I recently addressed the example of media coverage out of Abilene that misleads the public about local city taxes. In that example, almost every media story said directly, or implied, that citizens will pay less in Abilene property taxes next year due to all the extra sales tax revenue collected by the city. However, if you actually read the city’s proposed tax rate document, it clearly states that it is a net property tax increase for the coming year.
I asked: When and how are we going to stop this constant fraud on the people of Texas?
That brings me to another kind of dishonesty at the local government level where big spending is masquerading as responsible city management.
It seems the Lubbock city council has decided that all the new money pouring into its coffers from new development and large growth in sales tax revenue just isn’t enough. A KFYO news story indicated that the Hub City’s condescending daddy-Mayor Dan Pope,and his council crew plan a property tax increase in the upcoming budget.
The spin from Pope and crew is that the city council is paying for things as they go, not using debt as if this is some form of conservative responsible leadership in and of itself.
…it is a bit dishonest to claim fiscal responsibility when the big spending increases are on things the people who own the city and pay the bills never said they wanted through a vote.
Certainly pay-as-you-go is more responsible and taxpayers get much more for their money by not diverting so much to pay interest bond issues require. However in the case of Lubbock’s city leadership they forgot something: They are raising taxes to pay for major capital investments, such as new police facilities, that taxpayers never approved.
In short, it is a bit dishonest to claim fiscal responsibility when the big spending increases are on things the people who own the city and pay its bills never said they wanted through a vote.
Officeholder and media spin doesn’t lower your local property taxes
I asked: When and how are we going to stop this constant fraud on the people of Texas?
That brings me to another kind of dishonesty at the local government level where big spending is masquerading as responsible city management.
It seems the Lubbock city council has decided that all the new money pouring into its coffers from new development and large growth in sales tax revenue just isn’t enough. A KFYO news story indicated that the Hub City’s condescending daddy-Mayor Dan Pope,and his council crew plan a property tax increase in the upcoming budget.
The spin from Pope and crew is that the city council is paying for things as they go, not using debt as if this is some form of conservative responsible leadership in and of itself.
…it is a bit dishonest to claim fiscal responsibility when the big spending increases are on things the people who own the city and pay the bills never said they wanted through a vote.
Certainly pay-as-you-go is more responsible and taxpayers get much more for their money by not diverting so much to pay interest bond issues require. However in the case of Lubbock’s city leadership they forgot something: They are raising taxes to pay for major capital investments, such as new police facilities, that taxpayers never approved.
In short, it is a bit dishonest to claim fiscal responsibility when the big spending increases are on things the people who own the city and pay its bills never said they wanted through a vote.