Travis County owes Austin millions. City is losing patience.

People wait in their cars as health care worker administer COVID-19 vaccinations during a drive-thru clinic at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex last year.  The city of Austina and Travis County are at odds over millions of dollars in federal money related to the COVID-19 response.
Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman File

Ryan Autullo
Austin American-Statesman
October 9, 2022

A recent Austin City Council meeting revealed a growing sense of frustration for two council members, who say they are tired of waiting for Travis County to pay the city what is believed to be about $20 million in federal COVID-19 relief money.

"I know our staff are working diligently to secure that funding," Council Member Alison Alter said. "This has been going on for more than a year now, and we still do not have a resolution."

Leslie Pool also weighed in. She noted that Travis County commissioners recently passed the county's fiscal year budget without including a payment to the city.

"I strongly support Travis County and the city of Austin making good on their debts to each other," she said.

According to Alter, and confirmed by Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea, the issue is related to the distribution of money the governmental bodies received separately from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The city got $195 million, and Travis County got $247 million.

The city spent more money than the county to respond to COVID-19, which, Alter and Shea agreed, is not out of line since most of the county's residents live in Austin. But the city's total payment was disproportionately high, which also is not in dispute. The holdup has been an accounting exercise to determine the precise amount the county owes, an equation complicated further because it's unclear whether some expenses will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

City spokesman Andy Tate said negotiations are ongoing but declined to give details.

"We won’t be providing a running commentary on these negotiations, but once we have an agreement we’ll be sure to share it with you," Tate said.

The city and the county both say the negotiations have been amicable.

Shea said the county has agreed to pay the city about $20 million. To accept the money, the City Council must vote in favor of the agreement. A vote has not been scheduled.

The issue came to a head at the City Council meeting Sept. 29. Before voting on an item to extend an interlocal agreement with the county for the city to provide public health services, Alter said she was abstaining. Pool did the same. Their abstentions had the same effect as a no vote. The item passed.

Alter said she could not support the agreement without language clarifying the city's and the county's roles in responding to COVID-19 and monkeypox.

"We need to make sure that we've addressed who's paying for what in this response," she said. "We've worked really well together, and we have a need to make sure the county is contributing its fair share to COVID response."