Lubbock plagued with unethical leaders for over a decade

Three interesting things happened in the City of Lubbock this week that need mention.

First, the Hub City’s mayor, one Dan Pope, lead the civic cheerleaders in a pep rally called the annual State of the City address. The press reporting was all of optimism and glee ignoring debt, tax increases, and a growing list of frustrations related to city building projects.

While Pope was rallying the rah-rah crowd, Lubbock’s city utility’s attempt to bolt the Southwest Power Pool for the ERCOT grid demonstrated that all isn’t rosy and that city leaders have a real problem with ethical behavior.

In a hearing, part of process to see if ERCOT even wants Lubbock on its grid, lawyers cross examining Lubbock utility officials exposed a gross amount of bad behavior by Lubbock. They obtained admissions that Lubbock officials have never given the Southwest Power Pool legal notice that it is planning to remove its electric supply load from the grid.

This means that the SPP is required by law to do all planning, updating, and build-out with the Lubbock electric load factored in. That costs all ratepayers, including those in Lubbock money.

Then one of the greatest “quality of life” items in Lubbock, Celebrity Attractions and its touring Broadway shows, announced it is calling it quits in Lubbock because of the lies told to it and to citizens over renovating the municipal auditorium to basic serviceability standards.

Lubbock’s leaders told voters if they adopted a certain bond proposition the money would be used for the auditorium but after the election they didn’t use it for years and finally spent it on the civic center instead.

They lied because they’ve never wanted to keep the auditorium and were scheming to get voters to build a new facility. Voters didn’t and leaders spent the money approved for basic fixes on something else.

Maybe they should add some integrity to the water along with all that fluoride.