ChangeAustin.org grew out of the 2008 narrowly defeated Prop 2 (to end the City of Austin’s $65 million, 20 year subsidy of the Domain luxury shopping mall). Since then, we have done extensive research on the cost of growth and the growing practice of well-heeled special interests (we call them the Growth Lobby) offloading the costs of development (new schools, new fire stations, new roads and more) onto the backs of residents who cannot keep making up the difference for poor public policy decisions. This unequal state of affairs is forcing a showdown between moderate and low-income residents and the powerful growth industry. Our mobility, our water and air, and central Texas’ relative affordability will be gone. If it is not resolved fairly, no one wins.
You can’t stop growth. But growth should pay for itself, which it surely can.
After you go through the Cost of Growth Presentation Slide Show subpage, make sure to go to the subpage about Water Treatment Plant #4. It is an obscene water and taxpayer dollar waste supported by the 4 to 3 majority on the Austin City Council (Leffingwell, Martinez, Cole and the “swing vote” Shade).
There is additional data and information at CostofGrowth.com.
