Austin, TX

Council rejects Texas Gas Service rate hike – Austin Monitor

Published

2 months ago

October 1, 2024

Council rejects Texas Gas Service rate hike – Austin Monitor

Tuesday, October 1, 2024 by Kali Bramble

Despite reining in its initial proposal, Texas Gas Service has still failed to win over City Council in its endeavor to raise prices for Austin ratepayers.

The utility faced backlash this summer with news of its plans to aggressively hike fixed monthly fees, prompting Austin and 16 other cities in its service area to join forces in campaigning for a compromise. Though the coalition has reached a settlement, Council voted last Thursday to reject the new proposal, claiming the utility’s concessions were not enough to seal the deal.

TGS’s initial proposal would have seen its $16 monthly service fee rise to $25.50 and $39 for new classes of small and large residential customers, a hike amounting to a 14 percent increase for the average consumer’s bill. Similarly, “small” and “large” commercial customers would have seen their $53.33 fee rise to $85 and $100, respectively, though new rate designs would have ultimately meant bill decreases for the average commercial consumer.

Now, the utility is offering a scaled-back plan, proposing an increase to $18 and $30 in monthly service fees for small and large residential customers, and $60 and $75 for commercial customers. Still, watchdogs at City Council, Austin’s Resource Management Commission and organizations like Public Citizen, Environment Texas and Sierra Club are dissatisfied with the concessions.

“If the gas company wins its proposal, it will have increased residential rates by 105 percent since 2019,” Resource Management Commissioner Paul Robbins said at last week’s City Council meeting. “Austin should not have to deal with this constant onslaught of price gouging. … San Antonio’s municipal gas utility only 70 miles to the south charges just half of these rates.”

While TGS says the increases are necessary to cover rising gas prices and the demand to expand infrastructure, critics argue that the cost is being unfairly shouldered by existing ratepayers. In contrast, Austin’s municipally owned water and electric utilities recover 100 percent of the cost to expand services through premiums charged to new customers.

Additionally, critics say the utility’s proposal is out of line with Austin’s equity and environmental values, with a regressive rate structure that disproportionately burdens low-income customers and fails to send price signals encouraging conservation.

Despite their objections, Council shares jurisdiction in the matter with Texas’ Railroad Commission, which is set to review the case in coming weeks. While there is reason to doubt the industry-friendly body will share its concerns, the review process will provide an opportunity to appeal to the state’s Office of Public Utility Counsel, which could help to further challenge the case.

In the meantime, exasperated critics are looking ahead to 2026, when the city’s franchise agreement with the utility is set to expire.

“We are reaching a crisis of affordability where municipalization needs to be considered,” Robbins said.

“It seems that the city needs to get serious about finding a way out of this situation,” Resource Management Commissioner Rafael Schwartz added. “Whether that’s municipalization or some other outcome, one initial action Council can take is to adjust the Resource Management Commission’s purview to include gas utility issues, as has been previously asked.”

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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Austin, TX

This Texas city ranks among 10 best to live in the US. See full list, how others scored

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

This Texas city ranks among 10 best to live in the US. See full list, how others scored

A Texas city has been named among the top ten U.S. cities to live in over the next two years.

Ten Texas cities were included in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Places to Live list. For the annual rankings, U.S. News analyzed 150 major cities in the U.S. based on quality of life, job market, value of living and people’s desire to live in the area.

How did your city fare on the list? Here’s a breakdown of the data.

LIST: 10 best US cities to live

Texas’ capital secured a spot in the top 10 places to live, as determined by U.S. News.

Naples, Florida
Boise, Idaho
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Greenville, South Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Huntsville, Alabama
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Austin, Texas
Boulder, Colorado

Austin offers healthy balance of work and pleasure, US News says

Austin had an overall score of 6.8 out of 10, compared to Naples’ score of 7.1. The Texas capital also scored 6.8 in the quality of life index, with a value index score of 6.3.

“With the slogan ‘Keep Austin Weird,’ this Texas city is laid-back to the point that if you’re dressing up, it must be a life event,” the U.S. News analysis says. “People here enjoy the outdoors, even more so with their dogs. Austin has a contagious vibrancy and enthusiasm.”

U.S. News notes Austin’s strongest assets are a mix of work and pleasure. The number of companies headquartered in Austin makes it attractive to working professionals, especially those in technology, government, education, and health care. But the capital is far from being “all work, no play.” Its claim as the live music capital of the world invites music lovers to take a listen, whether at the airport, along streets downtown, or at one of the approximate 200 venues throughout the area.

Austin also ranked no. 32 on U.S. News’ Best Places to Retire in 2025 list.

LIST: Best Texas cities to live

Here are the rankings and scores U.S. News gave for the ten Texas cities included in the list:

Ranking	City	Overall Score	Quality of Life	Value Index
#9	Austin	6.8	6.8	6.3
#48	McAllen	6.4	6.6	7.6
#62	El Paso	6.3	6.5	7.3
#77	Corpus Christi	6.2	5.8	7.0
#87	Brownsville	6.2	6.2	7.7
#89	San Antonio	6.1	6.1	6.8
#95	Dallas	6.1	6.4	5.6
#97	Houston	6.1	5.9	6.2
#99	Beaumont	6.1	5.5	7.3
#107	Killeen	6.0	5.9	7.3

Table by Alexis Simmerman/American-Statesman | Data by U.S. News & World Report

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Austin, TX

(2013) Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin •

Published

14 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

(2013) Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin •

Abigail Noel FISHER, Petitioner v. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN et al. No. 11-345. Supreme Court of United States. Argued October 10, 2012. Decided June 24, 2013. Bert W. Rein, Washington, DC, Petitioner. Gregory G. Garre, Washington, DC, for Respondents. Donald B. Verilli, Jr., for … Read More(2013) Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin

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Austin, TX

The drive by No. 3 Texas to top of SEC fueled by defense with Kentucky

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

The drive by No. 3 Texas to top of SEC fueled by defense with Kentucky

AUSTIN, Texas — Look under the hood of Texas’ drive to the top of the Southeastern Conference standings in its first season in the league and it is easy to see what generates the horsepower: Defense.

Texas (9-1, 5-1 SEC) plays Kentucky (4-6, 1-6) on Saturday and the Longhorns rank No. 1 in total defense, No. 1 in fewest passing yards allowed and No. 4 in points allowed per game (11.6). With two games left in the regular season, the Longhorns are tied for first in the SEC and rank No. 3 in the College Football Playoff.

This is from the team that boasted the “All gas, no brakes” motto about explosive offense when coach Steve Sarkisian took over the program in 2021.

“I love it what we’re doing defensively,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t think our guys believe that anyone can move the ball on them, that anyone’s going to score. And that’s a beautiful thing to watch.”

Texas has allowed 10 points or less five times this season, which started with a shutout and includes two games of not allowing a touchdown. The secondary has surrendered just three passing touchdowns while taking away 15 interceptions. Senior cornerback Jahdae Barron leads the team with four.

“The experience of our secondary is what has led to this,” Sarkisian said of the turnover-to-touchdowns ratio. “We just don’t blow coverages … They make every pass feel contested.”

Texas needs a win in its final two games to stay on track for the SEC championship game and hold a position in the playoff hunt as one of the top four seeds. Kentucky would love to play the spoiler in an otherwise dismal season.

Texas will be Kentucky’s fourth opponent ranked seventh or higher. The Wildcats beat Mississippi in the first one, then lost to Georgia and Tennessee by a total of eight points. The Wildcats have played in a bowl the last eight seasons and need to win their final two games to keep that streak alive.

“I want to finish strong,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said.

Ewers’ final home game?

Texas junior quarterback Quinn Ewers may be playing his final home game at Texas. The three-year starter led the Longhorns to the playoff last season, then opted to return instead of turning pro. An abdomen injury has hampered his season, but Ewers has still passed for 1,898 yards and 21 touchdowns. He avoided a question from reporters if this could be his final home game. Texas will honor its seniors before kickoff.

Inside outside

Texas senior defensive tackle Alfred Collins had the best game of his career last week against Arkansas with a sack, and a forced fumble that helped closed out the victory. At 6-foot-5, 325 pounds, he has emerged as the dominant pocket pusher to compliment the edge rush of standout freshman Colin Simmons, who leads Texas with six sacks.

Waiting for Vandagriff

Ewers and Kentucky’s Brock Vandagriff were both ranked among the top high school quarterbacks in the country in the 2021 recruiting class. The Wildcats are waiting for the Georgia transfer to have a breakout game this season. He has passed for 1,542 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. His 243 yards passing in Kentucky’s win over Ole Miss were a career high.

Red zone matchup

Texas had another sluggish game on offense in last week’s win at Arkansas and now faces a Kentucky defense that rates among the best in the country when backed up near its own goal line. The Wildcats rank sixth nationally and best in the SEC in red zone defense.

Terrific tight end

For all of its speed on the edges in the passing attack, it is Texas tight end Gunnar Helm who has been the most reliable receiver from game to game. His 37 catches for a 493 yards lead the team in both categories and he has three touchdowns.

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