ATX-SWA: Impact 10/1/2025

Law enforcement and medical personnel will soon jointly respond to serious mental health emergency calls in Central Austin.

The details: The local management of such incidents has evolved over recent years, with notable updates like the addition of a mental health option for 911 callers. After City Council recently asked for a review of how Austin handles mental health response, the Austin Police Department, Austin/Travis County EMS and Integral Care are pooling resources for the new joint unit starting up this fall.

The "Austin FIRST" team will both patrol the downtown area and take 911 calls for the highest-acuity, or most severe and potentially dangerous, mental health crisis events. The new team is starting a pilot initiative that will likely be adjusted and potentially expanded after a six-month trial run.

Schreier Wealth now offers holistic financial planning for individuals and small businesses in Dripping Springs. The company provides a range of services from asset management to retirement planning.

Meet the owner: With seven years of experience in finance, Paul Schreier is the local owner and wealth management advisor behind Schreier Wealth.

What they’re saying: “I am very excited to build my business here in Dripping Springs and do everything I can to make our community stronger with financial plans that help my clients achieve their most important goals,” Schreier said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 23.

Austin ISD homeowners may see a decrease in their property tax bill as the district adopted a slightly lower tax rate for fiscal year 2025-26.

What happened: The AISD board of trustees approved a tax rate of $0.9252 per $100 valuation at a Sept. 25 meeting. Additionally, the board voted to continue offering a partial tax exemption for historical landmarks.

The overview: The board approved a maintenance and operations, or M&O, tax rate of $0.8022 per $100 valuation, which is $0.0253 lower than the FY 2024-25 M&O tax rate of $0.8275 per $100 valuation.

The interest and sinking, or I&S, tax rate will remain at $0.123 per $100 valuation, making for a combined tax rate of $0.9252 per $100 valuation.

The impact: In a Nov. 4 election, Texas voters will decide whether to raise the statewide homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. If approved, an AISD homeowner with an average taxable value of $517,514 would be expected to pay $3,493 in annual property taxes, which is a $864 decrease from the previous fiscal year.

Residents arrested in Austin-Travis County will now have stronger legal protections with the full rollout of the Counsel at First Appearance, or CAFA, initiative.

The program ensures individuals who cannot afford an attorney are provided legal representation during their first court appearance, a change phased in after a 2024 lawsuit argued arrestees were being left to defend themselves.

The update: To support CAFA, Travis County approved more than $15 million in funding, hiring 86 new employees including defense attorneys, clerks, and translators. The city of Austin recently approved contracts Sept. 25, committing over $16 million to county magistration services, with $6 million specifically tied to CAFA.

The outlook: While officials say the program strengthens due process rights and improves booking operations, some concerns remain over city-level misdemeanor cases, where people may still face overnight holds.

County leaders also view central booking as a step toward establishing a permanent mental health diversion center, offering law enforcement one streamlined site for intake and services.