Austin’s slowly shrinking vision for a fast-moving urban rail system by the end of the decade is about to face a new challenge, one that could upend the voter-approved transit expansion: property tax warriors in the Texas Legislature.
— would force the ATP to hold a citywide election before borrowing large amounts of money
"The intention is simply to require that they follow all of the transparency requirements that are already in state law for any other taxing entity," said Republican state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, a former Austin City Council member who wrote the House bill."They've kind of found a loophole and are exploiting it."State Rep.
Requiring an election to authorize ATP borrowing could raise questions among the bureaucrats at the Federal Transit Administration doling out billions in highly competitive grants. Project Connect is premised on the federal government paying for up to half the project. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, a former Democratic state senator, said he believes there may be a deal to be cut with state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, the Republican lawmaker who's made lowering property taxes a focus of his legislative career. Bettencourt is carrying the ATP bill in the Texas Senate.
Last year's plan to extend the subway tunnel was the single biggest cause of cost overruns. Increasing the length from 1.56 to 4.19 milesAll light-rail options to be presented by the ATP raise the possibility of installing elevated sections through significant parts of the downtown area, a less expensive option than tunneling that still frees trains from having to stop at traffic lights.
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