🗞️ CivicIn7 Austin | Tuesday, November 4, 2025
⚡ Be the most informed neighbor in Austin — in 7 minutes or less.
TL;DR
City Council meets Thu, Nov 6 @ 10:00 a.m. (agenda posted). No separate Fri, Nov 7 meeting listed.
Travis County proposed 2025 tax rate: $0.375845 per $100; with the 20% county homestead exemption, a $500K homestead pays ≈ $1,503/yr to the County.
PUCT Open Meeting: Thu, Nov 6 @ 9:30 a.m.; agenda includes ERCOT ancillary services review (Project 55845).
CapMetro committees: Wed, Nov 5 (10:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.); Board: Mon, Nov 17 (12:00 p.m.).
⚡ TODAY’S FOCUS (Lead Story)
Travis County proposes 2025 tax rate of $0.375845; homestead exemption at 20%
Why it matters: This directly affects what you’ll owe on your 2025 property tax bill.
What’s new (verified): The County’s statutory notice sets the 2025 rate at $0.375845 per $100 and confirms a 20% general homestead exemption (maximum allowed). For a homestead with $500,000 market value, the 20% exemption lowers taxable value to $400,000, yielding ≈ $1,503/year for the County line of your bill (400,000 × 0.00375845). Final bills also include City, ISD, Central Health, and other districts.
Do something about it: Track Commissioners Court agendas this month and submit public comment when tax items are posted.
Helpful links:
County tax notice: (Travis County — Notice about 2025 Tax Rate)
Taxpayer impact/exemptions: (Travis County — Taxpayer Impact Statement)
🗂️ THE RUNDOWN
1) PUCT Open Meeting: Thu, Nov 6 @ 9:30 a.m. (ERCOT ancillary services on the agenda)
The state grid regulator meets Thursday, and the posted agenda includes Project 55845 (ancillary services review) — the real-time reliability tools that keep the lights on. Even though Austin Energy is city-owned, statewide market rules influence reliability and wholesale cost drivers that affect Austin.
Watch/prepare: PUCT livestream + agenda docket.
2) CapMetro committees: Wed, Nov 5; Board: Mon, Nov 17
First committee touchpoints since Transit Plan 2035 approval — expect early direction on route frequency, stop spacing, and capital priorities ahead of 2026 service changes.
Times: Finance/Audit/Admin 10:00 a.m.; Operations/Planning/Safety 12:30 p.m. (both Wed, Nov 5). Full Board Mon, Nov 17 @ 12:00 p.m.
Engage: Read the packets; submit comments before the meetings.
3) City Council & AHFC: Thu, Nov 6 (no corridor height/DB90 item posted)
Regular Council convenes Thu, Nov 6 @ 10:00 a.m., followed by AHFC around 10:30 a.m. The posted agenda does not include a VMU2/DB90 corridor-height ordinance.
Engage: Register to speak via SpeakUp Austin; watch live on ATXN; refresh the agenda morning-of for any addenda.
🗞️ BRIEF
AISD Consolidation (in-person): Sat, Nov 8, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. @ Delco Activity Center. Districtwide Q&A session; online comment card open through Nov 14.
🗓️ CIVIC CALENDAR
Wed, Nov 5 | 10:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. — CapMetro FAA & OPS Committees — agendas/packets
Thu, Nov 6 | 9:30 a.m. — PUCT Open Meeting — calendar/agenda
Thu, Nov 6 | 10:00 a.m. — Austin City Council — agenda
Thu, Nov 6 | ~10:30 a.m. — Austin Housing Finance Corp — agenda
Sat, Nov 8 | 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. — AISD Districtwide Consolidation Q&A — event page
Mon, Nov 17 | 12:00 p.m. — CapMetro Board — calendar
🗳️ ELECTION DAY (choose the right line based on send time)
If sending before 7 p.m. today: Polls open until 7:00 p.m.; vote at any Travis County Vote Center. Check locations, wait times, acceptable IDs, and your sample ballot.
If sending after 7 p.m. today: Polls closed at 7:00 p.m.; results are updating live — see county results page.
📊 BY THE NUMBERS
$1,503 — Approximate 2025 County tax on a $500K homestead after the 20% county exemption (taxable = $400K × 0.00375845).
$109.5M — Estimated City revenue if Prop Q passes (City ballot materials).
13 — AISD schools slated for closure in the current consolidation plan (district summaries).
55845 — PUCT project number reviewing ERCOT ancillary services this week.
📺 Watch Council Live (ATXN) → https://www.austintexas.gov/atxn
💬 Email Your Council Member → https://www.austintexas.gov/department/city-council
🚏 Comment to CapMetro → https://capmetro.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
🗳️ Vote Centers / Wait Times (today only) → https://www.votetravis.gov
