Latest news with #KirkWatson
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin Mayor says city had a good legislative session
AUSTIN (KXAN) — In a 'The Watson Wire' issued Tuesday, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson walked through what impact Texas' legislative session will have on the city. Recapping Texas' 89th Legislative Session 'There will continue to be some tension (as there always has been). We will often disagree (on so many things). And those in control of the Capitol will continue to make it harder and harder for all cities (not just Austin) to do what you, the residents, need us to do to be successful and to promote quality of life (ugh),' Watson wrote. Bills that would have had significant impact on Austin included a bill to bring Austin under state control and another that would eliminate the city's light rail. 'District of Austin' bill voted down by Texas House committee That bill to knock out light rail? Authored by former Austin City Council Member Ellen Troxclair. 'We've spent a considerable amount of time and resources over the past two legislative sessions defending this voter-approved investment in light rail primarily because a legislator who used to serve on the Austin City Council (but no longer lives in Austin) pushes it,' Watson wrote. 'Twice now, it's failed.' KXAN reached out to Rep. Troxclair's office for her response to Watson. A bill that passed in Austin's favor included one to strengthen the Austin Firefighters Retirement Fund. Watson also expressed support for several housing bills that passed, calling the topic 'a rare area of bipartisan opportunity' where Austin can lead. 'I'm really proud that Austin and many of our local housing experts have been helping to lead the statewide conversation about housing supply and affordability. Many of the tools that were first proposed and championed by the City of Austin to address housing affordability have been expanded statewide,' he said. Watson also said that he and other local leaders had productive talks with lawmakers during the session. 'Overall, Austin had a good session. There are some things we'll need to sort out and some things we aren't crazy about. But, as a general rule, hard work paid off,' he wrote. Headers in the newsletter included 'Live and Let Sine Die,' 'Sine Die with a Smile,' 'Sine Die Alone,' and 'Sine Die Another Day.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin named top city for grads thanks to affordable rent
(NewsNation) — Graduation is an optimistic day for many, but some may have a rough road ahead as they face the toughest job market in years. According to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 41% of new graduates are now working in jobs that typically don't require a college degree, up from 39% in January. That's why it's so important where these recent college grads end up. analyzed more than 300 cities and towns to find the most 'grad-friendly' rental markets in 2025, weighing factors like housing affordability, rental availability and job opportunities. Austin, Texas, topped the list for the second year in a row thanks to its low rent-to-income ratio (18.9%) and high share of jobs (29.4%) that require a bachelor's degree but no prior experience. Recent college grads face toughest job market in years Austin Mayor Kirk Watson told 'Morning in America' that the city not only offers a vibrant lifestyle but also significant opportunities in tech for young professionals building their careers. 'Everywhere from manufacturing in tech and semiconductor, of course, with the Samsung and NXP and all of the different semiconductors manufacturers we have, we have a real opportunity. We have real opportunities there,' Watson said. 'The technology field is, is, is across the board in Austin, Texas, and that's only getting better,' he said. We have a fairly new medical school at the University of Texas at Austin, and that medical school is getting us into bio and health-related technology and jobs like never before.' Spelling bee champ wins by visualizing words typed on keyboard Watson added that the city is increasing funding to its infrastructure to help provide career opportunities, like the Austin Infrastructure Academy. 'That's an academy that we're putting together so that we can make sure we have people that can do the work that we need to do to work in this infrastructure sector of our economy,' he said. 'We're working closely with the trade unions, working closely with our community college, and so we're able to focus on infrastructure in a way that I think is going to allow us to have even greater success.' Austin also has a lively cultural scene, hosting events such as the SXSW Conference and Austin City Limits Music Festival. 'It's not really mentioned in this report, but is it's a pretty fun place to live, too, particularly if you're a young person looking to make a life and make a career,' Watson said. NewsNation's Andrew Dorn contribute to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin City Council to vote on I-35 Cap and Stitch funding
The Brief Austin City Council will vote Thursday, May 22, on funding for foundations of "caps and stitches" over I-35, shaping future city development. Council members are split, with one group proposing $49 million for partial funding and another seeking $200 million for full foundational elements. Mayor Kirk Watson is expected to cast the deciding vote and has stated support for the more scaled-back spending plan. AUSTIN - Austin City Council is set to vote on Thursday on a decision that will shape how the city could look for generations to come. The changes involve "caps and stitches" over I-35. Currently, the council is split on how much funding the city should commit to the project. The backstory Before the "caps," which are essentially park decks, can be built over the highway, the city has to fund the foundations on the bottom. The decision they make this week for the foundation will determine if caps are possible in the future. Members have split into two sub-quorums. Council Members Vanessa Fuentes, Mike Siegel, Krista Laine, Marc Duchen, and Paige Ellis have a more scaled-back spending plan, proposing $49 million for the foundations from Cesar Chavez to 4th Street, and 11th Street to 12th Street. That's compared to $200 million to do all five. The deadline to fund Phase 2 caps has been pushed to November 2026. What they're saying "I worry that if we end up spending hundreds of millions of dollars on retaining walls, we won't have any caps, and we won't have library improvements or parks or any of the other great things that our community asks us for year after year," Council Member Paige Ellis (District 8) said. The city's overall debt capacity is $750 million. Some council members say a smaller initial investment leaves more money for other needs in the 2026 bond package. "My point of view is the city has greater priorities and greater needs than funding a cover for the freeway. I would rather invest in putting roofs over thousands of people's heads than over putting a roof over a small part of I-35," Council Member Mike Siegel (District 7) said. Council members Natasha Harper-Madison, Jose Velasquez, Chito Vela, Ryan Alter, and Zo Qadri are fully committed to all the foundational roadway elements. Four of them led a rally outside City Hall on Tuesday. "I would like them to put it up to a vote. I would be willing to spend more in taxes to not have this huge blight in our city," Leila Levinson, who attended the rally, said. The council members say the city doesn't need to pay for roadway elements until construction starts, so they have time to figure out how to pay. It doesn't have to be in the 2026 bond. "What we're proposing is, let's fund those foundational elements. Make that investment now. Use the time we have to figure out how to fund the caps," Council Member Ryan Alter (District 5) said. He says it's not a "false choice" between the project and other priorities. "We know by looking at alternatives, whether it's the hotel occupancy tax, the car rental tax, other creative funding sources that allow for us to pay for the caps, they would have no impact on our ability to build parks, no impact of our ability to house individuals," Alter said. A city memo suggested some funding sources could not be used for cap and stitch, and others would need voter approval. Mayor Kirk Watson will likely be the deciding vote on Thursday. In a statement, he says he supports the scaled-back plan. "I've appreciated the thorough consideration and discussion this Council has had on the numerous issues related to this decision, including how we might best prioritize the needs of our city. From time to time, we will disagree on how to assess priorities and how best to pay for things," said Kirk. "After looking at the choices we face, including how best to balance our comprehensive city needs and our financial resources, I've decided to support the staff recommendation." What you can do To read more about the Common Sense Caps Plan, click here. To read the full funding proposal, click here. The Source Information in this article comes from the Austin City Council and attendees of recent related events.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Austin parks receives $8.4M check from 2024 ACL proceeds
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin City Limits music festival (ACL) contributes more to the city than just live music. The festival rakes in money that is later used to improve areas in the city, such as its parks. According to a report from the firm Angelou Economics, 2024's ACL brought in almost $535 million to the Austin economy, and since the festival started in 2002, it has made more than $4.1 billion for the city. The Austin Parks Foundation (APF) has partnered with ACL for 20 years, with an agreement where part of every ticket purchased goes towards supporting Austin parks. In 2024, ACL brought in $8.4 million for parks and $71 million since the partnership began, which APF divides between different projects, and during a conference Wednesday, APF was presented with the $8.4 million commemorative check. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Parks Foundation CEO Colin Wallis and several Austin City Council members were present during the check presentation. ACL raises $8.4 million in 2024 for Austin's parks (KXAN photo/Todd Bailey) ACL raises $8.4 million in 2024 for Austin's parks (KXAN photo/Todd Bailey) ACL raises $8.4 million in 2024 for Austin's parks (KXAN photo/Todd Bailey) The proceeds from 2024 are expected to be divided between dozens of the city's current projects. So far, the money from ACL has helped fund more than 250 projects since the partnership began. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Axios
07-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Determining the future of Austin's interstate
Austin's plan to build park-like plazas over an expanded Interstate 35 is now in jeopardy, shaken by soaring construction costs, a city budget deficit and a fickle federal partner. Why it matters: The idea was to one day create a semblance of continuity from East Austin to downtown across a highway that has long served as a cultural, racial and physical barrier. That highway will now grow even broader as part of a multibillion-dollar plan that state officials insist will ease traffic. Catch up quick: Work is underway on the highway expansion, with the 8-mile piece through Central Austin expected to finish by 2032 — at a cost of at least $4.5 billion. The project includes: Dismantling the existing I-35 upper decks north of Manor Road. Adding two non-tolled high-occupancy lanes in each direction from U.S. 290 East to Ben White Boulevard, for a total of at least 15 lanes — though there will be more when frontage roads are folded in. Sinking lanes beneath ground level from East Oltorf Street to East Riverside Drive and from East Cesar Chavez Street to Airport Boulevard. Between the lines: Essentially powerless to stop the project, which has faced opposition from some City Council members, the city launched an initiative — Our Future 35 — that promoted an extensive system stitching together the two sides of the highway, including with tree-filled green spaces. By the numbers: Fully realized, the project could cost as much as $1.4 billion. That would cover eight stretches of the highway totaling about 26 acres. Yes, but: Congressional action means a $105 million grant expected from the U.S. Department of Transportation is now in jeopardy, Mayor Kirk Watson reported to council members last week. Meanwhile, the city faces a budget deficit and officials are looking for ways to winnow down expenses. The intrigue: Escalating construction costs, compounded by inflation, have already limited the scope of another major Austin transportation project, the light rail system called Project Connect. What they're saying: At an April work session about the caps, Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison described the expense as "the cost of trying to retrofit a major metropolitan city." "But the sustained community division, the physical barrier that I-35 continues to be to segregate our communities, to limit access to resources and opportunities for residents of East Austin," has a cost as well, she said. "Our problems have been that we have underbuilt, and we're trying to catch up to the growth and to the infrastructure needs that we've had," Council Member José "Chito" Vela said. The other side:"I like this idea of a once-in-a-generation investment opportunity for cap and stitch," Council Member Mike Siegel said at the April meeting. "But there might be other once-in-a-generation opportunities, whether it's housing, whether it's fixing leaky pipes or other, you know, necessary capital projects."
