Legal defense funds spark spirited debate at city council meeting
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TAX RATE
The current and proposed property tax rate is 65 centsfor each $100 of taxable property.
It would have to be lowered to 63.67 cents to bring in the same amount of income as the year before because of ...
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TAX RATE
The current and proposed property tax rate is 65 centsfor each $100 of taxable property.
It would have to be lowered to 63.67 cents to bring in the same amount of income as the year before because of higher appraisals.
The tax rate has dropped about 5 cents since 2004 and hasn't increased in more than 10 years.
Victoria's proposed budget got initial approval from the city council Thursday, but only after a heated debate about funds for legal fees.
Council Member David Hagan, the only one opposed to the budget adoption, said it includes $150,000 for legal defense of three city officials who were indicted last year.
Saying it wasn't right to be increasing people's tax bills to pay for this, he made a motion to remove the entire amount from the budget. It failed for lack of a second.
"I'm so very disappointed you made that motion," Council Member Paul Polasek said. "It's very easy to take advantage of what the public doesn't know and politicize it."
The public doesn't know the entire story because many of the discussions have taken place in executive session, he said.
"I think the public has the right to know about the $150,000 in there," Hagan said. "I am absolutely doing this in good faith, sir."
A member of the audience later objected to the way Hagan was being treated, which prompted a response from Polasek.
"I have never been talked to by a reverend in the manner I was talked to," said Polasek, referring to an earlier discussion with Hagan in executive session.
Hagan responded that at least his actions in closed session were not illegal.
Mayor Will Armstrong, Police Chief Bruce Ure, former city attorney David Smith, police Lt. Ralph Buentello were indicted for interfering with an investigation and for perjury.
The city council agreed later to put up $50,000 for each person's legal defense. The proposed budget includes another $150,000 in case it's needed for their continued defense.
Armstrong said after the meeting he has spent only $37,000 of the $50,000 allotted him. His indictment was dropped, but the perjury charges against the other three stand.
During a public hearing on the proposed proposed tax rate, the city council heard from a string of about seven or eight people asking for tax relief because of the recession.
"I'm looking at my neighbors and I'm looking at the housing market," said Russell Pruitt with Citizens for Responsible Government. "I know all is not good in Victoria."
He called on the council to keep tax income neutral.
Jeff Williams said that the sales tax income has been less than last year in six of the last eight months. He said the council would have to go back to 1986 to find a worse year.
"My business has seen a 20-percent decline in sales in the last six months," he said. "I've cut my staff in half."
The economy is in a recession and he called on the council to adopt the lowest tax rate possible.
Dale Zuck with the Victoria Republican Conservative Caucus said his group will have a tax protest Tuesday aimed at keeping the city property tax down.
"Here in Victoria our economy has been kept somewhat stable," he said. But that's partially because of the construction of new schools in Victoria and that will be winding down, he said.
That means more people will be unemployed and that could in turn affect the city's sales tax income, he said.
Comments
ChrisCompton, the VA ran a story about the illegal sale of the road & it was used as a reason why former City Attorney resigned.
August 29, 2009 at 6:35 p.m.I think a number of people are being mis-lead by Polasek as he speaks in circles. He started out by saying the two line items he wanted to cut were to reduce the tax rate by 1/2 cent. By the time he made full circle he said the funds cut there could be used in other places, one of them being to give Keep Victoria Beautiful more then is currently allocated. There is a great deal of manuevering going on by every one on the council so we need to keep a close eye on it.
I personally think the $150K for additional legal fees is inappropriate and the way it was included in the budget was questionable. These funds were not included in the "regular" budget for the legal department, they were included in a list of "one time" expenditures (page 5) pages away from the legal department budet items (page 40). They were not identified as "city officials defense", only as "Legal Professional Services". Every other one time expenditure had an explanation, i.e. "Brush Fire Truck", "Replace Gradall Unit". It appears to me someone was trying to hide this expenditure where no one would see it. This is not transparency in government, in my mind this is underhanded dealings.
August 29, 2009 at 5:54 p.m.Excellent post, Misty Dawn. I'm getting the sense that David Hagen is in over his head when it comes to leading the troops. It must irk him that a genuine conservative like Polasek has to point out matters that he would know if he read the budget.
August 29, 2009 at 1:45 p.m.Amazing, there are poeple who will belive anything Hagan says. I watched the replay of the Thursday meeting. The only person who is really actually trying to cut the budget is Polasek. He made two changes to the budget that were both approved to remove over a 100k of expenditures from the budget. People are still following slick Hagan who doesn't know what he's doin. Hagan had to ask the attorney how to vote. Does he even read the agenda? How long has he been on council? The new folks seem to be catching on better. Just watch him closely and draw your own conclusions.
How embarrasing it has become for Hagan. It appeared to me that he made a motion to remove something that wasn't even in the budget! He though the downtown sidewalk project was a budget item and apparently its not. I guess captital projects are accounted for and voted on separately. As tax payers we might not know that difference, but should he?
August 29, 2009 at 10:24 a.m.I've said it before, I don't understand why the protestors are not going to our other local taxing entities as well. They haven't been to the county, college or VISD who are all raising our taxes this year. These other entities represent 2/3 of our tax bill. I guess they just want to be on TV...
August 29, 2009 at 9:32 a.m.Hagan’s only desire is to be a martyr against his perceived evil.
August 29, 2009 at 8:52 a.m.Longdistanceshot
Paul does not and will not discuss executive session items with others. So I don't know anything about what goes on there. He did say the sale was never complete until it was voted on by council, in public, which is what happened.
Texas open meeting act allows for them to do the following; "Discuss the purchase, lease or sale of real property". This gives them the ability to discuss/negotiate a good price and terms on behalf of the citizens who are buying or selling the property, in this case you and me and every one else in the city.
Where did you learn these “facts”? Perhaps you should consider posting using your real name if you are so sure of yourself. If they are "provable" facts go to a council meeting and ask in public.
August 28, 2009 at 2:19 p.m."I'm so very disappointed you made that motion," Council Member Paul Polasek said. "It's very easy to take advantage of what the public doesn't know and politicize it."
Translation: Dang, David. We could have slipped it by if you hadn't said anything...
August 28, 2009 at 11:11 a.m.If they want the money to fund legal fees, take them out of Tylers paycheck....since he is the one that keeps pushing the issue even after a judge threw it out.
August 28, 2009 at 10:56 a.m.Chris,
August 28, 2009 at 10:54 a.m.Go back into the other office and ask Paul what else he would like you to say. The actions of the Council, excluding Hagan, on the sale of Hospital Drive to the County, were indeed illegal, and were indeed carried out in closed session. Go learn you facts before spouting off. Hagan is an honorable man who has done nothing but alert the citizens of this city to the dastardly deeds of the council.
"Hagan responded that at least his actions in closed session were not illegal."
I hope Mr. Hagan has the proof to back up his words...
August 28, 2009 at 9:52 a.m.Unemployment Rate - Victoria, Texas, USA:
August 28, 2009 at 3 a.m.http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/weblo...
We are stuck with Polasek until 2012 but we can get rid of Armstrong and Halapaska in 2010. Come on Victoria we need to get David Hagan some help on the council or nothings ever going to change. I would vote for a trained monkey over Armstrong.
August 28, 2009 at 12:13 a.m.Are these guys illegals? Sounds like a bunch of social parasites to me.
August 27, 2009 at 9:21 p.m.