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SAWS CEO Robert Puente is WAY Overpaid! James Murphy, leading water attorney and LIV Advisor (pictured here) told you this when Puente’s lavish pay and bonus hit the news on July 2. The good news is that it’s finally in print other than on this blog. According to the Rivard Report, Robert Puente is, by far, the highest paid public water utility CEO in the USA at $496,520 annual salary. Counting his $100,000 yearly bonuses, he is paid nearly three times more than any of the public water utility CEOs in the Texas Triangle. We have confirmed that Houston, Dallas and Austin do not offer bonuses. This graph, published in the Rivard Report on August 4, says it all. Robert Puente’s pay is a big outlier on this graph, prepared by the Rivard Report We told you in our last newsletter article entitled, “ T he Nirenberg One Finger Salute ” Puente’s 5% raise and $100K bonus was passed unanimously on July 2 by the SAWS Board of Trustees. But, we question if two of five of those voting members should not have been allowed to vote. SAWS Chair Berto Guerra’s term ended in May 2018, rendering him term-limited and ineligible for re-appointment. SAWS Trustee Patricia Merritt’s first term also ended in May 2018 with no reappointment as of July 2 of this year. The City is also paying two consultant firms $193,000 to evaluate the CEO’s performance, but leaving ratepayers in the dark about what they are paying for. The same day (August 4) the Rivard Report printed their damning article , Mayor Ron Nirenberg was also in the Rivard calling for an end to bonuses. Mind you, this was after lauding Puente and the raise and bonus in a letter to the SAWS Board on July 2. On August 9, the plot thickened. In an Express News piece entitled, “ San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg calls for an end to bonuses for utility chiefs ,” were these quotes from Nirenberg and Puente: Nirenberg is quoted stating, “Pay incentives for high executive performance should be ‘baked into’ utility executives’ contracts.” Then, Puente is quoted, “If I’m ending up whole, why would I complain about that?” James Murphy, Esq., one of the state’s top water lawyers, said: “We are fortunate that Governor Abbott vetoed HB 1806. It would have allowed SAWS to hide the true cost of Vista Ridge by selling less costly Edwards Aquifer water to Kendall County and requiring SAWS ratepayers to replace it with Vista Ridge water, which is far more expensive — like 5 to 6 times more than wholesale Edwards water.  Puente’s ridiculous compensation package is clearly abusive. But this has Vista Ridge written all over it. The Mayor and Council must now pass the Vista Ridge Resolution and enforce strict oversight of this PUBLIC utility, including its executive management.” See more, “ Governor Turns The Hose (Vista Ridge) on SAWS, Vetoes HB 1806. ” Ellen Berky , LIV-SA Interim Board Member circulated the Governor’s June 15 veto proclamation of key SAWS legislation — House Bill 1806 on Friday, August 9, at the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce “State of Water” forum where Mr. Puente was speaking. Berky said, “Only in San Antonio do we reward public utility executives with raises and bonuses right after the utility’s pet legislation is vetoed by the Governor.” Meanwhile, SAWS is in overdrive for the April 2020 plan to start pumping the most expensive water in Texas uphill to Northern Bexar County via a 142-mile long pipeline – Vista Ridge. Are you paying attention yet? Live in San Antonio? Here’s what you can do:  Ask your council member to pass the Vista Ridge Resolution for a full audit of Vista Ridge and to rein in SAWS. ( Find your Council member and Mayor here .) Or call 210.207.7040.  Urge the Mayor to cut Puente’s pay down to size, in line with other water CEO’s in Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Ft. Worth. Actually, feel free to suggest that Puente be shown the door.  Ask your Council member to explain to the public why Puente is being paid so much and based on what metrics in his evaluation – make all this PUBLIC!  A coalition in San Antonio are holding regular meetings. Go to our contact page, call our main number at 512.213.4511 or call LIV-SA’s Ellen Berky at 210.737.8421. Live anywhere in Texas? Do this!  Call the Governor’s hotline at 512.463.2000. Leave a message asking him to use his power to push for a full review of Vista Ridge and to NOT “California my water”. That is, no mass conveyance of groundwater for new real estate development in areas without local supply.  Call your state legislators (House and Senate) and urge action to protect our water and our future. Find your legislators here .  Contact us here at LIV as we make plans to be coming to your area soon!  Go to our contact section All of y’all! Join LIV or donate some time or money. Independents are the problem solvers. This is a big problem for everyone in Texas. #BertoGuerra #RobertPuente #SAWS #VistaRidge

It was a treat to be at the West San Antonio Chamber Responsible Growth Forum to hear four San Antonio City Council members, two of them brand new, speak to an important segment of the business community – the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce — on Wednesday, July 17. Ellen Berky, LIV’s San Antonio Board Member, and Linda Curtis who serves as LIV’s state coordinator (a Bastrop resident) attended together. (Note: LIV is an all-volunteer non-profit, 501c4 organization.) This forum entitled “Responsible Growth” was moderated jointly by the Executive Director of the West Chamber, Kristina Villanueva, and State Representative and former Councilman, Ray Lopez. Selected questions from the chamber membership were presented to the four panel members. We were impressed with the responses of Melissa Havdra (District 6) and Adriana Garcia (District 4). Both of them are highly intelligent and were genuine in their answers to question. We have already seen Councilmember Perry (District 10) in action and always appreciate his candor. Councilmember Pelaez (District 8) used his substantial speaking skills to maneuver himself out of a hotseat regarding his vote on the paid sick leave ordinance, and took a potshot at the Texas think tank which has been proposing that San Antonio privatize CPS Energy. This was our take on the meaning of his quite long answer. He (and “everyone”) thought the Legislature would pass legislation to stop municipalities passing paid sick law ordinances. In other words — again, our interpretation — this was really for show by some city officials. In addition to the sick leave issue, which came to the forefront just as the morning paper reported legal action seeking to invalidate the City’s ordinance, the panel applied their critical faculties to economic development and urban transportation. Councilman Perry went on record opposing increases in car registration fees for what he characterized as the most ‘economically segregated metro area in the United States’ and said the cost for ConnectSA is ‘almost insurmountable’. Councilwoman Garcia focused on how to get young people back to San Antonio after they have been educated elsewhere and said that the city needs to “stop pretending” that we have a great economic development track record, and “get better”. What was quite noticeable to us is that no question was asked about the actual topic of the forum – Responsible Growth. A question we were hoping for was, this: Is the waiver of $87 million (over 10 years) in developer impact fees related to the Vista Ridge Water Supply Project ‘responsible’ in terms of the city’s utilization of one of the few tools they have to, though modestly, make growth pay for itself ? Note that Councilman Perry, the most “pro-business” member currently on the Council (along with progressive Councilmen John Courage and populist, Greg Brockhouse) voted against the waiver. Pelaez voted for the impact fee waivers which passed in May of this year. Garcia and Havdra were not yet on Council. The last question – about the Climate Action Plan – was extremely important. You may know that Mayor Nirenberg is now referring to the “climate emergency” and calling for serious action. The response from Council members at this forum – Havdra, Perry and Garcia (Pelaez was unable to respond to the climate question due to time constraints) – was pretty clear. They, understandably, want to see the real numbers for the costs involved in the climate action plan. Our contention here at LIV Our question on climate action would have been about what can be done now to stop the city’s continued quest to build out the metroplex – a major driver of manmade heat generation. We borrow again here from Fernando Centeno and his article entitled, “The basis of many of our climate woes – the city’s metroplex vision,” printed in the Express News on March 9, 2019 : The most glaring missing piece from the city of San Antonio’s proposed Climate Action and Adaptation Plan directly impacts the three pillars that define sustainability: economic, environmental and social factors. Namely, there is no discussion or consideration of replacing the city’s long-standing “urban planning” model, which defines success in business terms rather than in socioeconomic terms. This issue is ramping up and we – the independents – intend to be part of the conversation. Any serious climate action plan must start with what can be done now to stop the city from doing more harm to itself. Vista Ridge is a danger to not one, but two aquifers. Make sure you join LIV and hold onto your hats for the very bumpy ride, y’all. PS If you think we need a voter association (not a party) for independent voters (that’s LIV), don’t forget to pay your LIV dues to keep this all-volunteer outfit working for you. #MelissaHavdra #LindaCurtis #EllenBerky #impactfees #climateactionplan #WestSanAntonioChamberofCommerce #AdrianaGarcia #MannyPalaez #VistaRidge #RonNirenberg #RayLopez #ClaytonPerry #KristinaVillanueva

The Nirenberg One Finger Salute is to the Governor of Texas and to San Antonio voters of all persuasions who voted overwhelmingly  (over 217,000 voters at nearly 57%) last November for Prop B — to limit city manager pay and terms. This is true, despite how you feel about the Mayor (an independent, mind you), Republican Governor Abbott, or any party. LIV On the heels of the Governor’s veto of SAWS legislation House Bill 1806 (a SAWS water-grab switcheroo of SA’s Edwards water for Vista Ridge water) what did “Mayor Ron” do? He gave the green light for a 5% raise and $100,000 bonus to SAWS CEO, Robert Puente. Puente is now making $496,520 base pay, nearly $25,000 more than recently forced into retirement City Manager Sheryl Sculley. Alfred E. Puente doesn’t worry about SAWS ratepayers. Alfred E. Puente doesn’t worry about SAWS ratepayers. The same might be said for the Express-News. Their July 16th editorial claims that Puente “performed well” and that his “compensation was in line and comparatively low compared with other utility executives.” If you were a SAWS ratepayer, wouldn’t you like to know how Puente’s pay compares to private and public sector water utility CEO’s? LIV Advisor, James Murphy, Esq. LIV Advisory Board member, James Murphy, one of the top water attorneys in Texas with decades of experience in the public sector, said, “I already know Puente’s pay is way out of line for a public water utility. But, here’s what I found with a simple google search today. Austin Water Utility Director, Greg Mezaros, who has been at the helm at AWU one year longer than Puente’s stint at SAWS, gets paid $200,200 a year, according to the Texas Tribune.” Yes, San Antonio, we have a problem. Union President, Chris Steele, led the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association to place Props A, B and C on the November 2018 ballot via petition. Short-term political memory is a big problem these days. San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley was famously forced out after San Antonio voters handily passed Prop B last November. Remember, under Prop B the City Manager is to be paid no more than 10 times the lowest paid fulltime worker for the city and limited to serving 8 years. ( See Props A, B and C here .) Are lavish salaries for top executive management of public utilities proper in a city designated the most economically segregated cities in America ? That’s a question that only San Antonio ratepayers and Council members can answer. Apparently, the passage of Prop B hasn’t sent a strong enough message — yet. But, if you believe like we independent organizers do that history is determined more by what comes next, read the rest of this article and get ready for some action. Like Mohammad Ali Wanted Joe Frazier, LIV Wants Puente and Guerra! Puente has become legend among those who follow SAWS record for “massaging” the truth. This piece in 2014 by Politifact tries to be nice about busting the CEO for manipulation of data making false claims about its water conservation program. A few months later, the CEO reversed course on his decision to reject Vista Ridge and went full bore on ramming through Council the Vista Ridge debacle. (Watch the 17- video on our home page “I Oppose the San Antone Hose.”) Berto Guerra, SAWS Board of Trustees Chairman The ever warm and fuzzy, Berto Guerra, swings the axe for an unaccountable SAWS What do we have against the ever warm and fuzzy, Berto Guerra? While pushing unnecessary rate increases for a massive unnecessary water project – Vista Ridge is slated to begin pumping in April 2020 – it seems obvious that Guerra is, let’s say, a bit ethically challenged. To those of us who follow the “SAWS Buzz SAW”, Guerra went to a new low when he donated $35,000 to the Vote No on Props A, B and C campaign last November without blinking an eye. Stan Mitchell and Ellen Berky give Guerra a professional spanking at April 4, 2019 SAWS meeting. Watch Stan Mitchell and LIV’s Ellen Berky get after Guerra and “pay to play” at this SAWS Trustee April meeting — and Guerra’s response. Here’s the real kicker on Guerra. The dude and another SAWS Trustee, Patricia Merritt, were term limited in March 2018 . However, there they both still sit on the SAWS Board, like beached whales, but to provide critical votes on decisions like this appalling Puente pay rip-off. Those leading the charge for the raise and bonus (SAWS Trustees McGee, Merritt and Guerra) didn’t bother to justify their overflowing praise for Puente with even just a tad of data for which the city is paying two firms $193,000. Please see this helpful July 3rd article by Rivard Report writer Brendan Gibbons, who apparently was able to get SAWS to send him data, but this data is not in print here either. We have asked a few Council members to make this information public. Of course, not a word was said about the Governor’s veto of HB 1806 — a big goose egg on Puente’s face and his poor leadership of the SAWS Lobby Team. To be fair, the real problem for San Antonio is really Mayor 51%, Ron Nirenberg, who is like an injured animal that might attack someone trying to help him. The Vista Ridge Resolution, calling for an independent audit of “The Hose” and for accountability at SAWS, is something Nirenberg should embrace, especially in light of his very recent statement about “climate emergency”. (Be sure to read our report about the West San Antonio Chamber breakfast for more on this point.) Ron Nirenberg and Austin Mayor Steve Adler joined forces. Does Nirenberg owe too much to those who saved him from insurgent Greg Brockhouse? Days before the runoff between Nirenberg and Brockhouse, Austin Mayor Steve Adler — a leader in the quest to build out central Texas at any cost — sent a “private letter” (on the Mayor’s letterhead, mind you) to the public asking for donations for Nirenberg’s tight mayoral runoff with Greg Brockhouse. Shortly thereafter, Nirenberg, and four other Council members took all of 30-minutes to cast a vote waiving $87 million in water supply impact fees to developers. It was not even mentioned by the Express-News. Thankfully, Council Members Courage, Perry and Brockhouse voted against this SAWS travesty. Again, to Rivard’s credit, they did this piece on the water impact fee giveaway entitled, “ City Council Spares Developers Maximum Impact Fee for Vista Ridge .” Message to Mayor Ron Nirenberg: You might advise those lobbying you that your unwillingness – so far — to do the right thing by supporting the Vista Ridge Resolution — could, in fact, backfire by upping the ante. Here’s how: Harvard trained community planner, Fernando Centeno, calls himself a “practitioner”. Fernando Centeno, a community planning practitioner (and Harvard graduate), who’s been in the trenches of San Antonio policy for 40 years, shared this insight recently with us: “I call Vista Ridge a ‘son of Sam.’ If I could end it, I would. But it’s SAM we should want to re-write. SAM, aka the SA2020 plan, is the city’s ‘vision’, the vehicle for San Antonio’s so-called economic development agenda for decades. It’s all about business development. Public leaders are obsessed with building a metroplex here by subsidizing an aggressive built environment on a scale in which housing supply could never keep up with demand. This is how San Antonio earned the dubious distinction of being the most economically segregated city in the U.S.” The hopeful news is that City Council members not only have the power to pass the Vista Ridge Resolution – for the audit and SAWS clean up. They can also rewrite SAM (SA2020) to address, in Centeno’s words, “socioeconomic needs rather than to widen the divide by defining success in strict and narrow terms of business.” If you want to read the SA2020 plan, please visit the website linked below. But be aware that despite that thousands of San Antonio residents weighed-in on developing the vision, it’s all about the built environment metroplex. In SA2020, according to Centeno, “San Antonio is left behind.” SA2020 Website We Texans — private citizens, public officials and business  – urban, suburban and rural — are all in this together, but not if you let those feeding at the trough forget who pays the bills. ♦ What you can do ♦ If you’re a SAWS ratepayer, contact the Mayor and Council, preferably by phone — if not, email them. Ask them to: => Pass the Vista Ridge Resolution for a full audit of Vista Ridge and for accountability at SAWS. => Complain to them about Puente’s pay. => Ask them to replace term limited Guerra and Merritt with some independent doers and thinkers through a transparent selection process. => Then, ask them to help you understand the SA2020 plan and its impact on your affordability. ♦ If you’re a Texan, contact Governor Greg Abbott. Ask him to step up to help push for a full audit of Vista Ridge and SAWS accountability. Call the Governor at 512-463-2000 or reach him online here . The Council works for you, if you live in San Antonio. Some of those Council members already know this and will respond to your requests. Learn who they are and get your friends and family ready and registered to vote. Here is the Mayor and Council Members contact information: https://www.sanantonio.gov/Council ♦ We hope to see you at a coalition meeting about the Vista Ridge Resolution on July 23 at 7 pm held at the Amalgamated Transit Workers Hall at 1901 N. Flores. Details here and please do share! ♦ We are happy to have anyone challenge or correct any statements we have made in this article, including city and SAWS officials. You can also call LIV’s San Antonio Board Member, Ellen Berky at 210-737-8421 or email us at info@independentleaguetx.org . #BertoGuerra #SherylSculley #RivardReport #SanAntonioExpressNews #RobertPuente #SAWS #metroplex #GregBrockhouse #VistaRidge #ChrisSteele #SA2020 #RonNirenberg #FernandoCenteno #executivepay

Every year we do all we can to make it to the best conference for anyone who cares about food in Texas. That’s the annual Food and Farm Leadership Conference put on by Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance event. It’s always WELL DONE, no pun intended. Early bird conference fees end on Friday, July 19th. Look for LIV’s table there and join us to invite others to join the independent movement. Lots more here! and here!

Let the Games Begin When it came to ballot access for independent and minor party candidates, the 86th Texas Legislature’s hypocrisy, ignorance, and gamesmanship were clearly on display. This is not surprising. Our elections statutes that apply to anyone who is not a Democrat or Republican is of little concern to those who represent us – except when they impact their chances of gaining or retaining power. Our esteemed legislators were clearly looking over their shoulders at the 2018 election results in anticipation of 2020. A bill that would have repaired Texas’ outdated, and likely unconstitutional, statutes for independent and minor party candidates, HB 4439 , never got a hearing in the House Elections Committee. But two other bills that would have made things worse, HB 2504  and  HB 4416 , cleared the Elections Committee and were considered by the full House. An amended HB 2504 became law. Debates on the House floor were, let’s just say, “enlightening”. HB 4416 , authored by Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville), was first up. This bill would have raised the threshold for parties to remain on the Texas ballot from the current 5% of the vote in any statewide race to 10%. The bill was obviously targeted at the Libertarian Party, as this is the only minor party that currently enjoys ballot access in Texas. Rep. Middleton, reportedly wishing to prove his conservative bona fides , was perhaps looking to future elections when the Democrats, given their 2018 showing, might likely fill out the statewide ballot. Raising the threshold from 5% to 10% would probably cause the Libertarian Party to lose ballot access for the 2022 gubernatorial elections, thus improving Republican party chances. Had HB 4416 passed, the Libertarian Party would still be on the 2020 ballot – their 2018 candidate for the Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8 received over 25% of the statewide vote (the sole statewide race without a Democrat running). Grapevine chatter suggested that the Democrats planned to embarrass the Republicans with this bill by claiming that Republicans were anti “voting rights”. Questions from the floor by Democrats reflected this position. Then, out of the blue, Rep. Middleton asked for a postponement until later in the evening. Postponements are typically routinely and unanimously granted. In this case, however, a Democratic legislator demanded a recorded vote. Postponement was granted by a vote of 78 Yea (77R, 1D) to 69 Nay (5R, 64D). Republicans must have needed to talk. Then when the bill came up again later that night, Rep. Middleton asked that it be postponed until March 2, 2020 – the day before the 2020 primary elections, when the legislature is not even in session! This action effectively killed the bill by a face-saving move. Next up was Rep. Drew Springer’s (R-Muenster) HB 2504 , a bill that would require minor party candidates to pay the same filing fees that previously only applied to parties who participate in primary elections. Filing fees were originally introduced to offset the cost of State-funded primaries . Minor parties, unless they are able to achieve 2% of the vote for Governor, select their candidates by convention and therefore place no burden on Texas taxpayers. As might be expected, HB 2504 was opposed by the Libertarian Party since it would have placed an additional financial burden on its candidates and served only to enrich the State’s coffers. Then a miracle happened. When HB 2504 came up for a vote on second reading, Rep. Springer succeeded in adding an amendment that would reduce the ballot retention threshold from 5% to 2% in any of the previous five general elections. During debate on the third reading of the bill the next day, Democrats assailed it on the grounds that the amendment was slipped in at the last minute and left insufficient time to consider this change. Apparently for Democrats, 5% was the baby-bear ballot retention threshold – 10% too hot, 2% too cold. HB 4416 , which the Democrats opposed as being too restrictive, would have eliminated the Libertarian Party from the ballot. HB 2504 as amended, which the Democrats opposed as too lenient, granted Green Party renewed ballot access. It was pretty clear that the legislative debate about “voting rights” boiled down to which major party wanted which minor party on the ballot. The final vote (as amended) was 77 Yea (76R, 1D) to 57 Nay (57D). HB 2504 passed the Senate and was signed by the Governor – a mixed blessing for Texas’ minor parties. The Green Party now has ballot access through at least 2026, Libertarians through 2028. Other parties who manage to gain ballot access (another story for another time) will now have an easier time retaining access – at least until the Texas legislature changes its mind. But there’s a price to pay. Minor party candidates will now have to pay filing fees (or petition in lieu of fees), even though they do not participate in the State’s primary elections. Fortunately, three other bills that would have been detrimental to non-duopoly candidates failed to even get committee hearings. But who knows what 2021 will bring? HB 740 (Reynolds) and SB 359 (Miles) Would have re-introduced straight-party voting (due to expire in 2020) HB 1204 (Anchia) Would have changed Texas to a top-two primary system, effectively eliminating most minor party and independent candidates from the general election ballot HB 4521 (Swanson) Would have required filing fees for independent candidates #GreenParty #LibertarianParty #DrewSpringer #MarkMiller #MaysMiddleton

Governor turns The Hose (Vista Ridge) on SAWS — Vetoes HB 1806! Vista Ridge is part of the real estate lobby’s plans to ensure growth will never approach paying for itself. Governor Greg Abbott gave Texans a wonderful gift Saturday when he vetoed House Bill 1806 and turned The Hose (Vista Ridge) on SAWS, San Antonio’s public water utility. Read the Governor’s official statement here . The Governor’s veto sent a clear message to SAWS’ publicly-funded lobby team that they need to give their shenanigans with other people’s water and wallets a rest. Abbott is no fool. The Governor locked and loaded his veto pen on the next to last possible day having heard an earful from affected parties. Affected parties included elected local and state officials, nonprofit organizations, landowners, ratepayers from San Antonio to Burleson County and even the groundwater district on the receiving end of this new SAWS water grab. They reached the Governor with a loud and clear message – kill HB 1806 to protect our water and wallets. SAWS’ temerity in pushing for House Bill 1806 and the right to sell its Edwards Aquifer water to counties and real estate development outside the purview of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), to “make room” for Vista Ridge water the City of San Antonio will not “need” for decades if ever, is hard to believe, even for SAWS. Neither other permit holders in the federally-protected Edwards Aquifer nor the Edwards Aquifer Authority itself would have had any say in water distribution from the aquifer. The vetoed bill would have involved providing water to a real estate development the Legislature authorized to go forward without requiring the developer to have a water supply. The “pay to play” boys and girls in the San Antonio real estate lobby, along with Austin Mayor Steve Adler and most officials in the IH-35 growth corridor, are obsessed with growth and building out the metroplex between Austin and San Antonio. Their big plans require the taking of other people’s groundwater and their own ratepayers’ wallets, to satisfy a demand that has yet to materialize. As a San Antonio based national and international leader in real economic development – Fernando Centeno – puts it in his March 10, 2019 opinion piece, “ City’s Metroplex Obsession is the Cloud in Climate Plan ” in the San Antonio Express News: “Untold tens of millions in public subsidies over many years has assured this manufactured urbanization scheme, which has included an aggressive annexation plan. Instead of promoting and sustaining a natural rate of urbanization — in which the supply side keeps up with the demand side of the equation — we have public officials intervening in the marketplace to artificially build out and away from the city core. But, hey, four days before the San Antonio city election’s heated mayoral runoff started on May 22, SAWS also did the bidding for local developers who originally insisted SAWS pursue The Hose, but no longer wanted to help pay for it. Their demand to be exonerated from paying their fair share of water impact fees for The Hose’s new supply — a “mere” $87 million — was honored by SAWS right under their ratepayers’ noses by the dutiful majority City Council. Only Council members Courage, Perry and Brockhouse dared vote against the developer hustlers. Note to SAWS ratepayers: You still face the stiff rate hikes the massively expensive project requires, but the local paper didn’t even report on the giveaway to developers! We wish to thank all who got involved in calling SAWS on HB 1806. Besides Gov. Greg Abbott, we must thank Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, State Rep. John Cyrier, Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape, Lee County Judge Paul Fischer, Giddings Mayor John Dowell, President of the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, Milan J. Michalec and hundreds of people across the region who called or wrote the Governor. (If we left out any other officials, we apologize and please let us know.) Some great organizations and activists also did some important lifting on this veto – Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Joshua Initiative, Hill Country Alliance, Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, Save Our Springs Alliance, San Antonio Making Bureaucracies Accountable (SAMBA), the Alamo Sierra Club and leading Republican, Democratic, Green, Libertarian and independent activists. LIV will soon be moving on the Vista Ridge Resolution in San Antonio, with a larger coalition calling for a full and independent audit of Vista Ridge and a new ordinance clarifying SAWS’ role. The City Council is supposed to make policy that SAWS carries out, not the other way around.  What can you do? » First, donate to LIV , a non-profit, non-partisan organization. » Or, better yet become a  dues paying member . This is what we need to sustain our all-volunteer organization. We need funds to build our networks and to do more effective work. »Go to our San Antonio page for details and sign the petition if you are served by SAWS. » Beyond that, we always have something for you to do. So step up and volunteer ! #PaulFischer #SanAntonioExpressNews #GregAbbott #SAWS #VistaRidge #PaulPape #EdwardsAquifer #FernandoCenteno #JohnCyrier

Ron Nirenberg and Steve Adler have joined forces for unfettered growth — at your expense. Before we tell you the story of why we think San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Austin Mayor Steve Adler have joined forces, we have some urgently important business to attend to. That would be convincing the Governor to VETO HB 1806 to put a public water utility on notice that he will not tolerate reckless water policy involving billions in public dollars and our most precious resource…groundwater. Call Governor Abbott’s hotline NOW, during business hours — 512-463-2000. Urge him to veto HB 1806 to protect your water and your wallet. If you cannot call — our preference — email the Governor here . MORE…. “HB 1806 will set a bad precedent for unregulated transfers of groundwater which threaten Texas aquifers, and the millions of central Texans who rely on them,” Bastrop County Judge, Paul Pape, in this Austin American-Statesman article here . HB 1806 will allow SAWS to move Edwards Aquifer water outside of its current prescribed zone at the very same time SAWS is moving forward with the $3.4B Vista Ridge , 142-mile “public-private partnership” water pipeline to north of Bastrop in Burleson County. Vista Ridge (aka “The San Anone Hose”) is slated to begin in 2020. It is the most expensive groundwater in Texas, unnecessary and poses a serious risk to the Simsboro formation of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer. The Simsboro does not recharge in terms of human lifetime, unlike the fast-recharging Edwards. The Governor has until June 17th to veto HB 1806, sign it or let it become law without his signature. The Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, on the receiving end of this new SAWS water and wallet grab, has joined the call to urge a veto of HB 1806! See Cow Creek’s letter to the Governor here . Also, since our last communication, we learned that the Hill Country Alliance ( see HCA’s letter here) , the San Antonio-based Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance , and Alamo Sierra Club are supporting a VETO of HB 1806. What Happened in San Antonio! We will have much more to tell you about how San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg was reelected with only 51%. Suffice to say for now that the central Texas “growth at all costs machine” is getting ready to “assist” Nirenberg to do what Austin already did — drive affordability off a cliff. The insurgency of Mayoral challenger, Councilman Greg Brockhouse , fell short by only about 2,775 votes. You may recall Brockhouse supported the Vista Ridge Resolution (for an independent audit of Vista Ridge and a new ordinance to rein in SAWS).  He also voted on May 16 with two others on the City Council (Courage and Perry) against the $87 million giveaway of water impact fees to developers. By the way, the daily newspaper failed to print a word about the impact fees days before early voting began. The good news is two women who support the Vista Ridge Resolution — Jada Andrews-Sullivan in District 2 and Adriana Garcia in District 4, were elected, Garcia by a wide margin. Unofficial results are here. The Vista Ridge Resolution and a related petition to the San Antonio City Council can be viewed and signed here on our San Antonio LIV webpage . This is the year of the independent voter, come hell or low water! What can you do? Help LIV grow throughout Texas. Start by becoming a dues paying member today . Now, don’t let us stop you from NOW calling (512-463-2000 during business hours) or emailing the Governor through his website at:  Gov.Texas.Gov If you’ve done it already, ask someone else to join you by forwarding this message or sharing it from our Facebook page here . #CarrizoWilcoxAquifer #VetoHB1806 #Simsboroformatioin #SteveAdler #GregBrockhouse #GrowthMachine #EdwardsAquifer #RonNirenberg #GovernorGregAbbott

The session might be over, but it ain’t really over until the Governor sings! The Governor received this letter today from Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape who urged a veto of HB 1806, the SAWS water and wallet grab bill: “As the County Judge of one of the counties where this water is coming from, I plead with you to veto this bad legislation and require that the ultimate use of any exported water be defined and vetted in the permitting process with the local groundwater conservation district.” Will Greg Abbott use his veto pen to make some sweet music for Texans, our water and wallets, by vetoing HB 1806? We shall see! Just don’t tell us you meant to call him but somehow forgot. It will be the next generation, especially, to suffer the consequences of our unwillingness to consider the impacts of bad policy making on millions of central Texans and two aquifers – the mighty Edwards and the slow-to-no recharging Carrizo-Wilcox and its Simsboro formation. Gov. Abbott is receiving letters from local officials and community organizations as we write. But, most of all, he needs to hear from us regular citizens. This is all you gotta say when you contact the Governor: “Veto HB 1806, SAWS water and wallet grab bill.” Please call the Governor’s office during business hours at 512-463-2000 or email him here . You will hear more soon about the good, the bad and the ugly of this legislative session in light of what got passed the last few days in the Senate while few were watching. If you have a story to tell, consider submitting it for publication on the LIV news blog. You can also submit a comment at the end of this message in our comments section. Now, ride those profiteering water marketers — and their rogue “public” water utilities pals — high. Don’t forget to join the LIV , y’all, to keep this all-volunteer outfit fighting for you. PS If you are a resident of San Antonio, we’re getting ready to urge the City Council to pass a resolution to rein in SAWS and to audit Vista Ridge “the San Antone Hose.” Contact us if you want to help, but AFTER you call the Guv! #2019TexasLegislativeSession #GovGregAbbott #veto

Did you get the “Private Letter” from Austin Mayor Steve Adler urging you to contribute to another public official — San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg? Nirenberg is facing a tough reelection and what Adler simply calls a “special interest” group with no identification. LIV does not endorse candidates. But, we do support real and full disclosure in elections. So, we’d like you to know the identity of the “special interest” Adler fails to identify. The San Antonio Firefighters Association! They are supporting the mayor’s opponent in the upcoming San Antonio Mayoral runoff election. This isn’t simply a labor-management fight, folks. “Management” isn’t just your elected city council and Mayor. Management also includes those guys in suits behind the dais – the lobbyists pushing a “growth at all costs” agenda that the Mayor of San Antonio seems to have fully embraced along with the Mayor of Austin. The “Growth Machine” agenda has already overwhelmed Austin’s affordability while endeavoring mightily to bring San Antonio down the same dubious road. San Antonio just won the same rating Austin enjoyed a few years ago. The Alamo City is now rated the most economically segregated metro area in the country. ( More here .) The two mayors’ clear intent is to build the megalopolis between Austin and San Antonio. Does that benefit any of us regular residents, regardless of party or persuasion? What you do in the voting booth is your own business. But, don’t let Austin’s or San Antonio’s Growth Machine mess with you. Own it, y’all! Join LIV to “make growth pay for itself” and get involved. You can really help by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. Photo Credit: Rivard Report #RonNirenberg #SanAntonioFirefighters #SteveAdler

Ron Nirenberg with Steve Adler in background. Photo: Rivard Report New Veto HB 1806! Call Gov. to Veto HB 1806 – save the aquifers, rural Texas and all ratepayers! We just sent this letter urging Governor Abbott veto HB 1806 passed at the 11th hour by the Senate on Wednesday night. This egregious “water” legislation aggressively drummed up by San Antonio Water System (SAWS – a public water utility) adversely affects millions of Texans, our aquifers and our wallets. Of equal concern is that SAWS, without San Antonio City Council approval, has refashioned itself as an autonomous regional water authority, accountable to no one except its own unelected board of trustees. NEW Veto HB 1806 letter to the Governor. Now, please immediately call the Governor’s office during business hours at 512-463-2000 or email the Governor here . Urge a veto of HB 1806! Austin Mayor Steve Adler’s “ Private Letter ” about Another Public Official Did you get the “private” email yesterday from Austin Mayor Steve Adler urging you to contribute to another public official — San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg? Nirenberg is facing a tough reelection and what Adler simply calls a “special interest” group with no identification. LIV does not endorse candidates. But, we do support real and full disclosure in elections. So, we’d like you to know the identity of the “special interest” Adler fails to identify. The San Antonio Firefighters Association! They are supporting the mayor’s opponent in the upcoming San Antonio Mayoral runoff election. This isn’t just a labor-management fight, folks. “Management” isn’t just your elected city council and Mayor. Management also includes those guys in suits behind the dais – the lobbyists pushing a “growth at all costs” agenda that the Mayor of San Antonio seems to have fully embraced along with the Mayor of Austin. The “Growth Machine” agenda has already overwhelmed Austin’s affordability while endeavoring mightily to bring San Antonio down the same dubious road. San Antonio just won the same rating Austin enjoyed a few years ago. The Alamo City is now rated the most economically segregated metro area in the country. ( More here .) The two mayors’ clear intent is to build the megalopolis between Austin and San Antonio. Does that benefit any of us regular residents, regardless of party or persuasion? What you do in the voting booth is your own business. But, don’t let Austin’s or San Antonio’s Growth Machine mess with you. Own it, y’all! Join LIV to “make growth pay for itself” and get involved. You can really help by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. Scroll down to see the icons. #SanAntonioFirefighters #LoisKolkhorst #HB1806 #SteveAdler #GrowthMachine #RonNirenberg #GovernorGregAbbott

Will we see the same old same old on redistricting reform? If the BAD Petition Bill, SB 323 , is passed by the Texas Legislature, it will hinder initiatives like the one brewing now in Fort Worth to establish a Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission. Heavy-handed politicians who want to control you like it that way. Will Texans wake up to demand un-rigging the system with redistricting reform? As it stands, the Fort Worth City Council is leaning towards a system of internal control for the next round of redistricting. Each of the eight councilmembers would appoint one member to an eleven-member Redistricting Committee while the Mayor would appoint three, based on expertise (What kind of expertise?). Pretty much incumbents drawing their own districts, yet again. Like Internal Affairs divisions of police departments who are notorious for protecting their own, a majority of incumbent councilmembers will not readily cede their power to do the same. FW citizens must take it from them. To her credit, Councilmember Ann Zadeh suggested a Redistricting Task Force to explore options for a better way. Perhaps even an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) like the one in Austin. However, that might take another year. Reformers do well not to defer and wait. We should start to build a coalition outside of City Hall to lend backing to whatever sincere efforts might evolve within, or to override those on the Council who prefer to gerrymander. Generally, a ballot initiative will require 20,000 valid signatures within 180 days. (Editor’s note:  Austin voters passed the only independent citizens redistricting commission in Texas — to draw their city lines — by passing the “10-1” petition in 2012.) So, what might a citywide redistricting coalition look like and what are steps one, two and three to building it? 1. 2. 3. Please submit your views to us so that we might work together. independentleaguetexas.org. Jeff Harper – Board Member of the League of Independent Voters of Texas 512.999.2791 #FtWorthCityCouncil #JeffHarper #redistrictingreform

We at LIV really hope you will make calls as soon as you see this as the legislature moves into its final phase ending on May 27. And, please share the love with share buttons on this page or our Facebook page . Follow us on Twitter too. ► It’s time to KILL this BAD Petition Bill, SB 323! Calls needed now, including eves or weekends. ► HB 1066 , brought to us by the SAWS lobby team for water hustlers to James Murphy, a top Texas water lawyer and LIV Advisor, speaks to San Antonio City Council urging them to rein in SAWS…”it wasn’t always this way.” (Note: Citizen testimony starts at about 3:06:00. ) mute landowner challenges to mega-water export permits is on the Governor’s desk! Urge Gov. Abbott to veto it, just like he did in 2017. ► SAWS — San Antonio’s public water utility — caught on Thursday hosing their ratepayers and Central Texans with $87 million in impact fee waivers to developers for Vista Ridge (San Antone Hose). Yippee! DETAILS • ACTION PLEASE! ► KILL BILL — SB 323 , a bad petition bill. From the very start of this session, LIV worked with a team of attorneys and petition experts to make SB 323 a decent bill to resolve ballot language disputes between municipal government and citizen petitioners — to no avail. The authors have apparently bowed to the municipal lobby and allowed language empowering municipal authorities to stall petitions in the courts. Moreover, they removed bond measures from the same court review process. FYI, LIV Board Member, Jeff Harper, reminds you in his article here the redistricting reform discussion in Ft. Worth will be stymied with the passage of SB 323. See LIV’s full analysis of SB 323 here . Action :  Make your calls immediately to any of the Calendars Committee members to “tag” the bill (to stall it). Find Calendars members information at this link…scroll down .Note to Austin: Rep. Eddie Rodriguez serves on Calendars. We have asked him to tag the bill. You should too. Call 512.463.0674. Then call your State Representative to alert him or her that you want them to put the Texas stomp on SB 323 IF it hits the floor because you support the right to petition in Texas…duh! Find your Texas House Rep here. •••••••• ► HB 1066, is a truly nefarious groundwater bill promoted by the SAWS lobby team to silence landowners who object to the Vista Ridge (San Antone Hose) mega-permit and others like it. It denies them the right to a public hearing extending permits for transferring groundwater out of their area. Join us to urge the Governor veto this bill. It could become law on Tuesday, so do this NOW, please. Action : Click here and follow the instructions on how to request Gov. Abbott Veto 1066 . •••••••• ► The misguided effort to build a megalopolis between Austin and San Antonio continues. It’s brought to you by a public water utility, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in their never-ending quest to be the King water broker for central Texas — and aid private water hustlers. On Thursday, San Antonio citizens busted SAWS at a City Council Council hearing for extensive manipulation of data and false claims to justify a $87 million gift to the developers who pushed for Vista Ridge. Now, the developers don’t want to pay for it — surprise, surprise. Congratulations to the three Council members who said no. They span the political spectrum just like us at LIV — Courage, Perry and Brockhouse. Action:  Watch citizens starting at 3:06:00 in the Council video . Then, contact us for what you can do to get the Vista Ridge Resolution passed.  Read the full Vista Ridge Resolution here . Note: It’s not too late for candidates in the Mayoral and City Council runoffs (starting May 28) to join those who support the Vista Ridge Resolution: Greg Brockhouse (Mayor’s runoff), Jada Andrews-Sullivan IDistrict 2) and Adriana Garcia (District 6). Please ask about this at upcoming candidate forums, especially in District 6. Thanks, y’all. And, yes, you can donate to our cause any old time! #megapermits #GovGregAbbott #SanAntonioCityCouncil #petitionrights #SAWS #VistaRidge #JamesMurphy #SanAntoneHose