Let Rep. Vicki Goodwin Hear You!
At 1:30 am on May 7th, our State Representative, Vikki Goodwin, ripped the microphone from her colleague’s grasp to kill the Lost Creek disannexation bill with a procedural maneuver.
It gets worse! In the last legislative session, Goodwin passed a bill to protect her own neighborhood from being annexed by the City of Austin.
A bipartisan group of over 1,500 of our neighbors have signed a petition in favor of disannexation. Yet she refuses to give us the RIGHT TO VOTE on disannexation of Lost Creek!
Call and email her office today and demand that she represents her constituents, not politicians at City Hall.
Rep. Vikki Goodwin
512-463-0652
Vikki.goodwin@house.texas.gov
Click the petition image to print and sign! ➤➤➤
This is absolutely critical, and we only have a short time to get it done.
There are several ways you can submit your signed petition. You can drop it off at one of the following locations, or you can schedule a petition retrieval:
- 1401 Bay Hill Drive. – The house next door to the MUD building. Leave Petition in the box in the breezeway
- 6508 Huckleberry Cove. – Leave petition in the bin by the mailbox from 7 am – 8 pm
- If you prefer someone to come to your house for drop-off or retrieval, contact Jen Brannan. You can text her at 512.636-9639 or email her jbrannan6@gmail.com
- Additionally, people are volunteering to be at the 4-way stop beginning at noon today. If you see them when you drive by, they have copies of the petition for you to sign!
Donate and Help Save Lost Creek!
Donate online using the button above or checks can be made payable to Save Lost Creek and mailed to 1108 Lavaca St., Austin, TX 78701.
Join us today!
Please, help spread the word to your Lost Creek friends!
- Contact your legislators above and tell them to support HB 3827 and SB 1499.
- LIKE our Facebook page and SHARE it with your neighbors.
- Sign up for our email list to receive updates and important calls to action.
- Donate to Save Lost Creek to help fund our legislative efforts.
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What are the benefits of disannexation?
Since being annexed by the City of Austin in 2015, our services have been reduced, property taxes are skyrocketing, and the threat of high-density housing requirements loom on the horizon. These problems not only have economic impacts on Lost Creek residents but health and safety impacts as well.
Benefits to Lost Creek Residents are:
- Lower property taxes – The average Lost Creek homeowner will save $3,000 in property taxes annually (and rising).
- Protection from unfair and burdensome Austin building codes that are trying to force multi-family developments on single family lots in the Lost Creek neighborhood.
- Lost Creek to be served by Travis County Sheriff, Westlake Fire, and Westlake EMS.
- Public Service improvement and probable cost reduction.
What has happened to Lost Creek since it was annexed by the City of Austin?
The unique features and legal basis requiring this compelling local legislation involve the following collective Lost Creek community facts:
- Property taxes continue to skyrocket. Over the last several years, Austin has raised its property taxes the maximum amount possible. Last year alone it went from .44 to .53 cents per $100. Lost Creek residents pay $1,000s more in property taxes than the Camelot residents located adjacent to the west.
- Austin is trying to change the development code to require multi-family housing on single-family lots in Lost Creek, destroying our community.
- Current plans for 360 overpass could create a homeless camp in front of our neighborhood. Current 360 project plans recommend an overpass in front of Lost Creek. Austin’s overpasses have created “tent cities.” Disannexation would allow Lost Creek to control the right of way at the neighborhood entrance.
- The City of Austin’s forcible annexation of Lost Creek would not be legal if they tried today. On May 24th, 2019, Governor Abbott signed into law HB 347 which prevented municipalities from forcibly annexing property without the approval of the residents and businesses affected.
- Lost Creek’s geographic location prevents Austin from having the means to properly service the area. Lost Creek is not contiguous to the City of Austin. In order to get to Lost Creek from the City of Austin, you must travel first through either Westlake Hills or Rollingwood. The geographic location of Lost Creek results in many significant service problems from the city, several of which are outlined below.
- Crime has spiked since the annexation. Prior to annexation, the Travis County Sheriff’s office had routine neighborhood patrols. Since annexation, Lost Creek has seen an increase in theft and stolen cars. Austin’s response to the spike in crime has been to park an unmanned cruiser in the neighborhood. Even worse, the Lost Creek Limited District is now funding Sheriff patrols in the neighborhood.
- Fire services have decreased even though Lost Creek is one of the largest wildfire risk areas in the region. Although the City of Austin is responsible for providing fire services, an interlocal agreement means that physical fire service is still done by the City of Westlake, but under Austin’s fire service plan. Austin’s plan prevents Westlake Fire from having ultimate decision rights to safely service our area.
- Trash pickup is worse under city control. Prior to annexation, Lost Creek residents had trash and recycling picked up every week. Now recycling is every other week. And for fewer pickups, the costs have tripled.
- The reduction in the police, fire, emergency services and trash services is a direct violation of state law. Sec. 43.056 of the Local Government Code requires that a service plan not reduce the level of protection post-annexation. It also provides that trash service must be at a comparable level to prior service.