A question for Lago Vista City Council.

Public transportation itself is not a waste of money. Some of our residents depend on it, and their needs matter. The real question is whether Lago Vista is receiving reasonable value for the one percent sales tax collected here for CapMetro. In 2022, Lago Vista voters chose to remain with CapMetro. I believe City Council has a responsibility to respect that decision while holding CapMetro accountable for the services and investments our community receives. My first step would be to require a clear, public annual accounting of how much Lago Vista contributes, how many residents use the services, what transportation options are provided, and how much investment actually returns to our community. Armed with those facts, Council should negotiate aggressively for improved service, greater local investment, and measurable performance standards. We should be able to demonstrate what residents are receiving for their money. I would not support another withdrawal election without first establishing the full financial consequences. Residents deserve to know how much Lago Vista would still owe CapMetro, how long the sales tax would continue to be collected, and when those funds could actually become available for other City priorities. If good faith negotiations fail to produce reasonable value, I would support presenting voters with the lawful alternatives, their costs, and their consequences. My approach is simple. I will respect the voters, expect accountability, work for better value, and make decisions based on facts rather than frustration.

Written by the candidate

This is one where I wish there were an easy Council answer. There isn't. Lago Vista voters have previously had the opportunity to leave CapMetro and chose to stay. Today, the financial obligation associated with withdrawing is substantially different, and under the current structure it is not something I believe Lago Vista can simply write a check for and walk away. So part of the answer has to happen at the State Legislature. Our Mayor has done a tremendous amount of work on this issue, and I joined that effort at the Capitol. In 2025, legislation was introduced that would have changed the withdrawal rules for small communities like ours, including reducing the waiting period between withdrawal elections from five years to two and changing how the financial obligation would be calculated. It did not make it through the Legislature. That means we keep working. We continue advocating for a reasonable exit calculation and the ability for communities like Lago Vista to revisit the question more frequently. We continue working with our state legislators. And just as importantly, we make sure our residents understand what that 1% sales tax means, what we are paying, what services we receive in return, what it would cost to leave under current law, and what options are actually available. Ultimately, if Lago Vista gets a financially reasonable path to reconsider its relationship with CapMetro, that decision belongs to the voters. I also don't want our strategy to depend entirely on having one particularly savvy political navigator on Council. Mayor Saum has been a strong advocate for Lago Vista on this issue, but Mayors and Council members change. We need to document the history, maintain the relationships we've built at the Legislature, educate the community and make continued advocacy part of the City's institutional knowledge. This is one of those issues where “we're in this together” really does apply. Council can advocate. Our Mayor can advocate. Residents can contact our state legislators and make their voices heard. And if the Legislature eventually gives Lago Vista a workable choice, our voters can decide what comes next.

Written by the candidate