Urban centers across the country have seen a spike in violent crime since the pandemic began and many have experienced efforts to shrink police departments.
Detective David Fugitt accused District Attorney José Garza of witness tampering in the indictment of Sgt. Daniel Perry for murder.
The Austin city council has multiple top-level items on its August agenda including setting the budget and property tax rate as well as identifying locations for sanctioned homeless encampments.
The Austin city clerk announced 25,786 of the submitted signatures were valid, setting it up for a November vote.
Austin police officers are subject to racial sensitivity trainings heavily imbued with critical race theory teachings.
If validated, Save Austin Now will have two successful petition efforts under its belt in less than a year.
Austin's proposed budget features a nominal restoration of previously cut funding for its police department but does not return staffing funding to its level two years ago.
The group aims to collect 50,000 signatures in 50 days to land the petition on the November 2021 ballot.
Austin voters elected to reinstate the public homeless camping ban that was in place before July 2019.
The City of Austin is weathering a spike in its murder rate that began nearly a year ago.
The City of Austin has enacted significant reforms to policing and public safety since 2017 including a massive budget cut and redirection for its police department.
State legislators are now looking to establish recourse against the City of Austin and other cities that cut police funding for its actions last summer.
