If what I have read has legs, there might be a serious storm brewing on the Texas Caprock.
The Amarillo City Council, according to a message that one of my Amarillo spies has delivered to me, has decided to circumvent the will of the voters while seeking to build a new civic entertainment and City Hall complex.
Voters in Amarillo rejected a $275 million bond issue in November 2020 to pay for the project. More than 60% of them said “no.” That apparently didn’t dissuade the council from moving forward.
This past week, the council approved a proposal that piles on $260 million worth of debt on taxpayers. The money is intended to pay for the aforementioned entertainment complex and City Hall. It has been shoved through with something called Anticipation Notes. Those notes are supposed to be set aside for short-term repairs, not the kind of long-term projects envisioned by the City Council.
There appears to be a lawsuit in the making to stop this foolishness.
As one who generally supports Amarillo City Hall, I am left to wonder: What in the world are they thinking up yonder?
Voters have spoken their piece. The people who are supposed to do the voters’ bidding appear to be seeking to perform a bit of razzle-dazzle.
So, how does this work? It appears to my nearly blind eyes that we have a City Council that wants to break faith with the bosses. According to a message distributed on a site called “Inspire Amarillo”: When government leaders try to impose taxes without notice or a good-faith discussion, flashing red lights should be going off for every citizen, no matter which side of an issue you are on. And it’s especially concerning when elected officials contradict voters and potentially circumvent the law to do it.
Here’s the entire statement, as it paints a clearer picture:
Inspire Amarillo | City of Amarillo Lawsuit
I admit to a lack of knowledge of the particulars. I thought I would raise the issue here to call attention to what well could be interpreted as a serious abuse of trust in a city that has boasted over many years that residents harbor an implicit faith that City Hall works on behalf of the residents whose tax money pays the bills.
I have witnessed municipal recall efforts triggered for less than what might be transpiring in Amarillo.
Stay tuned … shall we?
This action by the City of Amarillo is a direct slap in the face to its citizens.
I see potential big time trouble on the horizon up yonder, Ted.