Steiner Ranch Information Blog

I’ve had a few requests for information about Viper Wrestling.  Can anyone involved post a link or information about cost, etc…

Posting from an email that is going around the neighborhood and FB:

Austin Energy is planning a MAJOR INCREASE in residential electric rates beginning in January. Revenues collected from residential ratepayers will JUMP 23% all at once, and AE is promising to raise them an additional 2% EVERY year, for years to come after that. All the while, electric rates across the rest of Texas are expected to GO DOWN!
Of course, Austin Energy isn’t being straightforward in how it is explaining this to the public, for example:
They say that “rates for the average home will increase by 12%, without acknowledging that rates for many AE customers will increase by 30% or more.
They say they haven’t “raised rates” in years, but of course, their fuel charges have gone up dramatically, so electric bills have been going up.
They say they are competitive with non-monopoly electric providers in Texas , but they base their comparison on 2009 rates. In the meantime, everyone else’s rates are going down, while Austin Energy’s are going up. They are no longer competitive, and the problem promises to get worse, year after year.
DID YOU KNOW:Austin Energy is controlled by the Austin City Council?
The Austin City Council skims $100M+ a year from Austin Energy to put into the general funds of the city? That’s over 15% of the city’s general fund! We call this the SECRET COMMUTER TAX! That money isn’t invested in the utility, it’s spent on whatever the politicians in Austin want to spend it on!
58,000 customers who live in the monopoly Austin Energy service area aren’t even eligible to vote for City Council? Talk about taxation without representation!
Austin Energy’s own rate consultant says the new rate structure will mean that Austin will likely have the MOST COMPLEX RATE structure in the NATION?
This structure is similar to one that was deemed to be TOO COMPLEX AND PUNITIVE FOR CALIFORNIA (!!!) and is being phased out there?
AE’s rate consultant has pointed out that the proposed rate structure OVERCHARGES RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS (and small businesses) by 20% to subsidize other classes of customers?
By design, the new structure is designed to PUNISH owners of homes like ours in the suburbs, because in the opinion of the City Council that we can’t vote for, our houses are too big, and “waste” energy. This rate structure also punishes LARGER FAMILIES, all-electric homes, people with wells, and low-income households (who generally have less energy efficient homes and appliances).
HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THE AUSTIN ENERGY MONOPOLY?Fortunately, there is a way to fight back. If we gather signatures from 5% of the 58,000 AE monopoly customers who live outside the City of Austin , we can force AE to defend its rate structure before the state Public Utility Commission. This will enable us to an expert and fair determination as to whether the proposed AE rate structure is reasonable and equitable, and whether the practice of skimming $100M+ of AE revenue into the city coffers each year is good public policy. WE ONLY NEED APPROXIMATELY 2900 VALID SIGNATURES (1 signature only per electric customer) TO FORCE A REVIEW BY OBJECTIVE EXPERTS. If AE can justify what it is doing, then the rate structure will move forward, and we will be none the worse off for having had it properly reviewed. But if the PUC finds problems with it, AE will have to go back to the drawing board.
The City Council is expected to pass this new rate structure in early DECEMBER. From the time of that vote, we will have 45 DAYS TO GATHER 2900 VALID SIGNATURES from the “taxed but not represented” parts of the AE monopoly service area. We are organizing NOW to educate AE customers and prepare them to sign the petitions as soon as the City Council acts.
LEARN MORE: COME TO A MEETING AT THE STEINER RANCH BELLA MAR COMMUNITY CENTER , OCTOBER 25 AT 6:30 PM

Good morning,My name is Sarah Williams and I am the State VAL for the Travis County fires. I’m working very closely with the Spicewood residents to aid in the relief and recovery efforts in their part of the county and I was wondering if I could prevail upon you to help us get the word out about the needs in Spicewood. About 65 homes were destroyed in Spicewood, 50% of them uninsured. 17 of the homeowners were over 65 and several of those 17 are disabled. The community has really come together to help each other, but there is still a very real need for volunteers and equipment to help with cleanup. Would it be possible for you to run a post about the Spicewood fires and the need for resources of all kinds out there? The community is doing the best that they can, but after a month of solid cleanup and relief efforts, mostly on their own, everyone is exhausted. I (and the Spicewood fire survivors) would be so grateful if you could tell your friends and neighbors that their very generous volunteers and relief efforts need not travel all the way to Bastrop to make a difference.

Thank you so much for your time, 

Sarah Williams

State Voluntary Agency

 Liaisonsarah.williams@fema.dhs.gov

Desk: 512.323.3351    Cell: 940.600.0938

BNI (Business Networking International) is the largest networking organization of its kind in the world, and we have two chapters currently looking to expand their membership; one in Steiner Ranch and one in Lakeway – both started by small business owners like yourself.  What makes BNI unique is that it allows only one person per profession to join a chapter.  Once you’ve joined, none of your competitors can participate.  

Hundreds of local business owners will be attending our “Visitors Day” kick-off meeting at the Oasis to learn more about potential openings in our networking groups.  We’d love for you to join us!  Meeting fees, which include breakfast and coffee, are $20/person.

 Contact David Ackel at DAckel@nextfinancial.com  for more information on this exciting opportunity to grow your business!

Permits are granted to clean up these areas only when a Modification Application and Greenbelt Addendum have been submitted for review and approval.

Please submit these completed documents, a $500 refundable deposit check, a copy of your survey stating the distance to be considered and photos of the current condition of the area showing what you wish to do to the HOA Office at 12550 Country Trails Lane, Austin, TX 78732.  Completed application into the office by Friday, should be reviewed by Wednesday of the following week.

All debris must be removed from the greenbelt and disposed in a safe manner.We also ask that you review the Greenbelt Guidelines for the specific do’s and don’ts.  See the above mentioned documents and some additional notes:

• Please take into consideration the Fire Marshall’s recommendation of a “defensive space” of 30’ from the structure (house), this does not mean your fence (property line).
• The drought conditions and use of gas/electric equipment in the greenbelt area poses a huge risk of fire.
• We suggest removing dead/fallen debris prior to cutting. 

Unfortunately these greenbelt areas have been used as dumping grounds for landscaping and construction materials for many years and we hope that this practice will cease in the future. 

Come to the John Simpson Park on Sunday, October 16^th from 11:00am – 5:00pm and pick-out your Halloween Pumpkin! Event hosted by the Four Points Chapter Circle of Friends.  All proceeds benefit Dell Children’s Medical Center.   

Circle of Friends is a network of regional support groups in Central Texas that raise awareness and funds for Children’s Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas to benefit Dell Children’s.

The Hill Country Education Foundation has launched their 2011-2012 membership drive to recruit families, individuals, students and faculty to their organization. Members of HCEF will help to support Four Points-area students achieve academic success in the areas of entrepreneurship, leadership, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
 
Annual membership levels range from $100 for families and $50 for individuals to $15 for students and $1 for faculty. To learn more about membership benefits and to pay online, interested parties can go to www.hillcountryedfoundation.org.

In the past year, the Foundation has funded $2,650 for robotics programs, $1,000 for garden clubs, $500 towards a college scholarship endowment fund and $10,000 for Naviance Succeed, the college readiness tool that will be made available to all Leander ISD high school students this school year. In addition, the Foundation has earmarked $25,000 for education grants to be distributed this fall along with $750 for each area robotics clubs. Much of the funding for these programs is largely due to those who attended the inaugural Gala in May 2011, which raised $32,000. The Foundation already has plans for the next Gala set for March 3, 2012

If any Steiner Residents need help moving items after the fire, give them a call at 401-MOVE.  www.SquareCowMoovers.com

Please comment here if you have help to Offer. Also, look at Help Needed Post to Respond Directly to People’s Needs.

Please Post a Comment here if you NEED Help.  I will make a seperate Post for Help to Offer.