“Following the failure of six of the seven city bond proposals, Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Henry Florsheim stated… that he wasn’t shocked by the votes,” KFDX reported.
“I’m not surprised at the results, because there’s so much mistrust of government right now at all levels. Unfortunately, the cities we’re competing against are doing these things,” Florsheim told the news outlet.
And there you have it. It is not that certain things are needed for specific and definable competitive reasons with evidence of such presented. Instead it is among the oldest failings of mankind: Envy.
“Wichita Falls can be a great city. Last night’s results will just make us take a different path to get there,” Florsheim said.
Florsheim also told KFDX: “Wichita Falls can be a great city. Last night’s results will just make us take a different path to get there.”
What kind of chamber of commerce chief tells the world his city is not great, and will not be great until it emulates other cities? That is expressly what Florsheim’s statement to the press says.
What we idiomatically call “keeping up with the Joneses,” trying to have all the possessions and social achievements that our neighbors or other people around us have and is a sign of immaturity and is emblematic of being vain.
If Florsheim and others have evidence of how certain taxpayer amenities are necessary to land significant business, then they should have lead off argument for the bonds with those specifics. Instead, patently ridiculous arguments were made such as that building a new city government complex downtown would result in companies choosing to relocate to Wichita Falls.
Voters saw through it all and only approved a basic government function bond of specific street improvements.
ME
What I want to know is how much debt is too much? Why are bonds and new taxes always “needed” but fiscal discipline isn’t?
MIKE
Our city doesn’t do anything I’d characterize as extravagant. Is there room for budget cuts? I’m sure there is. But then people will be mad because they cut services. We certainly don’t pay extravagant salaries to employees in this city. What and where do you purpose to cut? Based on the research I’ve done we operate pretty lean for the most part.
ME
Mike Hendren 123 million in debt, and wanting to double that, seems to me to be living beyond ones means
MIKE
Matthew Roberts $70 million rolls off over the next 3 to 5 years. There’s not a city you could move to that does not carry some debt. With a resident tax base that isn’t growing, you have to figure out how to both deliver the services we all demand and repair, replace and upgrade facilities when needed. Couple that with a need to attract people here to grow that residential tax base and you’re going to incur some debt.
ME
Some debt? How about waaay more than a town our size should have. I don’t trust the people who’ve mismanaged what we gave them before. These same people have said the same things before and all we got is debt and companies leaving.