ATX-SCA: Impact 10/29/2025

Campaigns against Austin's Proposition Q reported a strong fundraising advantage over supporters of the tax increase ballot measure in the weeks leading up to the November election.

The details: Several political action committees, or PACs, are working in favor of or against Proposition Q this fall. After already spending tens of thousands of dollars on their campaigns as of late September, new reporting from the groups this week shows that activity has ramped up with days to go until Election Day.

Pro-Proposition Q PACs drew about $80,000 in the past month and spent more than $120,000 on their campaigns. On the other side, groups opposing the tax rate measure reported contributions totaling almost $290,000 and about $260,000 in spending.

A national search for the next leader of Austin Energy led to an internal hire, with interim General Manager Stuart Reilly's selected to take the job on a permanent basis starting this fall.

The details: Reilly has nearly two decades of experience in the public power sector, including previous stints as AE's deputy and interim general manager. He's been leading the city-owned power utility on an interim basis this year following the retirement of former General Manager Bob Kahn this spring.

As general manager, Reilly is responsible for overseeing the daily operations and long-range strategy at AE. The utility is operating on a $1.99 billion budget with nearly 2,000 full-time employees for fiscal year 2025-26.

Taquería de Diez is officially open off South Lamar, offering Mexican food to the South Austin community.

The specifics: The taco eatery was founded by brothers Raul and Luis Esquer and serves tacos, quesadillas, burritos, volcanes and desserts.

The restaurant’s first location can be found at 206 Trinity St., Ste. 110, Austin.

What else: Specific menu items include a carne asada burrito, a grilled cactus quesadilla and pork tacos.

The business operates an open kitchen dining style where patrons can watch their food be prepared.

Local officials celebrated the completion of the newly completed biofiltration pond downtown, a milestone in the second phase of Waterloo Greenway’s comprehensive plan to revitalize Waller Creek on Oct. 24.

The pond will filter stormwater and improve water quality in Waller Creek.

How it works: Sedimentation biofiltration ponds manage stormwater by using plants and other natural elements to filter pollutants from runoff before it enters waterways, according to a news release. Austin’s biofiltration pond will treat 26.2 acres of urban stormwater along Waller Creek and downtown, according to the release.

The background: The biofiltration pond’s completion is part of the second phase of an overall plan to create a 1.5-mile greenway stretching from Waterloo Park to Lady Bird Lake, according to Waterloo Greenway.

The second phase of the plan, The Confluence, is located at the southernmost point of Waterloo Greenway. This project includes improving ecological health of the area, restoring the creek, building nearly a mile of trails, and planting over 200,000 native plants and 1,500 trees.

The overview: As Community Impact enters its third decade, it’s returning to its roots of growth and deeper reader connections. The “Patron” program, which began in 2020 by reader demand, has relaunched as the InCIder.

“This relaunch represents our renewed commitment to readers who support our local news,” CEO John Garrett said. “Beyond funding great journalism, we also want to reward our InCIders and build deeper connections with them, creating a true sense of community around the work we do.”

Event details: As part of the relaunch, Community Impact will host its first-ever InCIder Hour, a new event aimed at celebrating and engaging the company’s supporters.

The event, open to InCIders only, will take place Nov. 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Community Impact Headquarters, 16225 Impact Way, Pflugerville.

Guests will have the opportunity to network with fellow InCIders, meet Community Impact staff and attend a featured conversation with legislative reporter Hannah Norton, moderated by Garrett.

“Our first event needed to start where all the hard work is put together,” Garrett said. “People are blown away when they see our operation. To be able to sit and chat with the best legislative reporter in Texas, Hannah Norton, makes it an event our InCIder friends deserve and hopefully will enjoy.”