Spending Money . . .
Folks in Paris, Texas, never seem to ask where the city’s getting its spending money. Every October 1st a new fiscal year begins for the city, and no one seems to know where the money comes from . . .
One-fourth of the fiscal year is gone. Things inside the city limits, other than gaining another assistant city manager and more plans for spending money, are still about the same as all of last year. And the year before. And the year – Well, you know –
On the plus or negative side, depending on how you look at it, during the last two fiscal years, city property taxes increased over 7% (a compounded 3.5% increase each year, which is the maximum allowed by state law without a citywide vote); and Paris added an assistant city manager.
Again.
Now, bless us, we have two assistant city managers to help the city manager tell city council members how to do their jobs; especially, when it comes to spending money. So, taxpayers and citizens are either needing to cry or celebrate, depending on what they see as progress.
Most of the input to the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce seems to indicate that Paris is following federal policies.
Evidently, only a few folks know that the only money that government has, including the City of Paris and the PEDC, are dollars collected by threat force of a police state. What Was The Lamar County Chamber supposedly operates on money voluntarily donated to them, but it has been subsidized by city tax dollars for years. (An example being the city gives it the annual $700,000 or so of visitor’s tax to managed, and pays it a healthy sum to do so.)
Like the feds, not one of these Three Mustyrears have money of their own. They operate by OPM (other people’s money).
Government, including Paris’ own, always seem to agree that there is a lot of activity going on in drug use, border crossing, crime, and wishful thinking on the part of those who want someone to give them other people’s money.
Victims (those providing the money) take a dim view of these activities, however, arguing they only benefit a few, and the positive long-term benefits are questionable.
Paris needs a big production to offset the arguments: Play some of that Devil Music and have a high ol’ time. Do some boot-scootin’ booging around the dance floor. Sing a little bit of “Give Me That Old Time Religion”- which we need while cussing about some things that were done last year:
- The leadership purchased a few industries to replace the ones we’ve lost: Giving land, abatement (no taxes), other incentives, and our hard-earned cash in exchange for a promise to create jobs.
- A similar policy subsidized a few promoters offering to build 1000 to 1200 square foot “affordable, low-income homes” (at a $200,000 cost per home).
- A portion of the Retail Tax dollars collected by four retail businesses (replacing four businesses that closed in a shopping center) were refunded (given back, whether legal or not, to the retail businesses), and a partial abatement of property taxes given the shopping center owner.
- The city pledged $7 million to build a street for a proposed residential development with a retail shopping area on the SW Loop – in violation of existing city ordinances requiring developers to pay the cost of new streets to/from and in their developments.
- A proposed motel on North Main Street got an abatement and utilities help.
- The city, PEDC and What Used To Be The Lamar County Chamber paid a Florida firm $85,000 to develop a logo for use as a local “Brand.” Then, spend an another estimated $85,000-or so painting the brand on vehicles and signs, re-doing websites, reprinting brochures, business cards, stationery and other office materials, etc. (Its hard to tell, but the brand or logo seems to promote or warn of drug use: Paris Texas – where Texans Reach Higher.)
- The city entered into an another reported $230,000 study on what Paris should do. (As at least five such studies are on shelves or in boxes at city hall – if not lost among the old files or thrown out. They should be like new. They’ve hardly been used.)
In general, these are some of the things Paris have done over the last year or two, or is doing.
But is picking – choosing – who gets what, who wins and who loses, and robbing Bob to pay Paul, progress? Or is it s regression to old world socialism, where a few individuals control resources and the means of production?
return to Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce