Why Come This Thursday?

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Linda Curtis

Why come to the ChangeAustin.org general meeting THIS Thursday?
*  You want to protect our dollars and our water – on WTP4.
*  You want to be informed about the Formula 1 track.
*  You want to see what solutions there are to giveaways to Austin’s wealthiest.
*  You want answers to your questions on unfair property appraisals.
*  You are happy to be self-organizing with other citizens.

or :) ,  you just want to meet Woodrow, the formerly homeless dog for Governor’s campaign manager (see more below).

Come to our State Your Beef & Take Action meeting THIS Thursday y’all!

ChangeAustin.org General Meeting
Thursday, July 15, 6:30-8:30 pm
Carver Library (1161 Angelina)

Just for fun watch this video of  Kinky Friedman endorsing Woodrow, the formerly homeless dog, for Governor.  Lorri Michel, Woodrow’s “campaign” manager, is raising funds for Austin Pets Alive.  Lorri, our appraisal attorney volunteer, will start the meeting answering your property tax questions.

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A Little Victory for Austin Taxpayers

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Linda Curtis

Sweet! The Austin Community College Board of Trustees decided on Monday to opt-out of the City of Austin’s shameful historic property tax giveaway program to some of Austin’s wealthiest.  (You might watch this video by respected preservationist Rick Harden, who blew the whistle on this a few weeks ago.)

We have a lot more work to do together to level the playing field for ordinary residents.

Come to our State Your Beef & Take Action meeting next Thursday y’all!

ChangeAustin.org General Meeting
Thursday, July 15, 6:30-8:30 pm
Carver Library (1161 Angelina)

Agenda
*  Property taxpayer protest update:  bring your questions & your horror stories!
*  Update on historic property program
*  Update on Water Treatment Plant #4
*  Ideas for Budget Sanity for upcoming City budget deliberations

Note:  that our volunteer appraisal attorney, Lorri Michel, will start the meeting with followup Q & A session for you beleaguered homeowners seeking a little tax justice!

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City Budget Charades

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Linda Curtis

We recently attended the city’s only budget charade, uh we mean charrette. City staff must have outnumbered the audience 3 to 1. Just 2% of the budget was up for discussion to close the City’s $11 to $28 million shortfall.

ChangeAustin.org came up with an easy $14 million by having developers pay fees to process their development plans, like they do in other cities. But that item wasn’t in the 2% up for dialogue.

Watch this short video.

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
Make sure you mark your calendar for our upcoming volunteer meeting on Thursday, July 15th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Carver Library. (We’ll do a followup on property tax protests there too.)

There’s more to tell you about historic property tax giveaways to some of Austin’s wealthiest, the new coalition working for police accountability and open government, congrats to TAG and, taking the cake this month is the City’s decision to spend $44 million more wasted taxpayer dollars to build th $1.3 billion Water Treatment Plant #4.  Never mind the wasted water, right?

Growth must pay for itself y’all, before they run us all outta town!

Check out the rest of our first newsletter and watch our new videos here. Pass it on.

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Austin Preservationist, Rick Harden, reluctantly blows whistle

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Linda Curtis

Austin Preservationist, Rick Harden, reluctantly blows whistle on historic property program.

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Lorri Michel puts Austin City Council on notice about unfair property tax breaks for mansions.

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Linda Curtis

This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck. Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video.

Lorri Michel, Austin appraisal attorney, speaks out for Austin’s middle and low income homeowners urging a halt on bogus historic property tax giveaways to Austin’s wealthiest.

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Brian Rodgers testifies at City Council on historic property giveaways to Austin’s wealthiest

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Linda Curtis

This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck. Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video.Brian Rodgers whistle blows on Austin’s historic property giveaways to Austin’s wealthiest.

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Activist Austin Attorney Ann del Llano tells City Council about Austin’s police history

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Linda Curtis

This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck. Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video.<br/>
Activist Austin Attorney, Ann del Llano, gives a tough love history lesson on Austin’s police.

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Volunteer & Protester’s Meeting!

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Linda Curtis

at the Carver Library, 1161 Angelina. We will do the first 40 minutes on a property tax protest Q&A with appraisal attorney Lorri Michel, then have a discussion about the cost of growth with Brian Rodgers and strategize on activities with you to — we hope — volunteer some time.  Y’all come!  Call Linda at 535-0989 or email her at Contact@ChangeAustin.org for more info or just show up.

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Protests Due Tuesday, June 1!!

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Linda Curtis

Reminder!

If you feel your home has been over-valued by your county Appraisal District, make sure you get your protest forms in the mail, preferably today or tomorrow by certified mail return receipt requested.  If not, walk it in on Tuesday, and get a stamped copy.  If not, mail it registered on Tuesday.  If not, just mail it on Tuesday and take your chances!

You can include with that the “Request for Information” form here for Travis County (for Bastrop scroll to the bottom of this message), which will help you in preparation for your informal and formal hearings.

Then, please consider reviewing our slides shows on the left hand menu of our front page at ChangeAustin.org.

We now have two mock hearings scheduled below:  (Note:  if you want to do your own, we will help you!)

Property Tax Appraisal Protest Mock Hearing
Bastrop – location to be announced
Thursday, June 3rd, 6:30 pm
.

Property Tax Appraisal Protest Mock Hearing
Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, Austin
Thursday, June 17th, 6:30 pm

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CAMPO’s No-Growth Agenda

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Linda Curtis

The future of Austin – 40% roadway congestion after spending $27 billion.

KXAN coverage

Monday night, in a stunning acceptance of a wholesale drop in Austin’s quality of life and economic vitality, the CAMPO transportation board, comprised of local elected officials, voted 17-2 to prolong a pretend transportation solution which strangles the region’s mobility.

CAMPO accomplished its perverted NO GROWTH plan in the same grotesque way a tumor kills its host – by choking off the organs and causing them to fail. Planning to fail.  Planning for a future that is worse than today and striving to get there.  Driving the region into a brick wall of congestion.

This multi-modal wet dream of homebuilders, road builders, land speculators and meddlers has no reliable funding.  The citizens in the region have no clue what their elected leaders settled for and what’s in store for them.

For comic relief, we give you this ridiculously funny plan by TxDOT to sue 150,000 individuals for non-payment of tolls. Thanks to attorney Bill Gammon who has been fighting the idiot tollers for years now, you will enjoy this:  3 minute KXAN report.

And, here’s what ChangeAustin’s Brian Rodgers told the board:

“People are no longer angry, they’re scared because their property taxes are climbing beyond their capacity to pay them, cutting into the bone of their daily finances.  We cannot ask them to carry the burden of building more roads without shared sacrifice…”  Read the rest below.

ANNOUNCEMENT!

Property Tax Appraisal Protest Mock Hearing
 Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, Austin
Thursday, June 17th, 6:30 pm
.

Continue reading →

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