Keeping an eye on spending is a good thing. Everyone has to do it. Everyone has to budget and make sure that spending is kept responsibly.
However, when a government official does so, they are attacked. Why? Some people cannot see a justification for keeping an eye on budget when it comes to government services. One such example is the battle brewing over the hiring of a new City Manager.
The Council should be concerned about costs. The City Council should make sure that the best deal is achieved for the City and taxpayers. This should be a no-brainer, but many will still criticize this outlook. It is not an unfounded outlook, however. It is basic economics.
When the supply of something outweighs the demand, prices go down. When the demand outweighs the supply, prices go up. In the current market, the supply of city managers outweighs the demand. Therefore, prices should go down.
Let's hope that the City Council remembers this basic piece of economic theory when hiring a new City Manager for Amarillo.
-Thomas Warren III, Editor-In-Chief
