College Station city leaders eye $43 million in certificates of obligations for key projects, debt refinancing https://www.kbtx.com/2024/07/25/college-station-city-leaders-eye-43-million-certificates-obligations-key-projects-debt-refinancing/

$350 per person, thoughts and opinions?

EBrazosAg said:

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College Station city leaders eye $43 million in certificates of obligations for key projects, debt refinancing https://www.kbtx.com/2024/07/25/college-station-city-leaders-eye-43-million-certificates-obligations-key-projects-debt-refinancing/

$350 per person, thoughts and opinions?

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This is the age old argument of pessimism over potential.

We can look at some of the figures in the budget and have a negative outlook OR!

We can see the positive potential of them.

I say that our policy towards infrastructure has the potential to be much more beneficial to our economy.

Our tab -- as I have said again, again and again is $1,000,000,000 (interest included). 99% of this is required. It is unavoidable. Water, waste water, roads and so on. So if we have the dollar figure and that figure is unavoidable then in what ways can we use that to our advantage?

There are several but long story short, I am a potential kinda guy

So proposed budget is a bit over $4300 per person for the entire budget for the year.

They are refinancing but the article is mum on how much and what is the prevailing rate of the debt being refinanced.

I have a hard time imagining how it is going to be at a cheaper rate then it exists at. Unless of course the existing debt is ballooning and they have to "refinance" to extend and refresh the debt or pay the balance due.

Overall - I think it's a tough comparison of Austin vs College Station as Austin's total outstanding obligations are higher when you include existing bonds and such. Could be wrong but just my two cents.

Biggest budget ever (by a lot) still isn't enough.

woodiewood said:

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EBrazosAg said:

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So proposed budget is a bit over $4300 per person for the entire budget for the year.

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As with many families these days of high inflation and increases in property taxes, that are putting pressure on citizens' budgets, the city should look at every expenditure on the budget and evaluate whether each is a prudent and essential expenditure.

To me, a committment of a debt of 43 million dollars should at a minimum be put to a non-binding vote of the citizens who are paying for it.

Budgets of public entities who are using OPM should be mean and lean.

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But it's a lot harder to waste other people's money if you have to ask them beforehand.