County Commissioners delayed the vote Monday to take away purchase cards (credit cards) from Commissioners Jason Corley and Jordan Rackler, tabling it until September 23.
Corley and Rackler have not attended the meetings since August 26, denying fellow commissioners a quorum to set the tax rate.
Both Corley and Rackler believed taking away the cards was retaliation. County Judge Curtis Parrish last week said it was merely good budgeting – not retaliation. Click here to see our previous coverage.
The lower tax rate will force another $7.5 million or more in cuts to the current budget proposal, Parrish said.
During public comments at the Monday meeting, a couple speakers were critical of taking away the county purchasing cards of only two commissioners – the same two who are forcing a lower tax rate by not showing up to vote.
Commissioner Gilbert Flores requested the delay.
“It may not affect just two commissioners. It may affect all the commissioners. We may have to cut all of us – everybody’s credit card. Again $7.5 million is a lot of money,” Flores said.
Click here to see the budget proposal.
All four, not just two of them
During questions and answers with the County Auditor Kathy Williams, Parrish and Flores were both quick to point out road projects and parks will get budget cuts in all four precincts, not just Precincts 2 and 4 represented by Corley and Rackler.
In a follow up conversation with LubbockLights.com Monday afternoon, Parrish said, “I was told very clearly the constituents of [precincts] 2 and 4 want their parks cut. It was ‘fluff’ one of them told me.”
Parks get cut in those two precincts specifically, but Parrish said there’s a reason.
He said all four have clubhouses, which fall into the budget category of parks. But only 2 and 4 have actual county parks. So, any cut to the parks will apply differently in those two precincts, he said.
Corley, in his follow-up with LubbockLights.com Monday saw it differently.
“He was treading real close to interfering with my ability to do my job,” Corley said. “Without provocation, taking mine and Rackler’s [cards] makes it real obvious it was retaliatory.”
As for road projects, Corley thought it was too early to know if 2 and 4 would get singled out because more money needs to be cut from the current proposal.
Cutting the parks budgets will force the use of reserves – a bad idea according to both Parrish and Corley.
A bad idea
Parrish said, “This scheme about using reserves to pay for things, I’m against it. I think it’s bad public policy.”
The judge said Lubbock County has about 4-and-a-half months of reserves. Six months of extra money would be better.
If the trend of spending down reserve money continues, Parrish said, “It’s likely to destroy our bond rating.”
In simple terms, that means the county will pay higher interest rates on loans.
Corley said, “They’re gonna fund it [the parks and clubhouse budget] on reserves. That’s a bad idea.”
It sets the stage for a tax hike next year, Corley said.
During the meeting, Flores said, “We have done our best. We’ve funded our fire department the best we can. We’re funding the Sheriff’s Department the best we can.”
But Flores said he has no idea where to cut $7.5 million.
Parrish said the deadline to set a tax rate is September 23 because it must be done in a regularly scheduled meeting – not a special meeting.
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