Quote:
Originally Posted by Novacek
Still mostly a tax on Austin residents, which is then mostly spent on non-residents.
I haven't run all the numbers, but I'd still hazard an estimate that 80% of the county taxes come from Austin and the other cities (that's where the property values are higher), and then 80% is then spent outside those cities (county roads, county parks intentionally away from cities, county sheriff, ems).
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This is true. It looks like the most reliable numbers for the Travis County population is from 2014. I'm betting the percentage of non-austin residents has increased in population since 2014 given the large population boom on the cities's east side (290 east of 183 East) and I imagine that will continue to grow. So many neighborhoods have gone up (or are going up) near the airport outside city limits, in Manor and along 183 East as well as North in pflugerville.
Does anyone know what areas are currently marked for Annexation? I know that process takes years.
On a smaller note, 1 of the 3 new 290,130 direct connection ramps will not have a toll. It'll be for people going East on 290 who take the ramp to southbound Texas 130. 130 is heavily used (which is why it's being widened) so that's a big cut but it makes sense.
The other two proposed flyovers — from southbound Texas 130 to westbound U.S. 290 and from northbound Texas 130 to westbound U.S. 290 — would have tolls, and the revenue would go to the mobility authority.
Why Tolls? We hate Tolls! This alone is a 130 million dollar project. The state is still trying to find money to fix I-35 since the increased road bills passed by the texas ledge 2 years ago is divided more on geography than population. Without tolls, you won't get two expressways on the east side (130,183), an Expressway from Austin to Manor, 183 northwest to wherever it goes etc. Beggars can't be choosers. It also means that if you don't use those roads then you don't have to pay for them in taxes.