Obamacare Heads to Court, Steiner Ranch Evacuation Vote, Traffic Shift Planned for 183 South

The Daily Dossier on KLBJ

23 Governors are backing California in its showdown with the Trump administration over relaxing vehicle mileage standards. 

The governors signed a pledge Tuesday to stick to an Obama administration program of annual tightening in mileage standards that reduce climate-changing carbon emissions. 

The Trump administration says demanding ever-more fuel-efficient vehicles will drive up car costs and keep less-safe, older vehicles on the road longer.

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Lawyers for Texas will be back in court today arguing that Obamacare is unconstitutional. 

“Our office is simply going to ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to uphold a U.S. District Court’s ruling that declared Obamacare unconstitutional in its entirety,” said Texas Attorney General spokesman Marc Rylander.

Defending Obamacare against the Texas suit is a 16 state coalition, led by California Attorney General Javier Bacerra.

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Travis County leaders will vote today on an emergency evacuation route for Steiner Ranch.  It’s a response to the fires in 2011 that forced evacuations and damaged several homes.  

Two options remain: either a $980,000 gated road that would only be accessed during an emergency, or a $7.2-million permanent public road.  

The county has signaled it would prefer the gated option.  More than 1000 residents signed a petition opposing the permanent road back in February.

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There is still an ongoing debate over expanding the Austin Convention Center.  Critics say there’s no need, citing a $43-million annual operating loss last year.  

But Scott Joslove with the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association told Fox 7 News an expansion is needed and would revitalize the area.

“50-percent of the business that wants to come to Austin we have to turn away because of a lack of availability or a lack of space,” Joslove said.  “That means we have a facility that is basically obsolete.”

There is a petition circulating by the political action committee Unconventional Austin in opposition to the expansion, calling for the public to have the final vote.

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A major traffic shift is coming to Highway 183 in East Austin. 

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is going to demolish and rebuild the bridge over the Colorado River as part of the 183 South project.

The first changes could come as early as tomorrow night. More phases are planned in coming days and weeks.

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