Pflugerville voters have from Dec. 1-9 to cast early ballots in the race for the city's mayoral seat. 

Remember this? The runoff election between Doug Weiss and Pat McCord is set for Dec. 13. 

The details: Pflugerville residents can cast early ballots Dec. 1-9, excluding Dec. 7, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at:

• Christ Episcopal Church Outreach Center, 3520 W. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park
• PACE Campus Gym Gymnasium, 702 W. Pecan St., Pflugerville
• Travis County Clerk Training Room, 5501 Airport Blvd. Austin

The Pflugerville Fire Department is teaming up with local nonprofit Circle of Hope to collect holiday food items for families experiencing food insecurity—The drive is underway now through Dec. 9.

The gist: Fire Chief Nick Perkins said the effort reflects the department’s broader commitment to serving residents beyond emergency response. “The holidays are about connection and care, and this food drive is a way for all of us to make sure no family goes hungry,” he said.

Food insecurity continues to affect many Central Texas households—about 14.4% of Travis County residents lack consistent access to nutritious meals. Circle of Hope supports more than 2,000 families each month across Pflugerville, Round Rock, Austin, Hutto and Georgetown.

On the heels of what proponents have called “historic” property tax relief, some Texas lawmakers are questioning whether the state can afford to continue increasing the tax exemptions passed in 2023 and 2025.

The big picture: Texas homeowners pay property taxes to various local entities, although lawmakers can limit how much entities increase taxes each year and provide state funding to expand tax exemptions.

Texas is spending $51 billion on property tax relief in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 alone and may be required to spend more to maintain existing tax exemptions in future bienniums, lawmakers said.

What they're saying: "We're kind of maxed out at what we can do for property tax reform, from a budget perspective," said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, during a Nov. 20 event.

"$51 billion ongoing, it's a huge amount to continue to support. To think about doing anything more seems very fiscally irresponsible," Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, said.

The other side: Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, said creating limits on local government spending would be critical to keeping Texas affordable.

Central Texas residents can support their favorite local nonprofits on Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2.

How it works: Giving Tuesday is celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is focused on showing radical generosity. People are encouraged to engage with, volunteer or donate to a local cause they care about. 

Get involved: For the ninth consecutive year, I Live Here I Give Here will accept donations on Giving Tuesday for various nonprofits in the Central Texas area through its Amplify ATX website. The online platform allows Central Texans to explore giving opportunities, learn about their impact and donate to organizations where they live.

Funds may be directed to a specific nonprofit or donated to the Amplify Fund, which helps support all participating nonprofits in Austin and Central Texas, according to I Live Here I Give Here.

The background: Giving Tuesday was started by a New York-area nonprofit in 2012 and has since spread to over 150 countries, with 34 million people participating globally last year.