Editorial: A Tax Increase Is Still a Tax Increase

Sauer/Photo by Campaign

By Thomas Warren III, Editor-in-Chief

Over the past four years, Amarillo taxpayers have seen their tax bills increase consistently, with unanimous support from the Amarillo City Council nearly every year. However, now that the incumbents are running for re-election, they are trying to spin the tax increase issue to avoid responsibility for the skyrocketing tax rates in Amarillo.

Regardless, their spin doesn’t change the fact that a tax increase is still a tax increase.

This past weekend, Amarillo City Councilman Eddy Sauer appeared on The High Plains Pundit Podcast with host Dan Butcher to discuss his bid for re-election against challenger Tom Scherlen. During the interview, Butcher asked Sauer about his past of calling himself a “champion for low taxes,” despite City of Amarillo taxes going up year-after-year. Sauer spun his response to point the finger at other taxing entities, then tried to downplay the 2019 maintenance and operations tax rate increase for Amarillo.

“In the four years I’ve been in office, operations and maintenance only went up one time, and that went up in 2019, and all of that went to fund the firefighters…,” Sauer said, going to on to say the additional revenues went to hire people to work within new fire stations passed under 2016 bonds.

Councilman, it’s wonderful that you are proud of your tax increase, but the fact still stands that you did, in fact, raise taxes after telling voters you wouldn’t raise taxes. You lied. And, not only did you lie in 2019, but you also lied about the tax increases you voted for in 2017, 2018, and 2020. After all, a tax increase is still a tax increase.

It seems difficult to understand why the current members of the Amarillo City Council are so unwilling to admit they raised taxes. If you paid more taxes to a taxing entity on a single piece of property year-over-year, then your taxes went up. But according to Sauer and the Amarillo Matters PAC City Council, voters just need to think their taxes stayed flat except to support first responders.

That claim is baloney.

Sauer also attempted to spin his position on tax increases to say that in 2017, 2018, and 2020, those tax increases only took place as a result of debt service. While it is true Sauer went back on his tax promise to vote for debt service tax increase, he also voted to add new debt to the taxpayers’ tab himself when voted to issue certificates of obligation for the water park project last year. And, to add insult to injury, Sauer voted to push the largest bond issue in Amarillo history last year, when his City Council tried to add over $275 million to the debt in Amarillo.

The truth is Sauer, who is a prominent lieutenant of Amarillo’s fiscally irresponsible mayor, Ginger Nelson, has been a consistent supporter of increasing taxes and adding debt in Amarillo, all while handing the bill to local taxpayers. No amount of spin will ever change the fact that Sauer’s record is not one that illustrates a “champion for low taxes,” but rather one of someone who is too economically illiterate and fiscally irresponsible to even have their hands anywhere near the taxpayers’ bank account.

Sauer cannot run away from his record of high taxes. When he leaves office, he will leave a legacy of empty wallets, higher tax bills, and additional debt, having mortgaged the futures of the taxpayers’ children and grandchildren who will be paying off the debt long after his tenure comes to an end.

It is worth remembering Sauer’s reckless spending spree will surely continue if voters do not put a stop to it at the ballot box. And this year, they can.

Sauer is being opposed this year by business leader Tom Scherlen in his bid for re-election. Scherlen has a track record of responsible business practices, leading a major employer in our community with branches across Texas and Kansas. Scherlen understands the issues facing local taxpayers and will not continually ask the taxpayers to pay more while mortgaging the futures of Amarillo’s next generation of taxpayers. Scherlen will stand up and demand fiscal responsibility at City Hall, leading the fight for accountability and responsible financial practices.

The choice comes down to Sauer and his disingenuous tax-increasing agenda or Scherlen and his track record of business success and smart financial practices.

Remember this contrast when it comes time for Election Day and remember all of the tax increases you have seen over the past four years. Make sure to thank Councilman Sauer for raising your taxes and lying about it by voting him out of office on May 1.