BY ELLE BENT, KATY MCAFEE & BEN THOMPSON
Council takes steps on child care access City Council took action this fall in an attempt to improve local child care access. What happened In October, officials updated local develop- ment rules to streamline child care centers’ creation across the city. Council voted in November to unlock property tax breaks for child care providers starting next year following Texans’ approval of the statewide Proposition 2.
Tesla lays out Central Texas investments Tesla reported Oct. 17 on its investments made in line with local deals that helped the carmaker establish its Central Texas footprint. The breakdown Tesla previously said its 4-million-square-foot manufacturing hub, Giga Texas, would bring thousands of jobs to Travis County, boost the local economy and support Del Valle ISD. Tesla told county officials it’s now meeting those goals. Tesla also promised the factory would bring 5,000 jobs with at least 50% going to locals. Giga Texas now has over 15,000 employees, just over half of whom are county residents, company representatives said. Tesla must also invest some of its taxes in Cen- tral Texas education and employment programs. The company said it will spend more than double its requirement of $298,000 this year.
Paid $15 million in taxes to Travis County and over $49 million to Del Valle ISD since 2020 Supported $2.1 billion in total local sales activity related to Giga Texas construction in 2022 Progress report Tesla says it is meeting local commitments made related to its headquarters in Central Texas
Spent $750,000 on local education and employment programs in 2023
SOURCES: TESLA, TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
West of Giga Texas, Tesla is now ramping up a 120-acre ecological restoration project near the Colorado River. Quote of note “I know there’s lots of chatter in the community about [Elon] Musk and Tesla and all that,” Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea said. “What you’ve created here is remarkable, and for the critics, I think you just stand on what you’ve accomplished and what you’ve created.”
“We know that our economy can’t function at full productivity without affordable and accessible child care centers.” ALISON ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER
Illness Doesn’t Take a Holiday and Neither Do We Adult medicine and pediatric doctors evaluate and treat your illnesses and concerns from any device.
No appointments
Quick answers
$0 copay
NormanMD.com/holiday
11
SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook