Proposition A: Capital Metro Continuation

Capital Metro provides bus and rail service to and from Leander, as well as an on-demand pickup service within the city. Commuters traveling into Austin may park at the Leander Station park-and-ride located near U.S. 183 and Metro Drive.

Leander History

Capital Metro was established by a voter referendum on January 19, 1985, to provide mass transportation service to the greater Austin metropolitan area. The agency is funded in part by a 1% sales tax levied by members of its service area, which today includes the cities of Austin, Jonestown, Lago Vista, Leander, Manor, Point Venture, San Leanna, and parts of Travis and Williamson counties. Former service area members include Cedar Park, Pflugerville, and the Village of Volente.

Leander joined the Capital Metro service area in 1985 with 42 of 70 total votes in favor. Leander held another election in 2000 in which voters chose to continue Capital Metro service with 491 of 738 total votes in favor. In 2004, Capital Metro held an up-or-down referendum on the operation of a fixed rail system, which was approved by a majority of the service area voter precincts. Passenger rail service in Leander began on March 22, 2010.

Leander Funding

Currently, a combined 8.25% sales tax rate is imposed on all retail sales, leases, and rentals of most goods in Leander. The rate charged by the state of Texas is 6.25%, while Leander and Capital Metro each receive revenue from a 1% sales tax.

In 2021, a 1% sales tax in Leander generated $9.8 million in revenue. Since 1985, Capital Metro has received more than $64 million in revenue generated from Leander sales taxes. View a historical summary of Leander's 1% sales tax revenue allocations.

According to the city's Transit Demand Analysis page, Capital Metro could receive an additional $164 million or more in total projected sales tax revenue from Leander over the next 10 years.

Interlocal Agreement

In March 2022, the city and Capital Metro finalized an interlocal agreement to allow for Leander sales tax revenue allocated to Capital Metro, but above Leander's cost of service, to be used for certain transportation projects in the community as part of Capital Metro's Build Central Texas program. In 2021, this amount was $1,921,057.

Leander is also eligible to receive an additional $7,417,923 in 2022 to fund transit-supportive infrastructure projects under Build Central Texas program guidelines. Funds made available through the interlocal agreement would be contingent upon Leander remaining a member city of Capital Metro.

Atención

Para obtener información electoral en español, contacte el Secretario de la Ciudad al 512-528-2743.

A special election will be held on May 7, 2022, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of Leander, Texas, the question of the City of Leander's continued participation in the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro).

The official ballot shall be prepared in accordance with the Texas Election Code so as to permit a "Yes" or "No" vote on the proposition expressed in the following:

City of Leander Proposition A
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Continuation

Shall the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority be continued in the City of Leander?

[ ] YES [ ] NO

If the election result is a majority "Yes" vote on Proposition A, existing Capital Metro services would continue and Capital Metro would continue to be funded in part by a 1% sales tax in the City of Leander. For more details, see Texas Transportation Code Section: 451.608.

If the election result is a majority "No" vote on Proposition A, Capital Metro services in Leander would stop on the day after the election results are canvassed, and the financial obligations of Capital Metro attributable to the City of Leander would cease to accrue. Moreover, Capital Metro would continue to be funded in part by a 1% sales tax until the City's net financial obligation to Capital Metro is collected. As of December 31, 2021, this is estimated to be $42.3 million. For more details, see Texas Transportation Code Sections: 451.608, 451.609, 451.613.