🗳️ CivicIn7 Austin | Friday, October 31, 2025
Be the most informed neighbor in Austin — in 7 minutes or less.
TL;DR
Last day to vote early (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) — Election Day is Tuesday, Nov 4.
Prop Q proposes a $0.574017 tax rate (~5¢ above the voter-approval rate). Generates ≈ $110 M (⚠️ KUT).
City Council approved $1.65 B in Convention Center & utility funding (Oct 23).
Austin Energy rates rise ≈ $2.70 / month starting Nov 1.
CapMetro Transit Plan 2035 approved (✅ official release; [VERIFY vote tally]).
Travis County ok’d $124,953.50 HNTB rail-study contract (⚠️ [VERIFY packet/minutes]).
AISD updated consolidation draft still pending (⚠️ [VERIFY posted 10/31]).
Central Health FY 26 budget now in effect ($1.1 B system-wide).
⚡ TODAY’S FOCUS (Lead Story)
Last Day of Early Voting — Extended Hours + Prop Q Primer
Confidence: HIGH (✅ primary sources confirmed)
Early Voting for the Nov 4 election ends today (Fri Oct 31).
Travis County Elections confirms standard hours with extended 7 a.m.–10 p.m. windows at select sites (Oct 30–31).
All registered voters can cast ballots at any Vote Center in the county.
Austin’s ballot includes Proposition Q, a voter-approval tax rate election at $0.574017 per $100 valuation (≈ 5¢ above the voter-approval rate).
Election Day is Tue Nov 4 (7 a.m.–7 p.m.).
Key Data Points
Early Voting final day & extended hours — Travis County Clerk (✅)
Election Day Nov 4 (7 a.m.–7 p.m.) — Travis County Clerk (✅)
Prop Q tax rate $0.574017 (~5¢ above voter-approval) — City of Austin (✅)
Statewide ballot measures = 17 — Texas SOS (✅)
Estimated revenue ≈ $110 M (⚠️ KUT secondary; City has no published figure)
Direct Austin Impact
Extended hours give residents one final chance to vote early at any location.
If Prop Q passes, Austin’s FY 26 tax rate will rise to $0.574017 per $100 — roughly 9–10 % above the voter-approval rate — funding city services like parks, public safety, and homelessness programs (revenue impact ⚠️ KUT).
Civic Engagement
🗳 Find Vote Centers & wait times → Travis County Elections (✅)
🧱 THE RUNDOWN
1️⃣ City Council Approves $1.65 B for Convention Center + Utilities (Oct 23) Confidence: HIGH (✅)
Council approved a $450 M contract amendment with JE Dunn/Turner, bringing the total Convention Center project authority to $1.65 B.
Related Austin Energy ($475 M) and Austin Water ($13 M) bonds also passed. Funded by hotel tax and utility revenues, not property taxes.
👉 Agenda & Backup (✅)
2️⃣ Austin Energy Rates Rise ≈ $2.70 / mo Effective Nov 1 Confidence: HIGH (✅)
New rates start Nov 1, 2025: +2 % base, +27 % Community Benefit Charge, –3 % Regulatory Charge, +$1 Customer Charge. Typical bill ≈ +$2.70/mo.
👉 Approved Rates & Schedules (✅)
3️⃣ CapMetro Transit Plan 2035 Approved Confidence: MEDIUM / YELLOW FLAG [VERIFY vote tally]
CapMetro announced Board approval of Transit Plan 2035 (Oct 20); official release confirms adoption but minutes do not yet list vote details. (Statesman reports 5–1 vote ⚠️ secondary.)
👉 CapMetro Legistar Agenda (✅)
4️⃣ Travis County Approves $124,953.50 HNTB Rail Study Confidence: MEDIUM / YELLOW FLAG [VERIFY packet & vote]
Commissioners Court ok’d a $124,953.50 contract with HNTB for a 6-month Austin–San Antonio corridor study along SH 130 / I-10. Reports show unanimous approval (⚠️ secondary).
👉 Commissioners Court Portal (✅)
5️⃣ AISD Updated Consolidation Draft Still Pending Confidence: MEDIUM / YELLOW FLAG [VERIFY posted 10/31]
AISD’s Oct 3 draft lists 13 closures; media expect an updated version today, but none posted as of validation. Final vote set Nov 20.
👉 AISD Consolidation Hub (✅)
6️⃣ Project Connect Land Acquisition May Displace ≈ 63 Businesses Confidence: MED-HIGH (⚠️)
Community Impact reports 63 business relocations (0 homes) and $20 M FY 26 anti-displacement funding ($300 M total commitment).
👉 Austin Transit Partnership (✅ context; ⚠️ counts secondary)
7️⃣ Central Health “Year of Access” Budget Active Confidence: HIGH (✅)
FY 26 budget = $1.1 B; tax rate 11.8023¢ / $100; ≈ $64/yr avg home impact. Funds $98.8 M CommUnityCare + $34 M Integral Care.
👉 Central Health Budget Summary (✅)
🗓️ CIVIC CALENDAR
Fri Oct 31 | Various | Travis County — Last Day of Early Voting (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) → Locations & Wait Times (✅)
Tue Nov 4 | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. | Travis County — Election Day → Election Info (✅)
Mon Nov 3 | 10 a.m. | City of Austin — Speaker Registration Opens → Info Center (✅)
Mon Nov 3 | 5:30 p.m. | AISD — Board of Trustees Meeting → BoardDocs Agenda (✅)
Thu Nov 6 | 10 a.m. | City Hall — City Council Regular Meeting → Agenda + Sign-Up (✅)
Sat–Sun Nov 8–9 | Downtown — Texas Book Festival (Free) → Festival Info (⚠️)
Thu Nov 13 | TBD | TxDOT Austin — SMTP Public Meeting (hybrid) → TxDOT Hearings (✅)
Fri Nov 14 | 9:30 a.m. | PUCT Austin — Open Meeting → PUCT Agendas & Broadcasts (✅)
Wed Nov 20 | TBD | AISD — Board Vote on Consolidation Plan → AISD Meetings (✅)
📊 BY THE NUMBERS
$1.65 B — Convention Center total project authority (after Oct 23 Council vote) (✅)
$0.574017 / $100 — Prop Q tax rate (~5¢ above voter-approval) (✅)
≈ $110 M — Estimated City revenue from Prop Q (⚠️ KUT)
$2.70 / mo — Average Austin Energy bill increase (✅)
63 — Businesses potentially relocated under Project Connect (⚠️ secondary)
