On December 15, 2008, the office of Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel issued a press release describing proposed ordinance 2008-20, with an intention of annexing 2142 acres of land from Vanderburgh County into the city limits. This land shares a border with the current city limit, and includes approximately 1037 parcels owned by West Side residents and businesses. A map of the proposed annexation area was issued as well.

The prospect of being levied with considerably higher property taxes by the city as compared to the county, in return for little or no improvement in services provided, prompted West Side residents to rally in opposition. Don Day and Chuck Weisling, two concerned West Siders in the affected area, started gathering information and organizing forces in order to defeat the proposed ordinance.

In January, Don and Chuck began to pursue the collection of signatures on a document called a remonstrance, which is basically a document to oppose the annexation. Indiana Code on annexation requires that 65% of the parcel holders (by number) or holders of more than 75% of the assessed valuation of the land in the proposed annexation are required to further take the remonstration to court.

Early on, Don and Chuck initiated the effort to start this website www.westsidersagainstannexation.com as a broadcast method of communication, and named the group effort “West Siders Against Annexation.” WSAA then set up a series of community information meetings at Red Bank Library, which were held in late January and early February.

Between February and July of 2009, the WSAA team worked hard to inform West Side residents about the annexation issue, encourage their participation in the City Council hearing about it, and prepare for a possible legal battle should the issue go to court. This resulted in a building of WSAA supporters, a fully signed remonstrance document, a legal fund, a retained attorney, and even some promotional clothing and a fight song.

On July 1, 2009, the Mayor publicly announced a future intention to significantly reduce the West Side annexation area. The new annexation boundary concentrates on annexing primarily the businesses along Weston and Pearl Drive, and the apartments at Lakewood West, Mission Viejo, and Copper Creek.

On August 22, 2009, a key deadline passed when the City Council failed to act on the original annexation ordinance. Ordinance 2008-20 is therefore dead due to the Council's inaction.

TODAY: It is not yet clear how the 7/1/2009 boundary change might be implemented. WSAA continues to monitor related activity from the mayor's office and from the City Council.

Since January 2010, a 12-member mayor-appointed committee has been and continues to study the scenario of consolidation, a proposal that would join the governments of Evansville and Vanderburgh County. WSAA is watching this activity closely, especially as it relates to the potential treatment, representation, and taxation of West Side residents.

WSAA remains committed to supporting opposition to West Side annexation, or similar scenarios that would increase West Side residential taxes without both desired and fair consideration for its residents and businesses.