Recently in our little community, we experienced firsthand the messy, complicated business of local government. Facing funding challenges, our city manager filed a preliminary deficit budget, as the local newspaper editor, I wrote a story about it to raise awareness. What followed could be a case study for political junkies.
Our City Council is in a real budget crisis, caught between public frustration over taxes and widespread confusion about how the process works. But here’s the good news: we’re having the conversation. It’s loud and messy—on Facebook, at the coffee shop, and at our kids’ sports events—but it’s ours. Neighbors are asking tough questions and pushing for solutions that reflect our community’s values.
What we don’t need is Austin making things harder. Local communities know their needs better than anyone—and they deserve the freedom to make decisions without interference from the Capitol.
