Dear Neighbors:

I believe the article from the April 22nd Austin-America Statesman, “ROMA to recommend 14 miles of light rail in Central Austin” is very relevant to our neighborhood and our area of town. As you know, we have worked very hard over the last year basically begging the city to get some basic investment in some area roads that are flat out dangerous (e.g. Davis Lane) or simply congested beyond reason (e.g. intersection of Manchaca and Slaughter). We have worked very closely with our local school and other neighborhood associations to reach agreement on how to spend some rather meager funds available from the 2000 bond to address some of these issues. The result is that we only have enough money to get improvements on half a road (Davis) with likely no funds for an extension or improvement of a major north-south thoroughfare (Westgate Blvd.) In effect, we have been shortchanged once again all because the city tells us they don’t have money to fix all our problems.

And then…this.

Suddenly, they have anywhere between $70 million and $400 million for light rail to help downtown Austin and those central city neighborhoods that always seem to get more attention and investment than the rest of us. To be totally clear: this has nothing to do with rail or no rail. This has EVERYTHING to do with equity and fairness. How is it that a brand new development in Central Austin (Mueller) and the folks living in brand new lofts get to enjoy a windfall of major transportation investment? Whereas our neighborhood, which has been here for over 30 years, and has a major elementary school adjacent to what amounts to a dangerous country road, has to fight tooth and nail against downtown boosters and a sympathetic city council to get only minimal improvements and be made to feel like we ought to be grateful. And, remember this little fact: While the supporters of this rail talk about the need to add more residents to downtown Austin (a worthy goal), our zip code (78748) is the FASTEST growing zip code in the city, far outpacing any growth in downtown Austin.

This is flat out wrong and demonstrates very clearly that the powers that be in this community at best do not understand the challenges and problems in our area of town (and I suspect in other outlying areas), or at worst—don’t care. To put it in appropriate context:

We have no money to build direct connect ramps on MoPac to 290 (unless we tolled the bridge over William Cannon), but we apparently have $400 million to help the people who might live in Mueller get to downtown.

We have no money to fully improve Davis Lane making it safe for parents and students to get to Cowan Elementary and our neighbors get to and from the grocery store or work, but we apparently have $400 million to help UT students get to 6th street.

We are told that bus fares must go up and cutbacks are necessary for services for disabled transit users, yet we have $400 million to help drive up the value of certain developments. What this demonstrates to me is that South Austin must organize and fight for our share of investment. Again, this has nothing to do with being against rail or improvements to downtown Austin. I inherently support those notions. But this has everything to do with us being forced to beg for money for desperately needed improvements to keep our area safe and our quality of life up to par. It has everything with us being told by the city that they have no money, and then watching them find resources to support special projects such as this.

I admit I am especially offended by this because I have spent countless hours over the last year with other dedicated volunteers trying to get help for our part of the community. Perhaps many of you don’t find this issue very troubling, and that is fair enough. But if you do, I want to hear from you. I want to know if there are others in this area that are fed up with being left on the sidelines. If I hear from enough people that express this as a concern, than I will be motivated to organize and spend as much time as necessary getting South Austin, and other parts of our community that are regularly neglected and ignored, engaged in this issue.

I appreciate your indulgence on this matter. I am passionate about our neighborhood and our quality of life. And I am tired of the excuses from the city why they can’t do anything for us, while they regularly find ways to help others.

Respectfully,
Dominic - domchavezmi@yahoo.com

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