City of Austin
Public Improvement Bonds
Capital Improvements
The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is all around you. You
may not think about it every day, but it’s the sidewalks you walk on, the park
or library where you meet your friends, and even the pipes that carry water to the faucets in your home. These pieces are all part of a large and complex infrastructure system operated and managed by the City, one that affects each and every resident's quality of life. Scroll down for more resources about the City of Austin's CIP!
The City of Austin utilizes different types of general obligation debt to fund capital improvement projects. General obligation debt is secured by the full faith and credit of the City of Austin and its ad valorem taxing power and includes public improvement bonds (PIBS), certificates of obligation (COs), and contractual obligations (KOs). In total, the City has approximately $1.8 billion in voter-approved general obligation debt remaining to be issued.
While PIBS require voter approval through a bond election, COs and KOs
do not. The voter-authorized debt in the chart above has been
issued as PIBS.
Bond Elections by Year
Click on each tab below to learn more about City of Austin bond elections going back to 2006. Please note that information provided includes both ballot propositions that passed as well as those that failed.
Bond Oversight
City Council has established a Bond Oversight Commission, with community members appointed by the Mayor and each Council Member, to monitor the issuance of bonds and implementation of bond projects approved in bond elections, including the review of future Bonds. The goal of the Commission is to ensure efficiency, equity, timeliness, and accountability in the implementation of City bond programs. More information about the City’s Bond Oversight Commission is available at their website.