The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, May 02, 2000, Image 9
Tuesday, May 2,2000 THE BATTALION Page 9 ity residents ue over surplus LUBBOCK (AP) — Five residents the West Texas city of Andrews said eir hometown has abused its authori- by establishing a $20 million surplus. That much in reserve money actu- |ly amounts to a “slush fund,” ac- rdingto lawsuit they filed against the y last week. The plaintiffs contend that the sur plus allows Andrews to spend money [ithout voter approval. They say resi- nts were overtaxed to build the fund, id they want it returned. ‘The city has the right to tax and have a reasonable surplus,” plaintiff Wayne indley said Monday. “Twenty-million liars on a .2 million budget does )t seem to be reasonable irplus. They lould reduce flaxes until the lirplus is re duced to a ■ore reason- lie amount.” SALLIE TURNER Thu B\i t £ £j t y fa. outine Sunday in Ruddetlmey Kevin :horeographed by Molly J^kson said •) i Bryan id s sleeping patterns. |he lawsuit is frivolous. The surplus is a result of years of pinching pen- Ities, he said. . R 'This is the first time in the history „ ^ . otfhe world that a political subdivision ’ has been sued because it manages its Twoney so well that it has reserves,” he 4|;said. “This town is debt-free. It’s just - . .well managed.” QJ1 It might be good management of fi- n.inces, but the surplus has stripped Inters in Andrews of their voice, Find- py said. The city, which is 35 miles northwest of Midland, no longer needs bond issues that require voter ap proval, he said. I “When the city has accumulated $20 million, that is a lot of power for the City Council, and they no longer have to go to the voters for approval,” . Findley said. “We were taxed in ad vance, and it bypasses the rights of the voters.” Jackson said most towns would like to be in Andrews’ position. He said the reserve has allowed the city to roll back its tax rate each of the last eight years and has kept the city from having to take out bonds for improve ments, while at the same time working to attract new industry to town. “To call it a slush fund really implies some wrongdoing that is not there,” he said. “This is not just money that sits there for no apparent purpose. This mon- ey is funded and set aside for a reason.” Property owners in An drews, which has about 10,000 resi dents, pay an ad valorem tax rate of $2.43 per $ 100 of prop erty value. Forty cents of “The amount of reduc tion does not equal or even come close to the amount of surplus each year” — Wayne Findley plaintiff Gifts r* n S'S* ay 5th upon. that amount is the city’s share. Residents also pay a 7.25- percent sales tax. One percent of the sales tax goes to the city. Findley said the city’s rolling back of taxes over the last eight years is not enough. “They have reduced it a penny a year, which equates to $15,000,” he said. “They are reducing taxes by $15,000 while taking a surplus of $1.1 million. The amount of reduction does not equal or even come close to the amount of surplus each year.” In the lawsuit, Findley and the four other plaintiffs claim the city could op erate for 10 years without collecting any taxes by utilizing the reserve. 776-0870 4 W : Counseling i ALL MAJORS i LIRfE EMGINJEEFJIKJO FXI^l/AL PiEVIEW VVEOEIESOyAV AA/AV 3, 2000 10:00 /AAA - -4:00 PAA ZI/ACTEI/APIV BLJILOIEJ<& PlOOAAS 102 /AFIO 223B PHYSICS 208 <& 218 10-00 /AAA - 11:10 AAA AA ATM 151 <& 152 11:30 AAA - 12.AO PAA E MCI HI EE PI HUS 112 1:00 PAA - 2:10 PAA CMEAAISTPY lOY 2 30 PAA - 3:AO PAA FREE FOOO presented by leaders ini fresmaaen engineering • SPONSORED BV STUDENT ENGINEERS' COUNCIL WELCOME! 3 NOW^ ler or Fall Semester, ay 22-27, 2000. st 21-26, 2000. vra at 8454427 x133 .tamu.edu/volunteerl ENT ELING ICE University Student Affairs ll JUUMAAAAAV Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra Dr. Marcelo Bussiki, Music Director 8 Conductor Ci/ rs the best of luck upha Neely Klopsteck Casey Kneupper Allison Lee Libby Long Natalie Matkin Elizabeth McNeill Kristi Miculka Marilyn Moore L.isa Pecskovsky Lynsey Potts Sharon Robinson Crissy Rohloff Jennifer Shehan Corey Short Kim Smith I .isa Smith Becky Soto Maryann Stallings Summer Storer Suzanne fate C'acee Terry Kim Vyvial Vtagen Wallace Wendi W'alls Erica Walvoord Christie Watt I .indsay Wehring Auditions for Musicians lie Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra will audition musicians for the 2000-2001 season for the following instruments: Ail strings, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone and percussion Auditions are open to the community in general and TAMU students (MUSC 286 Symphony Orchestra - 1 credit hour) * Audition requirements: The applicant will be asked to perform two works of his or her choice, as well as sight read an orchestral excerpt. Saturday, August 26, 2000 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2000 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. (TAMU students) Additional times will be scheduled as needed For more information, please contact: Penny Zent (979) 845-5670 penny @ kamugate.tamu.edu * This course counts as I hour of academic credit, which can be applied toward fulfilling the requirements for Music Minor, pr as l hour of general electives. Enrollment in class is not a requirement, but is desired. KNOWfHE CODE MSC OPAS will opoe again offer the student season ticket fee option. For $150 you will receive six tickets to|any of the MSC OPAS Season 28- programs of vour choice. ELECT MICHAEL BLUM Class of ‘01 FOR CITY COUNCIL PLACE 4 EARLY VOTING NOW UNTIL MAY 2 ND AT CITY HALL REGULAR VOTING IS MAY 6 th AT YOUR DESIGNATED POLLING PLACE. POL. AD PAID BY SCOTT POTEET, TREASURER, 950 COLGATE #114 COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 YOU CAN’T STUDY ALL THE TIME During registration, sjfhply add code *23 to your optional fees. 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