Watson, a former state senator who was Austin’s mayor from 1997 to 2001, pitched himself as a back-to-basics candidate who could ease the city’s growing affordability crisis.
Celia Israel
Posted in
Economy
How Austin’s housing crisis has shaped the race for a new mayor
The capital city’s mayoral race is something of a test case in how the state’s rising housing costs might influence local races in major cities.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
State Rep. Celia Israel announces run for Austin mayor
Former Austin mayor and Democratic state Sen. Kirk Watson has also expressed interest in running for the position, as has City Council member Kathie Tovo. Two candidates have formally announced their candidacy: Jennifer Virden, a Realtor and former Austin city council candidate, and Erica Nix.
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.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Democratic lawmakers hope to enact statewide nondiscrimination law and ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ Texans
As the Biden administration works to expand federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, Texas advocates and lawmakers are pushing for similar legislation here.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Michael Bloomberg promised to “help turn Texas blue.” Now some former employees and politicians are miffed that he’s fired his staff.
“Bloomberg was promising a long-term commitment to Texas regardless of who won the primary,” said one state representative. “It’s disappointing that with his defeat in the primary, the campaign has decided to reverse course.”
Posted inState Government
Point of Order: Over the rainbow
In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Celia Israel, a founding member of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, about sexual orientation, nondiscrimination and public policy — how far we’ve come and how far we have to go.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Pro-LGBTQ bills look dead in the Texas House, but advocates say they’ve still made progress this year
“Having a hearing is sometimes a victory,” said state Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, whose conversion therapy ban was debated for the first time this year.
Posted in
Transportation
Texas leads the nation in traffic deaths. These proposed laws could make roads safer.
Bills aimed at making a dent in traffic deaths have gotten mixed results at the Texas Legislature this year.
Posted inState Government
Hundreds of harassment, discrimination allegations surface against TxDOT
The complaints and lawsuits underscore the agency’s ongoing struggle to address gender and racial disparities — and their side effects — in a culture historically and predominantly composed of white men, especially at its highest echelons.