The 10-1 Austin City Council was sworn in January 2015.[/caption]   Austin City Council members now have more flexibility in deciding how to spend the money budgeted for their own offices. The council unanimously approved the measureJan. 29. Each City Council member and the mayor can now spend the money allotted to them as they see fit, as long as they do not increase their own salary or spend more than the set budget. Mayor Steve Adler said constituents trust City Council to make decisions about the city's budget and that same trust should be applied to council members' individual office budgets.This is the first time council members have had the ability to decide how certain aspects of their budgets are spent, giving them an opportunity to add staff or services. A previous draft of the ordinance would have allowed council members to only reduce their own salary and redirect that money to other office needs. District 2 Councilwoman Delia Garza raised concerns that some current council members could feel pressured to reduce their salary to a point where they were not making enough, or that the ordinance would discourage people with fewer resources from running for council in the future. In response to those concerns, the resolution was broadened so that any money in a council member's budget, not just their own salary, could be spent as a council member sees fit. Adler supported the motion and said he plans to use mayoral funds to expand the his office staff beyond the traditional five members. District 1 Councilwoman Ora Houston said the flexibility will allow her to provide drinks and food for constituents at town hall meetings she plans to hold in the future.