Ken Paxton Sides With Austin Homeowners Over Short-Term Rentals

This week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

By Rhonda FanningOctober 7, 2016 2:10 pm,

It’s time to talk about the week that was in Texas politics. Emily Ramshaw, editor-in-chief of the Texas Tribune, stopped by the Standard today to talk about what’s been going on across the state.

Austinites may have found an unlikely ally this week: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“Austin is trying to deal with its short-term rental situation, and Ken Paxton is weighing in,” Ramshaw says. “Basically [he’s] siding with homeowners who are saying ‘Hey, we put a lot of money and energy into getting our houses ready for short-term rentals and the city’s restrictions on this is cramping our style.'”

Ramshaw says that lawmakers in Texas love local control battles.

“They want the feds out of their business, yet they really can’t stop wading into the city’s business whether it’s Uber and Lyft – now the short-term rental market,” she says. “So you can expect to see Austin officials a little more irked than usual at Ken Paxton.”

What you’ll hear in this segment: 

– More about the recent data released on Child Protective Services not visiting at-risk youth

– Whether Mike Pence has “stolen the conservative crown” from Ted Cruz following the vice-presidential debate