In a stinging slap-down to the City of San Antonio and its annexation dreams, the State Senate last night approved, on essentially a party line vote, a bill that would prohibit any neighborhoods of more than 200 residents from being annexed without a vote of the residents to be annexed, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"Residents who choose to live outside the City Limits could suddenly be annexed by the City against their will," Campbell said, adding her bill, SB 715, would stop that from happening.
The measure covers all cities in the state, but was specifically introduced by Campbell to block the City of San Antonio from annexing much of the Leon Springs area, in a move which is universally opposed by residents of the fast growing region.
Campbell said her bill does not prevent cities from annexing unincorporated areas, in fact, it makes it easier for annexation to take place when residents of the area to be annexed desire it.
"Senate Bill 715 allows for swift voluntary annexation, if property owners in an area are in complete agreement regarding annexation, and the city and the property owners agree on services to be provided," Campbell said.
Annexation opponents point out that the City of San Antonio has big trouble taking care of the roads and sidewalks and basic services in areas it already controls, pointing out that in December of 2014, after the City and the San Antonio Police Officers Association were unable to reach a new contract agreement, city officials stripped nearly $9 million from a fund to repair potholes and make other improvements in city streets.
"We will plead for a democratic process that finally gives them a voice, and ends involuntary annexation," Campbell said.
The bill now goes to the Texas House. A similar measure was approved by the State Senate in 2015, but died when the clock ran out on a companion bill in the House.