Rowlett News - Work session draws a crowd
September 18th, 2010 . by TexasFredA special work session of the Rowlett City Council on Wednesday drew a large crowd mostly made up of city employees. The crowd was too large to hold the session in the conference room so the council moved the meeting into the council chambers to accommodate the overflow. The session was called by Mayor John Harper to address concerns that the council members may have with the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
“When the city manager presented a proposed budget on Aug. 3, I told you my concerns, then I repeated those same concerns when I requested this extra meeting,” Harper said. “I now have had the chance to speak with most of you about the budget proposal and the reasons for my concerns. I hope that I convince you to join me in approving a budget that does not raise taxes, does not borrow money, does not use savings but does spend only what it earns and still maintains core city services for our residents.”
Harper began the meeting by indicating he would be separating the issues he had into three categories – recurring expenses, nonrecurring expenses and transfers.
“I am proposing a zero-growth budget for recurring spending,” Harper said. “My recommendation for the recurring portion of the budget is to accept the projected current recurring revenues for fiscal year 2011 — $71.3 million for all funds,” Harper said. “I want to adopt a no-growth budget for recurring spending keeping it the same as anticipated for fiscal year 2010 — $67.5 million.”
Full Story Here:
Work session draws a crowd
Rowlett is, considering this time of financial instability, in a much better position than many cities. When you consider the size of Rowlett and the number of citizens, somewhere around 60K, it becomes obvious why MONEY Magazine ranked us in the Top 25 best places to live in America.
Our Mayor, Dr. John Harper, has angered a few of his City Council cohorts by taking a solid CONSERVATIVE stance regarding Fiscal Responsibility and the spending of our tax dollars here in Rowlett.
One of the Core Principles of the TEA Party is Fiscal Responsibility. I am a staunch believer in the Principles of the TEA Party. I am well known in the Rowlett area as a member of the TEA Party, but in this instance I speak for me, a private citizen, and not as a TEA Party member.
Michael Gallops, councilman, indicated he supported the budget as it was proposed.
“I am OK with the budget the way it was proposed,” Gallops said.
Mikey? I have to ask…how did you con so many people into voting for you? It obviously wasn’t your earth shattering ideas and masterful oratory skills.
Mr. Gallops, a past President and former member of The Rowlett TEA Party, ran as a Conservative on the GOP ticket. If Mr. Gallops is “OK with the budget the way it was proposed” I have to wonder if he (Gallops) knows the definition of conservative and actually remembers the Core Values he claimed to embrace.
I also have to wonder about the validity of the hushed rumors that are floating around Rowlett of Mr. Gallops being a lot more aligned with Democratic views than those of the GOP members and Conservatives in general. Yes, I said rumors. But those rumors are being proffered in a few private discussions lately.
Words are cheap, and when you speak in generalities, when you never take a specific stand on anything. Well…actions speak louder than words Mikey.
Councilwoman Donna Davis echoed Gallops thoughts regarding the budget.
“I felt comfortable considering the fact that this year (the city staff) has been very conservative about what was spent,” Davis said. “I felt like we had already taken a good step in the right direction.”
Donna, instead of toeing the line and spending OUR hard earned dollars, perhaps you need to look into this: Fiscal Conservatism. Look it up, read the definition, several times. Memorize it, live it, embrace it fully, and know this, We, The People are the ones you work for, and We, The People are not exactly pleased with the direction of our Council at this time!
Mayor Pro Tem Todd Gottel urged caution about cutting too much from the fund.
“There are needs that we do have,” Gottel said. “We are going to replace trucks and stuff.”
Todd Gottel has, if I am not mistaken, aspirations of becoming Rowlett’s next Mayor.
Todd, if you go along with this budget as written, if you don’t fully embrace the conservative approach and support the ideas offered up by Mayor Harper, that little twinkle in the corner of your eye may well be the light of your political future winking OUT!
Rowlett is my home. I love this city! I was truly embarrassed by the severe voter apathy that was exhibited during the last election. If the Council forges ahead in their attempt to push through a budget of reckless spending, that severe voter apathy can easily turn into a case of severe voter ANGER.
To ALL on this City Council that will seek re-election, or aspire to higher office within the City of Rowlett, I encourage you to adopt No-growth spending or suffer the consequences when elections roll around again.
This entire article is a blue print for how involved citizens across the country should interact with their local government. The disease of apathy has now affected us all on the national level to the point of exploding, but the cure is becoming involved like this locally on up. We have to watch dog leaders from the town hall up! Thank you for sharing this Fred. Americans everywhere need to wake up.
Fred,
I am a longtime citizen of Rowlett and I remember when we were told that we had to float a bunch of bond issues for infrastructure in order to attract business. Once those businesses were here, we were told, then our property taxes could be adjusted downward by the city. Do you remember that happening? Me neither.
I was here when Dalrock Road was a disgrace and TX 66 (before it became the 50 MPH Lakeview Pkwy) was a two-lane speed trap. I was here when Rowlett had more bait shops than shoe shops. I am proud of the progress we have made in Rowlett.
But listen up city council and city manager: not all change is progress. Todd, I’m glad you’re going to get a new truck this year because most of us working stiffs are going to continue driving our old trucks (mine is a 2000 model year).
I’m not completely sure that Gallops doesn’t have the trots. Mr. Gallops we did not elect you to office because we had nothing better to do with our money. Mrs. Davis, don’t talk about the staff being conservative until you’ve had to live with the same kind of layoffs and cutbacks that the people who elected you to office have had to live with.
Now you KNOW why I’m Texasperated with the whole blasted bunch of ya.
Texasperated — I think the trucks Todd mentioned was in reference to FIRE Trucks for the City of Rowlett, not personal trucks…
Your mayor aspirant, Gottel, should worry you already with his massively insightful and multi-syllabic “we need trucks n’ stuff” comment. My, how deep you are, sir.
Consider your asses will get sold down the river and Harper will get overturned. I see things in the budget that could already be cut after having read the full Rowlett article.
You can tell them THIS for me:
“You have an opportunity, a huge opportunity, Rowlett, to set the stage and set an example for, I dare say, the entire United States. You are a governmental agency that COULD actually pull off a balanced budget -even in this horrible economy. If you do NOT, it is because you purposely CHOSE not to. It is NOW that your taxpaying citizens will see your commitment to logic, common sense, courage and honesty — or your lack thereof.”
BZ
BZ — As a matter of fact, I AM going to be speaking at the Rowlett City Council meeting this coming Tuesday night…
I have a few things to say to some of our esteemed Council Critters..
Tuesday? Dang it, I gotta work the next day. That’s a bit far to drive in a turn and burn. Somebody get me a video of this one, please?
Fred, now just why doesn’t that shock me. . . ?
BZ
P.S.
Yeah, if there IS video, we GOTS ta see it.
Fire trucks, dump trucks, pickup trucks. Fred, none of them puts a truck in Joe Plumber and Joe Carpenter’s driveway. We have plenty of fire trucks. Can we not make them run another couple of years? Are they that delapidated that I should not feel safe unless we have some new hook-n-ladders?
Texasperated — I didn’t say it was right, I was just clarifying, fair and balanced you know…
Yeah, I understood he meant city trucks and not his own personal truck. And my argument is not with you or really even with TG. My argument is with Ms Humble.
Texasperated — I knew that, well, I expected that, but I DO have an argument with Todd, and Tuesday night I am going to have half the Council hating me and maybe have the citizens wanting me ON the council…
I’ll email you a copy of the little speech I am making Tuesday night, I really hope you’ll attend!
I don’t have to be in San Antone until Thursday afternoon, so I will likely come by the city council meeting unless other duties stand in my way. And I’ll come loaded for bear.