Anti Prop-1 group makes final plea to voters to just say 'no'

The rain fell at City Hall Monday morning ahead of Election Day. But those adamantly against the mobility bond on the ballot came out anyway to make one last plea to voters to just say "no."

Roger Falk with the Travis County Taxpayers' Union and "Honest Transportation Solutions" says the $720 million bond is not well-defined.

"It's 'pass it and we'll figure out what we're going to do.' We're writing a blank check," Falk said.

The group feels the plan won't actually improve mobility. They say it will increase congestion by doing things like removing lanes and inhibiting left turns.

"It doesn't have anything to do with reducing congestion.  In fact in my district some of the very things they're supporting or suggesting have increased congestion like if you look on Cameron Road and look at the traffic congestion from 51st Street to 290," said District 1 City Council Member Ora Houston.

Both Houston and Don Zimmerman from District 6 were both at the rally on the same side speaking out against the bond.  Houston says a flawed process created a flawed proposal.

"As a property tax owner, I'm not sure what my property taxes are going to be.  I'm pretty sure they're not going to be $5 a month or $56 a year because my house is above that average or mean...whatever they calculate.  And everybody needs to look at what their property taxes looks like," Houston said.

I asked Laura Hernandez with pro Prop-1 group "Move Austin Forward" about the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the estimated tax burden on voters.

"They wanted to be extremely clear with the voters and let them know that we can only spend $720 million of the taxpayer dollars. That's a little less than $5 for the median-priced home in Austin," Hernandez said.

Something else "Honest Transportation Solutions" believes is that the bond is more about development than mobility...Falk says it sets up major business corridors for big condo's -- something that will hurt Austin's character.

Hernandez reiterates -- it's a mobility bond.

"Some of these roads haven't seen improvements in decades and they're sorely needed.  So addressing congestion is our number one priority, it's the council's number one priority and that's what will happen if this bond passes," Hernandez said.