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Lago Vista, Manor vote to keep CapMetro services

Agreements with the transpiration provider were on the chopping block and voters decided against cutting ties.

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — CapMetro will continue providing transportation services for Manor and Lago Vista. 

Election results show a majority of voters in both cities decided to keep the service after measures asking voters what they thought were put on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Leaders in the Austin suburbs placed similar propositions on the ballot, letting voters decide whether or not they wished to keep the service or scrap it and use the money for other projects. 

This is the third election where Central Texas voters decided to keep CapMetro services after Leander residents voted in favor of continuing the partnership in May 2022.

For Manor's over 18,000 residents, CapMetro provides one bus route and on-demand pickup services. According to CapMetro, in 2021, the transit agency received just over $2 million in sales tax revenue from the city. 

Getting out of the contract with CapMetro would have cost both Manor and Lago Vista millions of dollars. Specifically, Manor would have to pay nearly $10 million while Lago Vista would be required to pay $6.5 million. 

If voters had decided to part ways with CapMetro, that would mean the payoff would take years to complete with sales tax revenue, and thus delay when the tax could be ended or diverted.  

In a Nov. 9 news release, CapMetro said it understands why measures asking voters whether to keep the service are placed on the ballot, citing challenges related to limited funding. 

The transportation provider added that it's prepared to grow as the region grows by "increasing and providing more services throughout our communities." 

CapMetro released a statement following the election results late Nov. 8: 

"CapMetro looks forward to its continued partnership with both the City of Manor and the City of Lago Vista and appreciates the voters in both cities for recognizing the essential need for public transit in a community. As the agency moves forward with serving both areas, CapMetro will also continue investing in those cities through our Build Central Texas program. In our FY2022 budget, CapMetro committed $10 million dollars to help invest in our small member cities and build more transit-supportive infrastructure, with $1,065,048 committed to Manor and $129,328 committed to Lago Vista. CapMetro is eager to continue serving residents within both cities, as we recognize how vital these partnerships are to connecting customers across the Central Texas region."

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