Are we out of recession? Has the economy in Texas, outside the immediate oil-patch, started to boom? If you look at local government decisions across the state you’d think Texas to have an unemployment rate half what it is.
Just a review of the past few days of news at PrattonTexas.com, in the Texas News section, finds cities and counties, of all sizes, raising taxes, increasing spending, and in most cases handing out raises to government employees, while the state is still suffering from record unemployment – an odd time to claim that you need to pay more to keep talented personnel.
Taylor County; City of Brownwood; City of Amarillo, Potter and Randall County too; the City of Allen; Coryell County; Fort Worth; City of Bangs; City of Jasper; City of Lubbock; City of Austin; Plano; Georgetown; Goliad; City of El Paso; Comal County; San Patricio County; City of Donna; Rio Grande City; City of Kyle, Victoria County and; many more, including a huge number of supposedly broke public school districts, are handing out raises.
This list of local governments is just a sampling from across Texas – big and small towns and counties. The common thread is that across the state local governments are voting themselves more money to come from your pocket. It’s preposterous, in most cases, to argue that raises are needed when we find ourselves in a period of record unemployment and economic challenge.
Local government, right in your backyard, is behaving just as irresponsibly as Obama and the big spenders in D.C. but, will you and other voters care?
