Council members offer alternative energy rate plan

Three Austin City Council members unveiled an alternative energy rate plan May 14 that cuts the residential rates in Austin Energy's proposal by about half.

Council members Bill Spelman, Chris Riley and Sheryl Cole designed a system of rate hikes to occur in two phases.

Under the plan, the average household would see about an 8 percent increase compared with the 20 percent increase under AE's proposal.

Spelman said the utility expects to lose $89 million this year.

Task force whittles $1.5B wish list, plans more cuts

The Bond Election Advisory Task Force has cut nearly $1 billion in citywide capital improvement needs to a $575 million potential bond package and a $400 million package that will be presented to Austin City Council on June 5 at the regularly scheduled council work session.

It is up to City Council to decide whether to ask voters to approve a bond package in the November election.

The $575 million package was approved by a citizen task force May 14.

City Council tackles charter revision recommendations

The Austin City Council considered some of the 2012 Charter Revision Committee's recommendations on election changes and campaign finance reform at its April 26 meeting.

Council has yet to address whether to approve geographic representation, but members discussed the creation of an independent advisory committee to draw new districts.

It passed campaign finance reforms to be placed on the ballot, including more disclosure of bundled campaign contributions received by officeholders.