Big decisions made in 2013
Civil and Family Courthouse
- In 2013, the Commissioners Court debated various construction formats and settled on a design-build format, looked for cost savings and hired firm URS Corp. to manage the construction project. The project is estimated to cost $284 million to build, or $312.86 million when operational costs are added.
National Instruments incentive
- Travis County leaders approved an economic development agreement with National Instruments. The company plans to create 1,000 jobs and build a 300,000-square-foot facility along North MoPac. The county approved giving the company grants equivalent to up to 43 percent of the company's property taxes during a 10-year period in exchange for meeting investment and job-creation goals.
Response to Halloween floods
- The county must balance paying for services, such as criminal justice, and keeping taxes consistent, Biscoe said. Commissioner Bruce Todd said the county must become more efficient in how it spends taxpayer dollars.
Affordability
- Affordability will remain an issue in 2014, Gomez said. Leaders have tried to address affordability by keeping tax rates low and by promoting job creation and workforce training.
Meetings
The court meets Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
Travis County Administration Building, 700 Lavaca St., Austin, 512-845-9020, www.co.travis.tx.us
Terms and compensation
Court members serve four-year terms. The judge's base pay is $118,373. The commissioners' base pay is $98,463. Bruce Todd requested a $1 base pay, and Gerald Daugherty requested $90,109.
TV coverage
Meetings are televised live on Time Warner Cable on Channel 17 on Tuesdays and rerun on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Photo courtesy Travis County
