Austin City Council spending data portal to launch in a few months

AUSTIN, Texas - An office-holder spending data portal will be available to the public in a few months.

The backstory:

Earlier this year, Austin City Council voted to create a uniform officeholder expense policy after criticism of overspending. 

A city memo says that since March, the Mayor and Council have started to receive monthly budget and procurement card reports. The city is working to put these transactions into the city's data portal. 

This information is expected to become public at the beginning of the next fiscal year. There will also be year-end reports.

Dig deeper:

There is still criticism about council members' spending.

Council Member Chito Vela recently posted on X about going to the Urban 7 conference in Nancy, France. 

This drew comments like, "we don’t want you gallivanting about Europe or wasting our tax dollars" and "How does this trip make Austin more efficient and reduce expenses?"

Mayor Kirk Watson also posted on X about a recent trip to the U.K. 

That drew comments like, "This is just wasting more money" and "City's broke and you're on a city paid junket to the UK."

The expense policy says city spending must have a public purpose. That includes programs that promote or represent the city, so Sister Cities trips are allowed. Luxury travel accommodations are not allowed without justification. 

In response to criticism about international travel, Watson said in a statement:

"Connecting with international partners brings massive wins straight back home to Austinites. The high-wage jobs we’re creating don’t just boost our quality of life—they attract funding for medical breakthroughs and green tech, bring microchip manufacturing back to the U.S., and pay for the parks, roads, and city services we use every day. Plus, this global attention keeps our iconic live music and arts culture thriving. As we mature into our role on the world stage, we’re focused on growing these benefits for our entire community."

FOX 7 has also reached out to Vela's office and will update this article if a response is received. 

The expense policy also says food and beverages that aren't for a specific city purpose are prohibited. Food for city meetings and community outreach events are allowed. 

According to the memo, the assistant to the city manager was designated as the interim City Council liaison to help with handling expenses. They will decide later if a full-time position is needed. 

What's next:

Training on the expense policy was given to council staff in March, and more trainings will be offered twice a year starting in 2027. That will coincide with possible new council members being elected in November 2026.

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