River Place Annexation

May 4, 2009

Two interesting articles 1 2

I looked at the tax rates on a Steiner Ranch home and see two WCID 17 entries which I assume is to pay down a MUD like River Place has. I wonder if that is the case and how long it will take to pay it off. If we do get annexed into the City of Austin I assume we would negotiate that down or try not to get annexed until those two rates are off our books. If they were would we want to even be annexed. The good/bad would be water and trash serviced by the City of Austin. Hello big bins for single stream recyling, and we would get to use the COA library system as well. Just speculating, I am not sure if this would ever happen or not.

Melissa

I would hate to be annexed by CoA.

First, our trash service would be worse (and more expensive). They will only pick up trash if it ALL fits in the bin. If it’s too big you either have to pay extra or you’re SOL. Or you can buy stickers for each additional bag, which used to be $1 each (not sure what they are now).

Also, our water bill was a lot higher when we lived in Austin. Not to mention street repairs and such just NEVER got done. And our taxes would go up. No thanks.
Poster formerly known as

Taxes would definitely go up. If the City decides to annex, there seems to be little that can be done once the process starts.
Melissa

I don’t know. Lost Creek just successfully fought annexation.
The Poster formerly known as Steiner Res

Melissa:
Re: Lost Creek — the City of Austin website disagrees with you
Library User

Austin Public Library cards are now free for all Texas residents. They have not updated the COA website with this information yet. You can also get a Lake Travis Library card for free, and get a Texshare card, which will get you a limited use card for the Westbank Library.

Happy reading.
Melissa

Wow. I didn’t know that Lost Creek lost their fight. I just looked up an article about it and found this:

“The reason the Lost Creek annexation has been so contentious is money, Richards
says. Annexation would cost the average household about $1,800 more in taxes and
water and wastewater fees, Cherye said.”

Why would anyone want to be annexed?
Victoria

Is there discussion that Steiner Ranch will be annexed in the future?
http://www.austinbroadband.info/ Michelle

Victoria, the article I read mentioned that Steiner isn’t currently on Austin’s radar, but I expect that to change in a few years.
Michelle

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=240042

Anderson Mill residents vote to keep utility district
Carl

For the record, Lost Creek lost its fight (delayed it until 2016) because there is no way to legally stop Austin. At the required meeting with city council when the residents were asked who was opposed to annexation, every resident raised his/her hand. No resident of the perhaps 1000 in attendance at Westlake HS spoke that evening in support of annexation. Despite universal opposition to annexation by the affected residents, CoA continued to press forward with annexation.

It all boils down to money. CoA will get more income from taxes than the residents will consume via city programs. This is a net increase in revenue that can go to all kinds of wonderful projects such as light rail or subsidized high-density housing that will be of no benefit to west-side residents, but WILL benefit the core constituents of city council members — all of which are at-large seats; that is without council boundaries. This means RiverPlace will get to vote for for city council members but will have no specific council member looking after its best interests.

As far as “Is Steiner Ranch on the radar?” Do the math.