Only Beaumont has the Nerve to Squander Taxpayer Money while Simultaneously Increasing Taxes.
February 6, 2018, Beaumont City Council Agenda Item 5. Check Number 97406 dated 01/24/2018, to Fritts Ford for $31,395.50 with memo “Replacement of Chief’s Vehicle: https://beaumont.civicweb.net/document/11615/Item%205.pdf?handle=51B169DF2AD24DCDA9D093C6A91194F6
February 6, 2018, Beaumont City Council Agenda Item 6. Check Number 97511 dated February 1, 2018, to Fairview Ford $88,795.16 for four (4) Ford F150 Trucks: https://beaumont.civicweb.net/document/11616/Item%206.pdf?handle=F654CFD6DFDC4759B23EABEFEC8AD042
How many new Vehicles has the City of Beaumont purchased in the last year?
I don’t know – I’ve lost count. I submitted a Public Records’ Request for a list of all vehicles, but it was never fulfilled. I’ll have to update my PRR to include these five.
Where did this extra money come from?
We can ask City Manager Todd Parton, but he’ll just say that it’s ‘from the Budget’, as if there’s a budget money tree growing out in the back yard that he picks money from.
So where did this new windfall of money derive?
It’s from the CFD Services Taxes. The City of Beaumont collects an additional $8 Million/year in CFD Taxes to pay for the Infrastructures’ ‘Services’. To pay salaries and maintenance on such Infrastructure as the Recycled Water Facility and the Fire Stations that do no exist.
And just like the Sewer Fee Increases; the CFD Services Taxes are deposited into the General fund and spent on, to quote Parton, “other things”.