Economic Development

Court halts $354 million development subsidy

Editor Ken Martin - April 15, 2024 5:50 PM

A Travis County court issued a ruling to halt the use of future property taxes to subsidize luxury development of 118 acres of land...

Are tax subsidies for luxury development legal?

Editor Ken Martin - January 8, 2024 10:03 AM

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

Convention Center plans to retain staff during four years of inactivity

Daniel Van Oudenaren - February 27, 2023 2:09 PM

City staff employed by the Convention Center Department could remain on the payroll for four to five years despite closure of the Convention Center itself, according to departmental plans.

Lame duck council set to vote on 20-year sweetheart tax deal for developer

November 28, 2022 10:53 AM

With just weeks to go in his term, Mayor Steve Adler is seeking to finalize a sweetheart tax deal for a developer that donated...

Council revives plan to use ‘blight’ law to subsidize luxury high rises

July 28, 2022 10:19 AM

Subsidy plan previously put on ice gets another look, now valued at $330 million The Austin City Council has revived discussions to grant special tax...

Luxury subsidy deal stalls at council

February 3, 2022 11:56 AM

Council backtracks on developer-friendly tax plan A majority of the Austin City Council at a work session Tuesday raised questions or concerns about a proposal...

Luxury real estate to get special tax status under ‘blight’ statute

December 21, 2021 4:20 PM

Council moves to create $277 million infrastructure fund and grant special tax treatment to lakefront properties The Austin City Council took steps Monday to create...

Panel: Forget Amazon, Invest Locally

March 18, 2018 3:41 PM

Panel: Forget Amazon, Invest Locally

North Carolina Business Council hosts panel that
advocates investing in growing local business

by Ken Martin
© The Austin Bulldog 2018
Posted Sunday March 18, 2018 3:41pm

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Put their sentiments into song lyrics and the trio of panelists who discussed the impact of Amazon’s HQ2 would be singing in perfect harmony: “We don’t want it, you can have it, it’s not good for the Tar Heel State.”

Their focus was on what would befall the region should finalist Raleigh, North Carolina, be the pick of the 20-city litter to land the deal.

The nearly two-hour discussion March 14 took place at Elon University, a private institution with a student body of 6,000, both undergraduate and graduate, who study in a half-dozen fields including business, health sciences and law.

Since Austin is also among the 20 finalists trying to reel in what Amazon claims to be a $5 billion investment and 50,000 jobs averaging $100,000 in annual pay, The Austin Bulldog tuned in to cover the webcast.

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