Adler has stepped in with what he sees as a solution. On Monday, he released the details of a new plan called, Thumbs Up Austin, a compromise between those calling for
There has been a lot going on with ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft lately. After months of debate, Austin City Council approved an ordinance in December that requires all drivers for ride-hailing companies to undergo fingerprint-based criminal background checks. This has long been a sticking
Austin Mayor Steve Adler certainly kept himself busy while in Paris, making the case for cities to lead in the global fight against climate change and touting some of Austin’s environmental success stories. In an interview with Bloomberg News in Paris, Adler spoke of Austin’s recent solar purchases
The much anticipated UN Climate Conference (also known as COP 21) officially began this week in Paris. More than 100 world leaders met in Paris on Monday to kick off two weeks of negotiations aimed at forging an international agreement to fight climate change. Although the agreement itself won’t be enough to