Opinion: Publisher's Journal: Oh, wait – that sounds a lot like officials we know

Texas lawmakers are considering a bill that could prevent taxing entities from funding projects that voters had already rejected.

The bill is aimed at Amarillo, which in 2022 attempted to fund renovations to its Civic Center after voters said no to a similar plan just two years earlier.

It’s a shame a law like that would need consideration. What kind of public officials would ask voters what they think, then make them fund the project anyway if they don’t like the answer?

Oh, wait.

Isn’t that how Curry County managed to build a new office complex and renovate its jail and courthouse?

Oh, yeah. But Curry County was totally different -- voters rejected county plans not once, not twice, but three times before county commissioners stole more than $14 million in taxpayer money for projects still ongoing.

Of course Curry County wasn’t just wanting a boost in tourism like those evil Amarillo city leaders. It was trying to protect residents from jail escapes. Remember? The jail, we were told, was so poorly constructed and falling apart that administrators and detention officers couldn’t possibly keep the inmates from climbing out through the ceiling or just walking through open doors.

Of course it turned out that after a series of incompetent jail administrators came and went the county hired Mark Gallegos – and the escapes mysteriously stopped, even before construction on the new jail started.

In other words, we didn’t need a new jail after all … just an administrator who knew what he was doing.

I know, I know. All this happened years ago and the money’s spent and county officials have a much nicer place to work now and I should just forgive and forget and move on. Besides, all the people responsible for that theft are long gone.

Ha.

Thank you, Amarillo, for the reminder that public officials everywhere need to be watched closely.

Then again …

There is an exception for every rule.

Curry County Commissioner Robert Thornton last week cast a vote for freedom. Maybe we can trust him.

Asked to consider a county-wide burn ban, Thornton said, “I don’t like to tell people what to do on their private property. … I’d like to think people have common sense.”

I like to think Thornton also implied, “If your fire gets out of control and burns your neighbor’s property, you will be expected to compensate your neighbor.”

We can dream.

David Stevens is publisher of Clovis Media Inc. Email him at:

[email protected]

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