Keep Lago Vista Watchdog free for everyone

Why we ask

We report what the City Council and the city's boards decide, how each member votes, and what it costs taxpayers. A person checks every fact against the public record before a story runs.

Public records belong to the public, and so does the news made from them. Every story is free to read, share, and listen to, for everyone, always. Readers who can pay help keep it that way for neighbors who cannot.

Where the money goes

It costs about $300 to $600 a month to run this site. That pays for the AI tools that read every meeting and check every claim, the web hosting, the email alerts, the audio briefings, and fees for public records. About 50 members at $10 a month would cover it.

A yearly plan sends more of your money to the newsroom, because the card company charges a fee on every payment. The form above shows how much reaches us after that fee.

What members get

Members get a member line with their start date in every email alert. If you want, we will also list your name on our supporter wall. You can type the name you want at checkout, or leave it blank to stay private. The editor reads each name before it goes up.

That is all. Your support pays for the news everyone reads. Members and nonmembers get the same stories, at the same time, for free.

Our independence promise

Paying for a membership buys no say in what we cover or how. We do not take money offered on the condition that we write, change, or hold a story. If a story is about someone who pays us $1,000 or more in a year, the story says so.

We are not part of the City of Lago Vista, and the city does not review our stories before they run. Read more about how we work.

Change or cancel

You can manage your membership online at any time. Enter the email you paid with, and Stripe sends you a link to sign in. From there you can update your card, see your receipts, or cancel. To change your amount, start a new membership at the amount you want, then cancel the old one.

When you cancel a monthly or yearly plan, it stops renewing. You stay a member until the end of the time you paid for. A one-time payment makes you a member for one year and never renews. We email a reminder two weeks before that year ends.

Questions

Is this a donation?

No. Lago Vista Watchdog is a business, owned by Eucalypt Studio LLC. A membership is a payment to that business. It is not a charitable gift, and you cannot deduct it from your taxes.

Can I get a refund?

You can cancel at any time, and you will not be charged again. We do not give partial refunds for time already paid. If you were charged by mistake, email members@lagovistawatchdog.com and we will make it right.

Is my card safe?

Payments go through Stripe, a payment company. Your card number goes to Stripe, never to us. The charge shows on your statement as LAGO VISTA WATCHDOG.

What do you keep about me?

Stripe keeps your name, email, and payment details so it can charge you and send receipts. Paying does not sign you up for our email alerts. Read the details.