KEYE Waste Watch

Capital Metro Approves Mobile Ticketing App

Mon, May 20 2013, 06:31 PM CDT

Capital Metro approved a contract on Monday for a $1.7 million mobile ticketing app.

The group said they want to make paying for tickets easier for riders.

Joe Iannello is Cap Metro's Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He said the app tested well in November during Formula One weekend. ...

New Bike Park May Be Coming To Cedar Park

Mon, May 20 2013, 05:49 PM CDT

Cedar Park is looking into a bike park and wants the public to be a part of the plan.

Curt Randa, the city's parks and recreation director, says the idea came from skate park users.

"A lot of kids were using our new skate park that was built in 2010 and wanted a place where they could ride their bikes as well," says Randa. ...

Texan Files Suit Against Federal Health Reform

Tue, May 07 2013, 05:50 PM CDT

A Texan is behind the latest court challenge for the Affordable Care Act. A Houston doctor filed the lawsuit on Tuesday saying the healthcare overhaul violates the constitution.

Inside the State Capitol, surrounded by Republican legislators, Dr. ...

Wilco Looks Into Creating Veteran Courts

Tue, May 07 2013, 05:50 PM CDT

Long after our troops come home, the trauma and stress suffered in a war zone remains -- and if left untreated it can lead to several other problems.

"We have a lot of veterans in Williamson County and a lot of veterans going through the judicial system," says Donna Harrell, Williamson County' veterans service officer. ...

Leander ISD Going Into Debt To Build For The Future

Mon, May 06 2013, 06:21 PM CDT

No matter where you live in Central Texas your tax money -- to the tune of billions of dollars -- is spent on school districts.

Rapidly growing districts like Leander are using huge sums of money on buildings to accommodate kids now and for the future. ...

Austin Trash Collectors Appear On Big Screen

Fri, May 03 2013, 08:20 PM CDT

The men and women who pick up your trash are making their way to the big screen in the movie Trash Dance.

The production took one night, involved 24 Austin Resource Recovery employees, an abandoned runway and trucks dancing.

Anthony Phillips blows trash off the streets for the city, and volunteered for the not so average ballet. ...

ABIA Could Help Build Austin Urban Rail

Thu, Apr 25 2013, 06:36 PM CDT

Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell claims he has nothing to hide. "Those who talk about secrecy quite frankly don't know what they're talking about," said Leffingwell.

Leffingwell is taking some flak for not disclosing months of discussions pertaining to the possibility of leasing Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to a private company. ...

Millions Spent On Austin Street Light System

Fri, Apr 19 2013, 10:03 PM CDT

To combat light pollution, Austin Energy crews are installing a new street light system. The city spent $13.5 million in total costs for the updates.

To replace the old luminaries it costs about $7.5 million to install new, flat LED lights that shine light directly down to save energy. ...

Austin's Alleys Could Be Come The Next Art Spot

Fri, Apr 12 2013, 09:43 PM CDT

Alleys around the world are being scrutinized as viable public spaces. That's why the City of Austin is kicking off their first alley exploration to showcase a potentially new kind of public space -- something temporary, dramatic, multi-use, artist-driven and pop-up. ...

Texas Students Disciplined In Court

Fri, Mar 08 2013, 09:27 PM CDT

Hundreds of thousands of Texas students are being disciplined each year, but not at school -- they're going to court. Some are even arrested in front of their peers. You, the taxpayer are footing millions in dollars in costs and some people feel Texas schools aren't any safer. ...

City, County Officials Planning For Future Wildfires

Fri, Mar 08 2013, 08:38 PM CDT

The City of Austin and Travis County are spending $200,000 on a study to protect you from a dangerous, damaging wildfire like we saw more than a year ago in Bastrop.

Fire officials a regional community fire protection plan will help you and them be better prepared for any wildfire that may affect our city and county. ...

Texas Lawmaker Continues Push For Honesty in Taxation

Fri, Feb 15 2013, 09:55 PM CDT

Shakespeare once asked "Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?" Well, a South Texas lawmaker says a tax by any other name still stinks.

The Texas Legislature prides itself on holding the line on taxes. But State Representative Richard Pena Raymond, a Democrat from Laredo, says he's noticed the state finds other ways to force citizens to pay more. ...

Brand New Leander ISD School Sitting Empty

Fri, Feb 15 2013, 09:55 PM CDT

It took $25 million of your tax money to build, but there is a brand new elementary school in Cedar Park just sitting vacant.

In a KEYE TV Waste Watch investigation, we dug into why a school district would build a school and then let it sit empty. ...

Consultants Recommend Round Rock Build New Library

Fri, Feb 15 2013, 09:54 PM CDT

A new library in Round Rock could cost taxpayers $39 million. This after the City of Round Rock paid a consulting firm $97,000 to find out what library users need.

Indu Nair and her family moved to Round Rock this week and this is their first time in the Round Rock library. ...

Waste Watch: Shoal Creek Restoration Project

Fri, Feb 15 2013, 04:16 PM CDT

Six million dollars in taxpayer money: that's how much of your money the City of Austin is planning to spend for renovations along Shoal Creek. We're talking about the area just west of Lamar between 15th and 28th. That includes Pease Park. With the city set to hold a special budget meeting Tuesday, we asked the tough questions on why this project is worth your money. ...

Waste Watch: Are 24 Hour Parks Worth It?

Fri, Feb 15 2013, 04:16 PM CDT

Keeping Austin's city parks open 24/7, is that worth millions of your tax dollars?

The Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail closes every night at 10 p.m. and reopens at 5 a.m., but city council is considering expanding the hours to keep it open all night.

In a KEYE TV Waste Watch Investigation, we looked into how much money it's going to take to keep you safe on the trail for the additional seven hours. ...

Waste Watch: Austin Delays Decision On $800,000 311 App

Fri, Feb 15 2013, 04:18 PM CDT

Update: Jan. 17, 11 a.m.

The City Council tabled the proposal Thursday. Austin City Council Member Laura Morrison says she is concerned about the high price and that no other bids were sought out.

The Austin City Council will consider approving a contract Thursday for $854,191 to develop a mobile app for 311. ...

Austin's Bike Share Program

Tue, Jan 15 2013, 07:00 PM CDT

A proposed bike share program for Austin would cost $2 million -- a million and a half of that would come from federal grants and your taxpayer dollars, the rest would be raised privately. This week, Austin City Council members are expected to vote on a five-year contract with a non-profit, Bike Share of Austin, to run the program. ...

$66 Million Needed To Repair Taylor Roads

Mon, Jan 14 2013, 06:24 PM CDT

Jeff Matchett is one of several residents in Taylor, Texas who is frustrated with the city's poor road conditions. Matchett is the lead technician at Central Auto and Truck Repair in Taylor and knows first-hand about the current conditions and its devastating impact. ...

Officials Hope Downtown Georgetown Sidewalk Project Will Help Businesses

Fri, Jan 11 2013, 09:11 PM CDT

Camille Sweezy's clothing business, Camille & Company, is located in the heart of downtown Georgetown on Austin Avenue. Sweezy said the area needs to make improvements if the city continues to expand.

Sweezy said anything to bring more people to the downtown area would bring in more business, so Sweezy is on board with the Austin Avenue Sidewalk project. ...