Even MORE New Taxes?

Tonight, KTXS reported on the nightly news that the Abilene City Council has begun budget meetings to discuss the upcoming budget. Not only must the taxpayers begin paying the interest on the bond issues they voted for in May, but KTXS news reports that the council will approve HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of extra tax dollars for police and fire department salary raises, a state-of-the-art police training center, and huge increases in utility costs for the city.

Here are my questions:

As the city council advertised the “modest” increase in our taxes that would result from the bond issues in May—a mere three months ago—did they have NO IDEA that utilities were going up? Had the council members had NO preliminary discussions with fire and police department personnel that a salary increase was needed? Have the current training facilities for the Abilene Police Department been so terrible that such a new and cutting-edge facility CANNOT WAIT for future budget years?

Why won’t Abilene city council members realize and admit that we in Abilene are taxed among the HIGHEST RATES for cities our size in Texas and take steps to reduce such taxes? Why won’t they CUT EXPENSES from one place to fund expenses elsewhere?