[TOP CLICKS OF THE WEEK]

🟪 Tax rate election looks likely for Austin this year (Austin Monitor)

🟪 Bond task force weighs early decisions on transportation needs for 2026 package (Austin Monitor)

🟪 UT hopes to play leading role in Austin’s evolving development scene (Austin Monitor)

🟪 Williamson County appoints new judge to replace Bill Gravell (Austin Business Journal)

🟪 Stream Realty aiming to change Sixth Street's 'Dirty Sixth' reputation — these tenants are being targeted (Austin Business Journal)

🟪 Check out the Week Ahead for City of Austin public meetings and hearings

🟪 Austin City Hall Week in Review (Week of March 24, 2025)

🟪 Essential Resources for Navigating the City of Austin in 2025

[WEEKEND NEWS]

🟪 Austin ISD considering school consolidations for cost savings, official vote December 2025 (Community Impact)

Austin ISD officials are considering their options to combat ongoing budget challenges. One of the options includes consolidating schools. Plans for the consolidations are not yet finalized and still being discussed. Voting for school consolidation will happen in December 2025.

The AISD Board of Trustees discussed ways to reduce expenses following a cost savings audit presentation from Gibson Consulting Group at a March 27 board meeting.

The audit points to consolidating schools with a lower population of students than other AISD campuses as a possible option. Elementary schools with less than 500 students and middle schools with less than 750 students could be considered in the plan.

That includes an estimated 49 schools in the district to be considered, Gibson officials said.

However, district officials said all 49 schools being consolidated is only a theoretical estimate that produces the maximum amount of savings, not the “realistic” amount of campuses that could be consolidated if the board approves the action. AISD officials were unable to provide the names of potential schools that could be considered for consolidation as of press time.

If all 49 campuses were to consolidate, it’s estimated to result in total annual savings of $43.6 million dollars, including numbers from both the elementary and middle schools… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

🟪 Austin Police Association files lawsuit against APD Chief Lisa Davis (CBS Austin)

The Austin Police Association (APA) filed a lawsuit against Chief of Police Lisa Davis. APA says Chief Davis is infringing on the legal rights of police officers.

According to the lawsuit, APA contends Chief Davis does not have the authority to force an officer who seeks legal counsel to disclose materials that contain attorney-client privileged information.

This legal action was taken, according to APA, as the result of changes to how APD investigates complaints made against officers.

APA President Michael Bullock was not available for an interview on Friday. Instead he released a statement saying, “Our primary mission is to protect the rights of APD officers and to act when we believe those rights are being threatened. Differences between the Association and department are inevitable, and by whatever means necessary we will work to resolve those differences."

Sgt. Betsy Smith with the National Police Association says this is a misguided attempt to improve relationships with the Austin community.

"Trying to enhance investigations against officers by wanting to keep evidence that officers share during the investigation when their attorney is present, I believe is a misguided attempt at transparency by the agency," said Smith. "Police officers make mistakes and when they are being investigated for those mistakes they deserve the same due process that anyone else does."… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

🟪 Two big projects eyed for fast-growing Hutto northeast of Austin (Austin Business Journal)

One of the fastest-growing Austin suburbs is being targeted by developers for a pair of large-scale projects, with one big caveat — how will they get water and wastewater service?

Hutto, about 30 miles northeast of Austin, has been growing rapidly, reaching almost 40,000 people at last count. That's expected to continue and has prompted the City Council to be more judicious about water and wastewater commitments.

A pair of developers pitched projects during a March 27 City Council meeting, as well as some options for water and wastewater. Here's a look at what they're envisioning… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

🟪 USDA cuts hit food banks, risking hunger for low-income Americans (Reuters)

Food banks across the country, already strained by rising demand, say they will have less food to distribute because of at least $1 billion in federal funding cuts and pauses by the Trump administration, according to Reuters interviews with organizations in seven states.

Hunger in the U.S. has ticked up in recent years with rising inflation and the end of pandemic-era programs that expanded food aid. President Donald Trump's administration has vowed to lower inflation by cutting back on government spending, including two U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that helped schools and food banks buy food from local farms… (LINK TO FULL STORY)