Council voted in June to approve pursuing the bond package Mayor Steve Adler proposed earlier this year. If approved, the mobility bond would allocate $482 million to implement the city's seven completed corridor plans, $101 million for regional projects and $137 million for other master plans and capital improvements.
Here is what you need to know ahead of the meeting:
1. Public testimony is slated to begin no earlier than 4 p.m.
At a work session on Aug. 9, council scheduled a public hearing on the proposed mobility bond for 4 p.m. Aug. 11. Because council will deliberate on other items before discussing the bond, the public testimony may not begin at the scheduled time, but will not begin before 4 p.m. Council also agreed Aug. 9 to take a dinner break from 5-6 p.m, so it is unlikely a vote will be taken until after the dinner break.
2. Some council members have voiced concerns over how the bond package was put together
District 1 Council Member Ora Houston said many of her constituents—largely central and north East Austin—are wary over the lack of public involvement in the mobility bond process. City staff said the formation of the proposal was on an "aggressive" timeline of six months between when it was first pitched in May and the election on Nov. 8. District 2 Council Member Delia Garza said she worried about the lack of projects for South Austin.
3. Council has until next week to officially call a November bond election
Council is slated for possible action to call the bond election on Aug. 11, but could wait until the regularly scheduled meeting Aug. 18 to take a vote. The statewide deadline for ordering a bond election Nov. 8 is Aug. 22.
The Austin City Council meeting begins at 10 a.m. in City Council Chambers at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St., Austin. The meeting is live-streamed at www.austintexas.gov/atxn. Check back after 4 p.m. Thursday for live updates from the public testimony and deliberation.
