Increasing Austin taxes necessary

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 8, 2000

It’s a safe bet paying taxes isn’t at the top of most people’s list of things they like to do.

Friday, September 08, 2000

It’s a safe bet paying taxes isn’t at the top of most people’s list of things they like to do. If people aren’t complaining about the weather, they are usually complaining about how much the government takes out of their checks. The reality is we’re always going to have to pay taxes because certain things need to get done that serve the best interest of the entire community.

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Here in Austin we have been fortunate that our City Council and staff has managed to not raise taxes in eight years. The leaders arguably have shown a great deal of fiscal constraint and increased the efficiency of city staff and government.

With the cost of doing business increasing each of those eight years, it is remarkable the level of service the city provides has remained nearly constant.

Clearly, however, the residents of Austin, as well as the city’s leaders, now recognize that certain areas of service may have slipped to noticeably dangerous levels. The most noticeable in the area of police protection and continuing questions about the appropriate level of staffing for the Fire Department.

Tuesday night the city council took a step in the right direction by increasing the levy by $200,000 for next year – meaning the residents of Austin will see a tax increase. Part of the tax increase will likely go to hire two more police officers.

The crowd gathered at Tuesday’s meeting did not speak against the tax increase rather most welcomed it. Such a public reaction should serve to affirm the council’s good work the past few years in demonstrating fiscal constraint.

The challenge the city now faces is to not view the tax increase as a blank check and go on some wild spending spree. Instead the city must continue to provide the increased services residents demand at the lowest cost possible. It’s a daunting challenge, but one every business in the city faces each day and one the City Council and city staff has met in the past.