Austin's elected officials are preparing a new policy to govern spending in their offices, and readying to start a multiyear audit of all city operations and services.

The details: The proposed reforms came into focus after last fall's Proposition Q election, when voters rejected a tax hike and city officials begin considering new transparency and financial measures. The new council spending policy is now on the table and likely up for official adoption this month, while an ordinance requiring recurring, comprehensive citywide audits remains could be passed as soon as early February.

That ordinance would set up a system for "independent, systemic, and continuous evaluation" of Austin's operations, spending and service delivery. The program would be handled internally by the city auditor's office with support from an outside consultant and likely cover multiple years.

The plan has earned support across the council dais so far, although some officials said they'd like to see estimates for the cost of full efficiency audits before a final vote.

Wondering what’s behind the recent lane changes and detours around downtown Austin? Two major transportation projects are reshaping how people move through the city, with a focus on safety, accessibility and long-term mobility.

The details: Construction is expected to begin in early 2026 on the Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative, or CAUDI. The project will redesign Congress Avenue from Cesar Chavez Street to Seventh Street to create a more pedestrian-friendly, multimodal corridor. Phase 1 includes wider sidewalks, new pedestrian amenity zones, upgraded bikeway barriers and added turn lanes for vehicles. That phase is expected to run from 2026 to 2027, with the full $29 million project anticipated through 2030.

One more thing: Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportation continues work on the I-35 Capital Express Central project, a $4.5 billion overhaul running from Hwy. 290 to Hwy. 71. Ongoing closures include entrance ramps, frontage roads and sections of pedestrian trails, with construction expected to continue through 2029.

A handful of restaurants and businesses have recently opened in the South Austin area including an all-day cafe and an athletic club. A new Tex-Mex restaurant is also expected to join the area soon. This list is not comprehensive.

De Nada
De Nada Cantina is planning to open a second location at the former El Mercado restaurant in South Austin in January. The East Austin Tex-Mex staple is known for its tacos and margaritas served in pink cups, including happy hour specials and a late night menu. The restaurant opened off East Cesar Chavez Street in 2021, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

• Opening in early to mid January
• 1302 S. First St., Austin

• Opened Dec. 12
• 915 W. Mary St., Austin

Hundreds of Texas private schools have been approved to participate in the state’s new education savings account program, per a map released by the state comptroller in early January.

The overview: As of press time, 775 private schools and prekindergarten providers had been approved to accept education savings accounts, or ESAs. There are over 1,300 accredited private schools in the state, according to the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission. 

Of the approved schools, there are:

• 233 schools in the Houston area
• 195 schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
• 94 schools in the San Antonio area
• 70 schools in the Austin area