Tax Issue Resolved; Sandy Lake Road Next?

I commend the Coppell City Council for their comments and direction at last night's meeting. I look forward to the upcoming vote on this important matter and confirmation that there will be no tax increase approved this year.

As to next year, I expect that the Council and City Manager will explore the many alternatives before leaning on the crutch of going to the taxpayers to fund a very fully configured budget.

Now that the tax issue has seemingly been resolved, I challenge the Council and Manager to address the now ten-year-old Sandy Lake Road (westward from Denton Tap Road) rebuilding mandate authorized by voters in 1999. I've been aboard this soapbox for several years now, but until the City resolves the safety issue of students crossing Sandy Lake Road to get to and from the High School I refuse to relent.

Set aside the policy or other issues and instead deal with the real need - to creatively resolve this huge safety issue in a temporary fashion until the road rebuilding can take place. Twice daily police directing traffic is a possibilty, as is temporarily covering the ditches (using culverts) to afford adequate sidewalk access on both sides of the road could work. Finally, we need Coppell residents to embrace the too-long delayed road project with the same vigor as they displayed on the tax issue. The health of our student citizens is at risk daily.

My Thoughts on the Proposed Tax Increase

As a career banker I cannot fault our city leaders in their quest to maintain adequate reserves. That aspect of the current debate is valid and prudent.

I do believe that the City's failure to approach the need with regard to all stakeholders is imprudent; the City's debt providers and employees are the victors; its constituents (Coppell residents) are shortchanged as a result of the failure of the City (Council, Manager, Staff) to act in a fashion commensurate with today' economic realities.

Businesses of every type are evaluating all aspects of their operations to identify new efficiencies to allow their immediate and long-term survival.  For some reason our City leaders seems to believe Coppell to be exempt from the need to prune its services as a matter of prudent business practice - especially when so many of our citizens are facing unprecedented economic challenges.

At this time it appears that most on the City Council are unwilling to make the hard decisions to maintain fiscal prudence without taking the easy road of taking unnecessary new taxes from the taxpayers.

I strongly encourage the City Manager and the Council to reconsider their positions on this important matter. I applaud Mayor Peters along with Councilman Franklin for their courage in taking a stand contrary to the too-often unanimously-acting group.