Comments on: RCDC, Rollingwood City Council budgets still undecided

By: Rollingwood tea party?

Rollingwood tea party? — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:22:16 +0000

Anonymous #11: Regarding property taxes in Rollingwood, our values are already up 10% this year!!! In a recession no less. That means property owners were going to be paying much more. The mayor didn’t care and wanted to raise the tax rate on top of that. Better budget planning should offset the increased valuations and need for increased rates, rather than the “spend as much as we can because no one will notice until its too late” attitude. This tax and spend mentality was DEFEATED in the last election.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:13:18 +0000

It is amazing how some continue to criticize the NEW council but do not criticize the outlandish spending habits over the past two years. Look at the attorney costs for general needs over the past two years. Look at the spending. There were numerous special meetings before the last election but ironically nothing was said about those.
The voters have asked the council to take control of spending. That is what this council is trying to do in spite of the foolishness of these baseless counter arguments. “Furious” needs to understand what the past budgets showed and what the NEW budget will have. Your argument doesn’t hold water at all.
To anonymous #11: this council is in favor of promoting new business and is REALISTIC and is being much smarter with the budget and LONG TERM planning. The last council simply SPENT. It did nothing new to promote business.
Also, the city administrator INSISTED in spite of opposition that sales tax growth would be 10% higher this past year than previously. Those aldermen being criticized now were far more realistic and prudent when they showed concern about this. These council members were CORRECT. The sales tax figures have been down about 10% and so our city administrator’s push for spending was based on a difference of nearly 20% in spite of those pleading with her to make adjustments for the down economy this last year. Maybe this council is working tirelessly to make up for this stupidity on the city’s part. It is the will of the people that the city work within a REAL budget and not spend more than is coming in.
Again, the arguments when truly analyzed DO NOT HOLD WATER.

By: Furious

Furious — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:06:52 +0000

Take control of spending- since the newest Council members arrived we have had more special meetings and marathon council meetings than ever. Every time this happens we pay our City Attorney more and more money. Plus the special legal counsel that was hired, plus the buyout, …. All of this adds up- so we shall see how well they are doing at controlling spending. Cutting staff and salaries do not count since one day we will have to rehire.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:04:26 +0000

The only way to decrease sewer rates is to increase taxes and spread the burden across all property owners. RCDC funds have limited uses. The water project had to have been an approved project prior to 2003 when they changed the law to no longer allow residential water projects. We have 2mil worth of water projects to do?? The city streets are another 1 to 2mil. The street tax won’t make a big dent but will allow it to service a debt on the streets but these three won’t consider debt service.

If we penny pinch for another 10 years then maybe we will have enough for half. Or maybe they could stop penny pinching and figure out how to promote business in Rollingwood which brings in sales tax which could help all- the city coffers, rcdc coffers for parks which can then take over those costs from the city budget, and add more for the streets. You can pinch as much as you want but if you don’t promote growth or business we will be in the same situation- fighting over pennies.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:51:37 +0000

$75,000 for a playground shade structure (???) but not enough for water system improvements or road resurfacing or wastewater rate relief or property tax relief. The three amigos are trying to gain control of this ridiculous spending. Gracias, tres amigos.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:54:57 +0000

Victoria,
Maybe Chief Pryor is relieved not to have the previous city administrator telling him what to do. That was not a positive situation for the police force. However, now there are some shady areas where there is evidence this city admin may have told the mayor and chief to be very creative. This “creativity” in turn made general accusations against citizens for political reasons to drum up sympathy for the city admin. and is not admirable. Is this the kind of atmosphere at city hall that the citizens deserve?

By: another one

another one — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:07:16 +0000

To Catherine,
Another thing to consider is the Eanes tax rate. Austin doesn’t have that and Austin doesn’t have our home valuations. Rollingwood’s spending is out of line with its size and population. Improvements can happen and fiscal responsibility can be maintained. The mayor said we don’t have enough money. It sounds like an irresponsible teenager who spent all his money on partying his freshman year and didn’t have anything left for tuition as a sophomore. (Its too bad the mayor will never make it to his junior year). Stupidity.
To Anonymous: The nicest things about Rollingwood have not happened in the high spending recent year or two. Like you said, it has been during times of fiscal responsibility.
Improvements and fiscal responsibility can go hand in hand as they have in the past.
The taxpayers of Rollingwood deserve leadership and advocacy at city hall instead of excuses.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:45:49 +0000

I have a $500 water bill as well- my sewer is $260 of it and I am good at financial planning.

I would rather have the City Atty look at the items in question. If not, several people would have signed off on water projects being paid for by RCDC which is a legal quandry. If I were on RCDC or Council before I vote to pay for residential water projects with RCDC funds I would make sure my insurance was paid up and check the City policy for Council and Board members. If the attorney has advised them that it is a fuzzy area and they then go ahead with the spending and someone sues those members will become personally liable.

As for a pleasant City Hall- I think there has been one- review Chief Pryor’s comments from the last Council Meeting.

By: suzanne

suzanne — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:41:50 +0000

Rollingwood was hit hard with increases in property values this year. From what I have been told, Rollingwood’s appraisals went out the roof beyond any other neighborhood in Austin, and all this during a RECESSION. So, the city will be receiving a nice increase of 10% – the max allowed – in property tax revenue. The mayor and two of our council members had wanted to raise the city’s tax rate ON TOP OF THIS during a RECESSION. This is outlandish and foolish.
I agree with drunkblogger. The city will be receiving a nice bonus from tax appraisal increases this year, while our residents are losing jobs and having their salaries cut. Raising taxes OF ANY SORT during a recession is poison. Any amount of money even in small doses to relieve the burden being hoisted upon the Rollingwood taxpayer is needed.
Thanks you to the “three amigos” for giving a hoot. The other two “non-amigos” and the mayor need to be given the boot.

By: drunkblogging

drunkblogging — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:09:43 +0000

By the way, what had the previous council done to SAVE US MONEY?? Nothing. What did they do for our infrastructure? Nothing.

The facts speak for themselves.