What Have They Done All This Time?

It's nice of the City of Laredo to, in today's paper, include a "link" (in blue) to their website so the public can scan all the tax fee increases that are going into effect.  However, the fees are not front and center in their embarrassing homepage to make it easy for everyone to see.  I doubt they're even in there to begin with.

Nevertheless, the city put up a nifty bar graph comparing our garbage collection fees with those of other Texas cities.  Laredo has lagged behind in raising taxes fees.  It's a wonder how the Solid Waste Dept. has operated up to this point.  But in five years, the fees will go up 100 percent, all to provide better service to the locals, and to keep pace with the cost of doing business. 

Soon we'll be paying $12 for garbage pick-up.  My question is: how soon will it be for some of that money to go into the general fund? 

Our leaders are calling all the increases fees, because they would be fools to call them taxes.  To call them tax increases would surely bring on a backlash, and they wouldn't have the stomach to explain themselves.  No, they'll play the sad sack, raise fees, and then get creative with the budget.  I can only hope someone keeps an eye on them when they do it.