#atxcouncil adopts (yet ANOTHER) Record-Setting Budget; Flannigan voting Aye....

"But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God."
Nehemiah 5:15

The not surprising part:

The Austin City Council approved a $4.1 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, with more money going toward homelessness outreach and an increase in the minimum wage for city employees.

Council members on Tuesday voted to lower the rate at which Austin taxes homeowners, dropping it from 44.48 cents to 44.03 cents per $100. But because property taxes are calculated on the value of a home and that number continues to rise for most people, the owner of a median-priced home will see a property tax increase of roughly $67.

....

The tax rate is higher than the rate City Manager Spencer Cronk proposed last month. Council members raised the rate in order to pull in an additional $2 million to fund services.

With this council, with the votes available on this dais, this was expected.

The surprising part:

The vote was 10-1, with Council Member Ellen Troxclair voting against it.

[Note: Emphasis added.]

In other words: Jimmy Flannigan voted AYE.

This is a dangerous move for Flannigan.  Jimmy Flannigan has carefully cultivated an image as fiscal moderate.  It allowed him to campaign in 2016 as a kinder, gentler version of Don Zimmerman.  With every record setting budget and tax increase that Jimmy Flannigan supports, his alleged fiscal moderation narrative unravels.

And that's before you get to the FACT that Jimmy Flannigan supported the "sick leave" entitlement (*) and the soccer stadium.

A pattern is emerging.

Bottom Line: With all due respect to District 6, Don Zimmerman told you so....

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[ * - In fairness to Flannigan, his vote for the "sick leave" entitlement might have been a blessing in disguise.  The deal that was cut to gain his support helped create the rushed process that doesn't comply with state law.  Flannigan's last minute switch strengthened the legal case.]