Residents on the periphery of Austin face a pivotal choice today: remain within the city boundaries or stake out on their own. According to KVUE, six outlying neighborhoods will decide through a series of ballot propositions whether they will disannex from the city of Austin.
The disannexation move, sparked by House Bill 3053 last year, gives these communities a legal path to reclaim autonomy over local governance and taxation. Despite the legislation's intent, many like Lost Creek resident Rachel Cole believe it's time for their community to be recognized as distinct. "We are our own little community, and I think that's how we should be treated," Cole told FOX 7 Austin in a statement.
The neighborhoods considering disannexation, including Lost Creek, Moreland Addition, Blue Goose Road, Lennar at Malone, Wildhorse/Webb Tract, and River Place Outparcels, have weighed various factors—most notably, the promise of decreased property taxes. Should these areas vote to leave, they will see their city property taxes phased out, once collective neighborhood debt obligations have been settled.
Yet, leaving city limits is not without its trade-offs. According to KVUE, emergency services will undergo a shift, with the Austin-Travis County EMS continuing to cover these areas but with the local emergency service district replacing Austin Fire, and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office stepping in for the Austin Police Department. As explained by Kristen Dark, TCSO's Senior Public Information Officer, "It’s quite likely that it’ll be easier for us to get to some of these locations because they’re closer to the unincorporated areas we already patrol."
Residents, however, remain divided. A certain section of Lost Creek seems all in, citing both reduced taxes and a potential uptick in law enforcement effectiveness. On the other hand, folks like Dave Kemper of Lennar at Malone are betting against disannexation, doubting the value proposition. "I think home values, I think having an address in South Austin is valuable," Kemper told FOX 7 Austin. Others, like a resident of Malone quoted in FOX 7 Austin's report, express skepticism over the benefits, questioning whether services provided by the county could match the city's efficiency.
With today's vote, each neighborhood faces an independent choice—a mix of approvals and rejections is a feasible outcome, but any affirmative vote to disannex would still require city council's finalization. Austin waits on tenterhooks, as a patchwork of ballots promises to redraw the map of influence and identity in its outer reaches.
