Latest Fact-Checks In City Government

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Bike Austin
Bike Austin
stated on June 8, 2016 a press release
"Bike lanes and sidewalks have been proven to reduce crashes by up to 38 percent on Austin’s streets."
Mostly False
By Jane Wester • July 29, 2016
Jim Kenney
Jim Kenney
stated on April 25, 2015
On eliminating the influence of money in policy campaigns
Full Flop
By Cassie Owens • June 28, 2016
Jonathan Jarvis
Jonathan Jarvis
stated on June 14, 2016 testimony before a U.S. House committee
The National Park Service has "an annual budget that is less than the city of Austin."
True
By W. Gardner Selby • June 24, 2016
Jim Kenney
Jim Kenney
stated on June 23, 2016 remarks at the Better Bike Share conference
My administration is "well represented both racially, ethnically and gender-wise."
Mostly False
By Cassie Owens • June 24, 2016
Steve Adler
Steve Adler
stated on May 17, 2016 a panel discussion in Austin
"The first tweet was sent from Austin."
Pants on Fire!
By W. Gardner Selby • May 20, 2016
Steve Adler
Steve Adler
stated on April 25, 2016 speaking against Proposition 1 on Austin's May 7, 2016 ballot
"Austin is number one in Texas in startups, venture capital and patents."
True
By W. Gardner Selby • May 13, 2016
Ridesharing Works for Austin
Ridesharing Works for Austin
stated on April 26, 2016 a voter mailer noted by a reader
If Austin voters reject Proposition 1, a "completely new City-run" criminal background check "process will cost millions in processing fees, additional staff, and bureaucracy" with taxpayers getting "the bill."
False
By W. Gardner Selby • April 30, 2016
Lauren Hitt
Lauren Hitt
stated on April 14, 2016 To the media
"While Mayor Kenney personally doesn't support DROP, he can't fault highly qualified city employees for appropriately utilizing a benefit that's available to them."
Full Flop
By Mark Dent • April 18, 2016
Joe DeFelice
Joe DeFelice
stated on April 10, 2016 As part of a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial
If the mayor were really serious about supporting Philly's schoolchildren and handling our city's looming fiscal crisis, he could begin by slashing the size of his own administration, which is already 45 percent larger than his predecessor's and 40 percent more costly.
Half-True
By Mark Dent • April 13, 2016
Dan Forest
Dan Forest
stated on April 6, 2016 a tweet
Charlotte’s anti-discrimination ordinance would have "opened all bathrooms to all sexes at all times" if it hadn’t been overturned.
False
By Will Doran • April 8, 2016
Pat McCrory
Pat McCrory
stated on March 26, 2016 a list of rebuttals to criticism over the law
Despite the passage of HB2, "towns, cities and counties in North Carolina are still allowed to set stricter non-discrimination policies for their own employees if they choose."
Half-True
By Will Doran • March 31, 2016
Pat McCrory
Pat McCrory
stated on March 28, 2016 a speech in Clayton, N.C.
"We have not taken away any rights that have currently existed in any city in North Carolina" with the passage of HB2.
False
By Will Doran • March 30, 2016
stated on March 7, 2016 a radio ad
"Republican Bob Donovan" has "run as a Republican time and again."  
Half-True
March 11, 2016
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders
stated on March 6, 2016 a Democratic debate in Flint, Mich.
"(Flint, Mich., is) paying three times more for poison water than I am paying in Burlington, Vt., for clean water."
Mostly True
By Joshua Gillin • March 7, 2016
Sheri Gallo
Sheri Gallo
stated on January 28, 2016 an Austin City Council meeting
Since January 2015, the "majority of our" Austin City Council "meetings have extended past 10 p.m." and "many of our meetings have gone past midnight."
Mostly False
By Mary Huber • February 15, 2016
Bob Donovan
Bob Donovan
stated on January 29, 2016 a Facebook post
"This is the true picture of ‘Milwaukee's Renaissance’ after 12 years of Mayor Tom Barrett's leadership."  
Pants on Fire!
February 2, 2016
Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly
stated on October 7, 2015 a commentary
From 2014 to 2015, Austin’s "murder rate is up a whopping 83 percent."
Mostly False
By Philip Jankowski, W. Gardner Selby • October 16, 2015
Ora Houston
Ora Houston
stated on September 8, 2015 an Austin City Council meeting about the city budget
"HIV/AIDS among women is skyrocketing in Austin."
False
By Mary Ann Roser • October 2, 2015
stated on September 22, 2015 a speech
Every general City of Milwaukee employee "pays toward his or her pension, but approximately 88 percent of our police officers and firefighters do not."  
Mostly True
September 30, 2015
Don Zimmerman
Don Zimmerman
stated on September 1, 2015 an Austin City Council meeting
Salaries of Austin residents who don't work for city government "have not been going up 3 percent a year for the last several years."
Mostly True
By W. Gardner Selby • September 25, 2015
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