Supporters of Proposition A argued that boosting the ranks of the police force was necessary to combat the city’s growing homicide rate, a trend seen in cities nationwide. Opponents and city leaders warned it would lead to fewer firefighters, medics and librarians.
Austin
Posted in
Criminal Justice
It’s Election Day in Texas. Here’s what voters are deciding.
Texas voters will decide on eight proposed changes to the state’s Constitution. Voters in the San Antonio area will pick a new Texas House member. And Austin voters will decide whether to require more police officers.
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Criminal Justice
Central Texas faith leaders and politicians rebuke antisemitic incidents after fire outside Austin synagogue
Austin fire officials said they’re investigating a Sunday incident that caused about $25,000 in damage as a potential arson.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Longtime U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett will run in the Austin area’s new congressional district
The Austin Democrat, who has served in Congress since 1995, currently represents the 35th District, which stretches down to San Antonio. He will run in the newly created 37th District located in Travis County.
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Criminal Justice
Austin voters could put hundreds more police officers on the streets after last year’s budget cuts
A November vote on whether Austin should hire hundreds of new police officers is shaping up as a test of Austinites’ appetite for police reform.
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Redistricting Texas
After his Round Rock district was redrawn to help Republicans, state Rep. James Talarico says he’ll move to Austin to run in 2022
“Republicans have gerrymandered me out of my district,” Talarico tweeted. “If they think they can keep me off the House floor, they better think again.”
Posted in
Politics
Austin’s homeless residents left with nowhere to go amid camping crackdown
Months after Austin voters reinstated the city’s public camping ban, authorities are clearing many of the largest encampments. Their former residents are going “anywhere it’s safe and out of sight, out of mind,” one man said.
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Texas Abortion Restrictions
Texas demonstrations take aim at state’s near-total ban on abortion
Thousands turned out at demonstrations across the state and protested Texas’ new abortion restrictions. Texas Tribune photographers were there.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Austin state Rep. Celia Israel won’t run for reelection, is exploring mayoral run
Israel’s decision creates a vacancy in Austin-area House District 50 with redistricting underway at the Legislature.
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Higher Education
Texas NAACP, students file federal civil rights complaint over UT-Austin’s ‘Eyes of Texas’
The complaint signals a continued desire among some UT-Austin students and alumni to push administrators to discontinue using the song as the university’s alma mater, despite the university’s insistence that it will remain.