🗳️ CivicIn7 Austin | Monday, November 3 2025
⚡ Be the most informed neighbor in Austin — in 7 minutes or less.
🔎 TL;DR
🗳 Election Day Tomorrow (Nov 4) — Vote centers open 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Austin’s Prop Q would raise the city tax rate to $0.574017 and generate ≈ $109.5 million for services (✅ City of Austin).
⚖ 17 State Constitutional Amendments cover capital-gains tax ban, property tax relief, water infrastructure funding, and judicial reforms (✅ Texas SOS).
🏘 City Council final vote Thursday on HOME Phase 2 zoning changes reducing lot sizes and allowing three units per lot (✅ City Council Agenda).
🎓 AISD updated consolidation plan open for comment through Nov 14 with board vote Nov 20 [TBA time] (✅ AISD).
🚉 CapMetro Transit Plan 2035 approved — service changes begin in 2026 (✅ CapMetro).
⚡ LEAD STORY
Headline: Election Day Tomorrow — Proposition Q and 17 State Amendments
Priority: High
Summary: Austin voters go to the polls Tuesday, Nov 4 (7 a.m.–7 p.m.) to decide Proposition Q, raising the city’s property-tax rate from $0.4776 to $0.574017 per $100 valuation to fund ≈ $109.5 million in new revenue for housing, parks, public health, and safety. Texans will also vote on 17 constitutional amendments affecting tax policy and infrastructure.
Key Data Points:
Election Day: Tue Nov 4 | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. (✅ Travis County Clerk)
Proposed tax rate: $0.574017 / $100 (✅ City of Austin Ballot Propositions Page)
Current tax rate (2024): $0.4776 / $100 (✅ City Budget FY25)
Estimated revenue: $109.5 M (✅ Ballot Propositions Page)
State amendments on ballot: 17 (✅ Texas SOS PDF)
Direct Austin Impact: If Prop Q passes, the average $500K homeowner pays ≈ $270–$300 more per year; if it fails, the City must cut ≈ $109 M from the FY25–26 budget.
Civic Engagement:
Find vote center (✅)
Sources & Compliance: ✅ City of Austin | ✅ Travis County Clerk | ✅ Texas SOS | ⚠ KUT.
Verification Needed: None.
Redundancy Status: New.
🏘 RUNDOWN #1
Headline: City Council Final Vote Thursday on HOME Phase 2 Zoning Changes
Priority: Medium
Summary: Council will hold its third and final reading on HOME Phase 2 Thu Nov 6 @ 10 a.m. The ordinance reduces minimum lot size from 5,750 → 2,500 sq ft and allows 3 units by right on single-family lots. Planning Commission voted 8-4 to recommend approval Oct 24.
Key Data Points:
Meeting: Thu Nov 6 | 10 a.m. (✅ City Council Agenda)
Lot size: 5,750 → 2,500 sq ft (✅ Ordinance Draft)
Units per lot: 2 → 3 (✅ Ordinance Draft)
Planning vote: 8-4 on Oct 24 (✅ Minutes)
Direct Austin Impact: Allows denser “missing-middle” housing while raising infrastructure and compatibility concerns.
Civic Engagement:
Sources & Compliance: ✅ City Agenda | ✅ Ordinance Draft | ✅ Planning Minutes.
Verification Needed: None.
Redundancy Status: New.
🏫 RUNDOWN #2
Headline: AISD Revised Consolidation Plan → Board Vote Nov 20 [TBA]
Priority: Medium
Summary: AISD released an updated plan Oct 31 maintaining 13 campus closures by 2026-27 and adjusting boundaries (≈ 98% of students ⚠). Comment Card 2 open through Nov 14. Virtual open houses Nov 5 & 8 (⚠ times TBA). Board vote Nov 20 [TBA time].
Key Data Points:
Plan posted Oct 31 (✅ AISD Consolidation Hub)
Schools to close: 13 (✅ AISD)
Boundaries affected: 98% (⚠ Spectrum)
Comment Card 2: Oct 31–Nov 14 (✅ AISD)
Vote date/time: Nov 20 | TBA (✅ AISD Board Calendar) [VERIFY time]
Direct Austin Impact: Families may face reassignments and program moves for 2026-27; plan addresses budget deficit and low enrollment.
Civic Engagement:
Attend virtual open houses Nov 5 & 8 (⚠ KEYE)
Sources & Compliance: ✅ AISD | ⚠ Spectrum | ⚠ KEYE.
Verification Needed: Meeting time pending agenda posting.
Redundancy Status: Update (from Oct 25 edition).
🚉 RUNDOWN #3
Headline: CapMetro Board Approves Transit Plan 2035
Priority: Medium
Summary: CapMetro Board approved the Transit Plan 2035 in late October, setting a 10-year framework for service changes and infrastructure upgrades starting 2026.
Key Data Points:
Vote date: Oct 21 (✅ CapMetro Board Minutes)
Timeline: 2026–2035 (✅ Transit Plan 2035 Overview)
Dissenting vote: Paige Ellis no (⚠ KUT)
Direct Austin Impact: Riders can expect route realignments and frequency adjustments starting next year.
Civic Engagement: Track updates & comment on service changes (✅)
Sources & Compliance: ✅ CapMetro | ⚠ KUT.
Verification Needed: None.
Redundancy Status: New.
📊 BY THE NUMBERS (Unique Stats)
37 % — Austin Energy’s renewable mix (Oct 2025) (✅ Austin Energy Dashboard)
56,141 MW — ERCOT forecasted November peak demand (✅ ERCOT Outlook)
14.7 % — Austin Public Health flu positivity rate (week ending Oct 27) (✅ APH Dashboard)
📅 CIVIC CALENDAR
Tue Nov 4 | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. | Travis County Vote Centers — Election Day Locations & Wait Times (✅)
Thu Nov 6 | 9:30 a.m. | PUCT HQ (Austin) — Open Meeting Agenda (✅)
Thu Nov 6 | 10 a.m. | Austin City Hall — City Council Meeting Agenda PDF (✅)
Thu Nov 20 | TBA | AISD HQ — Board Vote on Consolidation [Agenda link TBA] (✅ AISD Board Calendar) [VERIFY time]
🎡 HAPPENING NEAR YOU
📚 Texas Book Festival — Nov 8–9 | Capitol Grounds (✅)
🎖 Austin Veterans Day Parade — Nov 11 | Congress Ave → Capitol (✅)
✨ Waterloo Greenway “Creek Show” — Nov 7–16 | Free admission (✅)
🎄 Trail of Lights — Dec 10–23 | Zilker Park (✅)
