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City Council

Austin City Manager: Dallas discard vs Austin retread

Council members make policy. The city manager’s job is to implement those policies. A great city manager can get that done and keep the ship...

They’re off and running for council

As in horse racing, the bugler has sounded, “Call to the Post” for the Austin City Council campaigns that are now officially underway. A well...

Are tax subsidies for luxury development legal?

In a lawsuit filed last April plaintiffs sought a permanent injunction to prevent the City of Austin from diverting $354 million in future property...

Background Investigation: Laura Pressley

Background Investigation: Laura Pressley

Here’s What the Public Records Say
About the City Council Candidate


by Rebecca LaFlure
© The Austin Bulldog 2012
Posted Monday, April 30, 2012 1:59pm

Laura PressleyWith less than two weeks before election day May 12, Laura Pressley faces an uphill battle to unseat two-term incumbent Mike Martinez in the Place 2 Austin City Council race.Early voting for the mayoral and council election started today. For a list of early voting locations, click here.

Pressley lags her opponent in campaign donations and has been confronted with concerns about her political affiliations and lack of city policy experience.

She is also running for the council seat unofficially reserved for a Hispanic member.

City Council Tackles Charter Recommendations

City Council Tackles Charter Recommendations

Redistricting Expert, Charter Revision Committee Members,
and Grass-roots Group Critical of Task Force Plan


By Ken Martin
© The Austin Bulldog
Posted Thursday, April 26, 2012, 9:30 pm

Although the City Council could wait until August to set the ballot for the City Charter revisions to be put before voters in November, action is already moving forward.

Seven items were on the April 26 council meeting agenda that dealt with recommendations offered by the 2012 Charter Revision Committee. Four were passed, two were postponed, and one was withdrawn in the face of strong opposition and advice from outside counsel.

Background Investigation: Brigid Shea

Background Investigation: Brigid Shea

Here's What the Public Records Say About
the Former Council Member Running for Mayor

by Rebecca LaFlureMa
© The Austin Bulldog 2012
Posted Tuesday, April 10, 2012 10:10am
Updated Monday, April 16, 11:19am

Brigid SheaAfter a nearly 16-year hiatus from public office, environmentalist and former Council Member Brigid Shea is challenging incumbent Mayor Lee Leffingwell for the city’s top spot on election day May 12.

Known largely for her public feuds with high-power developers in the early ’90s, Shea said she hopes to bring a fresh leadership approach to City Hall.

“There’s nothing personal in this,” Shea said. “I’ve known Lee Leffingwell a long time. We’ve worked on projects together. But City Hall needs a new direction.”

Background Investigation: Bill Spelman

Background Investigation: Bill Spelman

Here’s What the Public Records Say About
the Council Member Running for Re-election

by Rebecca LaFlure
© The Austin Bulldog 2012
Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 1:35pm
Updated Thursday, May 3, 2012 11:05am
(Updated 12:05pm, Monday, May 7, 2012.)

Bill SpelmanCampaign season is in full swing for candidates vying for a seat on the Austin City Council, and Council Member Bill Spelman faces more opposition than any of his fellow incumbents.

Six citizens—all first-time City Council candidates—have signed up to challenge Spelman for Place 5, a seat the University of Texas at Austin professor has held since June 2009.

As the May 12 election approaches, The Austin Bulldog went to work researching Spelman’s personal and political background in an effort to educate Austin residents about their City Council candidates. We used an organized plan to find, copy, and publish every public record we found, and compiled news articles from The Austin Bulldog and other publications.

We invite readers to study the documents and let us know if there are any important details we overlooked, or areas that warrant further investigation.

Campaign donations exceed $31,000

Shea Wants More Contribution Limits, Disclosures

Shea Wants More Contribution Limits and Disclosures

Those Affected Say Shea’s Proposals Would
Further Undermine Candidates’ Campaigns


by Ken Martin
© The Austin Bulldog
Posted Tuesday, March 20, 2012 8:22pm

Brigid SheaFormer City Council member and current mayoral candidate Brigid Shea says she wants more limits on—and more disclosure of—contributions made to City Council incumbents and challengers.

At a press conference at City Hall this morning she announced proposals that are far tougher than reforms the Charter Revision Committee has recommended for the City Council to put on the November ballot, including restrictions on bundled campaign contributions.

Bundlers are individuals who solicit and obtain contributions of $200 or more from five or more individuals. The reporting of bundlers’ names in contribution reports is already required by City Code Section 2-2-22.

A chart thatserved as a backdrop for the press conference was titled “Bundling Influence at City Hall.” The chart displayed the names of 13 individuals who bundleda total of $103,900 incontributions detailed in the incumbents’ January 2012 campaign finance reports. Not all of the bundlers listed are currently registered city lobbyists.