KHOU-11 reports that the city is (another) $3.3 million in the red:
The variance is small — just a fraction of one percent of the overall budget — but it means some small projects may need to be postponed, said Councilmember Anne Clutterbuck.
Would it be too much to hope that the Dynamo stadium be among those?
A series of relatively small but unanticipated fluctuations in October’s tax collections added up to the new shortfall, Parker and Mitchell said. One was heavy rain. The city’s Combined Utilities System, which runs the water/sewer system, collected $6 million less in water bills in October because residents watered their lawns less than anticipated.
Just how much the city’s budget has been stretched to cover “world class” amenities such as stadiums, bike trails, non-functional electronic parking meters, “mobility teams”, etc. is obvious if a little rain can throw the entire budget out of balance.
Clutterbuck, who chairs the budget committee, said city leaders will have to make “hard decisions” and cut planned programs in order to keep the budget from sliding into the red. The city has already dedicated the money in a savings account to close gaps that already exist, she said.
Translation: We’ve spent our reserves down to zero to cover Bill White’s spending priorities; there is nothing left in the bank. It’s the Houston (soon to be Austin or Washington) Way!
