(Credit: Capital Metro)
The City of Leander has remained a constant user of Capital Metro’s service since its inception in 1985, but that may soon change following a vote this week by the city council that could put an end to the city’s longtime partnership with the transit agency.
Item 12 on this week’s city council agenda calls for the authorization of “the Mayor and Interim City Manager to negotiate an Agreement for Professional Services with Leonard B. Smith for legal services regarding the possible withdrawal of the City of Leander from the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and authorize the Mayor to execute said Agreement.”
Along with all municipalities that make use of the service, Leander levies a 1-cent sales tax to help fund Capital Metro’s operations.
Capital Metro’s service has long been a source of frustration for officials in Leander. While the city is home to a rail station that averaged more than 470 riders a day last year, that service is only available during the week, as is Metro bus service. Speaking with Community Impact, Leander Mayor Troy Hill says he doesn’t believe that makes much sense considering the number of people who might choose to use bus or rail service on their off days.
“The fact that we’ve been in it for this long, and they don’t have weekend service, which is the time the majority of residents would want to ride, that’s unacceptable,” Hill told Community Impact. “I don’t see any reason to be paying a lot for something that isn’t very efficient.”
In the previous fiscal year, the City of Leander paid more than $5-million to Capital Metro.
If the city council votes in favor of ending its partnership with Capital Metro, the issue will wind up in front of voters, who will then make the final decision. At that point, one of two things could happen: voters approve the plan to end the partnership and all bus and rail service will cease, or, voters reject the plan, rail and bus service continues, and the city will have to wait another five years for a window in which to try to dissolve the agreement once again.
Assuming the city does move forward with the plan to end Capital Metro service, and voters ultimately agree, Leander could rejoin later down the road, but that would first require full approval from the Capital Metro board of directors.
