AUSTIN, Texas — The Cities of Manor and Lago Vista are letting voters decide if they want to keep the Capital Metro's (CapMetro) public transport system, a new report states.
As early voting begins in Central Texas ahead of Election Day on Nov. 8, voters are being asked if they want to keep the transit agency within city limits. According to an article from KUT, the ballot for these two cities will ask residents whether the city should also retain the 1% sales tax that pays for CapMetro, and instead redirect the money toward local government services.
This choice comes as sales tax collections are rising within communities across the State and transit memberships remain below pre-pandemic levels. But, if both cities decide to vacate CapMetro, residents that do use the service will be left stranded until the cities come up with another solution.
If residents do vote to leave, the government agencies will have to pay steep fines associated with State law that are made to punish those that leave the regional transit agency. According to the report, Lago Vista's cost to leave is about $6.5 million and Manor's is almost $10 million. This would mean that the payoff would take years to complete with sales tax revenue, and thus delay when the tax could be ended or diverted.
In Manor, the transit services associated with CapMetro are the on-demand Pickup minibus and a commuter bus that goes to Downtown Austin called Express Route 990. If it does leave, Manor wouldn't be able to participate in the Green Line, which is a commuter rail route to run from Downtown Austin to Colony Park by 2033, with a potential expansion to Manor and Elgin.
Lago Vista would also lose Pickup along with bus route 214, which is a direct line to Austin Community College's Cypress Creek Campus, the Lakeline Mall and Jonestown.
During the 24 hours following the election results being officially tallied on Election Day, CapMetro services will be suspended following the official vote.
Read KUT's full report here.
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