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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

KILL BILL — bad petition bill, SB 323 ! The authors of this bill were listening to the big boys and girls in the municipal political machines. Action :  Make your calls immediately to any of the Calendars Committee members to “tag” the bill (see below for list), then call your State Representative to alert him or her that you want them to put the Texas stomp on it IF it hits the floor! Find your Texas House Rep here, LIV tried our very best to work with the committee chairs responsible for this mistaken legislation, to no avail. Note: Austin, please don’t miss the message at the end about reaching Rep. Eddie Rodriguez! Senate Bill 323 is a very problematic and tricky little piece of legislation that could deny millions of Texans the right to vote on citizen petitions. We may not agree on many things, but this right, established in 1912 in the constitutional amendment for home rule, is something upon which we all agree. That’s because our right to put local measures on the ballot via petition is our only check and balance on local government. (Texans do not enjoy petition rights in Texas at any other level as do 24 other states.) Sen. Joan Huffman’s SB 323 was heard early in the session in State Affairs, passed out of her committee on 3/14. The bill attempts to resolve ballot language problems to ensure voters know what they’re voting on by requiring the review of a three-judge panel. Fair enough, you think? The problem is the bill set up a time schedule that will open the door for measures to be delayed. This is what the municipal political machines want most – to manipulate what gets before “their voters.” We have tried to have these problems fixed to no avail. Moreover, get this. SB 323 started out requiring ballot language for bonds and tax increases for bonds to be reviewed by the courts too. But, the local government lobbies went to town on that and had those removed from the bill. Now, the only measures that will be required to be reviewed will be those put on the ballot as charter amendments placed on the ballot by municipal government AND citizen petitioners. This opens the door for cities to play nefarious games with ballot language of citizens petitions because they (the city attorney) still gets to write the initial language. They can write bad language and then tie it up in the cumbersome process that’s been set out by the authors of this legislation. This will do most harm to those in small towns who are simply trying to put a check on their local city government. These are largely regular citizens without the funds and organization to go to court to fight for their measures. How can you help? Call, email or visit the members of the Calendars Committee. Ask them to “tag” SB 323 and hold it up in the Calendars Committee to die. Note to Austin : Yesterday, we asked Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) to tag the bill. Rep. Rodriguez may well have already been reached by Mayor Steve Adler who made clear at the beginning of the legislative session – see this January 24 Statesman article – he had was out to do serious damage to citizens petitioning. This has long been a goal of the Austin growth machine. Your message to members of the Calendars Committee: Don’t mess with Texans’ right to petition, tag SB 323! Calendars Committee Members and their staff below: #RepEddieRodriguez #petitionrights #SB323 #SenJoanHuffman #municipalpoliticalmachines

PAC bites Austin. Here is your proof. We didn’t say this…the Austin Monitor did. If you follow city politics, these “innocents” have been around for a very long time. We promise you, they can read and understand campaign finance laws. How else could they break them and get away with it? They are seen laughing their butts off as they stopped a citizens movement for simply the right to vote on the land development code — formerly called “CodeNEXT.” What’s next. Enjoy the article and get ready to fight for a real Ethics Commission with the teeth that can bite! If you start an LIV chapter in Austin, we’ll show you exactly how. Ethics commission finds Prop J PAC violated campaign finance laws . Join LIV here and get active with us. #landdevelopmentcode #PropJ

Ring the Liberty Bell, Governor, veto HB 1066! ► We humbly request that you ring the Liberty Bell by reaching out to the Governor to request a veto of HB 1066 — to protect rural and urban Texans’ water, wallets and right to a public hearing. Do this now and throughout this week. Copy and paste this letter to the Governor posted here and add your own words, too . ► In San Antonio tonight, we’re holding the second meeting of the new LIV Chapter. We have some great stuff prepared for you to put the Pay to Play political machine on notice. Y’all come! Here’s our Event Page . ► In Austin, the good folks at Friends of McKalla, are fighting the goofy taxpayer rip-off, aka the City of Austin’s soccer stadium deal. It’s so bad, Travis County Commissioners Court is considering litigation. Sorry for the late notice, but if you can attend the Travis County Commissioner’s Court tomorrow (Tuesday, May 14) at 9 am, please do! Get the details here from Friends of McKalla. Think it’s time to take a step back from partisanship and join the fight for structural reforms in policy making? You can vote in whatever primary you wish and still help LIV (a non-profit — not a political party) grow by Becoming a member . And do let us know if you’d like to see an LIV Chapter in your community. We’ll be there with at least one bell on! #HB1066 #SAWS #VistaRidge #GovernorGregAbbott #LibertyBell

You may copy this letter and send it via email to Governor Greg Abbott here. You can call the Governor at 512-463-2000. The Honorable Greg Abbott                                                                        May 11, 2019 Governor of Texas P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711 Dear Governor Abbott: I am writing to ask you to veto HB 1066, which passed on May 10. And I am further requesting your help to stop additional groundwater bills or amended language from – HB 726, HB 1806, and SB 1010 — that may be passed in the final days of this legislative session that risk real damage to rural Texas and urban ratepayers and our aquifers. These bills create risky policies for two critically important Texas aquifers: the mighty Edwards Aquifer and the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in Lee, Burleson, Milam and Bastrop counties. The Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer and its Simsboro formation do not recharge within human lifetimes, and they will be depleted by multiple projects that are coming in, starting with San Antonio’s Vista Ridge, slated for completion in 2020. In addition to depriving rural communities of a viable economic future, the Vista Ridge project will impose rate hikes on San Antonio Water System ratepayers to pay for this hugely expensive plan – the most expensive groundwater in Texas. HB 1066, promoted by the SAWS (San Antonio Water System) lobby team, a public agency no less, is attempting to silence landowners who are objecting to the Vista Ridge permit. Last session you vetoed legislation with the identical provisions in HB 1066, that strips landowners of their rights to a public hearing on the issue of extending permits for transferring groundwater out of the area. Your veto stated: “House Bill 2378 would have essentially mandated that export permits issued by groundwater conservation districts be extended indefinitely. An indefinite permit hinders the public from participating in the decision-making of the groundwater conservation district. It does not, however, prevent the groundwater conservation district from changing the terms of the permit unilaterally, a power House Bill 2378 continues to allow these districts to exercise. Excluding the public, potentially in perpetuity, from the decisions of a groundwater conservation district will reduce transparency and inhibit the district’s ability to respond to changed circumstances over time. The next Legislature should consider legislation that accomplishes the goals of House Bill 2378 without its defects.” California is paying for similar decisions they made 50 years ago to allow for mass movement of groundwater to develop in areas without enough local supply. Please don’t allow this to happen to Texas – especially rural Texas. We all – rural, urban and suburban Texans — depend on each other and you, Governor. We are counting on you. #GovernorGregAbbott #HB1066 #SanAntonioWaterSystem #VistaRidge

Congratulations to all the candidates running in the first round of voting for City Council. There are three in the four runoffs who are pledged to support the Vista Ridge Resolution: Greg Brockhouse in the Mayor’s race. Jada Andrews-Sullvan in District 2 and Adriana Garcia in District 4.  It’s also not too late for challengers running in any of these races or in the District 6 runoff to come on board, so keep working on them! There is a recount going on in District 2 ( Express News Article here ) as requested by Denise Gutierrez-Homer, who is also an endorser of the Vista Ridge Resolution. ► Now we want to make sure to ask all the candidates where they stand on “Pay to Play.”   We’ll be discussing this on at our next meeting THIS COMING Monday night, May 13th, at 7 pm, at the Transit Worker’s Union Hall, 1901 N. Flores. Share this Event Page and invite your friends . ► We will also discuss the May 16th hearing at City Hall on Water Impact Fees and some terrible trends seen at the Legislature led by the SAWS Lobby Team. We wish to thank the good folks who spoke with intelligence and heart at the SAWS Board meeting this last Tuesday. Click on the picture window to watch them in action first up on the agenda. Are you an independent voter? That is, do you vote for the person not the party? Come ready to pay your dues and become a member and help us get the San Antonio Chapter of LIV ready…set…and go! You can also join LIV online here. Bring friends on Monday, won’t you. Just forward this message or sharing our events page. Got questions? Reply to this message or give us a call, y’all! Independently yours, San Antonio! PS BTW, have you yet shared our online petition about the Vista Ridge Resolution and Pay to Play? Please go to the Membership tab at LIVTexas.org . #DeniseGutierrezHomer #GregBrockhouse #JadaAnrewsSullivan #paytoplay