Will Austin’s 2026 Bond Package Help the City Make Progress on Climate Goals?
By Kaiba White
The City of Austin is preparing for a bond election in 2026 to pay for infrastructure projects.
(Note: This is an entirely separate effort from the recent Prop Q tax rate election, which was about paying for the city’s operating costs.)
The City Council-appointed Bond Election Advisory Task Force (BEATF) has met for a year and is deep in the process of evaluating requests for funding from various city departments. The BEATF is seeking public input as part of this process. In addition to inviting public comments, the task force is hosting three public input sessions over the next couple of weeks.
Here is the listening session schedule:
WHEN: November 15, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Gustavo “Gus” L. Garcia Recreation Center (1201 E Rundberg Ln)
RSVP Here
WHEN: November 18, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Virtual
RSVP Here
WHEN: November 20, 6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Rodolfo “Rudy” Mendez Recreation Center (2407 Canterbury St)
RSVP Here
This bond process was preceded by an effort to initiate an Environmental Investment Plan, which would have provided funding for climate and environmental projects. The Austin City Council ultimately expanded the scope to include an evaluation of all bond needs for the city, but retained climate change as a key factor to be addressed by the bond package. However, the list of projects proposed by city staff has mostly been routine projects – not climate or environmentally focused specifically.
The task force will have to decide how much to prioritize climate action and sustainability in the projects we recommend to Council. Will this bond be an opportunity for the city to catch up on its climate goals, or will it be standard infrastructure projects delivered in the standard fashion? Construction generally increases greenhouse gas emissions, but there are some projects – building electric vehicle charging infrastructure, preserving land for carbon sequestration, and expanding sidewalks and bike lanes – that can help meet climate goals. Projects like libraries and health centers can be designed to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions over time by using low-carbon building materials and including on-site solar installations.
Whatever it is you want to see in the bond package, we encourage you to show up and speak up. Your feedback and input will help direct the work of the task force.
If you have an idea for a bond project that isn’t on the city’s list, you can submit it here.