THE ISSUES: Taxation and Growth

We all pay taxes. It is a fact of modern life, but we also all have the rights to 1) expect that that money is treated with respect for how hard it was to earn, and 2) expect that it be spent or invested as wisely as we would our own.  At a time when citizens are tightening their belts, it is wrong for government to not search out every opportunity to make itself more efficient and streamline its many functions as much as possible. The money that is spent must be constantly monitored to be sure it is getting every bit of value that it can.  If we make investments in our future, we must make sure they produce results and do not just become more burdens on the system.

If a family or a business makes what turns out to be a bad financial decision, it usually stops the behavior.   Government often does the opposite, and just keeps blithely going right down the path it has set for itself.

Some on our current and past city councils see only one side of the budget equation, and that is because the city uses baseline budgeting.   In essence, this means the budget begins with whatever was spent the prior year, and not a cent less. This is not how business or private citizens spend money, and our city government shouldn’t use it, either.

It is vital to have retail business people on the council who are not only open to new, more efficient ways of creating revenue, but also who will understand the positive effects of growing sales tax revenue to help keep property taxes down long term.  Granbury is an excellent example of this model. 

Stephenville has rodeos, historic buildings, a beautiful museum, historic sites, a developing river walk, tons of places for both industry, and boutiques, eateries and so on, all ripe for development, but the zoning process is slow and capricious.  I don't believe this is from ill intent, but simply from a lack of understanding of retail business development.   

Since opening my restaurant in the 80s, I have watched the zoning and permitting processes get gummed up in the works.  Sadly, Stephenville has spent the last 15 years developing a reputation as a very unfriendly business environment, and that is not a good thing.

The following is an address I made last year to the city council regarding the proposed (and subsequently approved) tax increase: