By Thomas Warren III, Editor-in-Chief

Will Amarillo taxpayers ever see accountability from our local elected official for their constant broken campaign promises? I doubt it.

On Tuesday, the Amarillo City Council voted unanimously to pass yet another tax increase. This year’s tax increase won full support from all of the current members of the City Council, including from Councilwoman Elaine Hays, who has been the only person on the City Council to ever vote against a tax increase. However, one must understand that Hays also voted against the 2019 tax increase just before launching her exploratory committee for a congressional run, in which she framed herself as an opponent of tax increases. So, take Hays’ single instance of tax opposition with a grain (or a brick) of salt.

I have continued to point this fact out, but I feel that it is once again worth discussing the broken promises made by the City Council on taxes. Ginger Nelson said she would keep taxes low. Eddy Sauer said he was a “champion for low taxes” who would oppose the increases. Elaine Hays, when she was running for congress this past year, even signed a pledge to oppose tax increases at the federal level.

“What a bold group of fiscally conservative candidates,” one might say. And you’re right. They campaigned like a fantastic group of fiscal conservatives, but let Amarillo voters down on every single tax promise they made.

If Ginger Nelson, Eddy Sauer, Elaine Hays, and the other members of the City Council had followed through with their promises to not raise taxes, they may actually be trustworthy on their other promises. However, in the eyes of this writer, they have shown no intention of following through with any of their campaign promises. The only thing that has remained a constant from their election through their tenure is they will always be there to do the bidding of Amarillo Matters PAC and their donors. Citizens and taxpayers — be damned!

So now that we have seen another tax increase from our “champions for low taxes,” they also want voters to sign on for another tax increase. This one would fund $275 million in taxpayer-funded debt for downtown projects, many of which were already rejected by Amarillo voters in 2016. It’s framed as a Civic Center bond, but believe me, it’s no Civic Center bond. This is a government cronyism bond aimed at downtown. From building a new city hall to completing projects voters already rejected in 2016, it is clear this bond will benefit the local government, and the government alone. But, your taxes are still going to foot the bill.

This City Council lied to Amarillo voters in 2017 and 2019, and they want to do it again in 2020. Don’t let their lies go without accountability. Demand a seat at the table and vote AGAINST Propositions A, B, and C in November.