7 Comments
Aug 28, 2023Liked by Dan Koller

*Stage 2 Water Restrictions* should be implemented well before a near crisis trigger. Should be mandatory beginning June 1st thru Aug 31st. Period.

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Aug 28, 2023Liked by Dan Koller

When I read stories like South Haven, I shake my head with sympathy. Signage may be helpful, but a deceleration lane would definitely be best. In the meantime, be sure to use those turn-signals far enough in advance to alert other drivers you’ll be slowing and turning!

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author

When I took a post-publication run to Market Street this afternoon, I noticed that Rosa’s and Chase were both violating the water restrictions.

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Hi Dan, I reached out to Councilman Mark Hill. He got an explanation from city staff. So the reduction in total expenditures is because there is a significant reduction in the capital replacement funding from the current FY to the new FY (a little over $4.3 million less to fund it in the new FY). That's why they can say the proposed total expenditures is 1.31% less (a little over $1 million). So, the rest of the budgeted expenses actually increases by over $3 million, resulting in the 6.64% increase figure that they showed.

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The one thing I noticed with all of the places that were breaking the water restrictions is they don't have Facebook pages. I spoke with 3 of my neighbors that don't use Facebook or Nextdoor and none of them have heard about the restrictions.

Other cities have signs posted on corners specifically for water restrictions. Why don't we?

Then I read a Facebook post where people said they were watering 15 minutes twice a day. Technically these people aren't breaking the restrictions if they are watering on the correct days.

SMH!

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Dan,

Can you decipher this for me? This is from the Coppell E-News email from Aug 17:

Total proposed expenditures represent a decrease of approximately 1.31% as compared to the current year's adopted budget. The proposed budget includes additional funding to the Capital Replacement Fund to cover the inflationary impact to the cost of purchasing public safety vehicles.

If the expenses to fully fund the Capital Replacement Fund are subtracted, total proposed expenditures represent an increase of 6.64% as compared to the current year's adopted budget. The City is pleased to present a budget that allows us to provide the services our residents expect while also keeping expenditures down.

First, they say the total proposed expenditures represent a decrease of 1.31%, and that if the expenses to fully fund the Capital Replacement Fund are subtracted, then the total proposed expenditures represent an increase of 6.64%. So, how does subtracting expenditures end up increasing the total expenditures? Is there a mistake somewhere, or is this intentional double-talk, or intentionally made confusing so that taxpayers just shrug their shoulders and give up trying to make sense of it?

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David, I’ve read it a few times, and I’m as confused as you are.

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