Budget Season In Full Bloom
This time of the year is a lot of fun for folks who enjoy following local politics and seeing how our elected officials struggle to explain why their entity needs more funding in order to operate.
Today, the Lubbock City Council will get its first look at its growing budget for next year that will most likely include small raises for its employees.
While many in our community are no longer employed or have seen their salaries and benefits decline due to an economy that has lost its luster, the public sector has not come close to feeling our pain.
The county commissioners are hearing requests for additional employees and increased salaries. The commissioners will turn down some of the requests in order to look “tough,” but most of the requests will be granted.
At City Hall, LP&L ratepayers will provide additional money to help our City Manager balance her budget. After the administrators who reside on the second floor get their hefty increases, ostensibly because they could make more money in the private sector (yeah sure), the police department and other city employees will be tossed a small increase.
When the Lubbock Independent School District and the other taxing entities finish their budgets, every taxpayer in Lubbock will feel it in their pocketbooks through additional fees, rates and/or taxes.
Adding in all of our national, state, regional and local taxes are breaking the backs of hard-working citizens. It’s time they got some relief.
