Whitmire seems to think paying people more will reduce overtime, maybe if we are lucky and don’t have to spend overtime money because of hurricanes and such minor annoyances. What does one council member have to say about the numbers?
Houston City Council member Edward Pollard argued “there’s no way that the numbers are accurate.”
“The numbers that are put on paper, you know, could show a savings, but in reality, based on what we’ve seen, it would be very difficult to match those numbers,” he added.
Harris County:
Harris County facing $270 million deficit. Judge Lina Hidalgo says tax hike a possibility
The shortfall, initially projected to be around $130 million, more than doubled following a vote to increase pay to county law enforcement by next year. Hidalgo said the deficit was the largest she has seen since she was elected in 2018, and might force the county to make significant cutbacks to “non-essential services,” such as the animal shelter and public libraries.
“We are either going to cut essential services for our residents, because we have done efficiency studies, we’re already asking for additional cuts across the board, or we’re going to have to go for a tax rate election,” Hidalgo said. “So those are the two realities, the choices in front of us. I don’t like being here.”
If Whitmire was counting on county officers to flock to HPD, that may not be happening now.
What I do know is that both the county and the city are operating like the federal government, spending more than they bring in. I wonder how long that can last before something gives.
I would move back to my hometown, Corpus Christi, but they are even dumber down there; they have sold most of the little water they have to the multi-national companies, including Tesla.