Secret Deals = Higher Taxes.

Open, transparent government will always costs LESS than closed-door, insider dealmaking with our tax dollars in play.

Sure city councilmembers and special interests want to keep making their back room deals. Sure they don't want transparency.

Here's just a few examples, other than tolls on our freeways, of why our taxes are so high.
Why we need the Open Government Online amendment - Prop 1:

LCRA - $100 million of taxpayer CASH diverted for a $1.1 billion 50-year water deal. The deal was negotiated in private by off-the-books outside legal counsel. After the deal was approved, both the Austin City Manager and the head of the City waster and wastewater department took jobs at LCRA.

Austin Police Department Contract - $483 million contract that was secretly negotiated. Public safety budget, mostly the police contract, now takes up 65% of the city's general budget. The back room deal also keeps Austin Police misconduct records a secret, which is in direct contrast to thousands of other law enforcement agencies in Texas that have misconduct records open to the public.

Simon Property Group - $37 million in sales and property tax rebates for the Domain Shopping Center, including a Neiman Marcus store. This is a first – giving developers of a shopping center tax rebates when they will compete against all the other taxpaying businesses in Austin.

Replacing Green Water Treatment Plant - $227 million proposed – with no public input - to build a new water treatment in City parkland.