LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock’s sales tax revenue is running 6% above what was budgeted for the current fiscal year, City Manager Jarrett Atkinson told the Lubbock City Council Tuesday.
The update comes after the city faced a $5 million shortfall in budgeted sales tax revenue last year, which forced spending cuts and a hiring freeze.
Atkinson said city management budgeted conservatively for this year and does not expect to repeat those measures. The city collected approximately $10.8 million in sales tax revenue in February, which reflects sales made in December.
City to review frozen positions
Despite the improved revenue picture, the non-public safety hiring freeze remains in place. Atkinson said the city plans to evaluate open positions individually.
“We’ll take all those open positions and see can they better be filled, can they better be repurposed — maybe two positions becoming one different one, or do we continue to need them going forward,” Atkinson said. “While I do want to congratulate all of our staff that were in those departments, they got their work done, they really did. We did not have a reduction in service. So, we may have more efficient or better uses for those basically frozen positions that we have today.”
City officials response
Mayor Mark McBrayer said the city responded well despite the hiring freeze.
“Yes, I think our citizens have noted there isn’t a reduction in the services,” McBrayer said. “I get constant comments on how well things are being run at the city, so it’s nice to see, to know we can do that even when we are tightening our belts in ways that are unexpected.”
District 3 Councilman David Glasheen said he supports the city’s approach to spending.
“I commend everyone who has been involved in this effort to monitor the data, to adjust our spending accordingly, and encourage to continue the conservative approach to both estimating the income and adjusting our spending accordingly,” Glasheen said.
Budget kickoff scheduled in two weeks
Atkinson said the city will host its budget kickoff in two weeks to outline expectations and a timeline for the next fiscal year.
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