Hyperreal Film Club
City Protecting Our Interests?
RECEIVED Wed., Aug. 20, 2003
As we go through the budget process, are we really protecting the taxpayers' interests? In the midst of a huge revenue shortfall, the city is:
1) Providing tax rebates for real estate developers (like the $37 million to Endeavor), while slashing budgets for our underfunded libraries and parks.
2) Suspending projects which taxpayers have already approved and paid for (the Mexican American Cultural Center, a new library in East Austin), while spending nearly $300,000 to do the planning for the new Saltillo development project.
3) Announcing a new program to streamline the approval of new development projects, while ignoring the mind-numbing inefficiencies that exist throughout the city.
The effect of these policies: We are building malls and closing libraries, all while raising taxes. Is this the best our mayor, city council, and city manager can do for us? If we want to stimulate economic development, let's focus on our quality of life instead of the developers'.
1) Providing tax rebates for real estate developers (like the $37 million to Endeavor), while slashing budgets for our underfunded libraries and parks.
2) Suspending projects which taxpayers have already approved and paid for (the Mexican American Cultural Center, a new library in East Austin), while spending nearly $300,000 to do the planning for the new Saltillo development project.
3) Announcing a new program to streamline the approval of new development projects, while ignoring the mind-numbing inefficiencies that exist throughout the city.
The effect of these policies: We are building malls and closing libraries, all while raising taxes. Is this the best our mayor, city council, and city manager can do for us? If we want to stimulate economic development, let's focus on our quality of life instead of the developers'.
Dan Yoder