2018 is officially here, which means the holiday season is drawing to a close. Here are 5 stories from Round Rock, Pflugerville and Hutto that you missed when you were on holiday break.
1. Pflugerville City Manager Brandon Wade
announced his resignation after eight years of service to the city. Wade will move on to be the assistant general manager of the Gulf Coast Water Authority. Prior to his role in Pflugerville, Wade worked as the deputy city manager of Galveston and in other city government roles in cities including Alvin, Richland Hills and Dallas. Pflugerville City Council will discuss plans to replace Wade at a Jan. 9 meeting.
2. An overhaul of the federal tax code was signed into law by President Donald Trump. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a 1,101 page piece of legislation with implications that will be sure to be felt in 2018.
Here is what you should know about how the law will affect Texan taxpayers.
3. Round Rock ISD continued discussing what could be included in a potential May 2018 bond election at its meeting in late December. Trustees have called this potential referendum as a "critical needs bond," which would be smaller in scale than what was included on the failed May 2017 bond. RRISD staff
included a number of projects on the list of what constitutes a "critical need," including HVAC and roofing systems, fire alarm systems and a new elementary school campus on the east side of the district.
4. Austin-area toll roads
are seeing an increase in prices starting in 2018. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority board approved increases in mid-December based on the Consumer Price Index increase of 2.23 percent. Increases amount to 1-3 cents per toll plaza and began Jan. 1.
5. Hutto is taking the
next step in progress for the Co-Op District. City Council voted in late December to approve the creation of a public funding district. This district will pay for wastewater and sewage infrastructure, improvements to Hwy. 79 and necessary utility work. The proposal now goes back to the Williamson County Commissioners Court for further action.