W.A.N.G. E-Newsletter

Marc Duchen

Council Member

COME TO OUR ANNUAL SOCIAL FOR SOME DELICIOUS TRUE TEXAS BBQ - SEE MORE INFO BELOW

TAX RATE ELECTION - PROP Q

Everyone Welcome!

COME HEAR COUNCIL MEMBER MARC DUCHEN AND ENJOY SOME TRUE TEXAS BBQ!

Please RSVP above to help us determine how much food / drinks to order. Thank you

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND GET SOME DELICIOUS BBQ FROM TRUE TEXAS BBQ!

THANK YOU H E B ! for SUPPORTING W.A.N.G. and the Neighborhood!

by Blake Tollett

Secretary

WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP

Minutes of Board Meeting

September 4, 2025, 6 pm

Howson Public Library

Our Interim-President Cathy Kyle brought the scheduled monthly meeting of the WANG Board of Directors (BoD) to order just after 6pm. In addition to Cathy, BoD members present were Kris von Rosen, George Edwards, Heidi Gibbons, Joyce Basciano and Blake Tollett.

We did not have a quorum so approval of the August minutes was deferred until our next meeting.

Under Neighbor Communications:

Martin Leucke from Windsor Park Neighborhood Association and Katherine Brown from TreeFolks talked to us about a program they are working together with the neighborhood associations on the east side of IH-35 to encourage neighbors to plant trees in order to increase the shade canopy. Windsor Park NA held an Eco-Fest last fall and in coordination with TreeFolks they rehomed 700 5-gallon trees. In preparation for the fair, Windsor Park NA used member volunteers to circulate flyers promoting the event with instructions on where to place the trees and how to maintain them with even the option of home delivery if the resident couldn’t pick up their tree personally. To reach out to Martin contact him at martin@windsorpark.info TreeFolks are sponsored by the City of Austin and the home delivery option is available citywide. They can be contacted at www.treefolks.org.

Under New Business:

Holly Reed reported that there will be an in person/on-line Neighborhood Information Forum to discuss the upcoming November City election where we are being asked to allow our property taxes to increase beyond the statutory allowance. Further details will be posted in our newsletter as they become available.

The City Council’s decision to schedule the maximum tax rate election aims to cover a $33million budget deficit and fund the proposed $6.3billion budget without making drastic cuts to city programs and services.

Under Land Matters:

Blake reports that neighbors near a potential redevelopment in the Robin Hood/Clearview area are concerned about a recent accumulation of properties. As this develops, WANG will work with the neighbors to understand and address as needed what is being proposed.

There were no reports from the Communications, Membership or Transportation Committees.

Under Austin Neighborhoods Council (ANC):

Heidi passed out her notes from the 08-27-2025 ANC meeting:

· ANC passed a resolution asking City council to slow down the MoPac extension; they are opposed to adding more lanes when the costs, fiscally and environmentally, are unknown.

· District 10’s City Council Member Marc Duchen was the guest speaker. He gave updates from City Hall concerning the proposed tax rate increase and outlined his priorities as parks, public safety, housing, responsible spending and wildfire prevention.

Under Treasurer’s Report:

George reported us as having a very strong financial position. Our major source of revenue this time of year is the sale of ACL 3-Day passes that are donated to WANG as an offset to the festival’s inconvenience to the neighborhood. Our recurring expenses, in the $400 to $500 per month range, are the maintenance of our WWW presence and the compilation and publication of our electronic newsletter.

Under Old Business:

· Our Annual Meeting will be held on 8 November 2025 from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Lions Municipal Golf Course. Food and drinks for refreshments to begin coupled with interesting speakers. And some brief association business at the end. We are hoping to return to our old process of asking for membership renewals dated on the Annual Meeting so as to simplify things. More specific information will be on our website, in our upcoming monthly newsletter, and perhaps sent out as a flyer delivered through USPS’s Every Door Direct Mailer (EDDM) system.

· Cathy is still waiting to set our BoD retreat for a couple of more responses to the electronic poll.

· Our next BoD meeting will be on Wednesday 8 October 2025.

“Pumpkins are glowing… time to keep your membership going!”

WANG Memberships run ANNUALLY from

November 1st to October 31st

NEW MEMBERSHIPS FROM AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER

ARE GOOD THRU THE FOLLOWING YEAR

WE NOW ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS THROUGH OUR SQUARE ACCOUNT

Boo at the Zoo
A family-friendly Halloween event at the Austin Zoo with train rides, musical entertainment, and haunted house visits. Dates: Fridays and Saturdays in October. Austin Texas

Viva La Vida Festival and Parade
Austin's largest Day of the Dead celebration featuring a grand procession, live performances, and local artist booths. Date: October 25. The Austinot

Texas Book Festival
A literary celebration at the Texas State Capitol Grounds with author readings, panel discussions, and live music. Dates: November 8–9. Austin Texas

Formula 1 United States Grand Prix
A premier motorsport event at Circuit of The Americas, featuring world-class racing and nightly performances. Dates: October 17–19. Austin Texas

presented by

Heidi Gibbons

Austin Neighborhoods Council Statement on Proposition Q The Executive Committee wishes to share our concerns about this permanent tax increase with the membership. We have examined statements by the mayor, council, and staff and believe they have not shared important context with citizens about how they intend to spend this money.

The language of Proposition Q states that the tax increase is “for the purpose of funding or expanding programs intended to increase housing affordability and reduce homelessness; improve parks and recreation facilities and services; enhance public health services and public safety; ensure financial stability; and provide for other general fund maintenance and operation expenditures included in the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget as approved or amended by City Council.”

The ANC Executive Committee fully supports public spending that directly serves citizens’ vital interests—responsible governance demands no less. However, City Hall must own up to its choices on other massive expenditures entirely left out of this proposition. Why is the city pouring $1.6 billion into a vastly expanded convention center? Why has it committed $104 million to the I-35 Cap and Stitch project this year? City leaders are also pushing other nonessential projects ahead while they leave essential needs underfunded.

Prop Q’s wording is fundamentally deceptive and tries to coerce taxpayers, falsely suggesting that a failed vote will gut basic city services. That isn’t responsible budgeting—it’s intimidation. This budget and the Tax Rate Election that supports it appear deliberately structured to shelter discretionary pet projects while demanding more from residents for the core services our communities cannot go without. That’s backward and unacceptable.

We are acutely aware that these are unsettled times: longstanding federal funding will likely be cut or eliminated, the economy is unstable, the job market is flat, and the housing market is unpredictable. Enormous post-flood cleanup costs confront Travis County, and the county will almost certainly increase taxes. The State of Texas has limited local governments’ ability to levy taxes. The source of these funds, property taxes and usage fees, is regressive and impacts working families at a greater rate than the wealthy.

What Council refuses to acknowledge is how many of our neighbors already live close to the edge. This measure will increase the displacement of longtime residents because rising taxes will push homeowners to sell their properties and landlords to raise their rents. Many Austinites are already struggling to pay taxes and increased utility costs. The passage of Prop Q may mean the difference between a household making mortgage/rent payments or losing a home.

We have concluded that the mayor and council have focused on projects best characterized as “wants” at the expense of what we know to be “needs,” meaning the benefits and services that we believe are most essential for Austin citizens. The wording of this proposition is fundamentally deceptive, as it implies that the only way for the city to pay for these essential services is to increase the existing tax rate IN PERPETUITY.

We call on our membership to review this statement carefully and share it with their neighbors.

A vote in favor of Proposition Q is a mistake.

Before asking the citizens to pay more, the city must thoroughly audit existing programs and entitlements and cut everything that doesn’t serve all of its citizens, has no proven results, or fails in its intended purpose. We ask that the mayor and council return to their spreadsheets and create an honest, clear budget proposal that we can all support.

Questions? Send us a note at district10@austintexas.gov or call us at 512-978-2110.

I hope to see you there!

by Wizzie Brown, BCE

Texas has over 50 species of cicadas, and these summer insects are usually beloved or hated because of their sound. Male cicadas have ridged sound producing organs, called tymbals, which they vibrate through muscle contraction creating the cicada’s “song”. Female and male cicadas can make noises through flicking their wings, stridulation by rasping part of the body with the wing, or by vibrating the substrate where they are resting. Sounds are used for distress/ alarm signals, establishing territory, calling to attract mates, and courting calls. Male cicadas can synchronize their calls to form a chorus to attract females.

Cicadas typically sing during the day, but there are some species that sing at night. The time they sing during the day can depend on the species and environmental conditions- too hot/ cold, sunny or cloudy (tend to sing less during cloudy periods), and lastly the number of other cicadas in the area that are singing. If there are more cicadas singing nearby, the cicadas tend to form a chorus.

• Cicadas are small to very large insects, with wideset eyes, bristle like antennae, and distinct membranous wings. They have an incomplete life cycle with three life stages: eggs, several nymphal instars, and adults. Eggs are laid in slits that are cut into the bark on twigs and tree branches. Hatched nymphs drop to the ground and burrow into the soil. Nymphs excavate chambers near tree roots where they feed on xylem from the roots. The last nymphal instar emerges from the soil, climbs onto a nearby plant where it molts into the adult stage. Adult cicadas live for about two months.

  Most cicadas have 1-5 year life cycles, but the North American genus, Magicicada, has life cycles from 13-21 years. These are categorized into distinct “broods” that are numbered. It is thought that periodical cicadas evolved in response to predation, but others hypothesize that it was a way to survive cold weather

Organized 1973......"To preserve our neighborhood and protect it from deterioration"

• President (Interim): Cathy Kyle President@westaustinng.com
  
• Secretary: Cathy Kyle Secretary@westaustinng.com
• Assistant Secretary: Blake Tollett AsstSecretary@westaustinng.com
• Treasurer: George Edwards Treasurer@westaustinng.com
• Past President: Holly Reed PastPresident@westaustinng.com

All Current Members (click on name to send email)

• • Cathy Kyle.............................member since 2010 (Interim President / Secretary)
  • Holly Reed ............................member since 2015 (Newsletter)
  • Blake Tollett .........................member since 1994 (Zoning Chair)
  • George Edwards ..................member since 2004 (Treasurer)
  • Mary Arnold .........................member since 2006 (Muny Tract)
  • Open Board Seat
  • Craig Lill ...............................member since 2017 (Transportation Chair)
  • Joyce Basciano ...................member since 1999
  • Open Board Seat
  • Heidi Gibbons.......................member since 2020 (Austin Neighborhood Council)
  • David Bolduc ........................member since 2023
  • Kris von Rosenberg..............member since 2025
  • Darcy Gardiner......................member since 2025
  • Open Board Seat

Honorary Committee Members

• Honorary Mayor Kirk Watson
• Honorary Marc Duchen

At-Large Members

• Haider Khazen (Website / I.T.)
• Joseph Bennett (E-Newsletter)

by Ora Houston

I am voting against Proposition Q on Austin’s November, 2025 ballot because:

1. Concerned Austinites must protect their wallets and their city by voting on Prop Q.

2. If Prop Q passes your property taxes will increase by a total of 8%.

3. Austin is unaffordable forcing long term Austinites to leave. Prop Q will worsen that crisis.

4. The Prop Q description on the ballot is purposefully misleading. The city implies Prop Q is a one-time tax to pay for specific programs, as if Prop Q were a bond proposal. In truth, Prop Q is a “forever tax” and the tax revenue is not committed to any specific programs.

5. The city does not need more tax revenue. The city refuses to live within its means. The city’s new logo is an example of unnecessary expense.

6. The city already has a surplus of almost $500M, generated by your tax payments on the stalled Project Connect - another “bait and switch” by the city.

I recommend you vote “no” on Proposition Q

THE CITY OF AUSTIN will again be putting UP enforceable "NO PARKING" signs on ONE SIDE of the streets near the Deep Eddy area for SAFETY

This helps keep streets open for emergency vehicles. Signs will be up and enforced the entire two weeks of the festival.

Contact ACL@WestAustinNG.com to provide helpful comments before the festival and request the

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT - ALL OF THE WRIST BANDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED

Event Overview

• Event Dates: October 3 – 5 and October 10 – 12
• New Event Times: 12 PM – 10 PM each day (previously 11 AM – 10 PM)
• ACL Music Festival Guide - Guide | Austin City Limits Music Festival
• ACL Music Festival FAQs - https://support.aclfestival.com/hc/en-us

City Resources

• Mobility Guide Map – Zilker Park Access, Road Closures, and Bicycle Detours
• Austin Center for Events – Load In / Weekend 1 & Weekend 2

• 311 Service Requests – Mobile app or call in (general feedback – the app is useful because it allows photos)
• Neighborhood Phone Line – 512-806-7906

The 2025 ACL Festival is in full swing! Neighbors and friends are soaking up the best of Austin’s music scene. Stay safe out there and have an amazing time!

Photos by J. Bennett

FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT....